Franchise bests/worsts: Pittsburgh Pirates
What are some of the best and worst things from Pirates history? Let's take a look.
Over the course of the next month, we'll venture through the history of each of the 30 Major League Baseball franchises, discussing some of the best and worst moments, players, teams, etc. It's more a fun snapshot for discussion purposes than a be-all, end-all declaration. We continue today with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Alleghenys' recorded history goes back to 1882. They became the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1891 and haven't changed since -- at least in name. Along the way, they have collected 16 playoff appearances, nine NL pennants and five World Series titles. Let's look closer at the Pirates.
Best team: 1902
In terms of winning percentage, the best five teams in Pirates history all came between 1901-1909. They were a powerhouse throughout the entire decade, but I'm actually going with the last season in MLB without a World Series. Those 1902 Pirates went 103-36, a mind-boggling .741 winning percentage. That's a 162-game pace of 120 wins.
The 1902 Pirates outscored their opponents 775-440 (plus-335 run differential!).
The offense, which included Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, led the NL in runs, hits, doubles, triples, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, total bases and even hit batsmen. The team was second in homers, steals and walks. The pitching staff -- paced by Hall of Famer Jack Chesbro -- led the eight-team NL in strikeouts, walked the fewest hitters and ranked second in ERA.
Get this: The 1902 Pirates never lost more than two straight. They only lost two in a row eight times. At different points to start the season, they were 15-2, 25-4 and 30-5. Ridiculous team.
Best team theme: We Are Family
The last time the Pirates won the World Series was 1979, when the Willie Stargell-led, We Are Family-themed Bucs topped the Orioles in seven games.
Worst team: 1952
The 1890 Alleghenys were 23-113 (.169) and were outscored 1,235-597. Laughable, but let's stick to once they became the Pirates.
In 1952, the Pirates were 42-112, finishing an embarrassing 54.5 games out of first place and 22.5 games behind the Braves for seventh of eight NL teams. The Pirates were last in the league in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, average, OBP, slugging, total bases, ERA, pitcher strikeouts, home runs allowed, offered the most walks, had the most errors and were dead last in fielding percentage.
Basically, they sucked at everything. Just a brutal baseball team.
Best player: Honus Wagner
In relation to his peers, Wagner is one of the very best players in baseball history and might well be the best shortstop. He led the league in runs twice, hits twice, doubles seven times, triples three times, RBI five times, steals five times, average eight times, OBP four times, slugging six times and, well, you get the picture.
In Wagner's 21-year career, he hit .328/.391/.467 (151 OPS+) with 3,420 hits, 643 doubles, 252 triples, 101 homers (Dead Ball Era, mind you), 1,733 RBI, 1,739 runs, 723 steals and what has been chronicled as superb defense at a premium position.
Many don't like the stat, sure, but Wagner ranks 10th in baseball history in career WAR behind Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Roger Clemens and Tris Speaker.
Best citizen: Roberto Clemente
If not for Wagner, Clemente would've been the pick as the best player in franchise history, but we can work him in here by noting his humanitarian work. In fact, there's a movement to have him sainted.
Best outfield arm: Clemente
For more, including video footage, click here.
Best manager: Fred Clarke
The Hall of Famer helmed 16 Pirates teams and owned a record of 1,422-969 (.595). He won four NL pennants and one World Series. He may have had more Fall Classic wins, but two of his pennants came before there was a World Series.
Worst claim to fame: The drought/streak
This has been extensively covered in Eye on Baseball, so there isn't much need to rehash it here. The Pirates hold the professional sports record in going 20 consecutive seasons (1993-2012) with a losing record.
Best recent moment: Wild-card win
And in 2013, Pirates fans finally got their payoff. Not only did they break the streak by winning a whopping 94 games, but they hosted the wild-card game against the Reds and hometown fans were treated to a joyous 6-2 victory that was never really in doubt. Among the fun were homers by Marlon Byrd and Russell Martin and, of course, the mocking "Cue-to" chant directed at Reds starter Johnny Cueto, who at one point was so flustered he dropped the ball on the mound.
Best player this century: Andrew McCutchen
I had to work Cutch in here because he's such a significant figure in the franchise. He's the best player, leader and face of the recent movement away from perennial losers and into two straight playoff appearances. The club is well set up to continue the trend, too. In the past three seasons, he has an MVP and two third-place finishes in the voting. He's possibly on a Hall of Fame arc and, best of all, he's a helluva good guy, too.
Best magician: Josh Harrison
Fun!
Best moment: Bill Mazeroski's homer
You know which one. This is one of the most famous home runs in the history of baseball. How could it not be? It's a walk-off home run in Game 7 of the World Series.
Worst moment, on field: 1992 NLCS
Off the field, losing Clemente far too early and then the Pittsburgh Drug Trials were pretty bad in different ways, but we'll stick to on-field moments here and the easy choice is the ending of the 1992 NLCS.
Not only was this the third time in three straight NLCS that the Pirates lost, but it was the last go-round with the Barry Bonds nucleus and the Pirates took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth in Game 7.
A Francisco Cabrera single to left would plate the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs, with a far from fleet-footed Sid Bream (a former Pirate) making it home ahead of Bonds' throw. An error and two walks contributed to the meltdown in the inning.
What followed? Twenty straight losing seasons.
Best nickname: Pops
Just a personal choice here, but I love the simplicity of Willie Stargell's moniker. Not only that, but I feel like if he played now it would be something awful like "W-Star," which isn't even a nickname. It's just mashing letters together and it needs to be stopped.
Best story: Dock Ellis' no-no
The legendary tale of a no-no while on acid. For more, check out our Bobblehead Project entry.
Best/worst intra-team feud: Branch Rickey vs. Ralph Kiner
Famed exec Rickey and Hall of Famer Kiner were at odds while they were together in Pittsburgh and it famously came to an end when Rickey traded Kiner to the opposing team during batting practice.
Kiner played for the Pirates on June 3 against the Cubs. On June 4, he was taking batting practice for the Pirates and was ordered to change uniforms. He went 1 for 4 with a double for the Cubs that day.
This came after that aforementioned horrible 1952 season, in which Kiner led the NL in homers but the team was one of the worst in recent baseball history at the time. Rickey cut Kiner's salary, famously telling Kiner, "We can finish last without you."
And less than a year later, he was traded during BP.
Best stolen base: Lloyd McClendon
Well, it wasn't a statiscal steal ...
On June 26, 2001, Pirates skipper McClendon decided that the umpires weren't properly using first base, so upon ejection, he took it with him. More on this in the Bobblehead Project entry.
Best stadium: PNC Park
It's one of the most beautiful stadiums in professional sports. So many different aspects of it are wonderful and it's nice that there's finally a team worth watching inside it.
Worst stadium: Three Rivers Stadium
In the Reds' entry I wrote the following about Riverfront Stadium:
It wasn't really the fault of the Reds, because the time period in which this thing was built it was the fad to go the cookie-cutter/astroturf/multi-sport route with stadiums. That doesn't mean we can't look back historically and say, wow, those stadiums were awful for baseball.
Switch in Pirates and Three Rivers Stadium and the same applies.
Worst "perfect game:" Harvey Haddix
On May 26, 1959, Haddix had the gut punch of all pitching outings. Possibly the worst in baseball history. He was perfect through 12 innings and lost in the 13th.
The perfecto fell by the wayside when the leadoff hitter in the 13th reached on an error. After the runner was bunted to second, Haddix issued an intentional walk. He then lost the no-hitter, shutout and game on a walk-off double.
The opponent was the Braves, who featured Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews (the sac bunt listed above) and Hank Aaron (the intentional walk). They were the defending NL champs and one of the best offensive teams in baseball.
What an outing. What an amazing, awesome, depressing, soul-crushing outing.
Best triples machine: Chief Wilson
A good trivia question here. Who holds the record for the most triples in a single season? It's Wilson, who tripled a staggering 36 times in 1912. That's gotta be an unbreakable record at this point, right? The most anyone has had since 1950 is 23 (Curtis Granderson, 2007).
Worst World Series performance: 1903
Are the 1903 Pirates the only reason there's still a World Series? Nah, but this established that there could be a "rivalry" feel. The National League was long considered far superior, hence the lingering "Senior Circuit" label.
The 1903 Pirates were 91-49, winning the NL by 6.5 games over the Giants. The AL champion, Boston, would come back from a three games to one deficit in the World Series, winning four straight (yes, it was best-of-9 then) to take the series, five games to three. Had the Pirates closed down Boston five games to one, perhaps the World Series would've taken a bit longer to truly catch on.
Best pitching motion: Kent Tekulve
The submariner appeared in the ninth-most games in the history of baseball and ranks 12th in games finished. He spent 12 of his 16 seasons with the Pirates, so it felt proper to work him in here. I'm sure many baseball fans have a similar story, but when we'd play catch growing up and my Dad would drop down to sidearm, he'd say "Kent Tekulve" every time. We weren't even Pirates fans. I'll never forget the name just because of that. Rock on, Kent.
What say you, Pirates fans? What are some other bests and worsts to add to the list? Let us hear it.
Also, Pirates fans, be sure to check out the Pirates blog of Pat Lackey, named Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? A few of the above ideas came with his help.
Up Next: On Saturday, we'll look at the best and worst moments for the Cleveland Indians.
