7/31 Deadline Deals: Archie, Oneil, Happ, Casey, Freddy, Gonzo, Belinda Arrive; Glasnow, Meadows, Watson, Tabata, Bay, Suppan, Lieber, Ollie Go & More...

• 1987 - The Pirates traded RHP Don Robinson to the San Francisco Giants for C Mackey Sasser and $50K. Robinson did everything from starting to closing for the Giants from ‘87-91, with a slash of 42-33-14/3.56. Sasser played a dozen games for the Buccos and then was traded to the New York Mets after the season as part of the swap for 1B Randy “Moose” Milligan. 
• 1993 - RHP Jon Lieber was traded by the Kansas City Royals along with reliever Dan Miceli to the Bucs for closer Stan Belinda. Lieber won 38 games in five seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the Cubs for Brant Brown, Miceli had 24 saves/10 holds/5.41 ERA in four Pirates campaigns and Belinda lasted two years for KC, settling into a bridge role out of their bullpen. 
• 2001 - The Pirates traded the well-traveled LHP Terry Mulholland to the LA Dodgers for pitchers Mike Fetters and Adrian Burnside. Mulholland, from Uniontown, pitched for 11 teams in a 20-year major league career with a pair of stints with the Cubs, Phils and Giants. The FO also swapped RHP Mike Williams to the Astros for RHP Tony McKnight. It was actually worked out as more like a lend-lease, as Williams signed with the Bucs again as a free agent after the season. 
• 2002 - The Bucs sent first round bust OF Chad Hermansen, 24, to the Cubs for 35-year-old OF Darren Lewis, who refused to report to the Pirates (he was ticketed as outfield depth) and retired instead. Chad hit .209 for the Cubs before moving on. The deal’s personnel package was restructured; along with Chad, the Pirates sent OF Aron Weston to Chicago (he topped out at AA) and the Cubs shipped pitchers Ricardo Palma (he reached AAA and pitched for the Venezuelan WBC team) and Tim Lavery, who was sent to A ball and retired at age 23, to replace Lewis. 

Chad Hermansen - 1997 Bowman Rookie

• 2003 - Pitchers Brandon Lyon, Anastacio Martinez and Jeff Suppan were traded by the Bucs to the Red Sox for LHP Mike Gonzalez, 2B Freddy Sanchez and cash in a redo deal. Originally, Gonzalez had gone to Boston for Lyons and Martinez a few days earlier, but Lyons flunked the physical, causing a reworking of the swap. The mulligan panned out pretty well for the Bucs. 
• 2005 - The Cubs sent young OF Jody Gerut to Pittsburgh for vet OF Matt Lawton. Chi-town shipped Lawton to the Yankees for a minor leaguer in August. Gerut, hampered by a bum knee, barely played and was released after 2006, appearing in just four games as a Pirate. 
• 2006 - Busy at the deadline: The Pirates traded pitchers Roberto Hernandez and Oliver Perez to the New York Mets for OF Xavier Nady. Pittsburgh also sent RHP Kip Wells to the Texas Rangers for RHP Jesse Chavez, traded OF/1B Craig Wilson to the New York Yankees for RHP Shawn Chacon and acquired RHP Brian Rogers from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for 1B Sean Casey. Nady hit .301 in three Pittsburgh seasons, Chavez was flipped in the 2009 offseason for 2B Aki Iwamura, Chacon gave the Bucs two workmanlike campaigns (7-7-1/4.44) and Rogers was ineffective, getting into 13 games over two years and posting a 9.28 ERA/7.66 FIP. 
• 2007 - The Bucs traded OF Rajai Davis and IF Stephen McFarland to the San Francisco Giants for RHP Matt Morris, who was being paid $7.5M in 2007 and under contract to make $9.5M in 2008 with a $1M buyout for 2009. He was released on April 27th of 2008 after going 3-8/7.04 in 16 Pirate starts, costing the club piles of dead money; many believed this deal was the final nail in GM Dave Littlefield’s coffin. Rajai finished in the Mexican League and now has a position in MLB Baseball Operations. Another rumored shuffle didn’t get done; there were hot and heavy talks with the Tigers to send SS Jack Wilson to Motown, but the deal fell through although Detroit agreed to take on his contract and offered one of pitchers Jair Jurrjens/Dallas Trahorn; Littlefield wanted Craig Monroe, per Dejan Kovacevic of the Post Gazette. The Bucs had already chased Toronto away by asking for Troy Glaus straight up for Wilson. Relievers Damaso Marte, Salomon Torres and Shawn Chacon were also dangled without success (all were on contractual short leashes: Chacon left as a free agent while Torres was traded during the offseason and Marte lasted until the 2008 trade deadline). 

Jason Bay - 2008 Upper Deck

• 2008 - Jason Bay and Josh Wilson were traded to the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Andy LaRoche & Bryan Morris to the Pirates from LA, and Brandon Moss & Craig Hansen shipped to the Bucs from Beantown. None of the prospects panned out for Pittsburgh, and Bay’s career was hamstrung by injury. Reports were that Tampa Bay offered SS Reid Brignac & RHP Jeff Niemann for Bay, but the Bucco FO wanted Wade Davis, David Price or Jeremy Hellickson instead of Niemann, ending that talk in a hurry. Miami was also a player for Bay and offered a package anchored by OF Jeremy Hermida and RHP Ryan Tucker, but the Pirates didn’t bite; they were focused on an 18-year-old outfielder named Mike Stanton. 
• 2010 - A lot of wheeling and dealing: RHP James McDonald was traded to Pittsburgh with OF Andrew Lambo by the LA Dodgers for RHP Octavio Dotel and cash. The Bucs also flipped LHP Javier Lopez to the SF Giants for RHP Joe Martinez and OF Joe Bowker. In a bigger house cleaning/change of scenery deal, SS Bobby Crosby, RHP D.J. Carrasco and RF Ryan Church were sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash, C Chris Snyder and SS Pedro Ciriaco. J-Mac had a promising start but crashed in 2013 while Lambo couldn’t overcome a spate of injuries; the other players were given MLB auditions but didn’t leave much of an impression with the organization. 
• 2011 - OF Ryan Ludwick was sent to the Pirates by the San Diego Padres for cash as the Bucs hoped to make a late push for respectability. He hit .232 with two homers during the dog days and then signed with the Cincinnati Reds in the off season, with 2014 being his last MLB season. 
• 2012 - 1B Gaby Sanchez and RHP Kyle Kaminska went from the Marlins to the Pirates for OF Gorkys Hernandez and 2013’s sandwich compensation draft pick five minutes before the deadline expired. Gaby stayed as a platoon 1B and bench bat through 2014 with Pittsburgh, hitting .241, and then went to Japan to play. Before that trade, the Bucs dealt 3B Casey McGehee to the Yankees for RHP Chad Qualls; both ended up as stretch run rentals for their respective clubs. 

Gaby Sanchez - 2013 Topps

• 2015 - The Bucs picked up 1B/OF Michael Morse, who had just been traded to and DFA’ed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, for OF Jose Tabata and cash. The Beast hit .275 with a .390 OBP in 45 games during the stretch, mainly off the bench. Morse was released the next year, then signed with the Giants in 2017, which was his final MLB campaign while Tabata is playing in Mexico. In a late deal spurred by AJ Burnett’s trip to the DL due to elbow inflammation, Pittsburgh then sent minor league RHP Adrian Sampson to Seattle for veteran lefty JA Happ, who turned in a masterful slash of 7-2/1.85. Sampson is in the White Sox system while Happ retired after the 2021 campaign. 
• 2017 - LHP Tony Watson (5-3-10, 3.66) was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of prospects, SS Oneil Cruz and RHP Angel German. Tony joined the club in 2011 and was seventh in franchise history with 450 appearances, but had lost his closer job to Felipe Rivera and was in his walk year. He retired in 2022. The Pirates picked up 40-year-old rental RHP Joaquin Benoit from the Phillies for 23-year-old Bradenton Marauders closer RHP Seth McGarry, who is now out of baseball after reaching AAA. Cruz is one of the Bucs’ uber prospects, but a leg injury cost him most of the 2023 campaign, his first year as the undisputed Pirates starting shortstop. German topped out at AA. 
• 2018 - Busy day. First, they sent a ton of potential talent in OF Austin Meadows, RHP Tyler Glasnow, both at one time the top-rated Pirates prospects, and a PTBNL (RHP Shane Baz, the Pirates 2017 first-rounder, #12 overall) to Tampa Bay for RHP Chris Archer. Archie, 29, joined Jameson Taillon at the head of the rotation, a spot he wouldn’t hold for long. He injured his thoracic nerve and won just six games in Pittsburgh in two seasons and some change. He left to rejoin his old club as a FA for 2021, but injured his forearm after one start for the Rays and is currently with the Twins. Austin has shown sporadic power and is with the Tigers. Glasnow and Baz have shown promise for Tampa Bay and are both in the Rays rotation. The Pirates also snagged RHP Keone Kela, 25, from the Texas Rangers for minor league LHP Taylor Hearn, 23, and a PTBNL, who ended up being 19-year-old 3B Sherten Apostel, a Low-A prospect who's now in AAA for Texas. Kela was the Rangers’ closer, but the Bucs added him to provide extra depth to their bullpen’s back end. He proved to be effective but injury prone, and signed with the Padres as a free agent after the 2020 season. He had TJ surgery in 2021 and is now with Arizona. Hearn was having a breakout campaign at Altoona and was the top-ranked Pirate organizational southpaw starter before being dealt. An elbow injury sent him to the Ranger bullpen and he’s now an Atlanta Brave. 

Corey Dickerson - 2018 Pirates image

• 2019 - OF Corey Dickerson was traded to Philly for $250K in international bonus credit. Corey came over from Tampa for RHP Daniel Hudson and minor league IF Triston Gray. He hit .303 with a 121 OPS+ in 2018-19 and won a Gold Glove in his first season. He hurt his shoulder in ‘19, got into just 44 games for Pittsburgh and was moved in the walk year of his contract. Still fighting injuries in Philly, he was released at the end of the season and signed with the Marlins, moved on to Toronto and is now with the Cards. Huddy toes the slab for the LA Dodgers and Gray is playing shortstop for Tampa Bay’s AAA club.

7/31 Through 1964: Gee Joins; Bobby, Lefty Lose It; Interleague Nixed; ASG & Game Tales; HBD Frank, Elmer, Peanuts & Joe

• 1870 - C/1B Joe Sugden was born in Philadelphia. Sugden spent the first five seasons (1893-97) of his 13-year big league career with Pittsburgh, hitting .277. He also played for the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Spiders, the White Sox and Detroit Tigers. Joe went on to become a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals before passing away at age 88 in his hometown. 
• 1892 - LHP Erv ”Peanuts” Kantlehner was born in San Jose. Working mostly as a starter for the Bucs from 1914-16, he went 13-29 with a 2.85 ERA. He made the Bucco record books by tossing a shutout in his first start on 4/17/1914, a four-hit, 2-0, win over St. Louis. Erv later coached high school baseball. He was said to have gotten his nickname while in the minors; no reason known. 
• 1896 - Per Gregory Wolf of SABR: “In a game against Cincinnati at League Park, (Pirates pitcher) Lefty Killen charged home plate to argue a decision made by umpire Bud Lilly, who had changed his call on a fly down the left-field line from foul ball to fair. According to the Pittsburgh Daily Post, Lilly “let go at” Killen, apparently under the impression that the pitcher would strike him. Killen retaliated by landing “a couple of blows on (Lally’s) face” before a melee erupted with players, spectators, and police rushing onto the field. When order was finally restored, Killen was under arrest, escorted to the local police station, and ultimately fined $25 while team owner William Kerr publicly condemned the umpire for provoking the incident. Pittsburgh won the contest in spite of the rhubarb, 9-7. The incident was typical of the short-fused Killen. Wolf noted “The ‘grave objection to Killen is his temper,’ per Sporting Life. ’He is as obstinate as a mule.’” 

Lefty Killen - 1896 team photo snip

• 1912 - The Pirates scored three runs in the 19th inning and then barely held off Boston to take a 7-6 decision at the South End Grounds. 38-year-old Honus Wagner was the man of the hour, stealing home and later driving in the game-winning run for Pittsburgh against the Braves. The game was a duel turned into a slugfest - it was 2-2 going into the 18th when both clubs scored twice, and five more runs were scored in the 19th. Otto Hess of the Braves had an excuse; he went all 19 frames. For the Bucs, Hank Robinson and Howie Camnitz faded in relief of Marty O’Toole, who called it a day after 12 innings. Camnitz got the win despite giving up two runs in the last frame. 
• 1914 - RHP Elmer Riddle was born in Columbus, Georgia. The 10-year veteran tossed his last two campaigns (1948-49) in Pittsburgh, winning an All-Star berth the first season while posting a 12-10/3.49 line. He faded badly in ‘49, winning just one game in his final year while hobbled by a bum wheel. He toiled briefly as a scout for Kansas City afterward. He passed away there at the age of 69. 
• 1939 - The Pirates obtained 6' 9" LHP Johnny Gee from Syracuse of the International League for $75,000 and four players. Nicknamed “Gee Whiz,” he lasted parts of four seasons (1939, 1941, 1943-44) with the Bucs, winning five games. Also known as “Long John” (and less kindly, as the “$75,000 Lemon,” the price paid for his contract), he never fully recovered from a 1940 arm injury. Gee was the tallest person to play MLB until 6’10” Randy Johnson debuted for the Montreal Expos in September, 1988. Not too surprisingly, Long John also played pro hoops for the NBA Syracuse Nationals (1937-39). Gee later became a teacher, coach, and high school principal. 
• 1944 - RHP Frank Brosseau was born in Drayton, North Dakota. A first-round pick of the Bucs in the 1966 secondary draft, he was inked from the U of Minnesota as an OF’er. When his bat proved weak, he was converted to the mound. That got him a shot in the show with the Pirates, albeit just for three games in 1969 and 1971, working 3-2/3 IP and giving up two runs on two hits with two walks and two whiffs. He finished his pro career in 1971 at AAA Charleston. 

Murry Dickson - 1953 Redman

• 1953 - Murry Dickson broke a personal five-game losing streak and the team’s four-game skid by scattering eight hits to defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4-0, at Forbes Field. Although Bruins had runners aboard in every frame but one, only three Cubs reached second and just one made it as far as third. C Nick Koback had a memorable day; not only did the rookie collect his first MLB hit, a ninth-inning single, but he called a shutout in his first big league start behind the dish. 
• 1957 - Manager Bobby Bragan was ejected for arguing a call (actually, he held his nose) during a 4-2 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. After being tossed, he went slightly bonkers. Bobby got an orange drink from the stands and he offered them all a sip while ordering hot dogs for the boys in blue, but they weren’t placated. After their report to the league, Bragan was fined $100 and threatened with suspension if he didn’t clean up his act. After the game, Bragan was quoted by the Pittsburgh Press’ Les Biederman as saying “My only regret is that the hot dog didn’t arrive in time.” Bragan was fired three days later and replaced by Danny Murtaugh on a temporary basis. The fill-in Murtaugh managed until 1964 and was brought back as skipper three more times. 
• 1959 - RHP Mike Bielecki was born in Baltimore. His first four big league years (1984-’87) were spent in Pittsburgh, where he went 10-17/4.57. He was the Pirates first round pick in the 1979 draft (secondary phase) and went on to have a workmanlike 14-year MLB career. 
• 1961 - C Smoky Burgess, OF Roberto Clemente, RHP ElRoy Face and 1B Dick Stuart repped the Bucs in the second All-Star game of the year at Fenway Park, a 1-1 tie called after nine innings because of rain. The next ASG tie wouldn’t be until 2002 when the game was controversially called after the sides ran out of pitchers. Clemente went 0-for-2, Burgess & Stu 0-for-1, and the Baron of the Bullpen was given the day off by manager Danny Murtaugh. 

Elroy Face - 1961 Topps

• 1962 - The National League owners unanimously rejected a proposal by Commissioner Ford Frick to include inter-league play at the annual scheduling meeting held in Chicago. The idea dated back to 1903 when the NL and AL first made peace, but wouldn’t come to fruition until 1997. 
• 1964 - It happens to the best. The San Francisco Giants took advantage of three errors by Bill Mazeroski and three more by his teammates to edge the Bucs, 8-6, at Forbes Field. Maz's last error, a dropped catch on a potential around-the-horn DP ball in the ninth, would have ended the game with the Pirates on top 6-5 had he held on to turn the pivot. Other Pirates miscues were owned by 3B Bob Bailey, who committed two errors on one play, and C Jim Pagliaroni’s misthrow.

7/31 From 1965: Pops HoF; JVW Signs; TSN Scoops; Strike Ends; AJ, Jose Gems & Game Tales; HBD JJ

• 1968 - The Pirates used a triple play to squelch a Reds comeback in a tight contest and then turned it on to run away from Cincinnati at Crosley Field 10-1. Up 2-1 with Dock Ellis on the mound, a pair of Reds aboard on walks were off and running on a 3-2 pitch to Tommy Helms. He lined the ball to Gene Alley, who flipped it to Bill Mazeroski and then on to Donn Clendenon to defuse the jam. Roberto Clemente and Clendenon homered in a victory that wasn’t iced until the Bucs scored six times in the last two frames. It secured a twin bill split as Bob Moose and the Buccos were dusted, 8-2, in the opener. Clendenon had five hits and Manny Mota collected four during the day. 
• 1969 - Five Pirates pitchers (Luke Walker, Joe Gibbon, Bob Moose, Lou Marone and winner Chuck Hartenstein) held the Los Angeles Dodgers to six hits over 15 innings and kept the Buccos alive until Al Oliver’s sinking liner found grass to score Matty Alou to earn a 2-1 victory at Forbes Field. The teams exchanged runs in the seventh inning on LA’s Bill Sudakis’ solo shot and Jose Martinez’s pinch-hit single that plated Freddie Patek. The Bucs banged out 15 hits, 14 of which were singles, hit into three twin killings, had a runner thrown out at home plate, and left 13 ducks on the pond until Scoops’ walkoff game winner. Roberto Clemente had four hits while Oliver and Freddie Patek banged out three each. Old Bucco hurler Al McBean picked up the loss. 
• 1976 - Al Oliver was featured as the cover story of The Sporting News in an article titled “Batting Demon.” It was his third All Star year, and he finished the season with a.323 BA and .839 OPS. He played 18 years of MLB ball and finished up with a .303 lifetime BA and seven ASG games. 

• 1979 - IF Jason Joseph “JJ” Furmaniak was born in Naperville, Illinois. A three-time All-Star in the minors, Furmaniak had a cup of coffee with the Bucs in 2005, getting into 13 games and hitting .192 after being dealt to Pittsburgh by the San Diego Padres in exchange for C David Ross. He signed with Oakland in 2007 and played 16 games for them before going to Japan for a season. JJ then finished out his career in the minors, with 2011 being his last campaign. 
• 1981 - The player’s strike ended after 42 days of headbutting. In the settlement, teams that lost a top free agent would be compensated from a pool of players left unprotected from all of the clubs (who could protect 26 players) rather than just the signing club, a procedure that lasted until 1985. The union agreed to restrict free agency to players with six or more years of major league service. Reportedly, the negotiations were so bitter that after the deal, Players Association rep Marvin Miller and the owners' negotiator Ray Grebey refused to pose with each other for the traditional “done deal” photo. The year became split season, with first-half winners meeting second-half titleists to determine the champs. It was a weird campaign in many ways; the Pirates and Cards played 102 games during the season while the Giants got in 111 contests. 
• 1983 - Rookie Jose DeLeon held the Mets hitless for 8-1/3 innings before Hubie Brooks singled, but Mike Torrez countered with 11 shutout innings as New York won, 1-0, in 12 frames. In his previous start, DeLeon had held the San Diego Padres hitless for 6-1/3 innings. Manny Sarmiento took the loss when the Pirates opted to go for a double play with an out in the 12th, but George Foster hustled up the line to beat the relay to first. The day was a double dose defeat for the Bucs as they lost the twin bill’s lidlifter, 7-6, after blowing a 6-1 lead. Jim Bibby took the loss in the 11th to waste Jason Thompson’s first-inning grand slam. 
• 1985 - The Pirates scored twice in the bottom of the 10th frame to rally past the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3, at Three Rivers Stadium. Cecilio Guante picked up the win in spite of himself, allowing a home run in the top of the 10th and tossing a wild pitch in the ninth inning that tied the game. Former Bucco Kent Tekulve suffered the loss after Steve Kemp lined a two-out walkoff single to left to bring home Larry McWilliams, pinch running for Jason Thompson. The prior batter, Marvell Wynne, hit into a force that plated Lee Mazzilli and knotted the score again. 

Steve Kemp - 1985 Fleer Update

• 1988 - Willie Stargell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the sole honoree that year. Stargell played his entire 21-year career (1962-1982, playing 2,360 games) with the Pirates, batting .282 with 2,232 hits, 475 home runs and 1,540 RBI. Captain Willie’s home run and RBI totals remain first on the club’s all-time list, as are his 937 walks and 953 extra-base hits. 
• 1990 - Bob Patterson came in cold and still tossed five shutout innings after Bob Walk bruised his finger trying to handle a first-inning comebacker. The Buc bats broke loose to make it an easy day for Patterson by taming the Cubs, 9-1, at Three Rivers Stadium. Wally Backman, Andy Van Slyke and Bobby Bonilla combined for eight hits and six runs scored while Sid Bream homered and drove in three Pirates. The win moved the Bucs into a first place tie with the Mets and they eventually won the pennant by four games with 95 victories, their first flag since 1979. 
• 1992 - Knuckleball specialist Tim Wakefield made his debut against the Cards at TRS, replacing Zane Smith, who was hurt, and pitched his way to a 3-2 win. He was in hot water early, giving up a couple of unearned runs in the fifth after working his way out of earlier jams. Then he left the bases full of Redbirds in the fifth and cruised afterward. He got all his support from a pair of bombs, a two-run shot by Barry Bonds and a solo homer off Jay Bell’s bat, and made the three scores stand up. The Bucs moved into first place after the victory and never looked back. 
• 1997 - Kevin Young played through a case of the flu, and the pregame chicken soup worked its magic as his three-run, eighth-inning homer on a two-out, full-count pitch carried the Bucs to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at TRS. Jason Schmidt went eight frames for the win with Rick Loiselle earning the save by striking out the side in the ninth around a single. 

Kevin Young - 1997 Skybox Thunder

• 2000 - 1B/OF John Vander Wal, 34, signed a two-year contract extension valued at $3.7M with another $300 K available in bonus money. JVW ended the year slashing .299/11 HR/94 RBI and hit .278 the next season until he was traded to the San Francisco Giants at the 2001 deadline. He finished his career in 2004, playing for five different teams over his final four campaigns. 
• 2012 - AJ Burnett held the Cubs hitless through 7-2/3 innings before giving up his only knock, a single to right by Adrian Cardenas, as the Bucs won, 5-0, at Wrigley Field. Burnett tossed a 108-pitch complete game while Neil Walker had all five RBI with a granny and sac fly. 
• 2013 - The Pirates won their fourth straight in a five-game series (they would lose the next day, 13-0) over St. Louis Cardinals with a 5-4 win at PNC Park. With Card ace Adam Wainwright on the hill, Pittsburgh rallied three times to tie the game, 4-4, in the fifth inning. The score stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth frame. Neil Walker opened with a single and tagged to second after Pedro Alvarez’s drive to left died in the corner for the second out. Russell Martin turned on a slider and lined it into short left center for the game winner. The Pirate bullpen tossed five scoreless innings in the victory, with Tony Watson getting the win and Mark Melancon earning the save. The Pirates extended their National League Central Division lead to 2-1/2 games with the decision. 
• 2015 - Behind Starling Marte’s ninth-inning defensive prowess and Jung-Ho Kang’s stick, the Pirates snapped a six game losing streak at GABP by hanging on to beat the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4. Marte threw out Brandon Phillips at home for the second out of the ninth, then made a tumbling, grass-top grab of Todd Frazier’s low, hooking liner to end the game, giving Mark Melancon his 31st straight save conversion. JHK ripped three straight doubles, scored twice (once on a heads-up sprint home following a short wild pitch) and drove in a run. Kang finished July with a .379 BA & 13 extra-base hits, the most productive month for a Pirate rookie since Paul Waner hit .381 with 14 multi-base contests in September, 1926. Jeff Locke got the win for the Bucs.

Notes: Bucs Take B-2-B Sets; Slamtana Gone; Tuc Out; Moves; Pirates, Minor League, MLB News

The dog days are here:

Notes:

• The west coast tour continued with a three-gamer at San Diego. The Bucs took the opener 8-4; Quinn Priester won his first MLB game and Liover Peguero banged his first MLB dinger. They dropped game two, but three solo homers were just enough to claim the series finale, 3-2. Then it was back home to face the Phils. The opener was a pitchers duel that they dropped, 2-1, then the Bucs took game #2, 7-6, behind Endy Rodriguez's stick and a five-out save from David Bednar. It was a sellout, the first since Opening Day. Pittsburgh took its second straight series, winning 6-4 in 10 innings, on birthday boy Josh Palacios' extra inning homer.
• The Pirates traded Carlos Santana to the Milwaukee Brewers for SS prospect Jhonny Severino. “Slamtana” will be joining his sixth team in five years after slashing .235/12/53 as a Bucco free agent signing. The 18-year-old Severino was an international signee in 2022 by the Brew Crew, played in the Dominican Summer League and was promoted to the Arizona Rookie League this year (.250/4 HR in 12 games). The switch-hitter was a Top 25 International Prospect. OF Josh Palacios, recently demoted, was called back to take Santana's spot.
• The FO is taking calls on RHP David Bednar, but asking a steep price, not only due to performance but also because he's under team control through 2026. It's unclear if they are actively trying to move The Renegade or just picking up the phone and listening to offers. Some have included RHP Mitch Keller in that category. C Austin Hedges and RHP Rich Hill are considered the most likely to go.

Tucupita - 2023 photo Justin Aller/Getty

• Tucupita Marcano screwed up his knee trying to step around a tag Monday night and went on the 60-day IL with ligament damage, so Tuc is done for the season. Marcano is still being evaluated, but told the media he expects to eventually undergo surgery. The Bucs called up IF Alika Williams, who was the return from Tampa Bay for reliever Robert Stephenson. The 24-year-old been strong at Indy (.305, 12HR + solid glove) to earn his first MLB call, and posted his first MLB knock, good for an RBI, on Saturday.
• 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes began his rehab assignment at Indy during the week to see how his back holds up in action. He'll return to Pittsburgh today, whether to join the team or be medically evaluated was left unclear.
• RHP Wil Crowe cleared waivers and was sent to Indy.
• For the second time this month, Bradenton 1B Joshua Sightler (2022 15th round pick from South Carolina) was chosen the Florida State League Player of the Week after going 13-for-24 with three homers. Three Pirates prospects were named to the Dominican Summer League All-Star game: OFs Juan Machado/Tony Blanco Jr. and RHP Carlos Castillo.
• IF Drew Maggi, the season's early feel-good Bucco story as a 34-year-old rookie, was released. Maggi was hitting .181 at Altoona in his 13th season in the minors.

Drew Maggi debut - 2023 AT&T SportsNet

• Ready to appear for first time since April 2022 following TJ surgery, old Bucco/current Milwaukee Brewers LHP Justin Wilson suffered a lat injury while warming up in the bullpen Friday night and was placed on the 15-day IL.
• LHP Taylor Hearns, who came to the Bucs as part of the 2016 Mark Melancon deal with the Nats and was sent to the Rangers as a AA All Star in 2019 in the Keone Kela swap, had his contract sold by Texas to the Atlanta Braves. In the five years since, he's tossed 92 outings (25 starts), and slashed 12-15-1/5.11. Six days later, Atlanta traded him to Kansas City.
• The Cards sent RHP Chris Stratton to Texas as part of a five-man deal.
• RHP Michael Feliz, who pitched for the Bucs from 2018-20 and has since bounced around the league while aggravated by injury issues, has left the NYY organization and signed with the Nippon League Chunichi Dragons.
• Draft Wrap: third baseman Daniel Cuvet, 3B, St. Thomas (FL) HS/Miami commit, 17th round (unsigned, $150K pool value); Kalae Harrison, SS, NC State, 18th round (undisclosed, pool value $150K). They signed 20-of-21 draftees, and left $1.1M unspent (they did drop $17,123,000 in bonus bucks), apparently money set aside to sign Cuvet, who passed and stayed true to his Miami commitment.

7/30 Through the 1940s: Wally Cycle; Skipper Shuffle; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Vic, Bill, Johnny, Hal, Chuck, Casey & Bill

• 1870 - C/1B Bill Merritt was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. The reserve played for the Pirates from 1894-97, with a brief stop in Cincinnati (Pittsburgh was one of Bill’s six MLB outposts during his eight-year MLB stay). He hit .280 while with the Bucs, close to his .272 career average. 
• 1886 - Enjoying an off day between games against the Metropolitans in New York, Allegheny pitcher Gentleman Jim Galvin took in the NY Giants-St. Louis match at the Polo Grounds, and ended up with the best seat in the house. Steaming over some verbal blasts unleashed during the prior day’s game, ump John Gaffney demanded a pre-game apology from the Giants. With none forthcoming, he stormed off the grounds, and Pud was pulled from the stands to umpire. He must have done OK; the Giants edged the Maroons, 2-1, and he escaped in one piece. 
• 1890 - OF Casey Stengel was born in Kansas City, Missouri. The Ol’ Perfesser spent 1918-19 as a Pirate outfielder, posting a .280 BA, and performed his famous “bird in the hat” stunt as a Bucco. He’s much more associated with the Big Apple, of course, than the Steel City. Between playing and managing, the Hall-of-Famer is the only person to have worn the uniforms of all four of New York's major league clubs - the Dodgers, Giants, Yankees and Mets. 
• 1891 - The Pirates (it was their first season after dropping the Alleghenys brand) got off to a 31–47 start following a disastrous 23–113 season, demoted captain/manager Ned Hanlon (who had left the team in 1890 for the Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players' League before returning after that league folded) and hired Bill McGunnigle. McGunnigle managed the club to a 24–33 record over the remainder of the year and was replaced in turn by Tom Burns, who didn’t make it through the 1892 season before losing his job to Al Buckenberger. 

Ned Hanlon - 1891 image/Illustrated Sports 

• 1894 - IF Chuck Ward was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He started his six-year MLB career with the Pirates, playing 125 games and hitting .236 in 1917. The next five campaigns were spent with the Brooklyn Robins, where he became the backup shortstop, playing off the bench through the 1922 season. Ward started pro ball in 1912 as a 17-year-old at Falls City and retired after the 1924 campaign with Toledo. He later managed the Rutgers nine for a dozen years. 
• 1904 - Baseball had some pretty rowdy roots. Per BR Bullpen: “Cardinals pitcher Jack Taylor walked seven and tossed three wild pitches to help the Pirates beat St. Louis, 5-2 at Exposition Park. The outcome was viewed suspiciously because several local gamblers had bet heavily on Pittsburgh before the game, but the real reason was Taylor and teammate Jake Beckley's late-night public drinking.” Pittsburgh Press writer Ralph Davis did note dryly that “Taylor was not hit hard, but he was inclined to be wild.” Bucco hurler Roscoe Miller’s five-hit performance from the hill played a role, too. It was the opener of a twin bill; the Pirates also took the nitecap behind Sam Leever, 2-1. “Old Sam” chipped in with a pair of hits, outdone only by Tommy Leach’s three knocks. 
• 1905 - C Hal Finney was born in Lafayette, Alabama. He was a reserve that played for the Bucs from 1931-34 & 1936. He spent his MLB career in Pittsburgh, finishing with a .203 BA. Finney came by that BA honestly - he held the MLB record for most at bats in a season without a hit by a non-pitcher from 1936, when he went 0-for-35, until 2011. His OBP was .000 as well. 
• 1909 - The Bucs ended New York Giant’s Christy Mathewson’s 13-game winning streak by a 3-1 count at Forbes Field. Tommy Leach doubled in Fred Clarke & Alan Storke, and Wee Tommy in turn was chased home by Dots Miller, all in the opening frame. That early burst was all the support Vic Willis would need, scattering nine hits for the complete game win over Matty. 

Wee Tommy - 1909 Sweet Caporal

• 1912 - OF Johnny Rizzo was born in Houston. He burst on the scene in 1938, hitting .301 with 23 HR and 111 RBI as a rookie; his HR mark for a first-year Pirate stood until Jason Bay bettered it in 2006 (Ralph Kiner tied the mark in 1946). Rizzo drove in nine runs against the Cardinals in 1939, and that’s still the team’s single-game record. He cooled off considerably after that red hot start, and early in 1940 was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Vince DiMaggio after putting up a line of .283 with 29 HR and 168 RBI while in Pittsburgh. Johnny joined the Navy in 1943 and played minor league ball after his discharge, then worked in the sporting goods business. He passed away in his hometown in 1977 at the age of 55. 
• 1922 - Max Carey and Reb Russell both went deep twice as the Pirates beat the New York Giants, 7-0, at the Polo Grounds, driving in six of the Pirates seven runs with their four long balls. Jughandle Johnny Morrison went the distance on the bump for the Pirates, allowing seven hits. 
• 1928 - C Bill Hall was born in Moultrie, Georgia. Hall signed as an amateur with the Pirates for the 1947 season. He got cups of coffee in 1954 and ‘56, with a longer look in 1958. Those three campaigns marked his MLB career, hitting .262 in 57 games before retiring after the 1960 season. 
• 1937 - The Pirates snapped a 15-inning scoring drought in the bottom of the ninth to take a 1-0, walk-off victory from the Boston Bees at Forbes Field. Ed Brandt of the Bucs and Hub City’s Guy Bush hooked up in a twirler’s duel until an Al Todd hustle double opened the final frame. Johnny Dickshot ran for him, and an intentional walk and a sac bunt that was beat out loaded the bases. After an out, pitcher Red Lucas hit for Brandt and lifted a fly to right that scored Dickshot easily. Pittsburgh Press beat writer Claire Burcky wrote that “...(RF Gene) Moore just stuck the ball in his tobacco pocket and jogged off through the clubhouse tunnel.” Bush scattered seven hits while Brandt gave up just two raps, both doubles to Ray Mueller, the only Bee to get past first base. 

Guy Bush - undated photo Bettmann/Getty

• 1939 - OF Vic Davalillo was born in Churuguara, Venezuela. (caveat emptor; his b-day has been reported as on the 31st and in 1936, so it’s more or less around this date). He played for the Bucs from 1971-73, hitting .290 as a lefty-hitting platoon player, seeing time in the outfield and first base. Vic played on two Pirate playoff clubs and when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1973, he joined a third. Davalillo was a motherland hero who played 30 seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League and still holds a handful of career records, including a .325 BA. In 2003, Vic was selected in the inaugural class of the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame. 
• 1948 - Pittsburgh unleashed a four-homer barrage against Brooklyn to take a 10-5 win at Ebbets Field. Wally Westlake hit for the cycle, while Max West, Monty Basgall and Clyde Kluttz went deep to chase Ralph Branca. Bob Chesnes was on the hill and went the distance for the win.

7/30 From 1950: Cutch Crush; HoF Vic; ASG, Gems & Game Tales; HBD Shelty, Clint, Josh & Mickey

• 1952 - LHP Mickey Mahler was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Mickey had an eight-year MLB career and signed a free agent deal with the Pirates in 1980. He spent two September games with the Bucs, giving up seven runs in one frame though he did go 14-8/2.65 for AAA Portland of the PCL. In the off season, he was sent to the California Angels as part of the Jason Thompson deal. In all, Mahler tossed for seven big league teams, slashing 14-32/4.68. 
• 1956 - Bing Double Dips: Sports Illustrated wrote that “Bing Crosby, one of the 11-man syndicate that made the winning $5,500,000 bid for the Detroit Tigers, is also 16% owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. When baseball Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that Crosby could own an interest in only one club at a time, the Groaner said he would keep the Pirates.” 
• 1957 - Clint Hurdle was born in Big Rapids, Michigan. After a 10-year stint as a player and later manager of the Colorado Rockies from 2002–2009 with a World Series appearance, Hurdle took over the Pirate reins in 2011, replacing John Russell. He broke the Pirate 20-year losing season streak in 2013 when he guided the club to 94 wins and the playoffs, with two more wild card postseason appearances in 2014-15. His tenure lasted through the 2019 season (he finished with a 735-720 slate with Pittsburgh), when he was replaced by Derek Shelton. 
• 1958 - The Pirates got to .500 for the first time in five weeks with a 7-1, rain-shortened victory over the Cubs at Forbes Field. Winner George Witt scattered seven hits and fanned 10 before getting some eighth inning help from Bob Porterfield; the rains fell after Porterfield squelched a Cubbie rally, and 36 minutes later, the umpires called it a night in Oakland. The attack was carried by Hank Foiles’ three-run homer and a three-RBI night from Dick Stuart. 

George Witt - 1959 Topps

• 1962 - In the second All-Star game of the year, this one played at Wrigley Field, the Americans bashed the National League nine, 9-4. Dick Groat went 2-for-3 and was HBP while driving home two runs. Roberto Clemente went 0-for-2 and Bill Mazeroski was 0-for-1. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy tossed out the Midsummer Classic’s ceremonial first pitch. 
• 1968 - The Bucs swept the Milwaukee Braves, 8-5 and 5-4, at Forbes Field. In the opener, Donn Clendenon’s error led to three unearned runs, but the battery (and 8-9 hitters) of the Bucs, Milt May and Steve Blass, drove in a combined five runs to overcome the boot. There was a memorable bit of glovework to help make up for the error when Roberto Clemente robbed Mike Lum. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press wrote “Clemente took off in pursuit and ran as hard and as fast as he could. Just as he approached the wall, Clemente reached up and caught the ball, still with his back to the diamond. He crashed into the wall...and was stunned for a second but held the ball." The Great One didn’t start the evening match, but entered in the eighth inning. The game went 10 innings before Manny Mota’s roller scored Matty Alou from third. Maury Wills and Clendenon each went 4-for-5 to help Ronnie Kline tossed 4-1/3 innings of shutout relief for the victory. 
• 1970 - Pirates Manager Derek Shelton was born in Carbondale, Illinois. He replaced Clint Hurdle as skipper following the 2019 campaign after serving as a bench coach for the Twins for two seasons. Before that, Derek was a quality control coach at Toronto, the Tampa Bay Rays’ hitting coach from 2010-16 and worked as the Cleveland Indians’ hitting coach for five years before that. Shelton started out managing in the Yankees system for three years (GCL, Class A short-season) and won two league championships after serving as a minor-league catcher in the NYY organization in 1992-93, with elbow surgery derailing his career. He played at Southern Illinois University. 
• 1975 - The Pirates had to delay the start of the game at Three Rivers Stadium by 18 minutes to let the Ladies’ Day promotion crowd of 43,260 get their fannies into their seats. It was worth the wait as the Bucs pounced on the Phils’ Steve Carlton and rolled to an 8-1 win. Jerry Reuss went the distance for the dub and Manny Sanguillen had a big day, going 5-for-5 with a homer. Al Oliver (HR, 2B), Willie Stargell (2B) and Dave Parker (2B) each had two-hit days. There were 21 knocks banged out between the two clubs, but the game still took just 2:25 to play. 

Manny - 1975 Post-Gazette profile

• 1978 - IF Josh Bonifay was born in Macon, Georgia. The son of Bucco GM Cam Bonifay, the Pirates drafted Josh in 1999. He had a long and successful minor league career, mainly at Altoona. He hung up the spikes after the 2007 season and became a coach in the Pirates system. In 2011, he moved to the Houston organization and is now the Texas Rangers farm director. 
• 1995 - RHP Vic Willis, who spent 1906-09 with the Bucs with a slash of 89-46-3/2.08, was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Leon Day and William Hulbert. Vic won 249 games in a 13-year major league career with eight 20+ win campaigns. 
• 2006 - Pittsburgh concluded a five-game winning streak by taking a 2-1, 10-inning victory from the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park. Jose Castillo’s leadoff homer in the ninth frame forced the game into extras, and Jose Hernandez’s single in the 10th scored Jack Wilson with the walkoff run. Both starters, Zach Duke and Matt Morris, put up zeroes but were gone before the seventh inning was done, and it took 11 more pitchers to finish up the contest that they had begun. 
• 2013 - Lucky Bounces: The Pirates swept a doubleheader from the Cards by 2-1 and 6-0 scores at PNC Park to vault over them into first place in the NL Central. The opener went 11 innings, with the winning run scoring after Alex Presley’s apparent DP ball deflected off pitcher Kevin Siegrist’s glove and into left field to plate Russ Martin. Vin Mazzaro got the win. The big blow in the nitecap was Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homer, aided by Lady Luck, that bounced off Matt Holliday’s glove and into the second row of seats in left. Rookie Brandon Cumpton went seven frames for the win, tossing three-hit ball. C Tony Sanchez took his MLB bow behind the dish and became one of seven Pirates to call a shutout in his first game; the last was Jason Kendall in 1996. 

Vin Mazzaro - 2013 Quarry

• 2014 - The San Francisco Giants broke a six-game losing streak largely thanks to a DP via a walk. The Pirates, who had won three in a row, led 5-4 in the sixth when Chris Stewart drew a one-out walk with runners on second and third. Giant hurler Jean Machi got the ball back from the catcher and noticed Travis Snider had drifted off second base, apparently thinking it was a bases-loaded walk (he admitted after the game that was the case). Machi picked the wanderer off, and Gaby Sanchez, who was at third, was baffled in the backwash and caught napping, too. The Bucs lost, 7-5, at AT&T Park, wasting long balls by Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer. 
• 2017 - The Pirates were in a four-game losing streak that had dropped them from 2-1/2 to 5-1/2 games off the National League Central lead when a pair of the Bucs big dogs, Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole, got off the leash. Cutch was up five times; he homered during three of them and walked the other two while Cole Train tossed seven innings of one-run ball with eight whiffs as the Pirates took a much-needed 7-1 win from the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The runaway was further fueled by Josh Bell’s pinch-hit dinger and Jose Osuna’s two-run triple. 
• 2021 - The Bucs were on a four-game losing streak and had given up 34 runs in that span while scoring just four times. They sent Wil Crowe (2-5/5.89) against the Phils at PNC Park, and he proved he had some stopper stuff in him by spinning six innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Chasen Shreve and Duane Underwood Jr. closed out with three more hitless frames as the Bucs snapped out of their doldrums, 7-0. The offense was balanced from top to bottom, as five guys collected two hits, six different Bucs scored and five more added RBI.

7/30 Deadline Deals: J-Hay, Joey Bats, Wilson Arrive; The Shark, Gorzo, Grabow, Schmidt, JVW, Benson Go; More Wheelin' & Dealin'

• 2000 - The Pirates announced a deal after a 9-8 loss to the San Diego Padres: the St. Louis Cardinals sent young SS Jack Wilson to the Bucs for LHP Jason Christiansen. Wilson became the Bucs starting SS from 2001-09, winning an All Star berth and Gold Glove in 2004, while Christiansen tossed through 2005, but with only one strong year during that span. Though trade talks were in the final stages, Jimmy Leyland broke with usual protocol and used Christiansen during the contest, as the swap wasn’t finalized until late in the game. He was hammered for four runs in 1/3 IP, which fortunately didn't deter the Redbirds. 
• 2001 - The Bucs sent RHP Jason Schmidt and OF John Vander Wal to the Giants for OF Armando Rios and RHP Ryan Vogelsong. Schmidt went 7-1 the rest of the year for San Francisco and then signed a big four-year contract. Vander Wal played on four teams in the following four years, retiring in 2004. Rios tore his ACL on August 1st and got into 78 games over two years before he was released. Vogelsong underwent Tommy John surgery in September. When Vogey returned after missing all of 2002, he went 10-17/5.82 over four years and went to Japan. 
• 2004 - The Pirates traded RHP Kris Benson and IF Jeff Keppinger to the NY Mets for 3B Jose Bautista (who they had lost in the 2003 Rule 5 draft), IF Ty Wigginton and RHP Matt Peterson. Bautista became the 10th major leaguer to play for four teams in a season, having been on the rosters of Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Kansas City. In fact, he was actually on five teams, as he was acquired by the Mets from the Royals but sent to Pittsburgh the same day. Benson, the other key player in the deal, won just 27 more games in his career. Interestingly, GM Dave Littlefield reportedly rejected an offer for Benson made by the Phillies for a power-hitting prospect named Ryan Howard, who would eventually become a National League MVP. The Bucs thought they had a Howard clone already in their system with Brad Eldred. After falling domino was 3B Chris Styne, who was released the next day as his roster spot was made redundant by Wigginton. 

Josh Harrison - 2012 Topps Update

• 2009 - The Pirates shipped lefties Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for IF Josh Harrison and RHPs Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio. Gorzo was converted to a bullpen guy for several clubs, Grabow’s last MLB season was 2011, Hart & Acasio succumbed to injuries and J-Hay ended up the keeper of the deal. For the Pirates, it was the end of a 10-day purge. Besides Gorzo and Grabow, they had earlier dealt away Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, Ian Snell and Adam LaRoche. Harrison and Ronny Cedeno were the only prospects netted from those three deals to become starting players for Pittsburgh, flipping the rebuild into a veteran purge. 
• 2011 - The Pirates traded minor league 1B Aaron Baker to the Orioles for 1B Derrek Lee, the first time that Pittsburgh was a buyer at the trade deadline since dealing for SS Shawon Dunston in 1997 to bolster the “Freak Show” lineup. Baker never made it past the AA level while Lee hit .337 with seven long balls for the Pirates in 28 games (he missed a month with a wrist injury) as Lyle Overbay’s replacement before retiring at the end of the year at age 35. 
• 2012 - In a trade of 2006 first rounders, Pittsburgh sent RHP Brad Lincoln to Toronto for OF Travis Snider. The change of scenery didn’t help either player much - Lincoln’s MLB career ended after the 2014 season and Lunchbox bounced around before retiring in 2022. 
• 2015 - Keep the phone charged: The Pirates acquired veteran RHP Joe Blanton, 34, from the Royals for $660K after he had been DFA’ed. Blanton went 5-0/1.57 for the Pirates during the dog days. RHP Vance Worley was released to make room for him. 2017 was the last MLB season for both. In another deal, RHP Joakim Soria was picked up by the Pirates from the Tigers for Altoona SS prospect JaCoby Jones. The Detroit closer, slotted to work the back end of the bullpen behind Mark Melancon and Tony Watson, made 29 Bucco appearances with a 2.03 ERA, one save and 11 holds. Soria retired in 2022; Jones was released by Kansas City in 2022. Finally, IF Justin Sellers, who had been DFA’ed, was sent to the Chicago White Sox for cash and played into 2016. 

Joachim Soria - 2015 photo Dave Arrigo/Pirates

• 2016 - The Pirates sent closer Mark Melancon and $500K to the Washington Nationals for a pair of hard throwing lefties (both touched 100), reliever Felipe (Rivero) Vazquez and prospect Taylor Hearns. The Shark was a bullpen backender that came over in the Joel Hanrahan deal with Boston. In four years w/Pirates, he went 10-10-174/1.80. Vazquez was on his way to becoming one of the league’s elite back-end relievers after taking over the closers’ job in 2017 from Tony Watson until he was arrested for child porn. Hearn was a 21-year-old lanky southpaw with an upper 90s heater and control issues who was already on the Bucco radar; he was the Pirates 22nd-round pick in 2012, but didn’t sign and went to Oklahoma Baptist. He’s currently in the Atlanta system after a stint with the Rangers. As for Melancon, he turned into a costly Nats rental, later signing with the Giants, then with the Braves, moving on to the Padres and is now with the D-backs. 
• 2021 - Righty closer Richard Rodriguez (4-3-14/2.82 in 37 appearances) went to the Braves for RHPs Bryse Wilson, 23, (2-3/4.83 w/Atlanta) and Ricky Devito, 22. Wilson is a starter who once was a Top 100 prospect and is now with Milwaukee, while Devito is playing in the Texas system. Ric Rod was banged with a drug suspension and is currently in the Miami system. Then LHP Austin Davis (0-1/5.59 in 10 outings) was dealt to Boston for UT Michael Chavis, 25. Chavis played 1B, 2B and LF and is currently with the Nats while Davis is a free agent this season. Finally, a minor league swap: Indy LHP Braeden Ogle, 24, (2-2-1/3.18) went to the Phillies in return for C Abrahan Gutierrez, 21, who was part of the deal that fell apart with the Phils a couple of days earlier. Ogle was thought to have a shot at making the club before he was dealt, and the Pirates reacquired him this season; he’s tossing for Altoona. Gutierrez is now at Greensboro.

7/29 Through the 1950s: Cubbie Swap; On Fire Frankie; Hans' Granny; Ed's Demons; Game Tales; RIP Harry; HBD Four Sack & George

• 1886 - 2B George Cutshaw was born in Wilmington, Illinois. He came to the Bucs in exchange for Burleigh Grimes and manned second base for four seasons (1918-21). Cutty hit .275 as a Pirate, with his best year being his last, when he hit .340. But he was injured in August, and the 35-year-old was sold to the Detroit Tigers, where he spent his last two MLB years. 
• 1903 - LHP Ed Doheny, it was announced in the Pittsburgh Press, “..had left the team under a mental hallucination (he believed detectives were tailing him) and returned home.” His mental state had slowly unraveled as the season went on, made worse by a lingering arm injury, and owner Barney Dreyfuss told the paper “If it is true that Doheny is mentally deranged, I am certainly sorry to hear of it. (Manager) Fred Clarke told me that there was something wrong with the pitcher before the team started West, but I laughed at him. Now it seems that Fred was right.” Ed was wrestling with real demons. After resting at home, he returned to the Pirates briefly before being escorted home again by his brother in September. After some violent episodes there, he was declared insane and sent to the Danvers State Asylum, where he died in 1906. 
• 1909 - Harry Pulliam committed suicide in New York City. A writer in Louisville, he joined Barney Dreyfuss in Pittsburgh as the team president, akin to today’s general manager title. In 1903, he was elected president of the National League. He made the ruling to support umpire Hank O’Day’s call in the famous “Merkle” misadventure, which eventually cost the New York Giants the championship in a playoff against the Chicago Cubs. He took several months off following that episode after having a nervous breakdown. He never really recovered - the following year, he took his life, with the suicide blamed by many as a result of depression caused by the pressures of the president’s office. 

Harry Pulliam - Helmar Cabinet II

• 1915 - Honus Wagner hit a grand slam in the eighth inning off Brooklyn Dodger Ed Pfeffer (It was “a dandy drive” per the Pittsburgh Press) during the Pirates 8-2 victory at Forbes Field. The inside-the-park round tripper made the 41-year old infielder the second oldest player ever to hit a homer with the bases juiced, a record set by 42-year old Cap Anson in 1894. (Cap's mark stood until 1985 when 44-year-old Tony Perez of the Reds claimed the graybeard honor.) Erving Kantlehner scattered nine hits while going the distance for the win, helped by an unassisted DP when RF Bill Hinchman snared a short line drive and raced to first base to double off Pfeffer. 
• 1916 - The Pirates sent 2B Otto Knabe and C Art “Dutch” Wilson to the Chicago Cubs for OF Frank Schulte and C Bill Fischer. Schulte batted .239 during his Bucco stint and was waived to the Philadelphia Phillies in mid-season 1917; 1918 would be his final major league season. Fisher hit .274 in 1916-17 but couldn’t beat out Walter Schmidt behind the dish, but hung ion by playing off-and-on in the minors until he was 38. Otto was approaching the end of his road and finished out the year, ending his MLB days. Wilson lasted until 1921, playing as a reserve, before ending a 14-year MLB stay. 
• 1920 - Jack of all trades Erv “Four Sack” (a nickname picked up after hitting a game-winning homer in the minors) Dusak was born in Chicago. He joined the Bucs in 1951 from the St. Louis Cardinals along with Rocky Nelson and the utility guy played six positions, including pitcher, until he was released by the club in June of 1952, hitting .273 in 41 games. He spent the next three campaigns on the farm and retired from pro ball in 1955 at the age of 34. 
• 1922 - Max Carey (2), Reb Russell, Cotton Tierney and pitcher Wilbur Cooper all homered at the Polo Grounds as the Pirates whipped the league-leading New York Giants, 8-3. Cooper went the distance for the win. Charlie Grimm had four hits while Carey & Russell banged out three knocks. It was a sweet victory over their heated rivals, but at the final bell, the G-Men took the National League flag while Pittsburgh finished in third place, eight games off the pace. 

Wilbur Cooper - 1922 Fleischman

• 1940 - The Bucs scored six times in their final at-bat, with the lead run thrown out at the plate as Frank Gustine tried to score from first on Vince DiMaggio’s single. It was a big play; the Dodgers pushed across a two-out run in the bottom half as the Pirates went down, 7-6, at Ebbets Field. The game was marked by a ninth inning brawl that started when Brooklyn’s Babe Phelps (who joined the Bucs in 1942) spiked Mace Brown at first. Bucco manager Frankie Frisch was fined $100 and ejected while three of his players were hit with $25 fines for their actions. 
• 1947 - Frank Gustine went 4-for-5 against the Boston Braves to lead Pittsburgh to a 6-5 win at Forbes Field, running his hitting streak to 21 games before it was snapped the next day. Tiny Bonham went the distance for the win behind a balanced offense - six Pirates scored and six posted RBI while eight of the nine starters, including Tiny, collected at least a hit against the Braves. 
• 1959 - LHP Dave LaPoint was born in Glen Falls, New York. The 12-year veteran spent part of 1988 with the Pirates, coming over from the Chicago White Sox in August for reliver Barry Jones. He made eight starts for the Bucs, slashed 4-2/2.77 and signed with the New York Yankees in the off-season, almost doubling his salary from $425K to $800K. He’s bounced around several baseball-themed activities since his retirement after the 1991 campaign, coaching minor & indie league ball, hosting a talk show and running baseball academies. Dave now describes himself on twitter as a “Former MLB Pitcher with a face made for radio and a body made for bowling”

7/29 From 1960: Jordan, Freddy, Jack, Ian Dealt; Giles, Clines Hot; Gems & Game Tales; RIP Bill; HBD Jack, Mike & Tommy

• 1963 - OF Tommy Gregg was born in Boone, North Carolina. A seventh-round pick of the Pirates in the 1985 draft from Wake Forest, Gregg spent the first two years of his nine-season career with the Buccos in 1987-88. He hit .217 in as a seldom-used bench guy before being shipped to the Atlanta Braves as part of the Ken Oberkfell deal. Tommy spent several seasons as a reserve for the Bravos, then made stops in Florida and Cincinnati, playing through 1997. Tommy later coached in the Kansas City and Miami systems and is now an indie league batting coach. 
• 1968 - Henry Aaron was caught red-faced thanks to some smoke and mirrors trickery by the Bucs. On a hit-and-run, Gene Alley and Bill Mazeroski decoyed Hammerin’ Hank into believing Joe Torre had hit a grounder between them; the reality was he had lifted a fly to Roberto Clemente in right. When Aaron stopped at second to try to find the ball, it was way too late; it was already on its way to first for the double play. It wasn’t one of his better days on the bases as he was also picked off first base in the Pirates 3-2 win at Forbes Field. In addition to his Emmy performance, Maz also homered to help Bob Veale to the win. Henry wasn’t the only guy with happy feet; the Bucs' Maury Wills misread a fly he thought was dropping and was doubled up off second base. 
• 1968 - RHP Mike Williams was born in Radford, Virginia. In six seasons (1998-2003), he went 15-23 and saved 140 games for Pittsburgh with a 3.78 ERA. His mark of 46 saves in 2002 set a team standard (topped in 2015 by Mark Melancon with 51), but fame is fleeting - his 12-year baseball career closed after the 2003 season following a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Candy - 1983 Fleer

• 1983 - John Candelaria and Tom Seaver exchanged four-hitters at Shea Stadium, with the Candy Man prevailing over Tom Terrific, 2-1. Two of the hits off Seaver were solo shots by Mike Easler and Tony Pena; Candelaria gave up a run in the first inning followed by goose eggs. Cecilio Guante finished up with a seven-up, seven-down performance to save the game for Candy. 
• 1971 - Gene Clines was the hero of the Pirates 8-5 win over Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. His three-run homer was the big blow in a six-run sixth inning, and the center fielder went 4-for-4 with four RBI and a pair of runs. Bob Robertson and Willie Stargell also went yard in the win that was cemented by 5-2/3 scoreless frames tossed by the Bucco bullpen. 
• 1998 - OF Jack Suwinski was born in Chicago. The Pirates got him from San Diego in 2021 as part of the Adam Frazier return. He cracked the lineup in 2022 and flexed for the Pirates with 19 homers in 372 at bats. He developed into the Pirates top power source in 2023, with his splits about even and a strong OBP, though his low BA and high K rate make his outings inconsistent. 
• 2000 - Brian Giles went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles while Warren Morris and Emil Brown homered as the Bucs ran up a 10-2 count against the San Diego Padres at TRS. Francisco Cordova got the win as three Buc pitchers scattered six hits in front of a Saturday night crowd of 30,118. 
• 2007 - Bucco outfielder Bill Robinson passed away in Las Vegas. The local boy (he was from McKeesport and went to Elizabeth-Forward HS) spent eight years as a Pirate from 1975-82, hitting .276 with 109 homers. He played five positions as a Pirate (1B/3B, every OF spot) and while a regular for only one year, he got into 100+ games six times in his eight seasons here. 

Bill Robinson - 1981 Topps

• 2009 - 2B Freddy Sanchez was traded to the San Francisco Giants for RHP Tim Alderson. The Bucs also traded RHP Ian Snell and SS Jack Wilson to the Mariners for RHP Aaron Pribanic, RHP Brett Lorin, 1B Nathan Adcock, SS Ronny Cedeno and 1B Jeff Clement. Snell was out of baseball by 2010 while Freddy & Jack were snake-bitten by injury. Most of the new gang failed their auditions as Pirates; the only regular contributor was Cedeno, and he wore out his welcome after 2011. 
• 2014 - The Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants, 3-1, at AT&T Park behind Francisco Liriano’s 11 whiffs and homers by Travis Snider and Josh Harrison. It was the third straight game that Harrison and Snider went long. After an April-May slump that saw them fall nine games behind in the National League Central Division race and eight games below .500, the Bucs pulled within a game of first and even up in the loss column while moving into the second wild card spot. 
• 2019 - The Bucs sent RHP Jordan Lyles to the Brewers for AA RHP Cody Ponce. Lyles, a free agent signing from the off season, had a Jekyll and Hyde stay with Pittsburgh, posting a 4-1/1.97 mark in mid-May, then crashing to a 1-6/9.57 slash from that time forward. He slashed 7-1/2.45 with the Brew Crew to continue his roller coaster campaign, and is now with the KC Royals. Ponce, a second-round draft pick, played for the US Team and at one point was on the Bucs 40-man roster, but since 2022 has been tossing in Japan for the Ham Fighters.

7/28 Through the 1980s: Gus For Max; Piet Rolls Seven; Josh Blasts Four; Arky HoF; Al-In-One; SI Thomas; Prince Night; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Carmelo, Chet, Bill & Duke

• 1867 - LHP Duke Esper (birth name: Charles H. Esbacher) was born in Salem, New Jersey. Duke spent nine seasons in the show and made a pair of brief stops, once with the Alleghenys (1890, 0-2/5.29) and another with the Pirates (1892, 2-0/5.40). In between those stints, Duke won 36 games, including 20 with Philadelphia in 1891, in 59 outings (both Pittsburgh years were split seasons). He posted a 101-100/4.39 lifetime slash before retiring after the 1898 campaign. 
• 1867 - RHP Bill Day was born in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. Bill had a 14-game MLB career with the Phils from 1889-90 and the ‘90 Alleghenys, going 0-6/5.52 in six starts after the North Siders sent OF Billy Sunday to the Quakers for him and $1,000 in an early salary dump. He hung around pro ball until 1904, closing out his ballplaying days in the Connecticut League. 
• 1908 - Vic Willis and the NY Giants Hooks Wiltsie battled to a 2-2 tie at the Polo Grounds, working 16 frames before the game was called because of darkness. The Pittsburgh Press called it “A fitting finish to a great baseball series. Willis and Wiltse pitched high class baseball and their comrades supported them in grand style. The twirlers were cheered to the echo on leaving the slab after innings of excitement where they had baffled their foes.” The Pirates took 2-of-3  while drawing 70,000 fans during the four-game series, a huge gate for the era. 
• 1932 - Scout Chet Montgomery was born in Warsaw, Kentucky. The Western Kentucky alum was known as “Chet the Jet” for his speed on the diamond and basketball court, but never played organized pro ball. After graduation, he became a high school hoops coach, then scouted for the Bucs (1963-67), Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians before returning to the Pirates as Special Assistant to the General Manager and Director of Player Development for a decade. 

Earl Grace - 1935 photo Bettmann/Getty

• 1932 - Pittsburgh swept a twin bill from the New York Giants, winning the matches by 10-7 and 9-1 counts. Earl Grace had three hits and three RBI during the lidlifter to pace the Pirate attack. Paul Waner and Adam Comorosky also had three raps as the Bucs banged out 16 hits, 14 of which were singles. Erv Brame got the win in relief of Steve Swetonic while Larry French picked up the save. In the nitecap, Tony Piet smacked a grand slam and three-run homer to go along with two more hits for a seven RBI, three-run day to allow Heinie Meine to cruise to the win. 
• 1938 - At Zanesville, Ohio’s Mark Grey Park (admittedly a bandbox), Josh Gibson led the Grays to a 17-4 win over the Memphis Red Sox with four home runs (two in one inning), the only four-homer game ever recorded in the Negro Leagues. The Negro National League champion Homestead Grays absolutely dominated the Red Sox, going 10-0 against them, including nine wins in a late July barnstorming series through the Midwest that included this game. Because no official box score or score card has been found, the game wasn’t counted in Gibson’s statistics. 
• 1939 - The Pirates traded veteran 1B Gus Suhr to the Phillies for RHP Max Butcher. Suhr was nearing the end of his career (he was released after playing just 10 games in 1940, his last MLB season), but Butcher became a mainstay for the Bucs. He pitched for seven years, made 154 starts and won 67 games in Pittsburgh before hanging ‘em up after the 1945 campaign. 
• 1940 - The Pirates won their eighth of nine games and fifth in a row by sweeping Boston at Braves Field by 5-2 and 7-3 scores. Maurice Van Robays was the white knight of the opening match, homering and driving in three runs to give Dick Lanahan all the support he needed. The Bucs used a balanced attack to support Max Butcher’s four-hit victory in the nitecap. 

MVR - 1939 photo via TSN

• 1958 - Frank Thomas was featured as the cover story of Sports Illustrated in an article titled “Nobody Knows Him But Everybody Wants Him.” In case you’re among the gang that doesn’t know him, the Pittsburgh native hit 163 homers in eight years as a Bucco (1951-58) and 286 bombs in his 16 seasons in the majors. He was an All Star three times during his Bucco career. 
• 1960 - 1B/OF Carmelo Martinez was born in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Carmelo (he’s Edgar’s cousin) spent parts of the tail end of his nine-year career with the Pirates. The Pirates got him in 1990 as part of the Wes Chamberlain deal with the Phillies and then sent him to Kansas City for Victor Coles in May of the following year. Martinez didn’t see much action in that span, getting in 23 games and hitting .229. He works for the Chicago Cubs now as their Latin Field Coordinator. 
• 1968 - Al McBean had one of those can-do-no-wrong Sundays. He gave up 13 hits to the Cards at Forbes Field, but still went the distance for a 7-1 win as the Redbirds stranded a dozen baserunners and went 1-for-14 with RISP. The big blow? McBean’s grand slam, coming with two down after Milt May was walked to get to Alvin. He also had fun on the hill, tossing several blooper pitches to the Giants in the ninth. Donn Clendenon added a two-run blast. McBean became one of six Pirates pitchers in franchise history to bang out a grannie. 
• 1971 - Luke Walker spun a four-hit, complete game whitewash at Los Angeles in a 4-0 win at Dodger Stadium. Bob Robertson homered and had a sac fly to bring home two runs. The Bucs nickled and dimed the Dodgers; every position player had a hit, four different guys scored and three had RBI as the club put up their runs one at a time in four different frames. 

Prince Night - 7/29/1`972 Robert Pavuchak/Press

• 1972 - “It was “Bob Prince Night” at TRS and 39,035 fans turned out for the event. As Bob Smizik wrote in the Pittsburgh Press “...he is listened to by just about everyone. And there are some who don’t like him. But many, many more see through his exterior to the man inside.” The Gunner requested that any money raised go to his pet project, the Allegheny Valley School for Exceptional Children, and Pirates nation kicked in over $75,000. The Bucs defeated Tom Seaver and the Mets, 3-1, behind Dock Ellis’ complete game seven-hitter, a Willie Stargell homer and a timely DP started by Dave Cash off an Ed Kranepool smash to bail the Docktor out of his biggest jam. 
• 1976 - Richie Hebner cracked a homer in the 13th frame to top the Mets, 1-0, at Shea Stadium, capping a 3-for-5 day. The big fly to right decided a pitching duel started by Tom Seaver and Doc Medich and ended with relievers Ken Sanders and Dave Giusti getting the decisions. Hebner was playing out his option year without a new contract after rejecting Joe Brown’s 20% cut offer in March, and it was part of a hot finish that saw the Gravedigger raise his BA from .192 on May 31st to .249 at season’s end. It didn’t bridge the gap as Richie signed a $550,000 multi-year deal with the Phils after the season, easily topping the Pittsburgh offer. 
• 1977 - Twelve Bucco batters reached against Dan Larsen of the Astros in the first two innings (Pittsburgh rattled off six straight hits in the first frame) to open up a 5-1 lead and then added on via a Bill Robinson grand slam to claim a 9-4 decision over Houston at TRS. Robinson had three hits while Phil Garner, Dave Parker, Al Oliver and Ed Ott added a pair of knocks to back a sometimes shaky Jim Rooker (he gave up nine hits, including a pair of long balls), who went tape-to-tape for the win. Pittsburgh was en fuego at home; the victory gave them a 38-14 record at Three Rivers for the year. It was also the beginning of a Robby big blast bash - he hit another granny on the 30th, then started off August with a pair of three-run blasts on the 2nd and 5th. 
• 1982 - The Pirates were dealt a heavy blow when Dave Parker ruptured a thumb ligament while legging out a hustle double against the Phils. The Cobra required surgery and was out of action until September 11th. Even then, he only played two complete games and had little power, getting into just 12 contests and managing 20 at bats, with two doubles and no homers. 

Arky Vaughan - 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats

• 1985 - SS Arky Vaughan was enshrined at the Hall of Fame. After missing out on the writers’ vote, the Veterans’ Committee paid Vaughan his dues. Arky was an MVP in 1935 when he hit .385, was a six-time All Star, hit .318 during his decade with the Bucs, never hitting under .300. 
• 1987 - Barry Bonds hit 176 homers while wearing the Bucco colors, but only one was an inside-the-park base circler. In an otherwise blah 5-2 loss to the Phillies at TRS, rookie Bonds drilled a two-out liner to right off Shane Rawley that kicked around, allowing him and Junior Ortiz to score the only Pirates tallies of the day. "Glenn Wilson tried to cut the ball off and missed it," Rawley recalled for the AP. "It rolled around the corner and ricocheted all the way around. By the time he got the ball, there was no way to get Barry." The hit was payback for Bonds, who Rawley had plunked twice. It was the first of three Bonds’ homers that didn’t clear the fence among his 762 long flies, with the other two hit in 1997 with the Giants.