1997 Pittsburgh Pirates season
Encyclopedia
Offseason
- November 14, 1996: Dan PlesacDan PlesacDaniel Thomas Plesac is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from to . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies...
, Carlos García and Orlando MercedOrlando MercedOrlando Luis Merced Villanueva is a former Major League Baseball first Baseman and outfielder. He played all or part of thirteen seasons in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Toronto Blue Jays , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Montreal Expos , and Houston Astros...
were traded by the Pirates to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for José SilvaJosé Silva (baseball)José Leonel Silva is a right-handed pitcher. He currently plays for the Dorados de Chihuahua of the Mexican League...
, Brandon Cromer (minors), Jose Pett (minors), and players to be named later. The Blue Jays completed the deal by sending Abraham Núñez, Craig Wilson, and Mike Halperin (minors) to the Pirates on December 11. - December 13, 1996: Jay BellJay BellJay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...
and Jeff KingJeff King (baseball)Jeffrey Wayne King is a former professional baseball player who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals.-Career:...
were traded by the Pirates to the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for Jeff GrangerJeff GrangerJeffery Adam Granger Jeffery Adam Granger Jeffery Adam Granger (born December 16, 1971 in San Pedro, California is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates.-High school:...
, Joe RandaJoe RandaJoseph Gregory Salvatore Randa is a former Major League Baseball player. He was primarily a third baseman during his career. His nickname is "The Joker" due to his resemblance to the comic book character in Batman and his ever-present smile, especially during his plate appearances...
, Jeff WallaceJeff WallaceJeffrey Allen Wallace is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during four seasons at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 25th round of the 1995 amateur draft...
, and Jeff Martin (minors). - December 20, 1996: Kevin ElsterKevin ElsterKevin Daniel Elster is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop.Elster played for six different ballclubs during his career: the New York Mets , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Los Angeles Dodgers...
was signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Regular season
The 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates were informally known as "The Freak Show," as the team of rookies and cheap veterans (the team only had a $9 million payroll) unexpectedly competed with the Houston Astros for the division title until the final week of the season.Notable transactions
- July 8, 1997: Midre CummingsMidre CummingsMidre Almeric Cummings is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Cummings played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Philadelphia Phillies , Boston Red Sox , Minnesota Twins , Arizona Diamondbacks , Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Baltimore Orioles .Cummings was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st...
was selected off waivers from the Pirates by the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Roster
| 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches (first base) (third base) (hitting) (bench) (pitching) (bullpen) |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmer Dessens Elmer Dessens Elmer Dessens Jusaino [deh-SENZ] is a Mexican professional baseball player who is currently a free agent.-Personal life:... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 |
Awards and honors
1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1997 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the...
- Tony WomackTony WomackAnthony Darrell Womack is a former second baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks, then with several other teams during his last four years...
, 2B, Reserve