8/30 From the 1990’s Forward: Martinez, Buechele,Corn Deals; Hot Race In '13; New CBA; Latin HoF; More

• 1990 - The Pirates picked up vet OF/1B Carmelo Martinez from the Phillies for OF’s Tony Longmire, Wes Chamberlain and Julio Peguero. Martinez lasted less than a season with the Bucs, while the young outfield prospects ended up with bench roles during their brief careers, with Chamberlain the only solid producer of the three. 

Carmelo Martinez 1991 Fleer

• 1991 - The Rangers traded 3B Steve Buechele to the Pirates for young pitchers Kurt Miller and Hector Fajardo. Buechele, a FA, signed with the Pirates after the season, but was moved at the next deadline for Danny Jackson after hitting .248 in 453 BA. Miller tossed off-and-on until 1999, appearing in 44 games for the Marlins and Cubs, while Fajardo was done in 1995 after pitching in 28 games for the Rangers. 
• 1996 - The Pirates sent 3B Charlie Hayes to the Yankees (the eighth player New York brought in during August) for a PTBNL, RHP Chris Corn. Charlie hit .286 for the Yankees and played through 2001; Corn never advanced past AA ball. 
• 2002 - After marathon sessions, Bud Selig & Donald Fehr announced a new four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. Revenue sharing increased, random drug tests were permitted, a luxury tax was introduced, the minimum salary rose to $300K and contraction, a major bone of contention, was ruled out until 2006 at the earliest. The 30th was the drop-dead date set by the Union to wrap up negotiations and the two sides just crossed the wire. 
• 2005 - The Milwaukee Brewers fell 6-0 to the Bucs behind Paul Maholm’s four-hitter at Miller Park. It was an oasis in an otherwise arid stretch of games that saw Pittsburgh lose 11-of-12 contests. The Bucs put up a five spot in the first inning, keyed by Jack Wilson’s three-run, bases-loaded double. The Bucs had the bases empty with two outs, but Doug Davis walked four of next the five batters, all on 3-2 pitches, before Wilson cashed in. 

Paul Maholm 2005 Topps Prospects

• 2006 - Pittsburgh scored three times in the 11th inning to come back against the Cubs 10-9 at PNC Park. Chicago scored twice off Marty McLeary (who got the win), but the Bucs scored on Jose Castillo’s single to cut the lead to one. Ryan Dempster walked Jose Bautista on four pitches to load the bases for Freddie Sanchez, who lined a two-run, two-out single to right for the win, giving him four RBI on the night. Castillo had four knocks while Jason Bay and Xavier Nady had three hits apiece. 
• 2011 - Andrew McCutchen was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal outing as he hit a ninth inning homer against the Houston Astros in an 8-2 loss at Minute Maid Park, becoming the eighth Pirates player to ring up 20 home runs/20 stolen bases in one season, and the first since Nate McLouth in 2008. 
• 2013 - The Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cards 5-0 at PNC Park behind Francisco Liriano’s two-hitter and a 3-for-4 night by Garrett Jones, who had four RBI and was a triple short of the cycle. The HR was #100 of his career. Pittsburgh moved back into a Central Division tie for first with the Redbirds in front of a sellout crowd of 38,036. 
• 2013 - The Latino Baseball Hall of Fame announced its newest class, including ex-Pirates Matty Alou (1966-70), Vic Davalillo (1971-73), Rennie Stennett (1971-79), Tony Armas (1976) and Julian Javier (minors 1956-59, traded to SL 1960).