3/30 From 1970: Bucs Win Opener; New Look Bucs; Meadows Signs; Ross, Ricardo Join; Bell Sails; HBD Jake, Dan & Mike

• 1979 - LHP Mike Johnston was born in Philadelphia. A 20th round pick in the 1998 draft, he made his big league debut on April 7th, 2004, along with fellow farmhand Jose Castillo, against the Phils; Mike got his first whiff and Jose his first hit. Johnston made it until June with the big club, being sent down after going 0-3/4.37. He made one more appearance in 2005 and that was his last MLB outing. He tore his labrum in 2006 at Indianapolis, missed 2007-08 and was released by the White Sox in 2009. Mike gave indie ball a final shot at age 33 in 2012 to close his career. 
• 1985 - LHP Dan Runzler was born in Santa Monica, California. He signed with the Bucs for the 2017 season and was a September call up, getting in eight games with no decisions and a 4.50 ERA after spending the summer at Indy. That was his last MLB duty; he’s been with Tampa, Boston and in the indie leagues since. 

Jake Marisnick - 7/11/22 image from  MLB.TV

• 1991 - OF Jake Marisnick was born in Riverside, California. The nine-year vet had played for five teams and the Pirates became his sixth when they signed him after he was released late in 2022 camp by the Rangers. Marisnick’s rep was as a good glove, weak bat (.228 lifetime BA) guy who could play all three pasture positions and slotted as the Bucs fourth outfielder after injuries to Anthony Alford and Greg Allen. But he was hurt here, played in 31 games and was waived in early August. He's now in the White Sox system. 
• 1997 - The Pirates purchased LHP Ricardo Rincon from the Mexico City Reds. In 1997-98, he went 4-10-18/3.17 for the Bucs and was then traded to Cleveland for Brian Giles in one of Pittsburgh’s better baseball deals. He’ll be remembered here for combining with Francisco Cordoba on a 10-inning 1997 no-hitter. Ricardo played on the Mexican WBC teams in 2006 and 2009, last pitching in MLB in 2008, then retiring from the Mexican League in 2012. 
• 2002 - “Operation Shutdown” OF Derek Bell, who had already packed his bags and left camp, was officially released after clearing waivers. The Pirates ate $4.5M in guaranteed money, after Bell told the media that he would sail into the sunset on his yacht rather than be forced to compete for a starting spot. In the first year of his deal, he was nagged by injuries and hit .173 in 46 games, which to many seemed a good enough reason to open the competition. His voyage as a ballplayer was scuttled after he hoisted his anchor: he never appeared in another MLB game. As Mark Madden of the Post Gazette wrote “Derek Bell becomes the ultimate Pirate: Lives on a boat and steals money.” 

Brian Meadows - 2005 Fleer Heritage

• 2002 - RHP Brian Meadows signed as a minor league free agent with the Pirates. He was called up mid-season and lasted four years with the club, converting from a starter to a reliever who made 133 appearances in his last two seasons with Pittsburgh. Meadows went 8-12-2 with a 4.20 ERA from 2002-05. He lasted one more year with Tampa Bay before retiring. 
• 2005 - The Bucs bought C David Ross from the Dodgers. Ross got into 40 games (35 behind the dish) and hit .222. It was fairly early in his 15-year career and he was just 28, but that still made him the graybeard of the backstop brigade, behind 26-year-old Humberto Cota & a pair of 24-year-old up-and-comers, Ryan Doumit and Ronny Paulino. Ross was sent to San Diego at the deadline for SS JJ Furmaniak to help break the logjam. 
• 2018 - In their earliest-ever season opener (and it started even sooner the next year), the Pirates see-sawed to a 13-10 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park. Ivan Nova twice worked out of bases-loaded, no-out jams, but relievers Michael Feliz and Felipe Rivero were bashed for four runs each, Feliz in 2/3-IP and Rivero failing to get an out in the ninth, blowing a 10-6 lead and sending the game into extra innings. Josh Smoker and game-winner Steven Brault held off Motown until Gregory Polanco bashed a three-run homer in the 13th, set up by two-out singles by Adam Frazier and Josh Harrison. Frazier, Polanco and Josh Bell each had three hits; Harrison, Starling Marte and Fran Cervelli collected a pair of raps. El Coffee had four RBI while Bell and Cervy each knocked home three. Harrison and Polanco scored three times apiece. It was, unsurprisingly, the longest Opener in Bucco history, lasting five hours and 27 minutes. 

Gregory was the Opening Day hero - 2018 Topps Now

• 2021 - Derek Shelton picked his first full-season roster. The only real surprise was camp standout Dave Bednar, a righty reliever who came to Pittsburgh as part of the Joe Musgrove trade package. He joined a boatload of new faces - P Tyler Anderson, P Trevor Cahill, P Wil Crowe, OF Dustin Fowler, P Luis Oviedo, C Michael Perez & P Duane Underwood Jr.. Among those who didn’t make the cut were a mix of FA vets and prospects: IF Wilmer Difo, 3B Todd Frazier, P Carson Fulmer, OF Brian Goodwin, P Geoff Hartlieb, P Clay Holmes, P Chasen Shreve, SS Cole Tucker, P Steven Wright & C Tony Wolters.