31.2 F
Pittsburgh

First Pitch: The 2019 Season Winds Down

Published:

As a result of sweeping the Cubs, the Pirates now have the seventh pick in the 2020 draft, with the final spot still up in the air.

At this point, seventh seems like the final spot for them, with a small chance to move up to sixth if they get swept this weekend and if the Mariners sweep. They can still move down a bit, with the eighth pick very much a possibility, and the ninth pick having about the same chance as the sixth pick.

We’ll see how that plays out this weekend, but the good thing is that the sweep over the Cubs didn’t hurt them much.

With the season ending this weekend, all eyes will be focused on what the Pirates — specifically Bob Nutting — will decide in regards to the fate of Neal Huntington, Clint Hurdle, and everyone else. We’ll have full analysis on that when any decision is made.

For now, I’m cutting this short to work on a few things on the back end of the site today. I’ll probably have more relaxed articles this weekend, and our season recaps will really kick into gear on Monday, finishing up the minor league side while starting the recaps for all of the MLB players and positions.

TODAY’S ARTICLES

Wilbur Miller will have an article today. We’ll also have any news that comes up, and the live game discussion.

SONG OF THE DAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpPSBzGEklE

DAILY QUIZ

Here’s a long quiz to get you through Friday, focusing on the Pirates’ infielders.


THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY

By John Dreker

Seven former Pittsburgh Pirates players have been born on this date, including a member of the 1909 World Series champs.

Alan Storke played infield for the Pirates from 1906 until 1909. He wasn’t around during the World Series, as Pittsburgh traded him to the Cardinals in August for third baseman Bobby Byrne. Storke was dealt to the Reds the following February, right before tragedy struck. During a lung operation in March, he passed away at the age of 25. He hit .255 in 218 games for the Pirates.

Vin Mazzaro, pitcher for the 2013-14 Pirates. He had a 2.89 ERA in 84 innings over 62 appearances with the Pirates. Despite the success, he was let go after the 2014 season. He pitched a total of eight seasons in the majors, seeing time with five teams.

Pedro Ciriaco, shortstop for the 2010-11 Pirates. He hit .333 in 31 games. He played with five teams over six seasons in the majors, hitting .268 in 272 games.

Dave Wickersham, reliever for the 1968 Pirates. Had a 3.48 ERA in 20.2 innings over 11 appearances. He won 68 games over ten seasons in the majors, beginning his career with the Kansas City Athletics and ending with the Kansas City Royals.

Dick Hall, pitcher for the 1955-57 and 1959 Pirates. He had a 4.57 ERA in 23 starts and 21 relief appearances. Hall pitched 175.1 innings for Pittsburgh and 1,259.2 innings over his 16-year career.

Dick Lanahan, lefty pitcher for the 1940-41 Pirates. In eight starts and 39 relief outings, he had a 4.35 ERA. Pirates sold him to the White Sox in May, 1941, though he never played in the majors again after leaving the Pirates.

Marty Lang, lefty pitcher for the 1930 Pirates. In two games, he had a 54.00 ERA, giving up 10 runs in 1.2 innings. Spent eight seasons in the minors.

Doug Baird, utility player for the 1915-17 Pirates. Hit .223 in 316 games, spending time at five different positions. Was traded to the Cardinals in June, 1917 for pitcher Bob Steele.

On this date in 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates won their third straight National League East title. Danny Jackson helped the Pirates to a 4-2 win over the Mets, as they moved to 93-63 on the season. Jay Bell drove in two runs and Barry Bonds collected his 101st RBI of the season. Here’s the boxscore.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

Related Articles

Latest Articles