SB Nation Tampa Bay: All Posts by Kevin Kraczkowski

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 17. Bill Mazeroski

2013-05-06T20:58:43Z

Bill Mazeroski, known to discerning Pirates fans everywhere as “Maz,” was a 5’11’ second baseman originally from Wheeling, WV. Born on September 5th, 1936, he was signed by the Bucs as an amateur free agent in 1954 after attending Warren Consolidated HS in Tiltonsville, OH. He made his professional debut later that season with the single “A” level Eastern League’s Williamsport Grays, hitting .235 through 93 contests. 1955 would see him spend most of his season with the Grays, improving his average to .280 over 135 games. He also played 21 games with the Hollywood Stars in the Pacific Coast League, hitting a paltry .170.

1956 would see Maz develop his hitting game to the tune of a .320 average with the Stars in 80 games, helping him to earn a callup to the Pirates on July 7th. He would go 1-for-3 in a 3-2 loss to the New York Giants, but more importantly, he had seen his last minor league pitch. Over 81 games with the main outfit, he hit .243 over 81 games. According to the Wins Probability Added metric, his best game was on August 15th, when he went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in a 5-1 Pirates win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Pirates finished the season with an NL seventh best 66-88 record.

In 1957, Mazeroski hit .283 over 148 contests, with 27 doubles, seven triples (NL 10th), eight home runs, 11 sacrifice hits (NL third), and 54 RBI. It will surprise some to know that his batting average would be the highest he would ever post throughout his career, but his value wasn’t strictly rooted in his offensive capabilities, as evidenced by his 1.3 defensive WAR (NL eighth). He registered 443 assists (NL fourth), 308 putouts, (NL fifth), and 96 double plays turned (NL third). His .978 fielding percentage was good for fifth in the league. Using the base-out runs added statistic, his August 13th performance in a 6-0 win over the Phillies was his season’s best. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a home run, and four RBI. The Pirates were dreadful, finishing at 62-92, again finishing in seventh place.

1958 would see Mazeroski earn his first all-star selection, his first Gold Glove, and enough MVP votes to finish eighth in the NL race. He hit .275 in 152 games (NL third), with nine sacrifice hits (NL sixth), 24 doubles, six triples, a career high 19 home runs, and 68 RBI. Defensively, he collected 344 putouts (NL second), 496 assists (NL first), turned 118 double plays (NL second), finished with a .980 fielding percentage (NL third), and led the NL with a 2.9 dWAR rating. On May 10th, he went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in a 14-4 drubbing of, you guessed it, the Phillies. The Pirates were a much improved 84-70, finishing in second eight games behind the Milwaukee Braves for the NL Pennant.

Mazeroski earned his second all-star selection in 1959, hitting .241 over 135 games in a decidedly unheroic offensive campaign. His OPS+ rating of 66 would be his lowest through the next decade. He still ranked fourth in the NL with 100 double plays turned and third with a .981 fielding percentage. On September 19th, he hit a solo home run in the third and later hit a game winning two out, two-RBI triple in the bottom of the 12th in a 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Pittsburgh finished in the middle of the pack, in fourth place with a 78-76 record.

In 1960, Maz played in his third all-star game and earned his second Gold Glove, also earning the Babe Ruth Award and the Major League Player of the Year Award, hitting .273 over 151 games (NL seventh) with eight sacrifice flies (NL fifth), 21 doubles, 11 home runs, and 64 RBI. His 10.8 at bats per strikeout ranked him 10th in the NL. Defensively, he led the NL with 413 putouts, 449 assists, 127 double plays turned, and a .989 fielding percentage. On April 30th, he hit two singles, a double and a home run with three RBI in a 12-7 win over the Reds. The Pirates easily won the NL pennant, seven games over the Milwaukee Braves with a 95-59 record. Pittsburgh went seven games against the New York Yankees in the World Series. Maz went 8-for-25 with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI. This includes the series clinching hit, a bottom of the ninth solo home run to give the Bucs a 10-9 victory. It remains the only time a World Series was decided in walk off fashion in a game seven.

1961 would see Mazeroski earn his third Gold Glove and hit .265 in 152 games (NL ninth) with 112 singles (NL 10th), 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 59 RBI. He ranked eighth in the league with 10.1 at bats per K. He again led the NL in putouts, assists, and double plays turned, with 410, 505, and 144 respectively. His .975 fielding percentage placed him third in the NL. On September 13th, he went 4-for-5 with two round-trippers and three RBI in an 8-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Buccos finished sixth in the NL with a 75-79 record.

In 1962, Mazeroski earned his fourth all-star invitation by hitting .271 with 24 doubles, nine triples (NL fifth), 14 home runs and 81 RBI over 159 games, striking out once every 12.2 at bats (NL fifth). He led the league with 425 putouts, 509 assists and 138 double plays turned, ranking second with a .985 fielding percentage. On September 7th, he hit a single and a home run with two intentional walks (of his league leading 16 on the season) with six RBI in a 10-1 win over the Dodgers. The Pirates strong 93-68 record was only good enough that season for a fourth place finish in the NL, eight games behind the San Francisco Giants.

Mazeroski played in his fifth all-star game and won his fourth Golden Glove following 1963. He played in 142 games, hitting .245 with 22 doubles and 52 RBI, striking out once per 11.6 at bats (NL third). Defensively, he made 340 putouts (NL fourth), 506 assists (NL first), 131 double plays (NL first), and finished with a .984 fielding percentage (NL third), leading the NL with a 3.3 dWAR. On April 13th, he hit a single, a double and a home run with three RBI in a 12-4 win against the Reds. Pittsburgh posted a 74-88 finish, ahead of only the two second year NL expansion teams (New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s).

In 1964, Mazeroski won his fifth Golden Glove and earned his sixth invitation to the all-star game. He appeared in all 162 contests (NL second), hitting .268 with 22 doubles, eight triples, (NL eighth), 10 home runs and 64 RBI. He also continued to show patience at the plate, striking out once every 11.6 at bats (NL sixth). Defensively, he finished the season with a 2.1 dWAR (NL second), largely on the strength of his league leading 543 assists, 346 putouts (NL second), and 122 double plays (NL first). On September 4th, he hit a two-run homer and two RBI-singles in a 10-2 win against the Houston Astros. The Pirates headed up the second division, in sixth place at 80-82.

In 1965, Mazeroski won his sixth Gold Glove. He played in 130 games, hitting .271 with nine sacrifice flies (NL third), 54 RBI, a career best 14.5 AB/K (NL second), and a 2.5 dWAR (NL second). Despite his abbreviated time in the field, he finished fourth in the NL with 439 assists, leading the league with 113 double plays and with a .988 fielding percentage. On June 9th, he went 2-for-5 and scored twice. He did not collect any RBI, although he knocked in three unofficially, aided by Astros errors in an 11-3 Pittsburgh win over Houston. Pittsburgh went 90-72, in third place and seven games behind the pennant winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mazeroski won his seventh Gold Glove with a 1.6 dWAR (NL fifth) and finished 23rd in the NL MVP race, leading the National League by appearing in all 162 contests in 1966. He hit .262 with 22 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs, and a career high 82 RBI. In the field, he led the league with 411 putouts, 538 assists, 161 double plays, and a .992 fielding percentage. On June 18th, he hit three singles and walked, scoring three runs and knocking in two more in a 9-6 win against the Atlanta Braves. The Pirates finished the season in third place in the National League, just three games behind the pennant winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 1967, Maz played in his seventh all-star game and won his eighth Gold Glove. For the second season in a row, he led the National League by playing in every game (163). He hit .261 with 130 singles (NL seventh), 25 doubles and 77 RBI, striking out once per 11.6 at bats (NL seventh). As in most seasons, he led the league with 417 putouts, 498 assists, 131 double plays turned, and finished second with a .981 fielding percentage. On June 9th, he hit an RBI single, a two RBI single, a sacrifice fly and also reached on an error, scoring twice in a 16-1 clambake over the Phillies. Pittsburgh finished in the middle of the pack, at 81-81.

In 1968, for the first time in 10 seasons Mazeroski was not honored with any postseason awards or an all-star selection. He hit .251 in 143 contests striking out once in 13.3 at bats (NL fifth). He still ranked highly in the pantheon of National League defensive stalwarts, ranking second in the NL with a 2.6 dWAR and 319 putouts (NL fifth), 467 assists (NL first), 107 double plays (NL second), and a .981 fielding percentage (NL third). Between August 20th and 21st, he reached base in eight of 11 plate appearances (three walks, four singles and a triple) scoring twice and knocking in five as the Pirates took the middle two of a four game series against the Cincinnati Reds, 8-3 and 19-1, respectively. Pittsburgh finished sixth in the NL with an 80-82 record.

1969 would see Mazeroski begin to succumb to the law of diminishing returns, hitting .229 over just 67 games. Conversely, for the first time in his career, he drew more walks (22) than he struck out (16). On May 20th, he reached base on a single, a double, and an error, scoring and knocking in two more in a 6-3 victory over the expansion San Diego Padres. The Pirates finished at 88-74, 12 games behind the Miracle Mets.

In 1970, Mazeroski hit .229 over 112 games, ranking eighth in the NL with a 1.5 dWAR rating. On May 21st, he hit a double, and a home run with three RBI in a 7-6 loss to the Montreal Expos. The Pirates returned to postseason play by finishing at 89-73, five games ahead of the second place Chicago Cubs for the NL East title. Maz went 0-for-2 with two walks, appearing in only one of Pittsburgh’s three losses to the Reds.

1971 would see Mazeroski relegated to more of a utility infielder role, playing at second and third base while appearing in 70 games and hitting .254. On June 26th, he went 4-for-6 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored in an 11-9 track meet over the Phillies. Pittsburgh’s 97-65 record earned them their second NL East crown in a row, seven games in front of the Cardinals. Maz went 1-for-1 in his only plate appearance in the Pirates four game series win over the San Francisco Giants. Although he didn’t have a big role in his second Fall Classic, he still earned his second World Series Title in the Bucs four-games-to-three series win against the Baltimore Orioles (Maz went 0-for-1).

1972 would mark the end of Mazeroski’s major league career. He appeared in 34 games for the Bucs and hit .188. 17 seasons, one team. You won’t be seeing that again anytime soon (I hope Marte and Cutch prove me wrong).

All-Time Statline: 17 seasons, 2163 games, 2016-for-7755, .260/.299/.367, 769 runs, 294 doubles, 62 triples, 138 home runs, 853 RBI, 27 stolen bases, 447 walks, 706 strikeouts, 32.3 wins above replacement.

Next time up: 1978’s NL MVP, seven time all-star, three time Gold Glove and three time Silver Slugger winner, and a BIG part of the family.

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 18. John Candelaria

2013-05-02T07:35:26Z

John Candelaria, also affectionately known as “Candy Man,” was a 6’7” pitcher from New York City. Born on November 6, 1953, the gigantic left hander was originally selected by the Pirates out of LaSalle Academy (Brooklyn, NY) in the second round of the 1972 amateur draft, 47th overall. He made his professional debut in 1973 with the Charleston Pirates in the “A” level Western Carolinas League, going 10-2 with a 3.79 ERA through 18 starts. 1974 would see him spend most of his season with the Salem Pirates in the “A” level Carolina League, compiling an 11-8 record and a 3.68 ERA.

Candelaria started the 1975 season with the “AAA” Charleston Charlies in the International League, posting a 1.77 ERA with a 7-1 record through his first nine starts. The Pirates called him up in June. He started his first major league game on June 8th, in the top half of a double header against the San Francisco Giants, taking the loss while allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk in six innings. He also struck out six Giants. He would do better later. On June 20th, he earned his first major league win, defeating the New York Mets with a four-hitter, 5-1. On June 26th, he won for the second time by striking out 13 Cubs in a 5-2, complete game five-hitter over Chicago. July 11th would see him earn his first career shutout, striking out eight and allowing four hits in a 5-0 victory against the San Diego Padres. In total, the Candy Man went 8-6 as a rookie, with a 2.76 ERA and four complete games amongst his 18 rotation starts. He also posted an excellent 1.086 WHIP and allowed only 7.1 hits per nine innings pitched. The Pirates finished first in the NL East at 92-69, 6.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. Candaleria took the mound for game three of the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds with the Pirates already down two games to none. In 7.2 innings, he allowed three runs on three hits, striking out 14 Reds and leaving the game down 3-2. The Pirates scored in the bottom of the ninth to send it to extras (and allowing Candy to avoid a loss), but gave up two runs in the top half of the 10th for a series sweep.

"This young man (John Candelaria) I predict is going to be heard from for many years. I don't know if I've ever seen a pitcher with more talent at his age (21). He has remarkable poise not only for a youngster, but for anyone." - Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Danny Murtaugh in Young Lefty Pitching Talent Flourishes in the Majors (Baseball Digest : May 1976)

1976 would see Candelaria continue to impress Pittsburgh faithful, compiling a 16-7 (NL sixth in wins, second with a .696 win percentage) record and a 3.15 ERA. He completed 11 of 31 starts, including a career best four shutouts (NL fifth). He also collected a save in his only relief appearance of the season. He struck out 138 batters and allowed 173 hits in 220 innings, or 7.077 H/9 (NL third). His 1.059 WHIP ranked him second in the NL. On April 25th, he pitched a complete game two-hitter, striking out eight Giants in a 3-0 win over San Francisco. August 9th would see him limit the Los Angeles Dodgers to a single baserunner (on a walk), striking out seven in the first ever no-hitter pitched by a Pirate at home. The Pirates would miss the playoffs by nine games to the Phillies, finishing with a 92-70 record.

In 1977, Candelaria may have posted the best season of what would become a long and productive major league career. He posted a 20-5 record (NL third in wins), leading the NL with a 2.34 ERA and with an .800 winning percentage. He was selected to the all-star team, finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting, and 18th in the NL MVP race. He completed six of his 33 starts, walking only 50 batters in 230.2 innings (an NL leading 1.951 walks issued per nine innings). He finished with a 7.4 pWAR (NL fourth), an 8.0 total WAR (NL fifth), a 1.071 WHIP (NL second), 7.686 H/9 (NL fifth), and an NL third best 2.66 batters struck out per walk. On June 1st, he pitched a rain shortened, seven-inning two hit shutout, defeating the Phillies, 3-0. His best game of the season may have been August 20th, when he pitched a complete game four hitter and struck out six in a 3-1 win over the Giants. The Pirates finished at 96-66, five games behind the NL East champion Phillies.

1978 would see Candelaria post a still pretty good 3.24 ERA. He completed three of 29 starts, striking out 94 batters and walking only 49. He earned his only shutout of the season on opening day, limiting the Chicago Cubs to seven hits and striking out four in a 1-0 home victory. He went on to lose six of his next seven decisions before winning five in a row and ultimately finishing just over .500, at 12-11. For the third season in a row, the Pirates finished second to the Phillies, at 88-73 just 1.5 games out of the money.

In 1979, Candelaria went 14-9, completing eight of 30 starts and posting a 3.22 ERA. He allowed 1.169 walks and hits per inning (NL sixth), 1.783 BB/9 (NL second), and 2.463 K/BB (NL fifth). Although he finished the season without a shutout to his credit, he still had several enviable outings. He pitched a five-hitter against the Mets on June 25th (8-1), another five hitter against the Atlanta Braves on July 14th (5-1), and a four-hitter on August 28th in a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struck out 10 Giants in his next start on September 2nd, a gritty complete game, 5-3 victory. The Pirates closest competition in the NL East was the Montreal Expos, as the Phillies finished a distant fourth and the Bucs won the division by two games, at 98-64. In the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds, Candelaria allowed five hits and struck out four over seven strong innings in a 5-2 series opening game on the road. The Pirates swept in three games, and faced old friend Earl Weaver and his Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. With the series tied at one game apiece, the Candy Man started game three at home, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks in only three innings, taking the loss as the Pirates ultimately dropped the game, 8-4. After another game each for the two teams, Candelaria took the hill in game six, down three games to two and needing a victory to stay alive. He did better, striking out two and allowing six hits (and zero walks) in the first six innings of a 4-0 Pirates win. Candelaria pitched the game through a rib cage injury, as noted in the Waycross Journal Herald:

“It hurt then and it hurts now.”

Pittsburgh won game seven, 4-1 to take home the Pirates latest (but hopefully not last) World Championship.

In 1980, Candelaria posted his first ever losing record, as well as his only Pirates ERA over four (until 1993) by going 11-14, 4.01. He completed seven of 34 starts (NL ninth). He pitched 233.1 innings (NL eighth) and walked 1.929 batters per nine innings (NL fourth). On April 21st, he earned his first victory of the season by pitching a complete game, 7-1 decision over the Expos, allowing six hits and a walk while striking out seven. The Bucs regressed to 83-79, finishing third in the NL East.

The strike shortened 1981 season would see Candelaria start a grand total of six games, going 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA. He suffered a damaged nerve to his throwing arm on May 10th, a game in which he was removed after pitching six innings of shutout ball in an 8-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The mostly Candelaria-less Pirates went 25-23 in the first half, then 21-33 after the strike to finish the season in fourth place.

In 1982, Candelaria turned it on again and managed to improve his record to 12-7 (NL sixth best .632 winning percentage) with a 2.94 ERA (also NL sixth). He started 30 games and walked 37 batters while striking out 133. He finished amongst the NL’s top 10 pitchers with a 1.162 WHIP (NL 10th), 1.906 walks issued per nine innings (NL fifth), 6.853 K/9 (NL fourth), and 3.595 K/BB (NL third). On July 25th, he earned his seventh win of the season by limiting the Braves to four hits while striking out three in an 8-0 win over Atlanta. Pittsburgh posted an 84-78 record, finishing fourth in the NL East.

1983 would see the Candy Man go 15-8 (NL sixth in wins, second with a .652 winning percentage) with a 3.23 ERA through 32 starts (and one relief appearance). He finished ninth in the NL with a 4.5 pWAR rating and sixth with 157 strikeouts. He again ranked with the NL’s best with a 1.194 WHIP (NL seventh), 2.049 BB/9 (NL fifth), 7.148 K/9 (NL sixth), and 3.489 K/BB (NL second). In the Pirates season opener, Candy struck out 10 and dealt the Cardinals just four hits in a 7-1 win. It was one of only two complete games for him on the season. The second came on July 2nd, in a 3-1 six-hit win over St. Louis. The Pirates posted another 84-78 record, finishing second in the NL East just six games behind the Phillies.

In 1984, Candelaria went 12-11 with an NL fifth best 2.72 ERA, his lowest total since the all-star showing of 1977. He finished the season with a 1.149 WHIP (NL fifth), 1.651 BB/9 (NL second), 6.459 K/9 (NL ninth), and an NL leading 3.912 K/BB. On July 3rd, he went the distance and finished with a 6-0 four-hitter over the Dodgers. July 19th would see him toss a three-hitter and beat the Padres by a final score of 5-1. The Pirates finished last in the NL East at 75-87.

Candelaria started out 1985 out of Pittsburgh’s rotation. He appeared 37 times in relief, going 2-4 with a 3.64 ERA. On August 2nd, the Pirates traded him along with outfielder George Hendrick (252 games for the Halos, .248, 24 home runs, 97 RBI) and pitcher Al Holland (15 games, 0-1, 1.48) to the California Angels for right fielder Mike Brown (144 games, .270, nine home runs, 59 RBI), pitcher Pat Clements (0-6, 3.12 over 92 games), and a PTBNL (Bob Kipper (seven seasons, 24-33, 4.22 over 244 games)).

Candelaria spent parts of three seasons with the Angels (25-11, 3.77). He later played for the New York Mets (2-0, 5.84), the New York Yankees (16-10, 3.80), the Montreal Expos (0-2, 3.31), the Minnesota Twins (7-3, 3.39), the Toronto Blue Jays (0-3, 5.48), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (3-6, 3.36). He finished up his career with the 1993 Pirates, compiling an 0-3 record and an 8.24 ERA over 24 appearances.

All-Time Statline: 12 seasons, 124-87, 3.17 ERA, 345 games, 271 starts, 45 CG, nine shutouts, 16 saves, 1873.0 innings pitched, 1763 hits allowed, 436 walks, 1159 strikeouts, 1.174 WHIP, 32.1 WAR (30.2 as a pitcher, 1.9 at the plate).

Check back on the next Pirates off-day (Monday) for a guy whose name rhymes with "Maz."

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Wins Probability Added: A Quick Study

2013-04-29T00:03:52Z

After today's 9-0 drubbing of the St. Louis Cardinals (overrated), I compiled a little study on our Pirates and their WPA (Wins Probability Added). Yeah, it gets boring on the night shift. Borrowing liberally from source material available at www.fangraphs.com and www.baseball-reference.com, and my old friend Microsoft Excel, I came to some surprising conclusions.

A quick and dirty WPA explanation: For every game the Pirates win, they are awarded a total of .5 WPA, for each loss, they're penalized -.5 WPA. What this means is that a .500 team will finish the season with a collected WPA of exactly zero. The Pirates, currently five games over the watermark, have thus far collected a 2.5 WPA. I broke down each of the 25 box scores from the season thus far to find our team's best and worst performers. Here's what I found.

The Pirates best player, measured by WPA, is Starling Marte, at 1.102. No surprise, right? What I didn't count on was the other seven position players in each of the 25 games aggregating a total of -.019 WPA. That's not to say the team is filled with bad players, on the contrary. A lifetime WPA of zero simply means that you pulled your weight and did what was expected. Anything above that total is just gravy. The biggest surprise amongst the position players was Neil Walker's team worst -0.894 WPA. I mean, he's not that bad, right? His .253 average ranks fifth on the team amongst batting average qualifiers, and with 20 hits, he's tied for third on the club. Upon examination, I found that most of his negative impact stems from one contest, the Pirates 3-2 loss to the Cubs in the third game of the season. Walker flew out in the second when the game was tied at zero, flew out in the fifth when down 1-0, struck out looking to end the seventh with Andrew McCutchen standing on third base and down by a run, and ground into a game ending double play with runners at the corners down 3-2. Not the best day ever for our hero, who's reward was a club worst single game WPA of -.561.

Pittsburgh's starting rotation collected an aggregate WPA of -1.071. Of course, this includes Jonathan Sanchez' sparkling -.0873 WPA, as well as James McDonald's -.503. This group also contains the Pirates club best single game WPA of 0.364, Jeff Locke's performance last night - seven innings, three hits, two walks, four strikeouts and zero runs. Wandy Rodriguez has the best collected rating thus far this season, at 0.287.

The real surprise was in Pittsburgh's relief corps, which combined for a 2.627 WPA. This group includes four of Pittsburgh's top 10 highest rated in WPA, with Mark Melancon (0.889), Jason Grilli (0.880), Justin Wilson (0.704), and Tony Watson (0.452). The whole list follows.

Starling Marte: 1.102

Mark Melancon: 0.889

Jason Grilli: 0.880

Gaby Sanchez: 0.775

Justin Wilson: 0.704

Travis Snider: 0.585

Garrett Jones: 0.514

Tony Watson: 0.452

Michael McKenry: 0.452

Wandy Rodriguez: 0.287

Andrew McCutchen: 0.197

AJ Burnett: 0.186

Jeff Locke: 0.158

Vin Mazzaro: 0.143

Brandon Inge: 0.026

Bryan Morris: 0.007

Jeanmar Gomez: -0.005

Russell Martin: -0.019

Alex Presley: -0.027

Josh Harrison: -0.090

Chris Leroux: -0.092

John McDonald: -0.189

Phil Irwin: -0.326

Jose Tabata: -0.337

Jared Hughes: -0.351

Clint Barmes: -0.356

James McDonald: -0.503

Pedro Alvarez: -0.845

Neil Walker: -0.854

Jonathan Sanchez: -0.873

Pittsburgh Pirates Host St Louis Cardinals: A Series Companion

2013-04-15T04:36:34Z

Tonight, the Pirates open a three game series against the hated St. Louis Cardinals. Pittsburgh will be playing the fourth, fifth, and sixth games of a 10 game homestand, all at 7:05 P.M. The homestand opened with a three games series sweep over the Cincinnati Reds and will conclude with four games against the red-hot Atlanta Braves starting on Thursday night. After starting the season 3-4, the Cardinals posted four wins in a row, two against the Reds and two over the Milwaukee Brewers before losing yesterday afternoon. They’re in the opening series of a 10 game roadtrip, which will continue with four games in Philadelphia against the Phillies and conclude with three contests in our nation’s capital against the Nationals.

The last time these two teams met was near the end of August last season. The Pirates took two out of three, including consecutive shutouts to close the series. The three starting pitchers (A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, James McDonald) combined to allow 12 hits in 18.2 innings.

August 27th August 28th http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT201208290.shtml

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle spoke afterward about the consecutive shutouts:

"It sure doesn't hurt," said Hurdle, whose pitching staff could not have rediscovered its missing mojo at a better time. "You go against that offense and put 18 zeros on the board ... I couldn't be prouder of them. The two starts [James McDonald had done the honors in Tuesday's 9-0 win] was just what we needed. The bullpen action followed through."

The Pirates just swept a three game set from the Cincinnati Reds, a series that saw Pittsburgh raise its collective batting average from .156 to .203. Despite pitching well for the third time in a row to open the season, staff ace A. J. Burnett remains winless despite leading the major leagues with 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. And of course, last night was freaking awesome.

April 12th April 13th April 14th

The Cardinals are coming off a near-sweep over the cellar dwelling Milwaukee Brewers (who scored in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings to complete a comeback). St. Louis pitchers limited the Brewers to zero runs on six hits through their first two games before allowing 12 hits yesterday. The Cardinals had allowed one run over the past four games before the loss.

April 12th April 13th April 14th

All-Time Record: Pirates lead series 1211-1150 This season: 0-0 Last season: Pirates won, 8-7

STANDINGS

Pittsburgh Pirates: 6-6, tied for second in NL Central, tied for ninth in NL, tied for 14th in Major Leagues. Last five: W-L-W-W-W, on pace for 81-81, Playoff odds: 21.7%

St. Louis Cardinals: 7-5, first in NL Central, tied for third in NL, tied for fifth in Major Leagues. Last five: W-W-W-W-L, on pace for 95-67, playoff odds: 66.9%

Common Thread

Jack-of-all-trades Ty Wigginton spent two seasons with Pittsburgh, hitting .237 with 12 home runs and 49 RBI in 115 games between 2004 and 2005.

Pirates Milestones

Andrew McCutchen will move into a tie for 91st (with Bobby Byrne) on Pittsburgh’s all-time list with his 590th game played. He tied Bill Kuehne in 77th with his 2208th at bat yesterday. With 639 hits, he has tied Phil Garner in 71st place. One more home run will give him 85, moving him past Arky Vaughan into 27th. With his 128th double last night, he passed Pep Young, Ginger Beaumont, and Jim Russell into 55th all time.

Garrett Jones may catch Maurice Van Robays in 95th place on the all-time list with his 1844th at bat. With two RBI, he will tie Phil Garner in 78th. A walk will give him 175, moving him past Tony Pena and Frank Tavares into 82nd.

Jose Tabata will break a tie with George Van Haltren and Doc Johnston with his next steal, number 44, moving him into a tie for 84th with Jimmy Williams.

James McDonald will make his 74th start, moving him into a tie for 87th with Nelson Briles and Emil Yde. He has 363 career strikeouts and is in 61st all-time. Tommie Sisk has 366, Pink Hawley has 367, Al Mamaux has 369, Claude Hendrix has 371, and Dave Giusti has 373, so McDonald has a chance to move way up the list.

Jason Grilli has eight career saves, and is tied in 67th. With his ninth, he’ll move into a tie for 62nd with Larry French, Bob Klinger, Don Gross, and Juan Pizarro.

Birthdays

Nobody will celebrate a birthday during this series, but Chris Leroux turned 29 yesterday.

Team Leaders

Pittsburgh Pirates: Average: Starling Marte - .347, Garrett Jones - .314, Travis Snider - .304 Home Runs: Andrew McCutchen, Michael McKenry – 2 RBI: Andrew McCutchen – 10, Starling Marte – 7, Neil Walker – 5 K: AJ Burnett – 27, James McDonald – 9, Mark Melancon - 8

St. Louis Cardinals: Average: Matt Adams - .611, Matt Carpenter - .319, Yadier Molina - .271 Home Runs: Matt Adams – 3, Yadier Molina, Jon Jay – 2 RBI: Matt Holliday – 9, Carlos Beltran, Matt Adams – 8 K: Adam Wainwright – 24, Jaime Garcia – 19, Lance Lynn – 13

Presumably, we should see James McDonald, Jonathan Sanchez, and AJ Burnett take the mound over then next three games. I'm not a seer, but I don't think a two-games-to-one series victory is out of reach.

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 19. Jesse Tannehill

2013-04-11T07:26:10Z

Jesse Tannehill, also known as “Powder”, but most commonly as “Tanny,” was a 5’8” pitcher from Dayton, KY. Born on July 14, 1874, the switch-hitting left-hander signed his first professional contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 1894. A former saloon owner, the notoriously superstitious Tannehill refused to shave on days in which he was scheduled to appear. He joined the Reds right away, compiling a 1-1 record and a 7.14 ERA in five appearances. He allowed 16 walks and 37 hits in 29 innings pitched for a 1.828 WHIP. The Reds did not keep him on their major league roster, instead relegating him to the “B” level Richmond Blue Birds in the Virginia League. In two seasons with the minor league outfit, he went 49-24 with a 2.16 ERA, helping the Birds to consecutive league titles. His numbers prompted the Pirates to select him in the Rule V draft at the end of the 1896 season.

Tannehill’s first season with the Pirates saw him go 9-9 with a team leading 4.25 ERA, completing 11 of 16 starts with five relief appearances. He allowed 172 hits in 142 innings, but he only walked 24 batters for a much improved 1.380 WHIP (NL 10th) and an NL second best 1.521 BB/9. He also ranked third with 1.667 K/BB. The Pirates 60-71 record would see them finish in eighth place in the 12 team National League.

Tannehill’s second Pittsburgh season would see him improve on almost every significant statistic. He won a career high and NL sixth leading 25 games against 13 losses with a 2.95 ERA (NL ninth). He completed 34 out of 38 starts with five shutouts (NL third), also earning two saves (NL second) in five relief showings. His 7.6 WAR was fourth in the NL, his 6.7 pWAR ranked him seventh. He had a 1.239 WHIP (NL seventh), a .658 winning percentage (NL seventh), a 1.736 BB/9 rate (NL fourth), 1.476 K/BB (NL fifth), and an NL tenth best 93 strikeouts. He led Pittsburgh’s pitching corps with a .289 average, including nine doubles, three triples, a home run and 17 RBI. The Pirates again finished the season in eighth place, this time with a 72-76 record.

1899 would see Tannehill continue to produce at the same rate, compiling a 24-14 record (NL fifth in wins) and a 2.82 ERA (NL ninth). He completed 33 of his 36 starts out of 41 total appearances (NL ninth). His 8.4 WAR was good for NL second, his 7.9 pWAR good for NL sixth. He walked 1.453 batters per nine innings (NL third) and struck out 1.25 batters per walk (NL sixth). He hit .250 in 150 Pittsburgh plate appearances as the team finished seventh with a 76-73 record.

In 1900, Tannehill went 20-6 (NL second in wins, and with a .769 win percentage) with a 2.88 ERA (NL sixth), completing 24 of 27 starts. He walked 43 and struck out 50, allowing 247 hits in 234 innings for a 1.239 WHIP (NL seventh) and finished with a 5.0 WAR (NL ninth). He also ranked highly with 1.654 BB/9 (NL third) and 1.163 K/BB ( NL ninth). He hit .336Stablemate Deacon Phillippe went 20-13, giving the Pirates a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation as the team improved to 79-60, missing out on the first pennant of the new century by just 4.5 games to the Brooklyn Superbas.

In 1901, Tannehill won the now unawarded “NL pitching title”, going 18-10 (an NL fourth best .643 win percentage) with an NL leading 2.18 ERA. He allowed 240 hits and walked 36 with 118 strikeouts in 252.1 innings for a 1.094 WHIP (NL fourth). He allowed 8.560 H/9 (NL eighth), 1.284 BB/9 (NL third), 4.209 K/9 (NL eighth), four shutouts (NL seventh), and 3.278 K/BB (NL second). Along with Phillippe (22-12, 2.22), Jack Chesbro (21-10, 2.38), and Sam Leever (14-5, 2.86), Tannehill helped lead the Pirates to an NL Pennant clinching 90-49 record, beating out the Philadelphia Phillies by 7.5 games.

Unfortunately for the Pirates, 1902 would be Tannehill’s last season in Pittsburgh. He duplicated his 1900 record of 20-6 (NL sixth in wins, third with a .769 win percentage), this time with career bests in ERA, at 1.95 (NL third), and WHIP, at 0.987 (NL second). He walked 25 and allowed 203 hits while striking out 100 in 231 innings, completing 23 of his 24 starts. He allowed 7.909 H/9 (NL ninth), 0.974 BB/9 (NL second), and an even four strikeouts per walk (NL second). Pittsburgh ran away with the pennant, going 103-36 and finishing 27.5 games ahead of the Superbas.

Tannehill jumped to the American League’s New York Highlanders prior to the 1903 season. He went 15-15 with a 3.27 ERA. He later played four and a half seasons with the Boston Americans/Red Sox (62-38, 2.50 ERA) and a season and a half with the Washington Senators (3-5, 3.69 ERA) before concluding his career with one Cincinnati Reds appearance in 1911. For more on Tannehill, check out his SABR bio by Nathaniel Staley.

All-Time Statline: 16 seasons, 116-58, 2.75 ERA, 192 games, 171 starts, 149 CG, 17 shutouts, five saves, 1508.0 innings pitched, 1561 hits allowed, 243 walks, 466 strikeouts, 1.196 WHIP, 30.2 WAR (27.1 as a pitcher, 3.1 at the plate).

Next up: the Candyman.

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 20. Andy Van Slyke

2013-04-02T13:01:24Z

Andy Van Slyke was a 6’1” center fielder from Utica, NY. Born on December 21st, 1960, the right-handed throwing, left-handed hitter was initially drafted in the first round of the 1979 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals with the sixth overall pick. He started his career in 1980 with the “A” level Gastonia Cardinals in the South Atlantic League, hitting .270 in 126 contests with eight home runs and 19 stolen bases. He was laterally moved in 1981 to the “A” level St. Petersburg Pirates in the Florida State League, where he slumped to .220 over 94 contests.

In 1982, Van Slyke was promoted to the “AA” level Arkansas Travelers in the Western League, where he hit .279 in 123 games with 16 home runs and 37 stolen bases. 1983 would see him moved to the “AAA” level Louisville Redbirds in the American Association. In 54 games, he hit .368 with six home runs and 41 RBI. The Cardinals called him up in June.

Van Slyke played four seasons in St. Louis, hitting .259 with 41 home runs, 104 stolen bases, and 204 RBI. Just prior to the 1987 season, he was traded along with pitcher Mike Dunne (21-18, 3.65 in three Pirates seasons) and catcher Mike LaValliere (seven seasons, 609 games, .278) to Pittsburgh for Tony Pena (three seasons, 406 games, .248, 19 home runs, 132 RBI for the Birds).

Van Slyke was Pittsburgh’s 1987 opening day starter in right field, and appeared in 157 games (NL seventh) that season batting second, third, or fifth. He hit a then-career best .293 with 36 doubles (NL eighth), 11 triples (NL third), 21 home runs, 34 stolen bases, and 82 RBI. He also racked up a 5.5 WAR rating (NL 10th), 68 extra base hits (NL seventh), 286 total bases (NL 10th), 288 putouts (NL fourth), eight assists (NL fourth), and an NL leading .993 fielding percentage in his main position in center. On April 16th, he hit a single, a double, and a triple with a run and two RBI in a 6-0 win against the Chicago Cubs. On July 10th, he hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first along with three singles and a total of four RBI in a 6-5, 11-inning win over the San Diego Padres. Pittsburgh finished fourth in the NL East at 80-82.

In 1988, Van Slyke finished fourth in the NL MVP voting. He also won his first Gold Glove, his first Silver Slugger, and was selected to his first all-star game playing center field and batting third. He led the NL with 15 triples and with 13 sacrifice flies. He hit .288 with 169 total hits (NL sixth), 25 home runs (NL seventh), 297 total bases (NL third) and 100 RBI (NL third), along with 101 runs scored (NL fourth) and 30 stolen bases. His 6.4 WAR rating was good for seventh in the NL. He had a .506 SLG (NL fourth), and an .851 OPS (NL eighth). Defensively, he led the NL with 404 putouts and with 12 assists, ranking third with a .990 fielding percentage. On April 17th, he hit two home runs in a 12-7 win over the Cubs. On September 30th, he went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI (including the game winner in the top of the 10th) in a 10-9 win against Chicago. The Pirates finished at 85-75, 15 games behind the division winning New York Mets.

In 1989, Van Slyke won his second Gold Glove Award. For the most part, however, his season proved forgettable. He hit .237 in 130 games, with nine home runs, nine triples (NL third), 53 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He also had 339 putouts (NL third), nine assists (NL third), five double plays turned (NL second), and a .989 fielding percentage (NL fifth). On May 21st, he hit two singles, a double, and a home run with four runs scored and four RBI in a 17-5 win against the Houston Astros. On June 14th, he hit a two run single in the bottom of the third and the eventual game winning two run triple in the bottom of the seventh in a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Pittsburgh finished fifth in the six team NL East, at 74-88.

1990 would see Van Slyke rediscover his hitting stroke. He won his third Gold Glove in a row and finished 27th in the NL MVP race. In 136 contests, he hit .284 with 26 doubles, 17 home runs, and 77 RBI. He ranked ninth in the NL with a 4.4 oWAR. Defensively, he had 330 putouts (NL third), six assists (NL fourth), and a .977 fielding percentage (NL fifth). He started out the season right, going 3-for-6 with a double and two home runs for four RBI in a 12-3 win against the Mets. On August 16th, he went 2-for-4, including the game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth of a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. The Pirates won the NL East by four games, at 95-67 ahead of the Mets. Van Slyke went 5-for-24 with a double, a triple, three runs scored, three RBI and seven K’s in the six-game series loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

1991 would see Van Slyke earn his fourth Gold Glove in a row. In 138 games, he hit .265 with 87 runs scored, seven triples (NL ninth), 17 home runs, 11 sacrifice flies (NL third), and 83 RBI batting third in the order. He had 273 putouts (NL fifth), eight assists (NL third), and a .996 fielding percentage (NL second). On July 15th, he hit a double and a triple, walking and scoring twice with four RBI in an 8-0 victory over Houston. The Pirates won the NL East at 98-64, 14 games out front of the Cardinals. Pittsburgh lost the seven-game series with the Braves, as Van Slyke went 4-for-25 with three runs, two doubles, a home run and five strikeouts.

In 1992, Van Slyke posted what may have been his best season. He hit .324 (NL second) with 103 runs scored (NL third), a league leading 199 hits, 128 singles (NL ninth), 45 doubles (NL first), 12 triples (NL third), 14 home runs, and 89 RBI in 154 games. For his efforts, he made his second all-star appearance, won his second Silver Slugger, and took home his fifth Gold Glove in a row, finishing fourth in the NL MVP vote. He also posted a .381 OBP (NL ninth), a .505 SLG (NL seventh), an .886 OPS (NL fifth), and 310 total bases (NL third) batting from third in the lineup. He made 421 putouts (NL third), 11 assists (NL second), and a .989 fielding percentage (NL fifth) in center field. On August 25th, he hit a single, a double, and a home run, scoring twice and knocking in four in a 10-3 landslide over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pittsburgh took home their third consecutive NL East Division title, at 96-66 and nine games in front of the second place Montreal Expos. Van Slyke went 8-for-29 with three doubles, a triple and four RBI as the Pirates again lost in seven games to the Braves.

In 1993, Van Slyke spent most of the season on the IR. Despite this, he was selected to his third career all-star game in center field. In 83 contests, he hit .310 with eight home runs and 50 RBI batting third in the lineup. On May 8th, he hit a solo home run with the Pirates down 9-8 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, a game the Bucs won in 10 innings, 10-9 over the Expos. The very next night, he went 3-for-5, including a game winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th for a 6-5 win against Montreal. The Pirates went 75-87, fifth in the seven team NL East.

1994 would be Van Slyke’s last season in Black and Gold. He played in 105 contests, hitting .246 with six home runs and 30 RBI. Pittsburgh slotted him in third and in fifth in the order, as always in center field. On May 8th, he went a combined 8-for-9 a double, a home run, five runs scored and four RBI in a home double header sweep over the Cubs, 9-2 and 9-3. The performance raised his average from .227 to .283. After the season, the Pirates granted him free agency.

On April 21st, the Baltimore Orioles signed Van Slyke to a free agent contract. He hit .159 over 17 games with three home runs and eight RBI. On June 18th, the Orioles traded him to the Phillies for pitcher Gene Harris. Van Slyke would finish out his season (and career) with the Phils, hitting .243 with three home runs and 16 RBI in 63 contests.

All-Time Statline: Eight seasons, 1057 games, 1108-for-3922, .283/.353/.458, 598 runs, 203 doubles, 67 triples, 117 home runs, 564 RBI, 134 stolen bases, 431 walks, 733 strikeouts, 29.2 wins above replacement.

A note: to those of you who check and recheck the stats I present you here, be aware that baseball reference and fangraphs recently changed their method for computing the WAR statistic. To avoid confusion, I’m going to finish the series with the same standards by which the beginning of the series was computed. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Next up: Powder.

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 21. Vern Law

2013-03-31T05:04:12Z

Vern Law, also known as “Deacon” or “Preacher,” (he was an LDS deacon at the age of 12 and ordained a priest at the age of 17) was a 6’2 pitcher from Meridian, ID. Born on March 12th, 1930, the 6’2” right-hander signed his first professional contract with the Pirates in 1948. He joined the Santa Rosa Pirates in the “D” level Far West League later that year, going 8-5 with a 4.66 ERA in 21 contests. He then spent 1949 with the Davenport Pirates in the “B” level Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, going 5-11 with a 2.94 ERA.

1950 would open with Law on the New Orleans Pelicans of the “AA” level Southern Association, going 6-4 with a 2.67 ERA in his first 12 games. He made his debut with Pittsburgh on June 11th, starting, completing, and losing the first game of a doubleheader to the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-6. His best game of the season was on September 2nd, when he pitched a five-hit shutout, striking out four and defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-0. Overall, he went 7-9 with a 4.92 ERA, finishing five of his 17 rotation starts, along with 10 relief appearances. The Bucs finished last in the National League, at 57-96.

In 1951, Law posted a 6-9 record with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.404 WHIP, starting 14 games and making 14 relief appearances. On July 3rd, he won his second decision of the season when he limited the Chicago Cubs to five hits and two walks in a 2-0 win. His best showing of the season may have been on August 27th in the back half of a twin bill, when he pitched 3.2 innings of spotless baseball, striking out three and earning the save in a 5-2 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Pittsburgh improved to 64-90, finishing ahead of only the Cubs.

Due to military service, Law didn’t resurface in the major leagues until 1954, rejoining the Pirates to go 9-13 with a 5.51 ERA. He completed seven games out of his 18 starts, with 21 games in relief. He didn’t orchestrate any shutouts on the season, but he logged his first career three-hitter, striking out six on June 18th in a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Braves. Pittsburgh finished at 53-101, 11 games behind next-to-last Chicago.

In 1955, Law improved to 10-10 with a 3.81 ERA on a still-bad Pittsburgh team. He finished 23rd in the NL MVP vote, starting 24, completing eight, and making 19 appearances in relief. His 3.7 pWAR rating was good for seventh in the NL. He pitched the game of his life on July 19th, striking out 12 and taking no-decision, allowing two runs (one earned) on nine hits in 18 innings pitched against the Braves. The Pirates eventually won the contest, 4-3 in 19. His next start was also pretty good, as he struck out eight and allowed only four hits in a 3-2 complete game win over Chicago. In the second half of a doubleheader on August 28the, he tossed a complete game shutout, allowing four hits to the Braves in a 2-0 win. The Pirates finished the season back in the basement, at 60-94.

In 1956, Law went 8-16 with a 4.32 ERA. He pitched six complete games out of 32 starts (NL 10th). He also tied for the league lead with a perfect fielding percentage, making no errors in 43 chances. His best game of the year may have been August 16th, when he allowed only one earned run on six hits in a 4-1 win over the Phillies for his sixth victory of the season. The Pirates continued to be forgettable, only slightly better than the season prior with a 66-88 record, seventh in the NL.

1957 would see Law improve his record to 10-8 with a 2.87 ERA (NL fifth) and a then-career best 1.181 WHIP (NL sixth). He appeared in 31 games, starting 25 and finishing nine, including three shutouts (NL fifth). On his third appearance of the season (his first start) on May 4th, he pitched a complete game two-hitter, striking out three Braves in a 1-0 triumph over Milwaukee. On July 23rd, he earned a 6-3 win by allowing nine hits and three earned runs over 14.1 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates still finished tied for last in the NL, at 62-92.

In 1958, Law went 14-12 (NL seventh in wins) with a 3.96 ERA. He started 29 contests, completing nine and also appearing in relief six times. He also ranked third in the league with 1.735 walks issued per nine innings. He again tied for the league lead with a perfect fielding percentage (in 47 chances), ranking fifth in the NL with 16 putouts. On July 26th, he allowed one earned run on seven hits in a complete game, hard luck 1-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He got it right during his next start a week later on August 2nd, limiting the Cardinals to three hits and one walk in a 1-0 triumph at home. Pittsburgh finally showed some signs of life, going 84-70 and finishing in second place in the NL, eight games behind the Braves.

In 1959, Law pitched well enough to finish 19th in the NL MVP race. He went 18-9 (NL fifth in wins, third with a .667 win percentage) with a 2.98 ERA (NL fifth), 8.290 H/9 (NL 10th), and a 1.120 WHIP (NL fourth), completing 20 (NL second) of his 33 starts (with one save). He ranked eighth in the NL with a 6.3 WAR and second in the league with a pWAR of 6.2 in 266 innings (NL sixth). He struck out seven Phillies on August 29th, winning a complete game five-hitter by a score of 9-0. The Pirates went 78-76, fourth in the NL and nine games behind the pennant winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

1960 would arguably be Law’s best season (see 1965). He won the Cy Young Award, made his only career all-star team and finished sixth in the NL MVP voting. He made 35 rotation starts (NL fifth), completing a league leading 18 and posting a career best 20-9 record (NL third in wins and with a .690 win percentage) with a 3.08 ERA (NL seventh) and a 1.126 WHIP (NL second) in 271.2 innings (NL fourth). On August 2nd, he pitched a complete game five-hitter, striking out four Dodgers in a 3-0 win against Los Angeles. Pittsburgh won the pennant with a 95-59 record, seven games in front of second place Milwaukee. In the World Series, a seven-game series win over the New York Yankees, Law started three games, going 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA by allowing 22 hits in 18.1 innings.

In 1961, Law missed most of the season with an injury, posting a 3-4 record with a 4.70 ERA in only 10 starts. He was clearly not the same pitcher of just one season prior, with a career second highest 1.517 and 10.9 H/9. The Pirates mirrored Law’s (lack of) success, mired deep in the National League with a 75-79 record.

1962 would see Law rebound with a 10-7 record and a .394 ERA. He completed seven of 20 starts with two shutouts. He pitched a four-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Houston Colt .45’s on August 23rd, striking out five for his 10th victory of the season. Despite finishing 25 games over .500, the Pirates 93-68 record was only good enough for fourth in the now-10 team National League.

1963 would again see Law limited by injuries to a subpar season. He appeared in 18 games, with one complete game out of 12 starts. He posted a career worst 4.93 ERA along with a 4-5 record for the Bucs. His complete game was pretty good, a 3-0 six-hit win over Houston on July 13th. The Pirates went 74-88, finishing ahead of only the second-year New York Mets and Houston.

1964 would be a bounceback season for Law. Although he finished below .500, with a 12-13 record, he ranked second in the NL with five shutouts. He started 29 contests, completing seven of them and finishing with a 3.61 ERA. He went the distance on June 18th in a 10-0 win over the Mets, striking out five and allowing only three hits. He went one better on September 11th, allowing two hits and again striking out five batters in a 3-0 road win over Houston. The Bucs posted an 80-82 record, in sixth place in the NL.

In 1965, Law posted career bests with a 2.15 ERA (NL third), 7.537 H/9 (NL seventh), and a sparkling 0.998 WHIP (NL third), finishing 17th in the NL MVP vote. He went 17-9 (NL 10th in wins, eighth with a .654 win percentage) with 13 complete games out of his 28 starts and a 4.8 pWAR (NL eighth). June 5th would see him strike out four and allow only two hits in a 9-0 win over the Mets. On June 13th, he went the distance, striking out five Giants and allowing only three hits in a 2-1 victory over San Francisco. June 22nd would see him strike out six Giants and win a 6-0 decision while allowing only four hits. His best game of the season may have been a loss, as on July 28th when he allowed 11 hits over 12 innings, striking out eight and losing a 1-0 game to Philadelphia. Pittsburgh finished in third place, seven games out of the money at 90-72.

In 1966, Law went 12-8 with a 4.05 ERA. He completed eight of his 28 starts with four shutouts. His first start of the season may have been his most complete – as he faced 30 batters, allowing four hits and whiffing four in a 6-0 win against the Atlanta Braves on April 13th. June 2nd would see him strike out five Mets and allow three hits in a complete game, 5-0 victory. Pittsburgh’s 92-70 record was again third in the NL, just three games behind the Dodgers for the pennant.

1967 would be Law’s last season in the majors. He managed a 2-6 record with a 4.18 ERA, starting 10 games and appearing in relief 15 times. He didn’ t have much left in the tank, but his final complete game on August 5th showed he still had in on occasion, he defeated the Dodgers, 2-1, striking out five and allowing five hits. Pittsburgh finished at 81-81, sixth in the National League.

All-Time Statline: 16 seasons, 162-147, 3.77 ERA, 483 games, 364 starts, 119 CG, 28 shutouts, 13 saves, 2672.0 innings pitched, 2833 hits allowed, 597 walks, 1092 strikeouts, 1.284 WHIP, 29.0 WAR (26.1 as a pitcher, 2.9 at the plate).

Next up: a van awesome center fielder.

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Top 100: 22. Jason Kendall

2013-03-27T14:39:57Z

Jason Kendall was a 6’ catcher from San Diego, CA. Born on June 26, 1974, the right hander was originally selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 1992 amateur draft, 23rd overall. He made his first professional appearance with the Gulf Coast “Rookie” League’s Pirates later that season, hitting .261 in 33 games. He graduated to the “A” level Southern Atlantic League in 1993, hitting .276 with 40 RBI in 102 contests for the Augusta Pirates.

1994 would see Kendall spend most of his season with the “A+” level Salem Buccaneers of the Carolina League, with 66 RBI and a .318 average in 101 games. He also hit .234 in a 13 game callup to the “AA” Carolina Mudcats of the Southern League late in the season. He stayed with the Mudcats in 1995, hitting .326 with 87 runs, 26 doubles, 71 RBI and 56 walks to only 22 strikeouts. His performance was noticed, and allowed him to skip the “AAA” level the following season.

On opening day, 1996, Kendall was Pittsburgh’s starting catcher, batting eighth in the order (where he would appear for the bulk of the season). He went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in a 4-0 victory over the Florida Marlins. Overall, he played in 130 contests, hitting .300 with 54 runs, 23 doubles, 42 RBI, and 35 walks to only 30 strikeouts. He made the all-star team, and finished the season third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He ranked fourth in the NL with 15 hit by pitches. Defensively, he had 797 putouts (NL fourth), 71 assists (NL fourth), 10 double plays turned (NL third) while leading the league with 41 would-be base stealers getting thrown out. By wins probability added, his best game of the year was on August 22nd, when he went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, a run and an RBI in an 8-6 win over the Houston Astros. The Pirates finished last in the NL Central Division, at 73-89.

In 1997, Kendall hit .294 in 144 contests with 71 runs scored 49 walks, 36 doubles, 49 RBI, and 18 stolen bases with 53 strikeouts in 572 plate appearances (ranking seventh in the NL with 9.2 AB/K). He also continued to display a skill in taking pitches, ranking second in the NL with 31 HBP. He also continued to shine defensively, with 952 putouts (NL second), 103 assists (NL first), 20 double plays turned (NL first, and 56 runners caught stealing (NL first). The Pirates preferred him in the sixth batting spot, although they also used him in the three, five, seven, and eight slots. On May 31st, he collected a double, a triple, and a home run, falling just a single short of the cycle in a 4-2 setback to the Montreal Expos. Despite their 79-83 record, the Pirates finished second in the NL Central, five games behind the Astros.

1998 would see Kendall honored with his second all-star selection. He hit .327 (NL fifth) with 95 runs, 51 walks, 36 doubles, 12 home runs, 75 RBI, and 26 stolen bases (NL eighth with only five unsuccessful attempts, ranking seventh with a 83.9 percent success rate). He struck out 51 times in 627 plate appearances (NL sixth with 10.5 AB/K), leading the NL with 31 HBP and ranking seventh with a .411 OBP. He again shone defensively, ranking first with 1015 putouts, along with 58 assists (NL fifth), 10 double plays turned (NL fourth), and 32 runners caught stealing (NL fourth). The Pirates batted him either second or third all season. On April 8th, he hit a single, a double, and a round tripper, scoring two and knocking in two more in a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. Pittsburgh finished the season in the NL Central’s cellar, at 69-93.

In 1999, Kendall was limited to only 78 games due to an injury. He tabbed career bests with a .332/.428/.511/.939 line, scoring 61 runs with 20 doubles, eight home runs, 22 stolen bases (and three times caught stealing for an NL fifth best 88 percent success rate), and 38 walks with 32 strikeouts in 334 PA’s. Despite his limited playing time, he still ranked fourth in the NL with 12 times HBP, somehow managing to lead the league with 13 double plays turned. Opposing runners were thrown out on 30-of-69 stolen base attempts, allowing Kendall to rank third in the NL with a 43.5 percent kill rate. On May 3rd, he hit three singles and two doubles in a 9-8 win over the San Francisco Giants for his first career five-hit game. He provided most of the lumber in a 6-5 win over the Astros on May 23rd, with a three-run double and a run scoring sacrifice fly, for a total of four RBI. The Pirates led the back of the pack, finishing third in the six-team NL Central at 78-83 as the Astros and Cincinnati Reds each won 96 or more games.

In 2000, Kendall played in his third career all-star game. He hit .320 with career highs 112 runs scored (NL ninth), 79 walks drawn, 33 doubles, six triples and 14 home runs. He finished with 185 total hits (NL 10th), 132 singles (NL fourth), knocked in 58 runs and stole 22 bases. He was hit by 15 pitches (NL fifth) and got on base 279 times (NL eighth). He continued to pace the NL defensively behind the plate, with 990 putouts and 81 assists, ranking fourth with 12 double plays turned and third with 38 runners caught stealing. The Pirates used him liberally across the top three spots in the batting order. On May 19th, he hit for the cycle, scoring three times and knocking in five in a 13-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Pirates managed to avoid finishing dead last in the NL Central, four game ahead of the Chicago Cubs at 69-93.

In 2001, Kendall played a career high 157 games while playing mostly catcher, with occasional starts in left and right field. He hit.266 with 84 runs scored, 127 singles (NL fourth), 22 doubles, 10 home runs, 53 RBI and 13 stolen bases. He ranked third in the league with 20 HBP, and seventh with 12.6 K/AB. The Pirates used him at one, two, three, and five in the lineup. On April 22nd, he came to the plate in the bottom of the tenth, down to the Cubs 3-2 with one on and one out (he was already 1-for-2 for the game), ending it with a walk-off, two-run homer. This effort was brave but futile, as the Pirates drifted to a 62-100 last place finish.

2002 would see Kendall hit .283 over 143 contests with 123 singles (NL ninth), 25 doubles, 44 RBI, 15 stolen bases and only 29 strikeouts in 605 PA (for an NL leading 18.8 AB/K rate). He also drew 49 walks. Defensively, he had 797 putouts (NL fifth), 64 assists (NL third), 13 double plays turned (NL first), and 39 runners caught stealing (NL second). On April 21st in the top half of a twinbill, he hit a single and a triple, knocking in four and scoring a fifth in a 9-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Pirates finished the season in fourth place, at 72-89.

In 2003, Kendall rebounded to hit .325 (NL sixth) in 150 games, with 84 runs scored, 191 hits (NL sixth), 153 singles (NL third), 29 doubles, 58 RBI, 25 HBP (NL second), and 49 walks. He struck out 40 times in 666 PA for an AB/K of 14.7 (NL second) batting first, second, third, and sixth in the lineup (never in the same game). He had 55 multi-hit games, including 18 games of three or more. On April 19th, he went 4-for-4 with two doubles and scored the Pirates only run in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs. In game two of a doubleheader on June 18th, he pinch hit for pitcher Salomon Torres with one out and two on in the bottom of the ninth, down to the Expos, 3-2. He won the game with one swing, hitting a two-run double into left-center field for the walk-off victory. The Pirates finished fourth in the NL Central, at 75-87.

2004 would mark Kendall’s last season with the Bucs. He hit .319 (NL eighth) with 60 walks and 19 HBP (NL third), helping him to a .399 OBP (NL ninth). He scored 86 times, collected 183 hits (NL 10th), 148 singles (NL second), 32 doubles, 51 RBI, and struck out 41 times in 658 PA over 147 games (14.0 AB/K, NL fourth). He also had 998 putouts (NL second), 78 assists (NL first), 13 double plays turned (NL second), 37 runners caught stealing (NL first), and a 36.3 CS rate (NL fourth). He batted mostly leadoff, with occasional starts at second and third in the order. On May 29th, he went 4-for-5 with a walk and two doubles in a 10-7 win over the Cubs. Pittsburgh’s season ending 72-89 record was only good enough for them to avoid last in the division, five games in front of the Milwaukee Brewers. After the season, the Pirates sent him (with cash) to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Mark Redman (5-15, 4.90 with the Bucs), pitcher Arthur Rhodes and cash (?). Rhodes was immediately traded to the Cleveland Indians for right fielder Matt Lawton (101 games, .273, 10 home runs, 44 RBI with Pittsburgh).

Kendall played with the A’s for two and a half seasons (373 games, .271, 125 RBI). He later made stops with the Chicago Cubs (57 games, .270), the Brewers (285 games, .244, 92 RBI), and the Kansas City Royals (118 games, .256, 37 RBI). He played his last game in August, 2010, officially announcing his retirement on July 24, 2012.

All-Time Statline: Nine seasons, 1252 games, 1409-for-4606, .306/.387/.418, 706 runs, 256 doubles, 29 triples, 67 home runs, 471 RBI, 140 stolen bases, 454 walks, 403 strikeouts, 28.9 wins above replacement.

Next up: another “Deacon” pitcher.