The Pirates “L” Team

As we approach Opening Day I wanted to add that I will be continuing to release these All Time teams but they will not be on any sort of schedule. I will try to stay up to date with the happenings of the 2024 season but there is no exact point where someone joins an All Time roster so it will be flexible. If the feeling strikes me I might even do the random post about the current Pirates, but we shall see.

Lineup

  1. Denny Lyons, 3B (R)
  2. Lee Lacy, RF (R)
  3. Dale Long, 1B (L)
  4. Freddie Lindstrom, LF (R)
  5. Adam LaRoche, DH (L)
  6. Tommy Leach, CF (R)
  7. Mike LaValliere, C (L)
  8. Jose Lind, 2B (R)
  9. Johnny Logan, SS (R)

Tommy Leach spent 13 seasons with the Pirates from 1900 to 1912 and then in 1918 at the age of 40 came back for one last rodeo. He wasn’t the star of those teams as he normally played third fiddle to Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke who are two of the best players to ever don a Pirates uniform, but he was still a great player in his own right. Early on his career he mainly played third but would transition to center field and on this squad, he’ll be the regular center fielder and back up third baseman. Joining him in the outfielder is Hall of Famer, Freddie Lindstrom who spent most of his career with the Giants but had two productive years, 1933 and 1934, with the Pirates and Lee Lacy who spent 6 seasons with the Pirates, from 1979 to 1984, as an above average corner outfielder.

Behind the plate Mike LaValliere gives the team a stalwart at the catcher position as he is not only a great defensive option but one who can hit pretty well too. Moving to the hot corner we go way back to the 19th century and grab one of the Pirates better players from that time period in Denny Lyons. Lyons played just 4 seasons with the Pirates but was an excellent offensive player. He is also an option to play some first base against left-handed pitching. Up the middle Jose Lind gives the team a great defensive option and Johnny Logan is more of a utility infielder who is being forced into everyday duty at shortstop. Lind is a relatively recent addition having played six seasons for the Pirates from 1987 to 1992 and Logan played just three seasons in the 1960s and was late into his career by that point.

Finally sharing both the first base and designated hitter positions we have a pair of left-handed bats in Dale Long and Adam LaRoche. Long was a late bloomer as although he debuted in the majors in 1951 as a 25-year-old he wouldn’t see the majors again until 1955 as a 29-year-old. He hit the ground running though as he was one of the few bright spots during the 1955 and 1956 seasons. He was then traded shortly after the 1957 season began. As for Adam LaRoche he is the most recent player in this lineup and represented the Pirates long desired Lefty McThump. He is remembered for his notoriously slow starts to the seasons but over his three years with the Pirates he was a solid bat and played a good first base. In this lineup this pair will likely alternate between first base and designated hitter and one of them will likely always sit against a left-handed starter.

Bench

  • Al Lopez, C (R)
  • Nelson Liriano, IF (S)
  • Jerry Lynch, OF (L)
  • Kenny Lofton, OF (L)

Lopez makes for a great compliment with starting catcher Mike LaValliere. Not only does he bat with the opposite hand making a slight platoon possible, but he is a solid defensive catcher with plenty of experience (7 seasons with the Pirates) and he hits plenty well for a backup catcher. The team is light on infield options and while they could really use a more established shortstop option there just isn’t one available so Nelson Liriano who is primarily a second baseman makes the team. He has minimal experience at both third and short so he’s a capable albeit not ideal utility infielder. Due to Tommy Leach being able to play some infield there is room on the bench for two outfielders. Jerry Lynch will back up the corners and Lofton will backup center field allowing Leach to bounce around a little. Lynch spent parts of 7 seasons with the Pirates and is a decent hitter but a weak fielder and Lofton though he spent just one partial seasons with the club is a great bench outfielder who can easily handle center and hits decently.

Others Considered

  • Andy LaRoche, 3B (R)
  • Sam LaRocque, IF (R)
  • Jack Leary, 3B/OF (U)
  • Matt Lawton, OF (L)
  • Derrek Lee, 1B (R)
  • Sixto Lezcano, OF (R)

Andy LaRoche never lived up to his billing as a top prospect but he was a solid defensive option and is one of the few infield options the team has so he needs considered. What really holds him back is the fact he played almost exclusively third base meaning he doesn’t offer much versatility off the bench. Sam LaRocque is easily the best shortstop option not on the team and is a real alternative to Nelson Liriano. Liriano gets the edge due to being the more modern-day option as LaRocque played in the 1890s. Jack Leary played for the Pirates in the franchise’s inaugural season in 1882 and while he was not strongly considered for the team his versatility makes him the top replacement option for the team’s star, Tommy Leach.

Lawton played just a part of one season with the Pirates and while he was a very good hitter his defense left something to be desired. He displayed good on base skills and some power but only played right field which combined with his relatively short tenure and weak defense ultimately prevented him from making the team. Sixto Lezcano only had 153 PA during his one season with the Pirates and Derrek Lee had 113 during his lone season. This limited amount of time would usually lead to them not being considered but with the way the roster is constructed a right-handed bat to compliment LaRoche and Long would be a big plus and these two represent the best available options.

Rotation

  1. Vern Law (R)
  2. Sam Leever (R)
  3. Lefty Leifield (L)
  4. Francisco Liriano (L)
  5. Jon Lieber (R)

Law had a long 16-year career with the Pirates that may had even been longer had he not gone off to war for two years. Near the end of his career he had a few rough years but during most of his tenure he would either be solid or great. His best two seasons were 1959 and 1960 and in the later the Pirates won the World Series and Law won the Cy Young. He is clearly a very capable ace atop this rotation. Leever and Leifield were two of the best pitchers the Pirates had during the early 20th century. Leever was with the Pirates for 13 seasons and Leifield was with them for eight years. The pair were both with the 1908 World Series winning team and played key roles in the title run. Liriano and Lieber represent a much more recent dup of pitchers. Liriano pitched four seasons, 2013-2016, with the Pirates as a starting pitcher and then returned in 2019 for one final season as a reliever. He was a top of the rotation arm and was an important part of the success of those teams. Lieber pitched 5 seasons with the Pirates from 1994-1998 and was around a league average arm making him an excellent 5th starter for this unit.

Bullpen

  • Red Lucas, LR (R)
  • Jeff Locke, LR (L)
  • Johnny Lanning, MR (R)
  • Clem Labine, MR (R)
  • Javier Lopez, MR (L)
  • Mike Lincoln, SU (R)
  • Rich Loiselle, SU (R)
  • Bill Landrum, CL (R)

The next two best starters available are Red Lucas and Jeff Locke and the two of them will serve as long relief options out of the pen. Lucas pitched 5 seasons with the Pirates in the 1930s and was a solid starter. Locke pitched 6 seasons from 2011-2016 and was a competent back of the rotation option. The pair should nicely compliment the starting rotation. Lanning made a few starts with the team during his tenure but was primarily a relief pitcher. He was fairly average for his 6 seasons with the Pirates and makes for a good middle relief option. Labine joined the Pirates late in 1960 and made 15 appearances where he posted amazing results. He would return the next season and would be serviceable. Lopez made 50 appearances for the Pirates in 2010 but was used primarily as a left-handed specialist. The 50 outings ended up totaling just 38.2 innings, but he was highly effective and should help the staff out as a lefty specialist.

Mike Lincoln had a fairly mediocre career as a middle reliever but the two best season of his career, 2001 and 2002, came with the Pirates. He was a legitimate good reliever those two years before returning to his more mediocre self in 2003 which proved to be his third and final seasons with the club. Loiselle debuted for the Pirates in 1996 and rather quickly took over the closer role serving as the back-end guy for 2007 and 2008 where he posted 48 saves. Relievers being what they are though this success was brief as he spent the next three years with the club struggling and then his major league career was over. Landrum pitched three seasons with the Pirates from 1989 to 1991. He worked as the closer getting 56 saves and posting a sparkling ERA of 2.32.

Others Considered

  • Mike Lynch (R)
  • Esteban Loaiza (R)
  • Vic Lombardi (L)
  • Dick Littlefield (L)
  • Brad Lincoln (R)
  • Wade LeBlanc (L)
  • Jack Lamabe (R)

There are a lot of starting pitchers in a similar mold to Red Lucas and Jeff Locke so the long relief spots could have gone any number of ways. The first four names on the list were all back of the rotation quality starters for 3 or 4 seasons. Lynch pitched in the decade of the 1900s, Lombardi covered the late 1940s, Littlefield the mid 1950s and Loaiza is the most recent of the bunch having pitched in the 1990s. Lucas’s performance is slightly better than this quartet while Locke just pitched for a bit longer than the group giving those two a slight edge but there is an argument to be made for any one of the four listed pitchers.

Brad Lincoln initially tried to make it as a starting pitcher but was transitioned to the bullpen. Before being traded he seemed to be settling into the role. Bullpen options are a little thin, so Lincoln is worth considering but he is held back by his overall body of work. LeBlanc made 58 appearances across 2016 and 2017 and was a solid middle relief option. Lamabe was excellent for the Pirates in 1962 but that was his lone season with the club. The duo of LeBlance and Lamabe are reasonable candidates for middle relief jobs, but both just barely lose out.

The Pirates “K” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Jason Kendall, C (R)
  2. Jeff King, 2B (R)
  3. Ralph Kiner, LF (R)
  4. Jung Ho Kang, 3B (R)
  5. Chuck Klein, RF (L)
  6. Bill Kuehne, SS (R)
  7. Ed Kirkpatrick, DH (L)
  8. Ed Konetchy, 1B (R)
  9. Joe Kelly, CF (R)

There are two clear standouts in the lineup in Kendall and Kiner. Kendall is the more recent of the two and is the rare catcher who makes for a good leadoff hitter as he gets on base a lot and is able to throw in a few stolen bases. Kiner is the big bat and with 301 home runs has the second most homes runs all time in franchise history. These two provide the team with a pair of stars to anchor the lineup.

The next best players on the list are a trio of infielders who are all coincidentally spent most of their time at third base. Getting all three in the lineup is a little difficult but given the other options need to be tried. The team lacks any real second base option but Jeff King’s 121 games there does easily lead the way in terms of appearances there so it’s an easy call to stick him there. He spent more time at third and even first, but someone has to play second. Kang and Kuehne both split their time between third and short, so it makes sense to play one of them at shortstop and of the two Kuehne spent more time there. Even if they aren’t all playing their exact position it’s a talent trio that will help bolster the team.

Rounding out the lineup Chuck Klein was an excellent hitter for the Pirates in 1939 but that was his only season with the club, and he played in just 85 games. Kirkpatrick spent four seasons with the Pirates in the 1970s playing mostly first but also a little outfield. He’s not a great hitter for a corner player but is competent and adds some depth. Konetchy played one season for the Pirates in 1914 and is known as a good defensive first baseman though his bat is weak for the position. Center field options are in short supply so the defense first Joe Kelly will get the call and close out the lineup in the 9th spot.

Bench

  • Clyde Kluttz, C (R)
  • Sam Khalifa, SS (R)
  • Steve Kemp, OF (L)
  • Otto Krueger, U (R)

Kluttz played for the Pirates in 1947 and 1948 and while he wasn’t the clear starting catcher, he got plenty of playing time and more or less shared the position with another catcher both years. He makes for a solid backup catcher but is certainly not someone you’d be comfortable giving a full-time job to. Khalifa is a glove first shortstop from the 1980s and is on the team to help stabilize the infield defense should the players have trouble adjusting to their slightly unusual positions. He doesn’t hit at all, but the glove still makes him a useful guy to have around on the bench. Ideally the 4th outfielder could help out in center field but there aren’t ideal options available, so Kemp gets the nod as a useful (but not great) bat off the bench. Grabbing the final spot on the bench is Krueger who played for the Pirates in 1903 and 1904 and appeared at several positions including second, third, short, left field and right field. The versatility is really his calling card as there isn’t much to like about his bat.

Others Considered

  • Billy Kelly, C (R)
  • Ted Kluszewski, 1B (L)
  • Clem Koshorek, IF (R)
  • Lee King, OF (R)
  • Mike Kingery, OF (L)
  • John Kelty, OF (U)

Billy Kelly had a cup of coffee with the Pirates in 1911 and then served as the backup catcher in 1912 and 1913. He was a solid backup catcher and a decent alternative to Kluttz but Kluttz has a clear edge in playing time which gives him the edge. Kluszewski joins Kirkpatrick and Konetchy as first baseman who are fine but don’t really hit as much as you’d like your first baseman to. There isn’t much separating him from those two and he loses out simply due to wanting one of each handedness and Kirkpatrick having the ability to play the outfield. Koshorek played for the Pirates in 1952 with an additional very short appearance in 1953.He came off the bench and split his time fairly evenly between second, third and short. He is a fairly generic utility infielder but loses out to Khalifa due to defense and to Krueger due to him having a slightly better bat and outfield experience.

King played for the Pirates for a few seasons late in the dead ball era. He probably has the best case to unseating Kemp for the 4th outfielder job. He never played any center field with the Pirates but would go on to play it elsewhere. This alone makes him appealing, but the bat ultimately holds him back. Kingery is our other true center field option, and he is solid out there, but he didn’t at all during his one season, 1996, with the Pirates. Finally, Kelty looks like a solid option on paper, but he only played for the Pirates in 1890 and due to many players opting to join a different league this was a strange year that can’t be taken at full face value. He is also held back by not really being a center fielder and while his offensive numbers were solid for the era, they weren’t great so ultimately another more modern option was chosen.

Rotation

  1. Ray Kremer (R)
  2. Frank Killen (L)
  3. Bruce Kison (R)
  4. Ron Kline (R)
  5. Bob Klinger (R)

Kremer had a two-year stretch, 1926 and 1927, where he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball. It has been rare for the Pirates to ever have a pitcher of that caliber. That great two years came in years 3 and 4 of his 10-year career with the Pirates. For most of the rest of his Pirates tenure he was an above average starter but never near the elite level he showed those two special seasons. Killen was a very good pitcher for the Pirates during the late 19th century. Of course, judging players of this era is always a little difficult, but he put some impressive numbers during his Pirates tenure.

Kison was an important pitcher for the Pirates in the 1970s. He started as a bit of a swingman before developing into a rotation fixture in the latter half of the decade. He was not one of the top of the rotation arms but was a solid consistent presence in the middle. Kline primarily pitched for the Pirates in the late 1950s and was a decent rotation arm even if he did have a couple years where he piled up a lot of losses. He rejoined the team a decade later near the end of his career as a largely ineffective relief pitcher. Klinger pitched for the Pirates in the 1930s and 1940s before going to fight in World War 2. He had one awful season in 1940 but was an average or slightly better starter during his other 5 seasons with the club.

Bullpen

  • Mitch Keller, 6S (R)
  • Chad Kuhl, LR (R)
  • Jeff Karstens, LR (R)
  • Randy Kramer, MR (R)
  • Erv Kantlehner, MR (L)
  • Keone Kela, SU (R)
  • Nelson King, SU (R)
  • Bob Kipper, CL (L)

The expectation is that Keller will likely earn a rotation spot sometime during the 2024 season but for now he’ll occupy a 6th starter role. Beyond him the “K” tea struggles to come up with actual relievers, so a lot of the bullpen is filled with starting pitchers. Kuhl pitched for the Pirates from 2016 and 2021 and was mostly used in a starter role and on lesser teams would easily be worthy of a back of the rotation spot. From 2008 to 2012 Karstens served as what I call a utility pitcher for the Pirates as he pitched out of nearly every role on the staff. He is a useful long man to have around.

Randy Kramer split his time between starting and reliever in 1988 through 1990. He was hit pretty hard as a starter during this time but was a fairly effective reliever so with a lack of other options the K team will try him on a permanent basis there. Kantlehner pitched from the Pirates from 1914 through 1916 and much like Kramer he split his time between starting and relieving. He makes the team to give the staff a left-handed option in the middle innings.

Moving on to the actual relievers Kela was a highly effective relief option for the Pirates from 2018 to 2020 but he was limited to just 47 innings. It was a brief but dominant stint with the club and given the dearth of true bullpen pitchers it is more than enough to earn him a set up job. Pairing with him will be Nelson King who was an effective relief arm for the Pirates in the 1950s. His rate stats aren’t as impressive but having pitched 173.1 innings makes his resume slightly more impressive. Kipper spent his first three seasons with the Pirates primarily as a back of the rotation starter but then in 1988 he transitioned to being a relief arm. He pitched 4 seasons in this role and was largely just average but his 200 relief appearances is by far the most on the staff and is enough for him to claim the top spot at the back of the bullpen.

Others Considered

  • Silver King (R)
  • Brickyard Kennedy (R)
  • Max Kranick (R)
  • Herb Kelly (L)
  • George Kontos (R)

Silver King pitched one season for the Pirates in 1891 and was a largely effective starter but is held back by just having pitched one season. Kennedy also just pitched one seasons for the Pirates in 1903 and while he was decent in the role, he is ultimately held back by it being just one season. Had Kranick survived the offseason with the Pirates he would be one to watch in 2024 as he had a plausible path to the roster but with him having been lost on waivers, he doesn’t have a serious argument to having a job. Kelly and Kontos represent the best of the remaining relief options available. Kelly pitched 36.2 innings with the Pirates between 1914 and 1915 and was slightly below average but as a left-handed option he is notable. Kontos spent parts of 2017 and 2018 with the Pirates and was a fairly non-descript option who held his own but didn’t stand out.

The Pirates “J” Team

There have only been 6 Pirates players who’s last name began with the letter I so the letter will be skipped for now but those hearty individuals will get a chance to make a team at the end of this series when the team of the leftover letters is revealed.

Lineup

  1. Woody Jensen, CF (L)
  2. Matt Joyce, RF (L)
  3. Connor Joe, LF (R)
  4. Garrett Jones, DH (L)
  5. Mark Johnson, 1B (L)
  6. Jason Jaramillo, C (S)
  7. Cobes Jones, SS (S)
  8. Red Juelich, 3B (R)
  9. Spook Jacobs, 2B (R)

This is not a very talented lineup and falls off quickly. There are only four position players that spent more than 2 seasons with the Pirates and all 4 are in the lineup. Woody Jensen’s 9 seasons with the Pirates is by far the most of anyone with the club. He is not some kind of star though because even at his peak of 1933-1937 he was barely a decent starting outfielder and his numbers are dragged down by two terrible seasons both before and after this peak. Next up is Garrett Jones with his 5 seasons with the club. Jones is the best position player on the team which tells you all you need to know. The final two players with more than two seasons are Mark Johnson and Jason Jaramillo who both spent 3 seasons with the Pirates. Johnson was a competent first baseman in 1996 but struggled in 1995 and 1997. Jaramillo served as the backup catcher for 2009 and then spent two years as a depth option.

Matt Joyce spent 2016 with the Pirates and was an incredible fourth outfielder who was deserving of a starting job. Here not only does he get that starting job but he is a key cog in the lineup. Connor Joe is the only decent hitting right-handed bat in the lineup so he is batting third to try and break up the four left-handed batters who are at the top of the lineup. What this team is really lacking are infielders. There are only 6 players who played even one game at second, third or short and only one of them has more than 66 PA (and he’s primarily a catcher). The two best actual infielders on the team are Jones and Juelich. They each spent one season with the Pirates as a depth option and were fairly bad at it. Finally Jacobs rounds out the infielder despite being a terrible hitter over just 41 PA.

Bench

  • Vic Janowicz, C/3B (R)
  • John Jaso, 1B/OF (L)
  • Houston Jimenez, IF (R)
  • Johnny Jeter, OF (R)

Janowicz played two seasons with the Pirates. The first in 1953 he played catcher and then the next year, 1954, he was a third baseman. He didn’t show much in his limited time, but options are scarce, so he’ll serve he’ll have an unusual role as backup catcher and backup third baseman. Jimenez only received 7 PA with the Pirates but aside from Cobe Jones he is the only other shortstop available. Jaso is a decent hitter without a true position, so he’ll come off the bench and backup first and the corner outfield spots. Johnny Jeter played for the Pirates in 1969 and 1970 and was an effective 4th outfielder. He’ll have the same role here and due to the overwhelming left handedness of the roster he’ll likely start against all left-handed pitchers.

Others Considered

  • Roy Jarvis, C (R)
  • Doc Johnston, 1B (L)
  • Corban Joseph, 2B/OF (L)
  • Manny Jimenez, OF (L)

Compared to Janowicz, Jarvis does not have a case to be the backup catcher, but Janowicz has a decent case of being the starting third baseman which would leave a spot open for another catcher and there Jarvis who only had 56 PA would be the next man up. Only two player, Woody Jensen and Garrett Jones, have more PA with the Pirates than Doc Johnston but he is held back by being a first base only guy. It’s really a competition between him and Mark Johnson to be the starting first base which he just barely loses. Joseph is the only player not on the roster to have played a non-1B infield position. There isn’t a great case to be made for him but with such a weak group everyone needs considered. Jimenez was only nominally an outfielder as despite playing in 116 games he only had 11 appearances in the field. He was used prominently as a pinch hitter and excelled in the role but there just isn’t a spot on this roster for a guy like him.

Rotation

  1. Bob Johnson (R)
  2. Elmer Jacobs (R)
  3. Danny Jackson (L)
  4. Odell Jones (R)
  5. Andre Jackson (R)

Bob Johnson was a middle of the rotation starter for the 1971 World Series champion Pirates and then spent the next two seasons in more of a relief role getting the occasional spot start. He’s a nice pitcher to have on a staff but is certainly no ace. Jacobs was a successful swingman for the Pirates for a few seasons late in the deal ball era (1916-1918). Danny Jackson was traded to the Pirates in the middle of the 1992 season and he went on to make 15 fairly average starts for the team to close out the year. Odell Jones spent parts of 4 seasons with the Pirates but the only significant time came in 1977 when he split his time between the rotation and bullpen. He was serviceable but not much more. Andre Jackson pitched in 12 games for the Pirates in 2023 and made 7 starts. He did fairly well but he pitched under 50 innings so he’s a pretty weak 5th starter.

Bullpen

  • Harry Jordan, LR (U)
  • Henry Jones, LR (R)
  • Mike Johnston, MR (L)
  • Joel Johnston, MR (R)
  • Al Jackson, MR (L)
  • Steven Jackson, SU (R)
  • Barry Jones, SU (R)
  • Grant Jackson, CL (L)

Harry Jordan and Henry Jones had some short stints with the Pirates back in the late 19th century. Each made a handful of starts and were serviceable. The Johnston duo is much more recent with Joel having pitched in the 1990s and Mike in the 2000s. They were both used exclusively as relief pitchers over a pair of seasons and were replacement level relievers. Al Jackson pitched a few innings in 1959 and 1961 in a hybrid role and was somewhat successful. Steve Jackson is another relatively recent addition to the staff having just pitched for the Pirates in 2009 and 2010. Much like the other his time with the Pirates was of the quality of a forgettable middle reliever. Barry Jones pitched for the Pirates in the late 1980s and was a solid middle reliever. Rounding out the pen s Grant Jackson who was a very good left-handed set up man for the Pirates in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Others Considered

  • Percy Jones (L)
  • Kris Johnson (L)
  • Timothy Jones (R)
  • Alex Jones (L)
  • Jesse Jefferson (R)

There is not much depth to review as no pitcher not on the staff even accumulated 20 innings. Percy Jones leads the way of those remaining with 19 innings in 1930 and his 6.63 ERA says it all. Kris Johnson is a much more recent candidate from just 2013 but he logged only 10.1 mediocre innings. Timothy Jones 10 innings actually represents the most innings any Pirates pitcher (that’s for all letters) has accumulated without giving up a run in their Pirates career. Still 10 innings isn’t enough to be a real threat. Alex Jones is a 19th century arm with good numbers over just 9 innings and Jefferson a pitcher from 1980 with just 6.2 innings.

The Pirates “H” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Ned Hanlon, CF (L)
  2. Bill Hinchman, RF (R)
  3. Don Hoak, LF (R)
  4. Richie Hebner, DH (L)
  5. Johnny Hopp, 1B (L)
  6. Josh Harrison, 2B (R)
  7. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B (R)
  8. Dixie Howell, C (R)
  9. Jackie Hernandez, SS (R)

Third baseman galore! Between Hoak, Hebner, Hayes and even Harrison the lineup features four potential starting third baseman. The problem is the four represent four of the best players the team has at its disposal so all need to be in the lineup. The easiest one to place elsewhere is Josh Harrison as despite playing a lot of third he actually spent more time at second base. Richie Hebner has the best bat of the quartet, so it makes sense to highlight this strength and give him the regular DH job. That leaves Hayes and Hoak both of whom are almost exclusively third baseman. Hayes gets the nod at the hot corner thanks to his otherworldly defense leaving Hoak to try and fit in elsewhere. The best spot for Hoak to try and fill seems to be a spot in the outfield so he slides a bit deeper into the field and will try his hand out in left.

Looking at the rest of the lineup Johnny Hopp provides some flexibility should Don Hoak not adjust to the outfield. Hopp played primarily first base but also had significant time out in the outfield. If Hoak needs moved off the position Hopp would replace him with Hoak sliding to DH and Hebner coming out to play first base (a position he would move to after his Pirates career came to an end). The rest of the outfield will be filled by Ned Hanlon, a 19th century player who spent two seasons with the Pirates and Bill Hinchman who spent 5 years with the club late in the dead ball era. Rounding out the lineup is Dixie Howell who caught just one season for the club in 1947 and Jackie Hernandez who played three seasons with the club in the 1970s but didn’t really hit but is also the only true shortstop option available.

Bench

  • Jackie Hayes, C (U)
  • Joe Harris, 1B (R)
  • Lee Handley, IF (R)
  • Adam Hyzdu, OF (R)

Hayes played for the Pirates in 1883 and 1884 and split his time between many positions but was primarily a catcher. The catcher depth isn’t great here so a good hitting catcher even from this era makes the team as the backup. Harris will platoon with Johnny Hopp at first base and is good enough he could even steal some starts away against right-handed pitchers. Handley gives the team yet another third baseman. In fact, he has the second most games at the position trailing only Hebner. Unlike the others he didn’t put up big numbers and was a fairly weak hitter who also spent a fair bit of time at second and got the occasional appearance at short. Hyzdu played parts of 4 seasons with the Pirates in the early 2000s and gives the team a solid depth piece in the outfield that has played all three spots. He’ll also likely form a loose platoon with Ned Hanlon in center field.

Others Considered

  • Rollie Hemsley, C (R)
  • Charlie Hargreaves, C (R)
  • Jose Hernandez, IF (R)
  • Bobby Hill, IF (S)
  • Ham Hyatt, 1B/OF (L)
  • Del Howard, 1B/OF (L)
  • Bill Howerton, OF (L)
  • Dick Hall, OF (R)

Hemsley and Hargreaves both spent more time playing with the Pirates than either of the two catchers on the roster. What they are lacking though is any offensive upside as both players struggled with the bat. The pair were weirdly teammates during the 1928-1930 seasons (with Hemsley sticking around in 1931) and they posted similar numbers during this time. There is little infield depth to speak of which is why the team needs to rely so heavily on their deep reserve of third baseman. Hernandez and Hill who were both acquired in the ill-conceived Aramis Ramirez trade represent the best of the remaining options, but neither is a particularly strong one or a threat to take a spot away from one of the infielders on the roster.

Keeping the theme of pairs going Hyatt and Howard are both first baseman who can play the outfield from the beginning of the 20th century. There is talent here but the other options at first base are just clearly better and with Hoak being forced to the outfield there just isn’t room for another questionable option out there. Howerton had a solid season for the Pirates in 1951 and was good in a limited time the following year. He’s a good option for the outfield but a lack of playing time holds him back. Dick Hall is an interesting case as he began his career as an outfielder in 1952 but was switched to pitcher in 1955. His outfield time with the Pirates is mostly concentrated to 1954 where he serves as a bench outfielder with good defense but little in the way of hitting talent. Hall will show up again below with the pitchers which is why he gets a brief mention here.

Rotation

  1. Harvey Haddix (L)
  2. Pink Hawley (R)
  3. Earl Hamilton (L)
  4. Carmen Hill (R)
  5. Claude Hendrix (R)

In 1959 Harvey Haddix put together the best pitching performance of all time but still ending up on the losing side. Despite being owner of that title the body of work for Haddix is more that of a middle of the rotation starter but that is true for all five starters in this rotation making it solid but lacking in high end talent. As always judging 19th century pitchers like Pink Hawley is difficult but he had three good seasons with the Pirates and leads the staff in both games started and innings pitched. Hamilton, Hill and Hendrix all pitched for the Pirates for part of the dead ball era though in the cases of Hamilton and Hill their tenures extended into the 1920s. The trio are largely similar pitchers and are not separated by much with the exact order more or less being determined by number of innings pitched.

Bullpen

  • J.A. Happ, 6S (L)
  • Bob Harmon, LR (R)
  • Bill Harris, MR (R)
  • Waite Hoyt, MR (R)
  • Jack Hallet, MR (R)
  • Jared Hughes, SU (R)
  • Ramon Hernandez, SU (L)
  • Joel Hanrahan, CL (R)

Happ grabbing a bullpen spot despite only starting eleven games for the Pirates is a bit of a surprise, but he was so dominant in those few outings that a job as a spot starter and second left hander out of the pen is well deserved. Bob Harmon is another starting pitcher from the dead ball era, but his numbers are just a bit worse than the three who round out the rotation, so he’ll handle long relief duties. Harris and Hoyt served as swingmen for the Pirates in the 1930s. Of the pair the clearly better pitcher was Hoyt who was a great reliever and nearly earned himself a set up job. Jack Hallet was another swingman for the club but in the 1940s. He pitched two seasons before World War 2 and then one additional one once he returned from the war. His military service limited his innings but when he pitched, he was a solid option.

The most recent pitcher on this staff is Jared Hughes. He last pitched for the Pirates in 2016 and was a good fireman you could count on to work his way out of jams. He’ll likely serve in a similar role here and also cover the 7th inning on occasion. Closing out games we have the dominant pairing of Hernandez and Hanrahan. Hernandez pitched for the Pirates in the 1970s and Hanrahan in the early 2010s. Both were excellent relief pitchers and with them being opposite handedness their use will be heavily matched up based to cover the 8th and 9th innings.

Others Considered

  • Ken Heintzelman (L)
  • Kirby Higbe (R)
  • Bill Hoffer (R)
  • Wally Hebert (L)
  • Johnny Hetki (R)
  • Dick Hall (R)

Heintzelman is the alternative to Happ and arguably should of beat him based on his quantity of innings. He spent 8 seasons with the Pirates but was a back of the rotation arm, so Happ’s insane run of dominance is enough to just squeak by for the spot starter spot. Higbe is another swingman option to compete with the middle relief options on the staff and he just narrowly misses out on grabbing a spot. Hoffer is a decent starting option from the 19th century but pitched limited innings which prevents him from cracking the staff. Hebert is the left-handed swing option should the staff want to add a third left hander to the pen but for now two are sufficient. Hetki is the next man up from a pure reliever standpoint but is a fairly generic middle reliever. Finally, we once again return to Hall who transitioned from outfield to pitcher with the Pirates but never really had success at either. He was a better pitcher than hitter but still not good enough to crack the staff. He would go on to be a very good pitcher with the Orioles but that doesn’t help him make this Pirates centric team.

The Pirates “G” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Al Gionfriddo, CF (L)
  2. George Grantham, 1B (L)
  3. Brian Giles, LF (L)
  4. Hank Greenberg, DH (R)
  5. Debs Garms, RF (L)
  6. Joe Garagiola, C (L)
  7. Dick Groat, SS (R)
  8. Phil Garner, 2B (R)
  9. Frankie Gustine, 3B (R)

Often overlooked Brian Giles is one of the three best players the Pirates have had in the last 30 years. He is an elite bat to have in the middle of any lineup and is a true threat that must be planned for. Giving Giles a run for the title of best player on this team is George Grantham who was a high-level player for the late 1920s and early 1930s Pirates team. He split his time mainly between first and second base but here he will solely being playing first. It shows the quality of this team that Dick Groat, who won an MVP award with the Pirates, isn’t included among its best two players. He’s a top 5 shortstop in franchise history and gives this team another elite starter.

Moving on from the Pirates legends Al Gionfriddo manned centerfield for a few seasons during the 1940s and gives the team a good on base option atop the lineup. Greenberg played just one season with the Pirates but put-up big power numbers that one year and makes for a great DH option who will also backup Grantham at first base. Beyond Giles and Gionfriddo there aren’t many great outfield options for this team to choose from so Garms who split his time between third base and the corner outfield will get a chance at being the everyday right fielder. He has a quality bat but may be stretched defensively.

The team boasts some quality catcher depth, so it is not easy to pick the best of the bunch but edging out three quality options with more playing time than him is Joe Garagiola. Garagiola gets the edge due to being a good hitter and not even just by catcher standards. Garner is overshadowed a bit in this lineup but having a player of his caliber batting eighth in the lineup shows its great depth. He is an excellent option to be the regular second baseman. Rounding out the lineup is Frankie Gustine who played ten seasons with the Pirates mostly in the 1940s. He split his time fairly evenly between second, third and short and is respectable with the bat. In addition to his third base duties, he’ll likely serve as the backup shortstop.

Bench

  • George Gibson, C (R)
  • Carlos Garcia, IF (R)
  • Sid Gordon, 3B/OF (R)
  • Ben Gamel, OF (L)

Gibson spent twelve years with the Pirates spanning a large part of the dead ball era. He is a defense first catcher, but his bat is at least competent. Carlos Garcia played primarily second base with the Pirates but he did dabble a bit at third and short. His production with the Pirates wasn’t great but he lasted seven seasons with the and is both offensively and defensively. Much like Garms, Gordon split his time with the Pirates between third base and the outfield. The team is lacking for full time outfielders so a utility type like Gordon here will play an increased role likely partially platooning with Garms in right. While the outfield options are scarce they aren’t non-existent. Ben Gamel is the most recent addition to this team and will serve as the primary fourth outfielder. He played all three outfield positions with the Pirates and while he isn’t ideal for center field he should be able to handle it in a backup role.

Others Considered

  • Earl Grace, C (L)
  • Johnny Gooch, C (S)
  • Charlie Grimm, 1B (L)
  • Jack Glasscock, SS (R)
  • Jose Guillen, OF (R)
  • Bob Ganely, OF (L)

Grace was the Pirates primary catcher for a lot of the 1930s and Gooch for most of the 1920s. The pair of catchers aren’t separated from the duo that actually made the team by much and would be fine choices. Gibson and Garagiola are standouts defensively and offensively respectively whereas these two are a bit more balanced meaning they have nothing that makes them really stand out. Grimm spent 6 seasons with the Pirates getting over 3,000 PA. He should be on the team but with Grantham holding down first base it is difficult to fit a first base only option who is merely a mediocre hitter for the position.

Glasscock played for the Pirates in the 1800s and is a viable alternative to Carlos Garcia for the bench infielder job but loses out largely by only having experience at the shortstop position. Guillen and Ganley are the other outfield options but are held back for various reasons. Guillen was renowned for his huge arm but offered little else either offensively or defensively. Ganley has a resume very similar to Gamel’s but misses the team because Gamel is more recent and received more playing time.

Rotation

  1. Pud Galvin (R)
  2. Burleigh Grimes (R)
  3. Joe Gibbon (L)
  4. Whitey Glazner (R)
  5. Tom Gorzelanny (L)

Galvin pitched 7 seasons with the Pirates and compiled over 2,000 innings. He clearly pitched during a much different time that being the 1800s. It’s obviously impossible to compare him to modern day starters but he was a good starter back then and is even in the hall of fame (albeit primarily for his time with the Buffalo Bisons). Grimes pitched 5 seasons with the Pirates but in a very atypical manner as he pitched two seasons for them in his early 20s, 2 more in his mid 30s and then one final season with them at the age of 40. The most successful of these stints were in his mid 30s when he was a legitimate top of the rotation arm and even garnered MVP consideration. His overall body of work is more middle of the rotation quality though.

Gibbon pitched for the Pirates primarily in the early 1960s but did have a late career stint back with the Pirates in 1969 and 1970. He pitched both out of the bullpen and as a starter but was a competent pitcher in both roles. Rounding out the rotation Glazner was a middle of the rotation arm for the Pirates in the 1920s and Gorzelanny is the most recent arm in the rotation. Glazner is a solid arm for the middle of the rotation and Gorzelanny an acceptable fifth starter.

Bullpen

  • Jim Gardner, LR (R)
  • Jim Gott, MR (R)
  • John Grabow, MR (L)
  • Cecilio Guante, MR (R)
  • Dave Giusti, MR (R)
  • Michael Gonzalez, SU (L)
  • Jason Grilli, SU (R)
  • Rich Gossage, CL (R)

What a bullpen! This is simply put an outstanding collection of relief pitcher unlike you’ll see with any other team in this series. The one non-relief pitcher on the staff is Jim Gardner who will act as a 6th starter. He was a decent starter for the club in the late 1890s. Moving on Gott and Grabow are a pair of good solid relievers. They don’t stand out, but they aren’t liabilities either and are just good quality depth for this deep bullpen. Guante pitched over 200 games for the Pirates during the mid 1980s and was excellent in his role. He’d make for a fine back-end arm but here he simply only the 5th best relief pitcher on the staff.

The back 4 arms can really be arranged however you feel like. Giusti was an elite reliever for the Pirates for most of the 1970s. Gonzalez’s 2.37 ERA over four seasons from 2003-2006 is simply just incredible and gives the team a legit high-level lefty to utilize late in games. Grilli of course requires little introduction as he was fairly recently an elite closer for the beginning of the Pirates most recent run of success. Finally, Gossage played just one season with the Pirates, in 1977, but he was near unhittable racking up a 1.62 ERA over 133 innings. The team will mix and match these four to close out most games and it will be a tall hill for anyone to climb if they find themselves needing to comeback late in games.

Others Considered

  • Ad Gumbert (R)
  • Hank Gornicki (R)
  • Al Gerheauser (L)
  • Jeanmar Gomez (R)
  • Fred Green (L)
  • Don Gross (L)

Ad Gumbert is another starting pitcher from the 1890s and is a reasonable alternative to Jim Gardner. The resume of the two are very similar but Gardner is just a hair better. Gornicki and Gerheauser are a pair of swingmen from the 1940s. They were both fine in the role but with such a deep stable of normal relief pitchers to choose from it is difficult to figure out exactly where they fit. Gomez, Green and Gross represent the relief depth this team has at its disposal. The three of them would find themselves on a lot of other rosters but here their resumes just don’t compare favorably to either Gott or Grabow leaving them on the outside looking in.

The Pirates “F” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Adam Frazier, LF (L)
  2. David Freese, 3B (R)
  3. Elbie Fletcher, 1B (L)
  4. William Fischer, C (L)
  5. Jocko Fields, CF (R)
  6. Dee Fondy, DH (L)
  7. Doug Frobel, RF (L)
  8. Gene Freese, 2B (R)
  9. Tim Foli, SS (R)

There is a severe lack of outfielders here. Adam Frazier is forced to move off his more natural position of second base and cover left field. Jocko Fields was primarily a catcher and left fielder for the Pirates but with no other options he is sliding over to try and cover center field. These two are both fine players but they will be playing out of position. The final outfield spot goes to Doug Frobel who is a right fielder but not really a good one. There is some power there but he doesn’t get on base nearly enough.

Moving to the infield Fletcher is the best player in the lineup and gives the team a solid middle of the order presences at first base. Up the middle Tim Foli is a great glove weak bat shortstop and Gene Freese is another guy playing out of position. His primary position is third base but with Frazier having to slide into the outfield someone has to cover second and he does have some experience there. Covering the hot corner David Freese is a solid option who won’t wow anyone but will hold down the spot well. Finally, William Fischer was a very good catcher for the 1916 and 1917 Pirates and while he doesn’t have the power you want for the cleanup he was a very good hitter.

Bench

  • Hank Foiles, C (R)
  • Tom Foley, IF (L)
  • Duke Farrell, 3B/OF (S)
  • Ira Flagstead, OF (R)

Foiles isn’t quite the offensive threat Fischer is but he hits decently for a catcher and is a strong defender. With the ability of Jocko FIelds to serve as a third catcher he’ll likely be in something of a platoon with Fischer and also both will DH on occasion. Foley has experience at all four infield positions but isn’t the strongest defender meaning he’ll only be giving Foli the occasional day off at short. His bat is pretty typical for a utility infielder but he does have a bit of pop. Duke Farrell is primarily a third baseman but giving the lack of outfield options his 20 games of experience out in the pasture means he’s going to get a look there, likely platooning with Frobel. Flagstead played just 49 games in the outfield for the Pirates but that is the fourth most of the available players. He has some experience playing center field but has a weak bat meaning his primary role will be a defensive replacement for Jocko Fields.

Others Considered

  • John Flynn, 1B (R)
  • Jim Field, 1B (U)
  • Felix Fermin, SS (R)
  • Nanny Fernandez, 3B (R)
  • George Freese, 3B (R)
  • Jack Farmer, 2B/OF (R)

Elbie Fletcher is far and away the best first baseman available for the team but the DH spot is more competitive as both Flynn and Field provide competition for Dee Fondy. There isn’t much separating the three of them but Fondy gets the edge due to being the most recent and having slightly better offensive numbers. With Tim Foli on the team a glove first backup shortstop like Felix Fermin is not really necessary which is why the more versatile Tom Foley gets the edge over Fermin.

Nanny Fernandez and George Freese are comparable options to Duke Farrell but they both lack time in the outfield. Fernandez did play a little bit with other teams but never played any outfield during his Pirates tenure. Farrell also has the edge in playing time over both other options. Farmer played 55 games for the Pirates in 1916 and while he was primarily a second baseman he played a bit of outfield too. This versatility and a decent bat is enough to get him consideration but the lack of playing time holds him back.

Rotation

  1. Bob Friend (R)
  2. Larry French (L)
  3. Earl Francis (R)
  4. Patsy Flaherty (L)
  5. Josh Fogg (R)

One of the best pitchers in franchise history Bob Friend spent 15 seasons with the Pirates from 1951 to 1965. He played mostly on terrible teams so his 218 career losses in by far the franchise record but him stockpiling losses isn’t a slight on him as he was a great pitcher. Larry French pitched six seasons for the Pirates from 1929-1934 and was a legitimate top of the rotation option himself. The duo of Friend and French is one of the best 1-2 punches in this Alphabet League. Filling out the rotation Earl Francis is a solid starting option from the 1960s and Flaherty a respectable option from the early 20th century. Josh Fogg is easily the most recent addition to the rotation and is your typical 5th starter type. He’ll give you innings and will keep you in most games but won’t give you many elite outings.

Bullpen

  • Brian Fisher, LR (R)
  • Woodie Fryman, LR (L)
  • Jack Ferry, MR (R)
  • Terry Forster, MR (L)
  • Michael Feliz, MR (R)
  • Mike Fetters, SU (R)
  • Neftali Feliz, SU (R)
  • Roy Face, CL (R)

Brian Fisher and Woodie Fryman were depth starters for a few seasons in the 1980s and 1960s respectively. Most of their appearances were in a starting role but roughly a third for each came in a relief capacity making them good fits for the long relief role. Jack Ferry spent a few seasons during the dead ball era as a swingman. He was effective in this role but hardly a standout. Most pens try to have some sort of left-handed reliever for matchup purposes and indeed this one does too in the person of Terry Forster. He’s a fairly generic option but will do fine in the role. The final middle reliever Michael Feliz didn’t post the greatest numbers, but his 114 games pitched in relief from 2018 to 2021 is enough to earn him a spot.

The set-up duo of Mike Fetters and Neftali Feliz both posted better than league average ERAs with the Pirates but with just 48 and 53.2 innings respectively they had very short tenures with the Pirates. Still, it’s a solid duo to that should be able to handle the job of getting the ball to the closer. Speaking of the closer Roy Face is one of the clear top two relief pitchers in franchise history. Face’s 188 saves and 802 games pitched are both franchise highs. He only won 100 games but one of his most famous accomplishments is going 18-1 in 1959. All and all it doesn’t get any better than having a guy like Roy Face at the back of your bullpen.

Others Considered

  • John Foreman (L)
  • Fred Fussell (L)
  • Nelson Figueroa (R)
  • Sam Frock (R)
  • Bailey Falter (L)

Foreman was a decent starter for the Pirates in the late 1800s, but he only started 25 games which ultimately holds him back from even a long relief role. Fred Fussell pitched in a hybrid role for the Pirates for a pair of seasons in the 1920s and would be an alternative to Jack Ferry, but Ferry had slightly better results. Figueroa and Frock are the relief alternatives and either would be a fine replacement for Forster or Feliz, but Forster gets the edge due to being left-handed and Feliz the edge due to number of appearances. Finally, Falter wasn’t really considered but he’s a current pitcher whose current resume doesn’t keep him too far off the radar so think of him as someone to watch.

The Pirates “E” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Cecil Espy, CF (S)
  2. Bob Elliott, 3B (R)
  3. Mike Easler, LF (L)
  4. Kevin Elster, DH (R)
  5. Charlie Eden, RF (L)
  6. Billy Earle, C (R)
  7. Brad Eldred, 1B (R)
  8. Bill Eagan, 2B (U)
  9. Bones Ely, SS (R)

This is not a good lineup, but they do have a star in Bob Elliott. Elliott can play both third base and right field but spent a bit more time at third base and the outfield options are a bit stronger so he’ll man the hot corner. Having played with the Pirates from 1939-1946 he provides a good mix of both contact and power. Easler will serve as the everyday left fielder and gives the team a very solid power hitter to fill out the middle of the lineup. Behind those two the next best player is Bones Ely who is a weak hitter with a renowned glove.

Filling out the rest of lineup Cecil Espy is a capable center fielder who is a threat on the bases but over his two seasons with the Pirates he wasn’t much of a threat with the bat. Kevin Elster gives the team an offensive option for the shortstop position but with a lack of quality hitters he’s going to get most of the DH time. Charlie Eden and Billy Earle each played a couple seasons with the Pirates back in the 1800s and while they were decent options neither was a standout. The team lacks power so Brad Eldred who has it in abundance will be given a chance to tap into his potential. Finally, Bill Eagan has some impressive numbers with the Pirates, but he did it over just 19 games forcing him to hit lower down in the order.

Bench

  • Angelo Encarnacion, C (R)
  • Charlie Engle, IF (R)
  • Phillip Evans, 3B/OF (R)
  • Frank Edington, OF (L)

Having played for the Pirates in 1995 and 1996 Encarnacion gives the team a glove first backup catcher who offers little with the bat. Charlie Engle played for the Pirates only one season 1930 but has experience at second, third and short making him a useful utility infielder but once again his bat will leave you wanting more. Evans is the most recent addition to the team and will play first, third and the corner outfield. He isn’t a great hitter but with a lack of other options he’ll likely end up with quite a bit of playing time. Edington had just 59 PA in his career so there isn’t much to say about him but he’ll serve as the extra outfielder and was actually somewhat decent in his limited time with the club.

Others Considered

  • Aubrey Epps, C (R)
  • Jewel Ens, 1B/2B (R)
  • Roy Ellam, SS (R)
  • Larry Elliot, OF (L)
  • Jake Elmore, U (R)

Epps was a one game wonder going 3 for 4 in his lone game for the Pirates in 1935. Of all the players listed here Ens has the best case for the team as he is a utility infielder with 205 PA and a non-zero bat. The issue is he isn’t an option at shortstop or the outfield meaning its likely him or Evans and he loses the hitting and playing time battles to him. Ellam and Elliot are decent defensive options, but Ellam was a bad hitter and Elliot only had 14 PA with the Pirates. Elmore has experience in both the infield and outfield and would make for a solid utility option if he had more playing time.

Rotation

  1. Dock Ellis (R)
  2. Red Ehret (R)
  3. John Ericks (R)
  4. Bill Evans (R)
  5. Duke Esper (L)

The top of the rotation has some real talent. Dock Ellis spent most of the 1970s with the Pirates and while he wasn’t the team’s best pitcher he was an important part of the rotation and is a legitimate upper rotation arm. Red Ehret dates back to the 1800s making his pitching line look a little funny but relative to his era his results were solid middle of the rotation quality. Things fall off pretty quickly from here as John Ericks who played for the Pirates from 1995-1997 is a pretty generic swingman who at best should be the team’s 5th starter. The back of the rotation features Evans, a swingman from the dead ball era with mediocre numbers, and Esper a short-term starting pitcher from the 1800s who got hit really hard.

Bullpen

  • Jerad Eickhoff, LR (R)
  • Dana Eveland, LR (L)
  • Luis Escobar, MR (R)
  • Robbie Erlin, MR (L)
  • Ralph Erickson, MR (L)
  • Eddie Eayrs, SU (L)
  • Jack Easton, SU (U)
  • Logan Easley, CL (R)

This is a rough group. Eickhoff is the most recent pitcher on the staff. He started 1 game in 2022 and allowed 10 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Eveland is another fairly recent addition who was hit extremely hard over just a few short innings (9 ER in 9.2 IP). Moving along Escobar and Erlin are two more recent additions to the staff. Like the other two, Escobar was hit very hard and didn’t pitch that many innings (5 ER, 5.2 IP). Robbie Erlin was by no means successful but compared to the other three his number look excellent (2 ER in 3.1 IP).

The previous 4 pitchers all pitched for the Pirates since 2010 but the most recent of the remaining four last pitched in 1930. Erickson is the most recent of this group pitching parts of 1929 and 1930 but he had no success allowing 14 ER over 15 IP. Things get better number wise with Eayrs and Easton but what they are lacking are games played. The two pitchers combined for just 5 games pitched and 27.2 innings. Logan Easley gets the closer job for the sole reason that he is the only actual relief pitcher available but even he only appeared in 27 games and was pretty poor in those limited appearances.

Others Considered

  • Charlie Eden (L)

Truth be told there aren’t any other pitchers available. There have only been 13 pitchers that played for the Pirates whose last name started with the letter E so the pitching staff simply contains them all. The closest we get is Charlie Eden who if you check up above is the team’s starting right fielder. Eden was with the Pirates in 1884 and 1885 and while he was mostly an outfielder, he did pitch 6 games and while they weren’t good, they were better than quite a few of the actual pitchers on the staff. At the end of the day though much like Phillip Evans (who pitched 1 inning) Charlie Eden is a position player and best serves the team by focusing his attention there.

The Pirates “D” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Patsy Donovan, RF (L)
  2. Vince DiMaggio, CF (R)
  3. Corey Dickerson, LF (L)
  4. Ryan Doumit, DH (S)
  5. Virgil Davis, C (R)
  6. Shawon Dunston, SS (R)
  7. Babe Dahlgren, 1B (R)
  8. Fred Dunlap, 2B (R)
  9. Wilmer Difo, 3B (S)

As a long time catcher who can hit well but is terrible at fielding Ryan Doumit creates a problem. How the team handles him was always going to be the biggest question but fortunately the team has a pair of very capable catchers to handle the position meaning he can easily be moved to a full time DH role. Virgil Davis is one of those catchers and gives the team a good offensive and defensive option behind the plate. Moving to first base Dahlgren was a solid unspectacular first baseman for the Pirates at the tail end of World War II (1944-145). Fred Dunlap hailing from the 19th century is the team’s best infielder. The left side of the infield is seriously lacking in playing time as Difo was a utility player with just 240 PA and Dunston was a short-term trade acquisition with just 74 PA.

While the infield is lacking the outfield provides the team with a strength. Patsy Donovan played 8 seasons with the Pirates from 1892-1899 and was a solid right fielder who was a great asset on the base paths. He’ll make for a good leadoff man. The best position player on the team is no doubt Vince DiMaggio and while he doesn’t have the pedigree of most other team’s best players, he is an above average center fielder and will be playing out there every day. A very recent addition to the team Dickerson proved to be a pleasant surprise playing well both offensively and defensively making him an ideal candidate for the left field job.

Bench

  • Duffy Dyer, C (R)
  • Adam DeBus, IF (R)
  • Lefty Davis, OF (L)
  • Mike Diaz, 1B/OF (R)

Duffy Dyer is the other catcher that allows the team to move Doumit off the position. He doesn’t have a strong bat but is your prototypical glove first backup catcher. The team is lacking for infield depth so Adam Debus despite having just 38 games under his belt is the bester reserve option. He only played third and short so Difo will likely slide over to second when Dunlap needs a day off. Lefty Davis had a couple big years with the Pirates in 1901 and 1902 and is deserving of a starting spot but this is a fairly talented outfield, so he is relegated to 4th outfielder status. The final spot should go to someone with some infield experience but there is a lack of options there so Mike Diaz grabs the final spot as a right-handed bench bat. He gives the team some legit power off the bench and will play against every left-handed starting pitcher.

Others Considered

  • Harry Davis, 1B (R)
  • Vic Davalillo, 1B/OF (L)
  • Chris Duffy, OF (L)
  • Bob Dillinger, 3B (R)
  • Chase d’Arnaud, IF (R)

Although Harry Daivs primarily played first base, he did spend some limited time in the outfield and at third base, so he makes for an intriguing alternative to Mike Diaz but the bat he loses out to Diaz thanks to Diaz’s power edge. Davalillo would make for a great 4th outfielder but with four starting caliber players ahead of him there just isn’t room for him on the bench. The team is lacking a true center fielder option to back up DiMaggio which is why Duffy was given consideration. The glove is great, and he’d likely be called upon if DiMaggio were to get injured but there just isn’t a big enough role to justify a backup a center fielder. Dillinger and d’Arnaud represent the best remaining infield options but neither can really hit so they find themselves on the outside looking in.

Rotation

  • Doug Drabek (R)
  • Murry Dickson (R)
  • Zach Duke (L)
  • Danny Darwin (R)
  • Jose DeLeon (R)

Drabek is clearly the best player on this team and gives the squad a legitimate ace to front its rotation. Dickson was with the Pirates from 1949-1953 and while he was primarily a starter, he also pitched in relief a lot, so he isn’t a great fit as a number two but he is still a solid arm. Duke spent parts of 6 seasons with the Pirates and was for the most part a passable starting pitcher but its only his longevity with the club that earns him the number three slot. Darwin’s numbers are excellent but he made just 19 starts for the Pirates in 1996 limiting just how highly he can rank. Still an ERA of just over three makes him a respectable back of the rotation arm. DeLeon rounds out the rotation with another serviceable starter.

Bullpen

  • Denny Driscoll, LR (L)
  • Ed Doheny, LR (L)
  • Joe Dawson, MR (R)
  • Mike Dyer, MR (R)
  • Yerry De Los Santos, MR (R)
  • Mark Dewey, SU (R)
  • Larry Demery, SU (R)
  • Bruce Dal Canton, CL (R)

Driscoll and Doheny were starters in the 1880s and early 1900s respectively and gives the team not only some rotation depth but a pair of southpaws in the bullpen. In the middle of the bullpen there is Dawson who was a solid swingman in the 1920s, Dyer who was a fairly generic middle reliever for two seasons in the 1990s and the most recent addition of De Los Santos who pitched 50 innings across 2022 and 2023. None of these pitchers are standouts but all three of them are respectable options for the middle of the bullpen.

Dewey was an awesome reliever for the Pirates for two seasons in 1993 and 1994 posting a 131 ERA+. If he wasn’t limited to 78 innings, he’d likely be the team’s closer. Demery is another swingman type who both pitched as a starter and a reliever but over the course of his four years with the Pirates his primary role was in relief. The overall numbers aren’t nearly as good as Dewey’s but his length of time with the club gives him one of the set up jobs. Holding down the title of best relief pitcher on the team Dal Canton pitched four seasons for the Pirates from 1967-1970 and was highly effective.

Others Considered

  • Mike Dunne, SP (R)
  • Jeff D’Amico , SP(R)
  • Lloyd Dietz, SWM (R)
  • Octavio Dotel, RP (R)
  • Chase De Jong, RP (R)

Dunne and D’Amico are relatively new additions to the club’s player pool and represent the next best available starting pitchers. While the five members of the rotation are pretty set the long relief jobs are up for grabs with both Dunne and D’Amico being solid candidates. Driscoll and Doheny being left handed and having pitched more innings is what gives them the slight edge. Dietz is another swingman type who has a resume right in line with the other middle relief options. Dotel actually has the most saves of any available pitcher but his numbers weren’t great and he only pitched 40 innings. De Jong was of course great for the Pirates in 2022 but really hurt his case with his follow up in 2023.

The Pirates “C” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Max Carey, CF (S)
  2. Kiki Cuyler, DH (R)
  3. Roberto Clemente, RF (R)
  4. Donn Clendenon, 1B (R)
  5. Fred Clarke, LF (L)
  6. Francisco Cervelli, C (R)
  7. Dave Cash, 3B (R)
  8. Billy Cox, SS (R)
  9. George Cutshaw, 2B (R)

What an insane outfield. The lineup is anchored by 4 all time great Pirates outfielders who thanks to the DH position will all be able to play most days. Max Carey has the most stolen bases in franchise history, is a solid hitter and a great defender making him a top notch leadoff man. Kiki Cuyler will mainly DH but he will also play all three outfield positions allowing the others to take some turns at the DH position. Clemente of course needs to no introduction and is arguable the most legendary Pirate of all time. Clarke is a bit overshadowed by his legendary teammate, Honus Wagner, but was an all time great in his own right for the early 20th centrury Pirates.

Outside of the amazing outfield Donn Clendenon is the standout giving the team a big bat to handle to first base. Cervelli is the most recent addition to the lineup and is a solid offensive and defensive catcher. During the early 1970s Dave Cash was a very good second baseman for the Pirates but this team is lacking an option for third base so Cash slides over to his secondary position to try and fill the hole. The middle infield is where you start to see a slight weakness but the Cutshaw-Cox combination is perfectly capable. Cutshaw gives the team a good defensive second baseman who can at least gives you something with the bat and Cox is a questionable defensive shortstop who will give you above average offensive production for the position.

Bench

  • Fred Carroll, C/1B (R)
  • Pete Coscarart, MI (R)
  • Pete Castiglione, IF (R)
  • Adam Comorosky, OF (R)

There is not much separating Cervelli and Carroll in the battle for the starting catcher job so presumably Carroll will play a good bit to help rest the injury prone Cervelli. He will also use his versatility to give Clendenon an occasional day off. Coscarart represents a good glove middle infield option who doesn’t hit much but does good enough to be useful. He’ll likely replace Cox late in a lot of games for defensive purposes. Pete Castiglione is the one actual third baseman available for this team. He played parts of 7 seasons with the Pirates and spent most of that time at third base. The problem is there is just no bat here so think of his presence on the team as a safeguard against Cash not taking to a full time third base job. Injuries aside the top 4 outfielders aren’t going to take much time off so the 5th outfielder isn’t likely to have a lot to do but if pressed into action Comorosky figures to be able to handle himself. Having played 8 seasons as mainly a left fielder Comorosky is a league average hitter who is capable of handling center field.

Others Considered

  • Ronny Cedeno, SS (R)
  • Howdy Caton, SS (R)
  • Monte Cross, SS (R)
  • Wid Conroy, SS (R)
  • Oneil Cruz, SS (L)
  • Dick Cole, IF (R)
  • Rodolfo Castro, IF (S)
  • Billy Clingman, 3B (S)
  • Gene Clines, OF (R)
  • Dave Clark, OF (L)
  • John Cangelosi, OF (S)
  • Willie Clark, 1B (L)

The final few infield spots have a large number of players that have very little separating them. Not much to say about the first four shortstops. They were all decent with the Pirates but no one really stood out. The presumption last year and again this year is that Cruz will separate himself from the pack and earn a spot on the roster. Cole and Castro and some utility players with some experience at third making them and Clingman alternatives to Castiglione as a backup third baseman but none of them hit well enough to move an actual long term third baseman off the roster.

The outfield mix is much like the infielders. There is an open competition for the 5th outfielder job that is held by Comorosky. Clines has played a lot of each outfield position and really only loses out to Comorosky due to having less time with the Pirates. Dave Clark is the power option here where Cangelosi brings speed and defense. Clark’s lack of center field experience and Cangelosi’s lack of power prevent them from making the team. The last man listed would make for an excellent back up first baseman but there is no room on the roster for a pure backup first baseman.

Rotation

  1. John Candelaria (L)
  2. Wilbur Cooper (L)
  3. Gerrit Cole (R)
  4. Howie Camnitz (R)
  5. Francisco Cordova (R)

Wilbur Cooper is the only Pirates pitcher in franchise history with 200 wins and has the second most starts and innings pitched so not listing him as the staff ace is a surprise. Candelaria is no slouch himself on the Pirates all time statistics list and did so with slightly better rate stats and outside of the dead ball era so the ace honor is well earned even if Cooper may have slightly better on paper numbers. Cole’s Pirates career has been overshadowed by his success elsewhere, but he was still a great pitcher for the franchise and makes for an incredible 3rd starter. Another arm from the dead ball era Camnitz didn’t quite have the longevity or success of Cooper but his numbers are still strong making him a great number four. Often overlooked and remembered just for his 9 no hit innings Cordova was a solid starter for those late 1990s Pirates teams and would look great in the middle of a rotation let alone at the back end of one.

Bullpen

  • Jack Chesbro, 6S (R)
  • Hal Carlson, LR (R)
  • Cliff Chambers, LR (L)
  • Pat Clements, MR (L)
  • Brad Clontz, MR (R)
  • Kyle Crick, SU (R)
  • Jason Christiansen, SU (L)
  • Matt Capps, CL (R)

Chesbro is a talented pitcher who was with the Pirates from 1899-1902 and deserves to have a rotation spot but there is just no room for him in this particular group. Carlson and Chambers are additional starting pitchers who would fit in well at the back of most rotations, but depth pushes them down and both guys do have a fair bit of bullpen experience hopefully making this transition a little easier.

Clements and Clontz find themselves on the roster thanks to the effort to include actual bullpen arms. Clements only pitched 95.1 innings for the Pirates in the 80s but was a very effective left-handed relief option. Clontz’s supporting numbers for his 56.1 innings across 1999 and 2000 do not look the greatest but he had a 154 ERA+ during this time making him an easy inclusion. Crick is remembered as a worse pitcher than he really was. He was an above average reliever for four years with the Pirates and makes for a fine second set up man. Christiansen is a great left-handed reliever to have available in the bullpen for the late innings and Capps though he had some issues was a largely effective closer for 5 seasons in the 2000s.

Others Considered

  • Don Cardwell (R)
  • Charlie Case (R)
  • Steve Cooke (L)
  • Leon Chagnon (R)
  • Arquimedes Caminero (R)
  • Jesse Chavez (R)
  • D.J. Carrascco (R)
  • Juan Cruz (R)

Cardwell, Case and Cooke are the next starting pitcher options and while there are teams, they would each find themselves in the rotation for the trio is clearly behind the 8 starting pitchers found in the rotation or bullpen. There only consideration was if they deserved a spot over short term relief pitchers like Clements and Clontz. Chagnon is kind of in between a starter and a reliever, a true swingman and if the numbers were just a touch better would have probably found his way into the bullpen. The remaining four names are the next best group of relief pitchers available with Caminero having the strongest case as a guy with over 100 appearances and a better than average ERA. Chavez’s numbers were a touch below league average whereas Carrasco and Cruz have solid numbers but limited innings.

The Pirates “B” Team

I haven’t published to this site in years, but I’ve decided to revive and make it the home of my various All Time Pirates teams. What’s an All Time Pirates team you may ask? I break all the Pirates players down into various groups based on a variety of criteria and create the best possible teams from those groups. Don’t worry, you’ll catch on quickly.

Lineup

  1. Ginger Beaumont, CF (L)
  2. Barry Bonds, LF (L)
  3. Jason Bay, RF (R)
  4. Bobby Bonilla, DH (S)
  5. Jake Beckley, 1B (L)
  6. Bobby Byrne, 3B (R)
  7. Smoky Burgess, C (L)
  8. Jay Bell, SS (R)
  9. Lou Bierbauer, 2B (L)

What a star-studded lineup! Beaumont is one of the stars of the dead ball era Pirates and makes for a fantastic leadoff with good on base skills and the ability to swipe some bases (200 SB with the Pirates). Barry Bonds probably needs no introduction and is the best player in the lineup. A great mix of speed, power and defense there isn’t much more you could ask from your left fielder. During his time with the Pirates Bay didn’t play much right field but with Bonds entrenched in left he’ll make the slide over. His defense may be a bit spotty but he’s a great bat to have in the 3-hole. Speaking of questionable defense, Bonilla has that in spades so to maximize his value and take advantage of his excellent bat he’ll be tasked with holding down the DH position.

One of the Pirates earliest stars Beckley remains one of the best first baseman in franchise history. As a 19th century player his numbers look different but make no mistake, he was a good hitter with a reputation of being a solid defender. Another player from the dead ball era Byrne checks all the boxes you’d want from a third baseman. Bat and glove are both solid making him an above average starter. Burgess and Bell are some of the best in franchise history at their respective positions and only farther deepen this excellent lineup. Rounding out the lineup is the one potential weak spot as Bierbauer is a 19th century player with a weak bat but noted for his exceptional defense.

Bench

  • Bill Baker, C (R)
  • Dick Bartell, MI (R)
  • Bob Bailey, 3B/OF (R)
  • Carson Bigbee, OF (L)

The team is lacking a bit in catcher depth, but Baker is no slouch having played parts of 4 seasons between 1941-1946. His skillset would be weak for a starting option but is more than sufficient for a catcher you’d expect to play once or twice a week. Bartell makes for a good compliment with Bierbauer and will serve in something of a platoon with him. His bat is significantly better than Bierbauer’s meaning he’ll surely pinch hit for him on occasion. Bailey’s ability to backup third base and serve as a seldom used 5th outfielder fits well with the team and he hits well enough to not be a big letdown when he’s put in the lineup. Bigbee would make for a solid starting outfielder but his ability to play all 3 outfield positions and his extensive time with the club (11 seasons from 1916-1926) make for an excellent 4th outfielder option.

Others Considered

  • Al Bool, C (R)
  • Sid Bream, 1B (L)
  • Dale Berra, SS (R)
  • Clyde Barnhart, 3B/OF (R)
  • Johnny Barrett, OF (L)

Bool has pretty much the same resume as Baker but only half the amount of time spent with the Pirates. The numbers are good enough to be the backup catcher, but Baker’s length of time makes him a better fit. Known mostly for what he did against the Pirates, Bream had a solid career with the club and would make for a solid starting first baseman but with Beckley on the team there is simply no room for a second left-handed hitting first baseman. Dale Berra brings an excellent glove at the shortstop position, but the starter is no slouch himself, so his skill set really isn’t needed. There isn’t much separating Bailey and Barnhart. Either would be a n excellent choice for the role but there are more opportunities to be had at third than the outfield, so the edge is given to Bailey who is primarily a third baseman instead of Barnhart who is primarily an outfielder. Much like the catcher position Barrett is essentially Bigbee with half the time with the club so he loses out solely because of the other’s longevity.

The Rotation

  1. Bert Blyleven (R)
  2. Cy Blanton (R)
  3. A.J. Burnett (R)
  4. Steve Blass (R)
  5. Kris Benson (R)

There isn’t a starter in this rotation who will find themselves on the short list of best Pirates starting pitcher of all time, but all 5 members are noteworthy arms who combine to form a solid rotation. Blyleven and Blanton are interchangeable in the one and two spots with Blyleven getting the edge here simply for being the more recent pitcher. Both are solid upper rotation arms who would make for perfectly acceptable aces in this Alphabet league. Burnett is the most recent addition to the rotation and though he trails a bit in playing time it’s clear he was excellent in his time with the Pirates. Blass has by far pitched the most innings on the staff, but his rate numbers are more middle of the rotation quality pushing him just below the bigger names. Benson is often overlooked as he didn’t live up to his first overall pick status, but he was solid middle of the rotation type for the Pirates and makes for a great 5th starter.

Bullpen

  • Max Butcher, 6S (R)
  • Nelson Briles, LR (R)
  • Jim Bibby, LR (R)
  • Sean Burnett, MR (L)
  • Brian Boehringer, MR (R)
  • Mace Brown, SU (R)
  • Stan Belinda, SU (R)
  • David Bednar, CL (R)

Max Butcher ranks second in this pool in games started, innings pitched and fWAR meaning he is definitely worthy of a rotation spot and the only reason he doesn’t get one is unlike the 5 who do he only pitched about three quarters of his games as a starting pitcher. Briles and Bibby add even more starting depth to the roster but like Butcher they too have a fair bit of experience in the bullpen making them great fits for the long reliever roles.

Burnett and Boehringer only make the staff because there is a real effort to have the bullpen be mostly full of actual relief pitchers instead of just more starters. Boehringer was an average reliever for the Pirates from 2002-2004 and Burnett makes it mostly as the token lefty. In the back of the bullpen Brown and Belinda were very good relievers for the Pirates in their time and make for solid set up options to help close out games. It should come as no surprise that current Pirates closer David Bednar is the man who will be responsible for coming in to close out games. He’s been terrific in his stint with the club so far and makes for an excellent lights out option out of the pen.

Others Considered

  • Mark Baldwin (R)
  • Joe Bowman (R)
  • Russ Bauers (R)
  • Ken Brett (L)
  • Joe Beimel (L)
  • Antonio Bastardo (L)
  • Ryan Borucki (L)
  • Doug Bair (R)
  • Ron Blackburn (R)
  • Tom Butters (R)

There are essentially three groups here. First you have Baldwin, Bowman, Bauers and Brett who are the next best starters available. If you were just picking the best 13 pitchers, you’d have likely selected two of them over Boehringer and Sean Burnett. Even so they are all solid options for a long relief role but just miss out for various reasons. The next group consists of Beimel, Bastardo and Borucki as they are Sean Burnett’s main competition for the token lefty job. Burnett was just a hair better than either Beimel or Bastardo while Borucki simply hasn’t pitched enough to knock him off though that could change in 2024. Finally, you have Bair, Blackburn and Butters who are all candidates for the final bullpen spots. Overall, their resumes are all fairly similar to Boehringer but he gets the edge simply to having pitched for the Pirates for a longer period of time.