Bucs Rally Past Braves 6-3; Brault, Cederlind Out; Tuck, Stokes, Yajure Optioned

Today's Game:

JT Brubaker started against the Bravos, replacing Brault in the rotation today. He was followed by Max Kranick, Braeden Ogle, Clay Holmes and Chasen Shreve. Looking like a starting nine in the lineup with Fraze and K-Man in the middle, Dustin Fowler in center flanked by El Coffee and Bryan Reynolds. The Bucs started slow before picking up the attack, but took a hard-won 6-3 win.

Brubaker went five frames (72 pitches), allowing three hits with a walk while striking out six. Unfortunately, the line was meh; three runs came in thanks to a pair of monster Austin Riley homers. The rest of the gang put up goose eggs - 1-2/3 IP for Kranick, 1/3 for Ogle and an inning each for Holmes and Shreve, giving up just two more raps. The bullpen's final makeup is gonna be interesting...

Gregory is quietly having a solid spring - 2020 photo Pirates

Fraze's solo shot was all the Bucs had to show during the first five frames. Phil Evan's single, Gregory Polanco's double and a sac fly by Kevin Newman gave the Buccos a lead in the sixth. They iced it in the eighth on Nick Gonzales leadoff bomb and a two-out single by Wilmer Difo to make the final 6-3.

Notes:

• The usual suspects came up big - Kevin Newman and Ke'Bryan Hayes had a pair of hits while Adam Frazier homered. The offense was balanced with 14 hits; 10 different Pirates scored or drove home a run.
• The injury news isn't so great - Steven Brault is sitting out a month with his left arm strain and could miss 10-12 weeks in all while Blake Cederlind had Tommy John surgery last night and is expected to miss 14-16 months. Todd Frazier is still day-to-day with a tight back.
• Today, the Pirates optioned IF Cole Tucker, RHP Sean Poppen and RHP Miguel Yajure. 1B Will Craig, C Joe Hudson, OF Troy Stokes Jr. and C Andrew Susac have been reassigned to minor league camp. RHP James Marvel was reassigned to minor league camp yesterday. 
• According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Bucs have talked to Ke'Bryan Hayes about an extension, but "no traction" has been created.

Tomorrow's Game:

The Pirates visit Baltimore for a 6 PM game aired by 1020 KDKA. It's bullpen day for the Bucs with Sean Poppen, Michael Feliz, Richard Rodríguez, Luis Oviedo, Chris Stratton and Edgar Santana taking the bump.

3/24: '91 State Of the Bucs; Kiner #4; Greenberg Slugger Stamp; Jeter Returns; RIP Mace; HBD Chris, Corey, Gus, Gentleman George, Pat, Al & Mike

• 1869 - RHP Al Lawson was born in London, England. His MLB career consisted of three 1890 starts, two with the Alleghenys. He wasn’t exactly a poster boy for Brit baseball; he went 0-2, giving up 20 runs (10 earned) in 10 IP on 15 hits and 10 walks. Al played pro ball from 1888-95 and then managed in the minors from 1905 to 1907. In 1908 he started a new baseball league known as the Union Professional League, which quickly floundered (His brother George founded the United States League in 1910, which also died a rapid death). But he had a second career as an aviation advocate, publishing air industry magazines, founding Lawson Aircraft, and was credited by some as the guy who came up with the idea of commercial airliners. Moving on, he later wrote books, developed an out-there philosophy known as “Lawsonomy” and founded his own religion, all of which were fairly popular for a spell in the Upper Midwest.

Mike Mowrey - 1914 pennant blanket

• 1884 - 3B Harry “Mike” Mowrey was born in Brown's Mill, Pennsylvania. Mike had a 13 year MLB career, spending a pair of seasons in Pittsburgh. He hit .254 as a Pirate in 1914 and .280 for the Federation League’s Pittsburgh Rebels the following year. Mowrey’s forte was as a defender; he was considered the most accomplished hot corner fielder in baseball and especially sharp against the bunt, a major offensive tool during the dead ball era. Mike’s real first name was Harry; he became Mike thanks to his brother. Mowrey’s dad was sheriff and ran the jail; vagrants were often housed in the cells overnight. Young Harry was friendly with one of his dad’s guests named Mike and so his brother called Harry “Mike the Hobo” after his incarcerated bud from that time forward. 
• 1893 - “Gentleman George” Sisler was born in Manchester, Ohio. After a Hall-of-Fame career at 1B mainly w/the St. Louis Browns, he joined the Dodgers in 1942 as a coach & evaluator. When Branch Rickey moved to the Pirates in 1951, Sisler tagged along. He helped several hitters, notably Roberto Clemente, whom he counseled to keep his head quiet and to use a heavier bat. Sisler stayed on with the Pirates after Rickey left as a roving hitting instructor. His sons, Dick & Dave Sisler, were MLB’ers. Dick spent eight years in the show and later managed the Cincinnati Reds while Dave had a seven-year career as a pitcher. George got his nicknames of “Gentleman” and “Gorgeous” because of his demeanor and looks; he was also known to a lesser degree as “Sizzler” and “The Picture Player.” 
• 1906 - C Art “Pat” (Patrick was his middle name) Veltman was born in Mobile, Alabama. Veltman had a six-year MLB career that consisted of coffee klatches; he played just 23 games over that span, his final dozen as a Pirate in 1934, going 3-for-28 (.107). He was released in midseason to return to the Pacific Coast League Oakland Oaks (the team the Pirates drafted him from after the 1933 campaign), where he finished out the season as manager. He played three more years in the PCL and Western Association afterward and then retired from baseball. 
• 1907 - 1B/OF Augustine “Gus” Dugas was born in St. Jean de Matha, Quebec. The reserve hit .250 in 1930 & 1932 (he broke his jaw in 1931) as a Bucco before he was sent to Philly as part of the Freddie Lindstrom trade. “Lefty” (his threw and hit from the left side), along with fellow Quebec-born major leaguers Tim Harkness, Raymond Daviault, Georges Maranda, Ron Piché, Claude Raymond, and Jean-Pierre Roy, threw the ceremonial first pitch before the inaugural Montreal Expos game at Olympic Stadium on April 15th, 1977. 

Johnny Jeter - 1970 Topps

• 1965 - OF Johnny Jeter was selected off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles; he had originally been signed by the Pirates in 1964 out of Grambling and had been lost to the Birds in November. Johnny was unfortunately a guy who was easily exposed. Playing two years for the Bucs and six overall in the show, during the three seasons that he batted fewer than 100 times, he hit over .300, but in the three campaigns with 100+ at bats, he never hit higher than .240. 
• 1982 - 1B/OF Corey Hart was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Pirates signed Hart to a one-year/$2.5M contract for the 2015 campaign, taking a risk that he would recover from microsurgery on his knee and fill a hole at first base. The club rolled snake eyes; Corey got into just 35 games battling shoulder & knee injuries, batted .222, and retired prior to the 2016 season. The two-time All-Star is now a minor league hitting coach for Toronto. 
• 1991 - The Pirates president, Carl Barger, GM Larry Doughty and skipper Jim Leyland held a three-hour, closed door meeting discussing the Bucs “State of the Union” per the report of Bob Hertzel of the Pittsburgh Press. A major topic was the future of Bobby Bonilla, who was in his walk year and could be signed, traded, or lost to free agency. Hertzel said the rumor mill was percolating, with the Yankees 1B Kevin Maas & OF Roberto Kelly, the Mariners 1B Tino Martinez & old Bucco property OF Jay Buhner, the Braves P John Smoltz & OF Dave Justice and a couple of days later, the Cubs Mark Grace & Jerome Walton, on the Pirates’ wish list of possible matches. But no match was made, and Bobby Bo left the Bucs empty-handed after putting up an All Star line of .302/18/100 in ‘91 to sign with the Mets. 
• 1993 - Utilityman Chris Bostick was born in Rochester, New York. A well-traveled minor league depth guy, Pittsburgh became his fourth organization in 2017 and after some good stick work at Indy, he got his first call to the show for a May cup of coffee, then a longer September look, batting .296 overall in 20 games for the Pirates. He got a couple of more tastes in ‘18 before going to Miami; he's now with the Orioles. 

Chris Bostick - 2018 photo Pirates

• 2002 - RHP Mace Brown passed away in North Carolina at the age of 92. Brown was one of the earliest dedicated relievers for the Pirates, appearing 207 times from the bullpen from 1935-41. He also started 55 games over that span and ended up credited retroactively with 29 saves as a Pirate (a closer wouldn’t be a thing for several more decades; a save wasn’t even kept as a stat until 1969) to go with 18 complete games and two shutouts. 
• 2006 - At Mickey Mantle's Restaurant & Sports Bar in New York City, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled the "Baseball Sluggers" postage stamps which were issued on July 15th at Yankee Stadium prior to the game against the White Sox. The four Hall of Famers featured in the set had roots in New York with Mickey Mantle (Yankees), Mel Ott (Giants) and Roy Campanella (Dodgers) playing their entire careers in the Big Apple, and the fourth, Hank Greenberg, had set schoolboy records at James Monroe High School in the Bronx. Greenberg spent his final season (1947) in Pittsburgh where he mentored slugger Ralph Kiner. 
• 2014 - The Pirates announced that the team would wear #4 patches all season to commemorate slugger Ralph Kiner, who died on February 6th. Kiner led the NL in home runs for seven straight years (1946-52) and MLB for six consecutive seasons (1947-52), both records. He was selected for the All-Star Game in six straight seasons, from 1948-53, and entered the Hall of Fame in 1975.

Pirates Win Pitching Duel 1-0 On Fraze's Homer

Today's Game:

Chase De Jong, David Bednar, Miguel Yajure, Michael Feliz, Kyle Crick, Sam Howard and Roansy Contreras climbed the bump. Fraze answered the bell at second, Erik Gonzalez was at short and Shelty started a Bryan Reynolds-Brian Goodwin-Gregory Polanco OF.

Can't say anything bad about the moundsmen - De Jong went 3-2/3 scoreless with a hit and two whiffs, using just 46 pitches. The other guys put up goose eggs in their inning and the unscheduled David Bednar even got in the action, K'ing the only batter he faced to close out the fourth. In all, the guys gave up just three hits and two walks while fanning 11, and the Bucs needed that performance from them to eke out a 1-0 win over the Twins.

And today's hero - image Pgh. Pirates

The Pirates attack wasn't much to see with just six raps. Fraze had two of the hits, including a sixth-inning solo shot, and that was all it took. Both sides tossed the ball beautifully and didn't get into much trouble; Minnesota was just 0-for-2 with RISP and the Bucs 0-for-1. Wilmer Difo made the big play for Pittsburgh, snaring a sixth-inning liner while drawn in and then doubling up a Twinkie off third to end the frame.

Notes:

• Roany Contreras struck out the side in the ninth with a walk, and Kyle Crick fanned a pair in a clean frame of work.
• Todd Frazier had some back tightness and was scratched from yesterday's game. He's considered day-to-day. The full report on injuries is due tomorrow.
• It's Matt Capps turn in the booth this week, and like Kevin Young, he did a good job in his analyst role.

Tomorrow's Game:

JT Brubaker is the scheduled starter against the Bravos, replacing Brault, followed by Clay Holmes, Chasen Shreve, Nick Mears and Braeden Ogle. The game will be carried by AT&T SportsNet.

3/23: Bunning Cover Boy; RIP Don; Blow Out the Candles Lanny, Johnny, Wendell, Hooks, Frenchy, Slappy, Mike & Danny

• 1868 - OF/P Elmer “Mike” Smith was born in Pittsburgh’s North Side. Smith was a pitcher that was converted to the OF after his arm wore down. He played from 1892-97, then briefly again in 1901, for the Pirates. He was a good hitter with a .325 BA, .415 OBP and 136 OPS+ during his Bucco years. In 1893 he scored 121 runs and drove in 103 runs. He led the team in 1894 with a .357 BA and, in 1896, he hit .362 with a .454 OBP. Smith, converted to the OF by his Bucco time, also tossed for the Pirates in 1892, going 6-7/3.62. He remained a local boy after his 14-year career in MLB (he kept a North Side home on Madison Avenue) working as an inspector for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Highways. When he died, he was buried in North Side’s Union Dale Cemetery. 

Mike Smith - Ars Longa Art Card

• 1885 - OF Danny Moeller was born in DeWitt, Iowa. Danny began his career playing 47 games in 1907-08 for Pittsburgh, batting .219. He sharpened his skills in the bushes afterward (and picked up the nickname “Rochester Rambler” for his time spent with that club), returning to the show in 1912 to begin a five-year run with Washington and a brief stint with Cleveland. He did start four years for the Senators, batting leadoff while sporting a fine glove and strong arm, tho he became the first MLB player to strike out 100 times in a season when he whiffed 112 times in 1912. Danny’s career was short-circuited by a chronic shoulder dislocation. 
• 1886 - RHP Cy “Slappy” Slapnicka was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He pitched pro ball from 1906-20, working 10 games in MLB. His last stint was with the 1918 Pirates, who bought his contract from Birmingham of the Southern Association in late June. Slappy, then 32, went 1-4/4.74 in seven outings (six starts) and was released. Though he did have a long and solid career in the bushes, Slapnicka made his name after he retired. He did a little administrating and minor league managing but was a big-time scout for the Indians, signing Bob “Rapid Robert” Feller, Roger Maris, Herb Score, Lou Boudreau, Bobby Avila and several other A-Listers. 
• 1893 - RHP Remy “Ray/Frenchy” Kremer was born in Oakland, California. Kremer pitched 10 seasons for the Pirates (1924-33), his only MLB club, and went 143-85/3.76, winning 20 games twice, leading the NL in ERA in 1926 and 1927 and claiming a pair of victories in the 1925 World Series. What's more amazing is that he didn't make his major league debut until he was 31 years old after spending nine campaigns in the Pacific Coast League! But he didn’t come with a senior discount; the Pirates, in battle with the Cubs for his services, sent pitchers George Boehler and Earl Kuntz, infielder Spencer Andrews, and a reported $20,000 to the Oaks in exchange for Kremer, who also got a little slice of the pie after he threatened to hold out after the deal. 
• 1905 - OF Harold “Hooks” (he had noticeably bowed legs) Tinker was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but migrated to Pittsburgh with his family in 1917. He played sandlot for the Edgar Thompson team, then for the Pittsburgh Monarchs. Hooks joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1928, playing center field and acting as assistant player-manager of the team, he was said to have discovered Josh Gibson. Tinker was on the team when it was sold to Gus Greenlee in 1931, but when faced with Greenlee's decree to "work or play," Tinker chose to leave the team and keep his mill job to support his family. Hooks answered to a second calling and became a highly respected reverend in the Hill District. 

Wendell Smith - Teenie Harris photo

• 1914 - Writer Wendell Smith was born in Detroit. After his graduation from West Virginia State in 1937, where he pitched and played basketball, Smith began his career with the Pittsburgh Courier, then perhaps the most influential black paper in the country. Smith, as a baseball writer and sports editor, covered the Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Pirates. In 1947, he went to the Chicago Herald-American and later, the Sun-Times. He also became a WGN-TV sports anchor. He chronicled the early days of Jackie Robinson and was reputed to be one of the industry insiders to recommend Jackie to Branch Rickey. Wendell also was a tireless advocate of baseball integration, pushing teams (including the Pirates) to try out Negro League players such as Josh Gibson. He was recognized by the BBWAA Spink’s Award in 1993. In a bit of irony, the group had turned down Smith’s membership application while he was with the Courier, though in 1948 they finally relented and admitted him as one of its earliest black members, behind only Sam Lacy. He passed away of cancer in 1972, and in 2014, was the winner of the Associated Press’ Red Smith Award. 
• 1926 - IF Johnny Logan was born in Endicott, NY. Logan spent the end of a productive 13-year career with the Pirates (1961-63) as a reserve, getting in 152 games and hitting .249. Playing mainly as a Brave, Logan batted .268 with 93 home runs, 547 runs batted in, 651 runs scored and 1,407 hits in 1,503 games. He was a four-time all-star, including three berths in a row from 1957-'59, and was on Milwaukee’s 1957 World Series-winning club. He finished his career in Japan, then did some broadcasting, scouting and took a gig building the Trans-Alaska pipeline. 
• 1948 - Pirate announcer Lanny Frattare was born in Rochester, NY. Lanny was the voice of the AAA Charleston Charlies in 1974-75, and got in the booth for a couple of Pirates games after the minor league season at Bob Prince’s invitation, getting to announce an inning or so. He was officially part of the Pirate broadcasting team from 1976-2008, starting out as Milo Hamilton’s color man, and announced over 5,000 Bucco games during those 33 seasons ("...and there was no doubt about it"), becoming the Pirates longest-tenured voice before moving on to academia. In 2008, he was nominated for the Ford Frick Award, given by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in broadcasting. 
• 1968 - Jim Bunning was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Bucks In Pirate Bank.” The season didn’t work out quite as expected, though. Injuries to his groin, ankle and hip led Bunning to win just four games as he came in with his worst major league season to date with a 4-14 record and 3.88 ERA. 

• 1979 - Coach Don Osborn, 71, passed away in Torrance, California. After a minor league pitching career and some managing on the farm for the Cubs and Phils, he joined the Pirates in 1957 as a roving minor league consultant. In 1963, Osborn was named pitching coach of the Pirates, and he served three stints in that post (1963–64, 1970–72, and 1974–76) mostly under Danny Murtaugh, with minor league duties in between big league gigs. Osborn was named pitching coach once again after the 1978 season by Chuck Tanner, but bad health led to his resignation, and he died a year later.

Pirates Hang On 6-5 Behind Newman, E-Gon & Evans; More Moves

Today's Game:

Mitch Keller, Geoff Hartlieb, Trevor Cahill, Duane Underwood Jr, Chris Stratton and Luis Oviedo climb the hill against the Twinkies. Kevin Newman was at short, Erik Gonzalez at short, Dustin Fowler patrolling center and Tony Alford in right.

Keller went 3-1/3 frames and gave up four runs. Three singles and a wild pickoff led to a second inning score, and a single and two doubles plated in the fourth before Hartlieb could put out the fire. Cahill clamed things down with two clean innings and Underwood another (with two K). Oviedo gave up a single/double combo to cut the lead to one, but allowed no further damage as the Bucs hung on to take an eight-inning (by agreement), 6-5 win.

Mitch still looking for his mojo - 2021 photo Pirates

Phil Evans was a one-man RBI machine early, with a first-inning sac fly and a two-run dink in the third. E-Gon tied it in the fifth with a walk followed by a steal, bad throw and passed ball as the O's gave their hosts a gift. Gonzalez kept on, doubling home a pair in the sixth. His tallies were enough as Pittsburgh held on.

Notes:

• Kevin Newman had three hits & three runs scored while Erik Gonzalez added two more hits with a run and two RBI. Rare day for Bucco batters - they walked more times (5) than they fanned (4).
• Quinn Priester was slated to go today, but instead worked live BP in camp, no reason given. 
• On the injury front, no word yet on Steven Brault (left arm) except that his Wednesday start was scratched nor on Blake Cederlind's elbow.
• After the game, the Pirates optioned OF Jared Oliva and RHP Edgar Santana while IF Kevin Kramer and RHP Shea Spitzbarth were reassigned to minor league camp.
• Pirates tickets go on sale tomorrow. They will be limited to the first two homestands (12 games) to allow flexibility on the seating numbers and protocol. The first batch will be sold with a 25% occupancy cap.

Tomorrow's Game:

The Twins come to Bradenton for a 1:05 game aired by AT&T SportsNet. On the agenda to toss are Chase De Jong, Miguel Yajure, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz and Sam Howard. 

3/22: Dann Joins; Spring Basebrawl; Umps Walk; HBD Ike, Beast, Jason, Ramon, Goldie & Moose

• 1902 - Coach Goldie (his given first name was Golden) Holt was born in Enloe, Texas. Holt played 23 years of minor league ball, serving as a player/manager for six of those seasons. He finally reached the majors as a Pirates coach under manager Billy Meyer from 1948–50, then scouted and managed in the farm system for the Dodgers from 1951–58. He switched to the Cubs' organization as a member of its College of Coaches experiment from 1961–65 (a disastrous rotating coach gimmick conjured up by owner Phil Wrigley), then returned to the Dodgers as a scout through the early 1980s, where he was credited with teaching Charlie Hough how to throw a knuckleball. 
• 1906 - OF Julius “Moose” Solters was born in Pittsburgh. He never played for the Pirates but was one of the better local ballplayers with one of baseball’s sadder stories. Moose (he was 6’1”, 190 lbs), the son of a Hungarian immigrant who worked at J&L Steel, went to Fifth Avenue HS. Solters played nine years in the AL for four clubs, slashing .289/89/559 and put up five double-digit homer seasons along with four 100+ RBI campaigns. In 1941, he was hit by a ball during pregame fielding drills after he had turned to wave to his in-laws in the stands. Solters suffered headaches and double vision afterward, effectively ending his baseball career, and slowly began losing his vision. He returned to his native Beltzhoover and ran a bar. Solters was also a key figure, along with Frankie Gustine, in planning and fundraising for Frank Vittor’s 1955 Honus Wagner statue. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Hazelwood’s Calvary Cemetery. 

Moose Solters Day at Forbes Field - Pgh Press 7/10/1951

• 1968 - RHP Ramon Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He ended his 14-year career, spent primarily with the Dodgers, as a Pirate in 2001 with four largely forgettable outings before retiring. He won 135 games over that span but was bested for family honors by his little brother, Pedro. Ramon is now pitching coach for the Orioles, specializing in developing young Latino arms. 
• 1974 - RHP Jason Phillips was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Jason was drafted out of high school by Pittsburgh in 1992 and had 17 MLB outings over parts of three seasons. He made his debut with the Pirates in 1999 with six appearances and an 11.57 ERA. The Bucs released him in 2001 and he subsequently got a couple of stints with the Indians. He ended his pro career in 2004 after a couple of years of tossing in Japan. 
• 1982 - 1B Michael Morse was born in Fort Lauderdale. “The Beast” (he’s 6’5”, 245 lbs) was a third round selection of the White Sox out of high school in 2000 and the Pirates picked him up in 2015 in a trade with the Dodgers. The Pirates were the 11-year vet’s seventh team, counting LA, who flipped him before he ever played a game for them. He hit .275 in 2015 and after one outing in 2016 was released in April. He lost most of the 2017 season with the Giants due to a freak concussion after he and Jeff Samardzija accidentally banged heads during a baseball brawl with the Nats in May. The following season, he hung up the spikes and took a broadcasting gig. 
• 1987 - The Bucs purchased C Dann Bilardello from the Montreal Expos, and after a minor league stint at AAA Buffalo, he was sold back to Montreal in July. The Bucs then brought him back as a free agent signing in 1989 and he hit .225 as a bench guy. He was released after the year, signed again, and then released for good after the 1990 campaign when he hit just .054, spending both years mainly in AAA. In all, Dann played two seasons for Pittsburgh, appearing in 52 games and batting .171. 
• 1987 - 1B Ike Davis was born in Edina, Minnesota. The Bucs were hoping that Ike, who they got from the Mets in mid-April for a couple of prospects, could plug the hole at first in 2014, but 10 homers/.235 BA in 94 starts with 397 plate appearances didn’t cut it. The Pirates sold his contract to Oakland after the season and announced that Pedro Alvarez would be their first baseman in 2015. After stints with the Athletics and Yankees, Ike spent 2017 pitching (he was a standout reliever at Arizona State) in the Dodger system, but that was too little, too late, and he retired the following season. 

Bobby Bo wasn't grinning after some chin music - Fleer All Stars 1989

• 1989 - It was only spring training, but when the Phils Don Carman served up some chin music to Bobby Bonilla, the two teams erupted into a bit of basebrawl (Carman had a history with the Bucs, having bopped several in recent seasons). It was mostly a dance and debate; as Benny DiStefano said “I was looking for a fight but I couldn’t find one.” Still, plate ump Bob Davidson found reason to toss Philadelphia’s Dickie Thon (Bob Dernier had been ousted earlier for griping about a strike three call) and a boatload of Bucs - Bobby Bo, Barry Bonds, RJ Reynolds and skipper Jim Leyland. As fate would have it, the instigator, Carman, escaped the thumb. The Bucs won the match 7-6 on the strength of Gary Redus’ three-run, seventh-inning homer. 
• 1990 - The umpires announced a boycott, sore that they weren’t consulted over MLB schedule changes made after the lockout, even though the new CBA wasn’t hammered out until March 19th. They returned to work on April 1st while pay, schedule consultation, and other related issues were being resolved through binding arbitration.

Bucs Run Away From Bosox For 9-4 Win; Steven Wright Signs NRI Deal

Today's Game: 

Taking the bump against the Bosox are Wil Crowe, Clay Holmes, Sean Poppen, Braeden Ogle and Nick Mears. The Frazier boys manned the right side, Tuck was at short and Brian Goodwin in center. 

Crowe was workmanlike again, going 3-2/3 IP (63 pitches) and giving up one run on four hits. Holmes followed with a  zippo, and Poppen surrendered two in two innings, one earned and the latter credited to a throwaway by Ji-Hwan Bae. Ogle ran into some eighth-inning issues with two hits and a walk, surrendering a run and leaving Red Sox on the corners. Mears wrapped it up with a 1-2-3 ninth as the Bucs cruised to a 9-4 win.

Ke'Bryan Hayes lovin' the spring - photo Pirates

A couple of walks, a wild pitch and Fraze's two-out, two-run double put the Bucs up 3-0 after two frames. They added another trio of tallies on a bases-loaded Fraze right side bouncer and two-run rap by Ke'Bryan Hayes  in the fourth. One more Buc scored in the sixth when Brian Goodwin scooted two bases to third on a wild pickoff and tallied on Wilmer Difo's grounder. The next frame, Hayes tripled and trotted home ahead of Bryan Reynolds' dinger for the Pirates cherry on top.

Notes:

• Fraze had two hits (double, three RBI) and Hayes also added a pair of knocks (triple, two RBI).
• Utility hopeful Wilmer Difo entered today with a 7-game hitting streak. He went 0-for-1, but walked twice. scored twice and drove home a run.
• Bucco pitchers only had six whiffs; Ogle and Mears each punched out a pair in an inning's work while Crowe posted the other two.
• The Pirates signed ex-BoSox 36-year-old RHP Steven Wright to an NRI contract as a depth option, we assume. The knuckleballer didn't pitch in 2020 and had 26 outings in 2018-19 while serving two suspensions. He's also had elbow and knee issues which he says are behind him now.

Tomorrow's Game:

The Orioles return for a 1:05 game at LECOM Park, with the game on AT&T SportsNet & KDKA 1020. Pretty interesting group of pitchers lined up for the match: Mitch Keller, Trevor Cahill, Duane Underwood Jr, Chris Stratton, Luis Oviedo and Quinn Priester. It will be this spring's first Grapefruit League action for Cahill (FA), Underwood (trade) and Oviedo (Rule 5).

3/21:Baumgarten, Killen Deals; Esteban Inked; Deep Cuts; False Rumor; PA Buys Bucs; Revenue Sharing OK'ed; HBD Manny, Shawon, Pablo, Mysterious & Bill

• 1884 - RHP Frederick Mitchell “Mysterious” Walker (his moniker came from pitching under a fake name for the San Francisco Seals) was born in Utica, Nebraska. He didn’t play much or well in Pittsburgh: in 1914, Walker pitched for the Rebels of the outlaw Federal League and appeared in 35 games, tossing a career-high 169-1/3 innings with a record of 4–16 and a 4.33 ERA. He made more of a name for himself locally in football. He was Carnegie Tech’s head coach from 1912-13 and in 1914 served as an assistant football coach at W & J College. 
• 1893 - The Pirates traded C Duke Farrell and $1,500 to the Washington Nationals for LHP Frank “Lefty” Killen in a win-win deal for both clubs. Farrell banged heads with manager Al Buckenberger and after leaving Pittsburgh played 13 more years as one of baseball’s better hitting catchers, retiring in 1905 with a career .277 BA. Duke, just recovering from a broken leg, appeared against his old mates for Boston in the 1903 World Series as a pinch hitter. Killen tossed six seasons for the Bucs with an 112-82/3.71 line and set the team record for wins with 36 in 1893, one of two 30-win seasons he spun for Pittsburgh. 

Lefty Killen - 1896 Team Photo Snip

• 1915 - RHP Bill Brandt was born in Aurora, Indiana. Brandt spent his brief career (1941-43) as a Pirate, going 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA and getting just 80-⅔ IP over that time (he was a call-up for the first two campaigns, getting his only full season in 1943). He was effective as a minor leaguer, but after serving his country from 1944-45, Brandt never pitched above AAA ball again, topping out at Hollywood in the PCL. 
• 1944 - Pirate C Manny Sanguillen was born in Colon, Panama. In 12 years with the Bucs, he batted .299 and was on three All-Star teams, which was quite a feat during the Johnny Bench era. Manny hit .282 in two World Series and five NLCS bouts. Noted for never seeing a pitch he didn’t like, the free swinger’s lifetime batting average of .296 is in the Top Ten for catchers in MLB history. Like many Buccos, he was dubbed by Bob Prince; his nickname was "The Road Runner" because of his surprising speed as a catcher. Manny is still a well known figure with a ballyard eatery and serves as a camp instructor during the spring. 
• 1945 - SS/OF & scout Pablo Cruz was born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Pablo never played for the MLB Bucs, although he spent all 14 years of his pro career (1965-’78) in the Pirates farm system. He was a good stick, so-so glove guy who had the bad luck to play during the Gene Alley era and then lost out to younger prospect Frank Taveras in the seventies. After his playing days, Cruz became a full-time scout for the Pirates and lassoed a corral full of Latino talent like Moisés Alou, Tony Peña, Aramis Ramírez, Félix Fermín, José Guillén, José Lind, Orlando Merced, José de León, Cecilio Guante, José Castillo, Ronny Paulino and Rafe Belliard. He scouted for several teams after the Bucs, and his son, Ismael, also became a Pirates bird dog for a spell. 
• 1950 - A visit by scout Ted McGrew to the Phillies camp launched a rumor that the Bucs were sniffing for a deal, reportedly with Philadelphia, said to be asking for OF Wally Westlake and C Ed Fitz Gerald in exchange for C Ed Seminick and 1B Dick Sisler. Pittsburgh was thought to have interest in Seminick, but considered Westlake too valuable to include, killing the potential deal. Wally played through the 1950 season and hit .285 with 95 RBI, then was dealt to the Cards in June of 1951 in a six-man swap for pitching rather than catching.

Shawon Dunston - 1998 Fleer Tradition

• 1963 - SS Shawon Dunston was born in Brooklyn, New York. Dunston was the Numero Uno selection in the June 1982 amateur draft and a 13-year vet when on August 31st, 1997, the Cubs sent him to Pirates, who lost two shortstops to injuries, Kevin Elster and Kevin Polcovich. He hit two long balls in his first game with the Bucs during that “Freak Show” season and did his part, hitting .394 with five homers and 16 RBI’s in 18 games though the club fell 3-½ games short of the flag. After his short stint, Dunston signed on with the Indians. He retired in 2002 and is now part of the Giants organization. 
• 1982 - The Pirates traded SS Vance Law and RHP Ernie Camacho to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitchers Ross Baumgarten and Butch Edge. Law, who was at the beginning of his career, played nine more MLB seasons, once as an All-Star, and Camacho pitched for eight more years. Baumgarten and Edge never panned out for the Bucs. Baumgarten got 10 starts, went 0-5/6.55, and was released the following spring to end his MLB stay while Edge, who had pitched for Toronto in 1979 during his only big league campaign, never escaped from the minors. 
• 1986 - The Pittsburgh Associates, a coalition of 13 public and private investors, formally purchased the Pirates from the Galbreath family for $21.8M in a deal that had been essentially hammered out in the previous fall. The Associates were led by Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri along with Westinghouse, Alcoa, PPG, USS, PNC, Mellon, CMU and Ryan Homes. Private investors included Chicago real estate developer Harvey Walken, contractor Frank Schneider, businessman Frank Fuhrer and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette publisher William Block. It assured that the club would stay in Pittsburgh while a new long-term buyer could be found to keep the club in the city and out of the clutches of circling vultures like Denver, Portland and New Orleans. 
• 1991 - RHP Esteban Loaiza was signed as an undrafted FA by the Bucs as a 19-year-old pitching for the Mexico City Reds. He worked his first four seasons, from 1995-98, with Pittsburgh (27-28-1/4.63) and had a 14-year career in MLB with a pair of All-Star selections and 126 wins. He apparently had problems keeping up with the Joneses after his retirement; he was arrested in San Diego in 2018 for transporting 20 kilos of cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to three years with the proviso that he be deported to Mexico after his release. The Bucs also sent IF Tommy Shields to the O’s for IF Tony Beasley. Shields had a couple of brief MLB visits, while Beasley spent his time in the Pirates minors, eventually managing for the Bucs farm system and topping out with a four-year run as a coach for John Russell. He’s also coached for the Nats and now is with the Rangers. 

Esteban Loaiza - 1998 Studio

• 1996 - MLB approved revenue sharing at its meeting in Phoenix by a 26-1-1 verdict after years of sometimes acrimonious debate. As the owner of a small revenue club, Kevin McClatchy welcomed it with open arms, estimating that the policy could boost the Bucs’ financial position by $4M when implemented and could double that amount in the coming years. The interim plan became part of the CBA and was tinkered with a bit in 2002, when for all intents and purposes, it took its current form. 
• 2006 - The Pirates cut four players that had loomed large in their plans for the season - LHP Tom Gorzelanny, LHP Sean Burnett, CF Rajai Davis and 1B Brad Eldred. Of the four, none ever became the building blocks they were touted to be, and only Gorzo became a regular, joining the team in August and pitching here until 2009, when he was dealt to the Cubs for Josh Harrison. Davis also played in ‘06, but was shipped to the Giants in 2007 for Matt Morris. Burney and Brad both spent the year in the minors, making later brief stops in Pittsburgh before moving on.

Pirates Can't Cash In; Drop 3-1 Decision To Tigers

Today's Game: 

On the hill today against Motown were Tyler Anderson, Rick Rod, Chasen Shreve, Kyle Crick and Michael Feliz. Kevin Newman was at second, Tuck at short (they swapped spots mid-game) and Tony Alford in center to start. 

Anderson was strong until two gone in the fourth when Miggy banged a solo shot, but he kept on, going five innings of two-hit ball. Ric Rod gave up a pair of doubles (one misplayed in the wind by Alford) and the lead run. The Tigers added a soft score off Crick - an infield rap, a gentle right side bouncer and a two-out single to push across a third Tiger tally. On the plus side, Chasen and Feliz both put up zeroes.

K-Man is still on a tear - 2020 Topps Stat Line

Lots of missed opps and TOOTBLANS today- in the second, Tuck led off with a triple. Dustin Fowler whiffed, then Cole was tossed out at home on a Jared Oliva grounder to third. Oliva was shortly picked off... In the third, a two-out double by Newman and error put Bucs on the corners; then K-Man was caught trying to swipe home on a pickoff to first. Finally, a stumble-free run in the fourth thanks to a Phil Evans two-bagger and Redbeard single. They tried to punch back, but left the bases jammed in the eighth. Then the first two Bucs in the ninth reached, but the rally was killed when Liover Peguero was doubled off second on a short pop that didn't drop. And that was it; a 1-for-11 RISP day ended up a 3-1 loss.

Notes:

• Kevin Newman and Phil Evans each had a pair of hits.
• Pirates pitchers K'ed just five Tigers; Anderson notched four of the fans.

Tomorrow's Game:

Wil Crowe gets the call against Boston. Also slated are Sean Poppen, Clay Holmes, Geoff Hartlieb and David Bednar. It's a 1:05 game from Fort Myer's JetBlue Park at Fenway South and will be broadcast by KDKA 1020.

3/20: Pena Out; Mac Deal; Roberto Into HoF; Cover Boy Clint; Grays Load Up; Max Released; RIP Jughandle Johnny; HBD Blas, Rick, Walter, Pete & Tom

• 1864 - 3B Pete McShannic was born in Pittsburgh. Fittingly, he played his only MLB season for the hometown Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1888, batting .194, and closed out his career in 1890 in the minors. During his career and into retirement, McShannic was also a portrait and scenic artist. When his paintings failed to pay the rent (“starving artist” syndrome reared its ugly head even in those days), he began working in a glass works factory as his day job, but continued painting throughout his life.  
• 1882 - IF Tom Stankard was born in Waltham, Massachusetts. He played college football and baseball at Holy Cross, compiling a .412 BA for the baseball team while a gridiron captain who was named to Walter Camp’s All-America Team, the first A-A in Crusader history. In July of 1904, he appeared in two games with the Pirates, going 0-for-2. It was his only MLB action, though he spent 11 seasons in the minors before hanging up his mitt.  
  

Walter Schmidt - 1922 American Caramel

• 1887 - C Walter Schmidt was born in London, Arizona. He donned the tools of ignorance for Pittsburgh from 1916-24, hitting .257. In 1921 Walter led all NL catchers in fielding percentage with a .986 average in 111 games behind the plate. Schmidt went through the unusual transaction of buying his own release from the San Francisco Seals after the 1915 season for $3K and then negotiated a deal with the Bucs. He took that road because he suspected that the Seals had turned down previous offers made by MLB clubs and didn't want to miss the boat to the show. His older brother, “Boss” Schmidt, was also a big league catcher.
• 1937 - The Homestead Grays added future Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Judy Johnson for $2,500 in cash and a pair of journeymen after Pittsburgh Crawfords owner Gus Greenlee was forced to unload his stars as salary dumps. While the amount seems paltry now, the deal was thought to be the largest cash transaction in the history of the Negro Leagues. It wasn’t enough to save Gus. By the end of 1938, the Crawford’s Greenlee field was razed to give way to the Bedford Dwellings housing project, and Greenlee sold the Crawfords to Toledo businessmen, leaving the Grays as the only pro black team in town.  
• 1946 - The Pirates released 35-year-old RHP Max Butcher. After a so-so five-year career with Brooklyn and Philly, the Pirates got him during the 1939 campaign for Gus Suhr. Max gave them seven pretty good years, slashing 67-60-5/3.34. But age and the end of the war, which freed up a mob of ballplayers from the service, did him in. He finished the year in the minors and his pro career came to an end. 
• 1952 - RHP Rick Langford was born in Farmville Virginia. Signed by the Pirates in 1973 out of Florida State, he worked briefly for the club in 1976, getting in 12 games with an 0-1, 6.26 line before being shipped to the A’s as part of the Phil Garner trade in early 1977 (it was big - the Pirates traded Langford, Tony Armas, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Doc Medich and Mitchell Page to the Athletics for Phil Garner, Chris Batton, and Tommy Helms). He went on to have a solid 10-year career with Oakland, once winning 19 games and leading the AL in complete games in back-to-back seasons while tossing over 200 frames four times. In 1980, he threw 22 consecutive complete games while piling up over 290 innings, but an elbow injury in 1983 caused by a liner through the box ended his effective pitching days. He retired in 1988 and has been a pitching coach of varying titles with the Blues Jays since 1996, serving at the MLB level a couple of times.  
  

Blas Minor - 1994 Topps

• 1966 - RHP Blas Minor was born in Merced, California. Working out of the Buc bullpen from 1992-94, he had an 8-7-3 record for Pittsburgh with a 4.76 ERA. Minor also pitched for the Houston Astros, New York Mets & Seattle Mariners, and got to live out every boy’s childhood fantasy - after being a major league ballplayer, he retired to become a fireman.  
• 1966 - “Jughandle Johnny” Morrison passed away at age 80; he was diabetic and died of kidney failure. Morrison picked up his nickname because it was said that his curveball hooked like a jughandle. He spent from 1920-27 with the Bucs and was a member of two World Series squads, the victorious 1925 nine (no decisions w/2.89 ERA in three outings) and runnerup 1927 club (he said he was hurt, left the team and got suspended for the year in July, effectively ending his Pirates career). Jughandle led the NL in shutouts twice as a Bucco, in 1921-22. In his eight Pittsburgh campaigns, he slashed 89-71-14/3.52 before closing out his career in Brooklyn.  
• 1973 - In a special election held by the BBWAA‚ Roberto Clemente was voted into the Hall of Fame. The Board of Directors waived the five year eligibility period for Clemente, and he was inducted on August 6th as the first Hispanic player to enter Cooperstown, having posted a .317 lifetime BA and earned 12 All-Star nods. Roberto was a Latino trailblazer as the first Latin American/Caribbean player to win a World Series as a starter (1960), to receive a National League MVP Award (1966), and to receive a World Series MVP Award (1971).  
• 1978 - The KC Royals Clint Hurdle made the cover of Sports Illustrated as the poster boy for the article "This Year's Phenom." He did well enough in ‘78, hitting .264 w/seven long balls and a 108 OPS+. The corner IF/OF utility guy cobbled together a four-team, 10-year career with a .259 BA/106 OPS+ before leaving MLB as a player following the 1987 campaign and eventually going on to manage in Colorado and Pittsburgh. 
  

• 1993 - After signing a $1.35M contract in December, 33-year-old RHP Alejandro Pena ended up with surgery due to a torn ligament in his elbow, although his arm had passed an earlier physical by Doc James Andrews after a bout of tendonitis. Pena made things right by restructuring his deal over two years, reducing the guaranteed money and loading up on incentives, both for undisclosed amounts. He never recovered his mojo with Pittsburgh, missing ‘93 and working just a couple of dozen games in ‘94, going 3-2-7/5.02. Pena was released in June, but had a last hurrah with Atlanta in 1995, going 2-1 in eight outings and giving up one run in seven frames during the postseason. Alejandro retired after a final sip of coffee with Florida in 1996 to close a 15-year career. 
• 2013 - The Pirates got IF John McDonald, 38, from Arizona on a conditional deal. The Bucs got off easy if the condition had anything to do with his hitting; he went 2-for-31 in Pittsburgh. Mac was shipped to Cleveland in June, then Philly and finally to Boston, all by August 31st. He finished out his career the next year with the Angels of Anaheim.