OnlyBucs

527473666F6374626A010 wrote: 31 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 31:



Tom Padden, George Susce, Russ Bauers, Roy Jarvis, Lefty Wilkie, Earl Turner, Joe Muir, Dick Smith, Vic Janowicz, Roger Bowman, Lino Dinoso, Bill Hall, Whammy Douglas, Ken Hamlin, Laurin Pepper, Harvey Haddix, Bob Priddy, Tom Butters, Luke Walker, Billy O'Dell,  Bill Henry, Angel Mangual, Dave Giusti, Al Holland, Ed Whitson, Benny Distefano, Chance Sanford, Yamid Haad, Chris Peters, Omar Olivares, Chad Hermansen, Salomon Torres, Daryle Ward, Luis Rivas, Jose Tabata, Mike Morse, A.J. Schugel, Jordan Lyles, Will Craig, Tyler Anderson, Michael Chavis, Andrew Knapp, Cal Mitchell.



Best player to wear number 31: Dave Giusti. Honorable mention, Harvey Haddix.


Chad Hermansen was another player who came with tremendous expectations but wasn’t able to make to jump to the major leagues.

Always felt badly for him.

30 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 30:



Earl Grace, Al Todd, Ray Mueller, Rip Sewell, Frank Papish, Con Dempsey, Howie Pollet, Bill Bell, Joe Muir, Johnny O'Brien, Nellie King, Dick Hall, Bennie Daniels, George Witt, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Tom Butters, Don Cardwell, Andre Rogers, Maury Wills, Dave Cash, Ken Brett, Rick Langford, Ken Macha, Dave Hamilton, Mickey Mahler, Jason Thompson, Bob Patterson, Benny Distefano, Lloyd McClendon, Mark Ross, Jay Tibbs, Rosario Rodriguez, Midre Cummings, Eddie Williams, Manny Martinez, Warren Morris, J.R. House, Paul Maholm, Tyler Yates, Chris Resop, Jeanmar Gomez, Travis Ishikawa, Neftali Feliz, Kyle Crick, Tucupita Marcano.



Best player to wear number 30: Rip Sewell. Honorable mention, Dave Cash, Jason Thompson

032522373E3225333B500 wrote: 30 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 30:



Earl Grace, Al Todd, Ray Mueller, Rip Sewell, Frank Papish, Con Dempsey, Howie Pollet, Bill Bell, Joe Muir, Johnny O'Brien, Nellie King, Dick Hall, Bennie Daniels, George Witt, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Tom Butters, Don Cardwell, Andre Rogers, Maury Wills, Dave Cash, Ken Brett, Rick Langford, Ken Macha, Dave Hamilton, Mickey Mahler, Jason Thompson, Bob Patterson, Benny Distefano, Lloyd McClendon, Mark Ross, Jay Tibbs, Rosario Rodriguez, Midre Cummings, Eddie Williams, Manny Martinez, Warren Morris, J.R. House, Paul Maholm, Tyler Yates, Chris Resop, Jeanmar Gomez, Travis Ishikawa, Neftali Feliz, Kyle Crick, Tucupita Marcano.



Best player to wear number 30: Rip Sewell. Honorable mention, Dave Cash, Jason Thompson


The way Warren Morris hit in his first year, he looked like he was going to be a decent player over the years. He wasn’t so hot on defense but his bat would’ve carried him. Then he fell off a cliff. That was too bad.

29 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 29:



Johnny Lanning, Preacher Roe, Pete Castiglione, Don Gutteridge, Junior Walsh, Bill Werle, Jim Dunn, Jim Mangan, Johnny Hetki, Dale Long, Nellie King, George Witt, Bennie Daniels, Earl Francis, Clem Labine, Don Schwall, Fred Green, Juan Pizarro, Al Oliver, Lou Marone, Pedro Ramos, Milt May, Jim Minshall, Jim Fregosi, Ken Macha, Rick Rhoden, Onix Concepcion, Felix Fermin, Billy Hatcher, Mark Ross, Randy Tomlin, Kevin Young, John Hope, Jody Gerut, David Ross, Don Kelly, Nyjer Morgan, Octavio Dotel, Kevin Correia, Bryan Morris, Ernesto Frieri, Francisco Cervelli, Wil Crowe.



Best player to wear number 29: Rick Rhoden. Honorable mention: Kevin Young, Francisco Cervelli

29 was a tough one because no one really stood out, a few solid guys. I went with Rhoden based on 5 consecutive seasons of 200 plus innings pitched, which IMHO surpassed Young's 98-2000 run of 20+ homers and 80+ RBI.

0A2C2B3E373B2C3A32590 wrote: 29 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 29:



Johnny Lanning, Preacher Roe, Pete Castiglione, Don Gutteridge, Junior Walsh, Bill Werle, Jim Dunn, Jim Mangan, Johnny Hetki, Dale Long, Nellie King, George Witt, Bennie Daniels, Earl Francis, Clem Labine, Don Schwall, Fred Green, Juan Pizarro, Al Oliver, Lou Marone, Pedro Ramos, Milt May, Jim Minshall, Jim Fregosi, Ken Macha, Rick Rhoden, Onix Concepcion, Felix Fermin, Billy Hatcher, Mark Ross, Randy Tomlin, Kevin Young, John Hope, Jody Gerut, David Ross, Don Kelly, Nyjer Morgan, Octavio Dotel, Kevin Correia, Bryan Morris, Ernesto Frieri, Francisco Cervelli, Wil Crowe.



Best player to wear number 29: Rick Rhoden. Honorable mention: Kevin Young, Francisco Cervelli


Don Schwall rented a house in my neighborhood when I was about 13.  We knocked on his door one day and asked his wife he could come out and play catch with us.  She said he was taking a nap.  Yeah, sure.

28 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 28:



Dick Lanahan, Maurice Van Robays, Vinnie Smith, Cal McLish, Steve Nagy, Vic Lombardi, Ted Wilks, Johnny Lindell, Walker Cooper, Paul Martin, Ben Wade, Chuck Churn, Danny Kravitz, R.C. Stevens, Paul Giel, Bobby Shantz, Ozzie Virgil, Steve Blass, Bill Robinson, Dick Davis, Wayne Nordhagen, Bob Owchinko, Denny Gonzalez, Sixto Lezcano, U.L. Washington, Miguel Garcia, Randy Kramer, Jeff Bannister, Carmelo Martinez, Al Martin, John Vander Wal, Ryan Vogelsong, Ron Villone, Paul Maholm, John Jaso, Canaan Smith-Njigba.



Best player to wear number 28: Steve Blass. Honorable mention: Bill Robinson, Al Martin.

311710050C00170109620 wrote: 28 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 28:



Dick Lanahan, Maurice Van Robays, Vinnie Smith, Cal McLish, Steve Nagy, Vic Lombardi, Ted Wilks, Johnny Lindell, Walker Cooper, Paul Martin, Ben Wade, Chuck Churn, Danny Kravitz, R.C. Stevens, Paul Giel, Bobby Shantz, Ozzie Virgil, Steve Blass, Bill Robinson, Dick Davis, Wayne Nordhagen, Bob Owchinko, Denny Gonzalez, Sixto Lezcano, U.L. Washington, Miguel Garcia, Randy Kramer, Jeff Bannister, Carmelo Martinez, Al Martin, John Vander Wal, Ryan Vogelsong, Ron Villone, Paul Maholm, John Jaso, Canaan Smith-Njigba.



Best player to wear number 28: Steve Blass. Honorable mention: Bill Robinson, Al Martin.


Three good choices there. Blass, an all time Pirate great. Robinson, quietly a really valuable starter/role player. And Martin, who played as hard as anyone ever has.

27 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 27:



Bill Brubaker, Russ Bauers, Joe Bowman, Ray Harrell, Hank Gornicki, Cookie Cuccurullo, Junior Walsh, Art Herring, Bob Muncrief, Ray Poat, Mel Queen, Pete Reiser, Frank Thomas, Jim Suchecki, Eddie O'Brien, Dick Littlefield, Spook Jacobs, Cholly Naranjo, Earl Francis, Bob Oliver, Ron Kline, Bob Robertson, Bruce Dal Canton, Bob Johnson, Dave Augustine, Ed Ott, Kent Tekulve, Sam Khalifa, Miguel Garcia, Mark Huismann, Mark Ryal, Steve Buechele, Mitch Webster, Lonnie Smith, Steve Parris, Tim Laker, Adam Hyzdu, Alex Hernandez, Josh Fogg, Shane Youman, Ty Taubenheim, Jeff Karstens, Jayson Nix, Jung Ho Kang, Kevin Newman.



Best player to wear number 27: Kent Tekulve.

466067727B7760767E150 wrote: 27 days until the first Spring Training game. Here are the illustrious Pirates who have worn number 27:



Bill Brubaker, Russ Bauers, Joe Bowman, Ray Harrell, Hank Gornicki, Cookie Cuccurullo, Junior Walsh, Art Herring, Bob Muncrief, Ray Poat, Mel Queen, Pete Reiser, Frank Thomas, Jim Suchecki, Eddie O'Brien, Dick Littlefield, Spook Jacobs, Cholly Naranjo, Earl Francis, Bob Oliver, Ron Kline, Bob Robertson, Bruce Dal Canton, Bob Johnson, Dave Augustine, Ed Ott, Kent Tekulve, Sam Khalifa, Miguel Garcia, Mark Huismann, Mark Ryal, Steve Buechele, Mitch Webster, Lonnie Smith, Steve Parris, Tim Laker, Adam Hyzdu, Alex Hernandez, Josh Fogg, Shane Youman, Ty Taubenheim, Jeff Karstens, Jayson Nix, Jung Ho Kang, Kevin Newman.



Best player to wear number 27: Kent Tekulve. 


Jung Ho was a terrific addition during the last of the playoff years.  Too bad about his injury. Like many other Pirates fans, I still can’t stand Joe Maddon.