OnlyBucs

With the new board, I thought I'd start a thread of former Pirates who most have long forgotten.







Jesse Jefferson was claimed off waivers by the Pirates in September 1980. Started a single game, picking up the win vs the Cubs, giving up a run in seven innings. Never pitched for the Bucs again, and became a free agent following the season.

Julio Gotay- Mostly known as the other player coming to the Pirates in the Dick Groat for Don Cardwell deal with the Cards. Played in 7 games over two seasons (1963 & 1964) with the Bucs. Managed just 5 plate appearances, he had two hits and a walk. In 1965 he was traded to the California Angels for outfielder Bob Perry who never even managed a cuppa with the Bucs.

Gotay's nephew Rueben played a few years (KC, Mets, Atl).



I expected Gotay to be good since the Pirates got him for SS in the Groat deal. Very disappointing. Schofield started a couple years as a bridge to Alley.

5C595E58505A435E5744424F360 wrote:
Lol!  I actually was thinking of him!



First game I ever went to, Distefano hit a home run off the top of the fence at TRS and it bounced back into the field of play for the outfield to catch.  It was crazy.  It hit off the top corner of the fence so it bounced in this big 30 foot arc back into the field of play.  It was ruled a HR because it was over the yellow (or white?) stripe on the fence.

Benny was the last left handed throwing catcher to play in an mlb game. Catching a handful for the Bucs

Speaking of catchers... One of m fave players back in that era caught a few games.



Mike Diaz



Had a lot of pop and might have been an early steroid before they reall exploded

1970s Cardinals 3B Ken Reitz signed with the Pirates as a free agent mid-1982, released less than three weeks later. As a Buc, went hitless in 10 at-bats.

This could be my ultimate guy:







The Pirates did a three-team trade in 1982: Dick Davis (Phils) for Nordhagen (Blue Jays), and then Nordhagen to the Pirates for Bill Robinson. Nordhagen proved to have a back injury, so after one game (2-4, with two RBIs), Nordhagen was shipped back to the Blue Jays for...Dick Davis! It was a long way to go for three guys who had a combined 293 plate appearances left in the majors.

Dick Barone's MLB career consistent of 3 games at the end of the 1960 season. Barone was the SS for the Bucs' AAA Columbus Jets team but did not get called up in September after batting just .204. But when Dick Groat broke his wrist in September and Dick Schofield took over, Barone was called up to replace Schofield as the backup SS. He got into 3 games, starting 1 after the pennant was clinched. He went 0 for 6. For the World Series, Groat was back and Barone was not on the roster. He never appeared in another MLB game. His grandson pitched for the Marlins in 2007.



Here's a nice article about him.

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/312f2bb5