Welcome to the All-Franchise Starting Lineup, where we review each of the 30 current MLB franchises to determine the best players by position in franchise history. It’s been a while, but we’re back with one of the oldest franchises in baseball history – the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Ground Rules
- The primary driver of the selections was each player’s WAR with the franchise. We used two WAR calculations: one from Fangraphs (fWAR) and the other from Baseball-Reference (bWAR). When the WAR between players was similar, we considered other factors, such as stats and awards, to break the tie.
- We only considered statistics earned with the franchise in question for each player. For example, Albert Pujols wasn’t the Dodgers’ first baseman since he only played with them for part of a season near the end of his career.
- Players with multi-position eligibility can play any position they played for a reasonable period in their career.
- Outfielders can be shifted between center, left, and right as long as it makes sense defensively, especially in center field.
- Since we now have a universal DH, we will assign one per team. Doing so also allows us to get more deserving hitters who played in a log-jammed position into the lineup.
- Three pitchers will be named—one right-handed starter, one left-handed starter, and one reliever.
Franchise Overview
The Pittsburgh Pirates, founded in the American Association in 1881 as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, are one of Major League Baseball’s oldest and storied franchises. The team officially adopted the name “Pirates” in 1891, a nod to their reputation for “pirating” players from other teams. The Pirates have a rich history of success, winning the World Series five times in seven trips. Their first came in 1909, followed by championships in 1925, 1960, 1971, and 1979. The team has also secured nine National League pennants, though it’s been a struggle this century. Their last division crown came in 1992, and the club has only seen the postseason thrice since then.
The Pirates have been home to legendary players such as Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, and Willie Stargell and played in one of the most memorable World Series in baseball history. In 1960, Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in Game 7 clinched the championship in dramatic fashion. The “We Are Family” Pirates of the late 1970s thrilled fans and shaped fashion with their “stovepipe” hats. Despite the lack of success in recent years, the Bucs fan base remains one of the best in MLB.
Catcher: Jason Kendall
Manny Sanguillen gets a nod, but Jason Kendall was a relatively easy choice at catcher. Kendall was drafted by the Pirates in the first round of the 1992 MLB Draft and debuted with the team in 1996. Known for his durability, strong defensive skills, and consistent offensive production, Kendall quickly became a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. He earned three All-Star selections during his tenure with the Pirates in 1996, 1998, and 2000, showcasing his status as one of the league’s top catchers. He was notable for his speed and ranks seventh in stolen bases among catchers.
Kendall’s Bucs never made the postseason, and after nine excellent years in Pittsburgh, the team traded him to Oakland during the 2004-2005 offseason. He played another six years for four teams before retiring near the end of the 2010 season. Kendall holds several offensive records among Pirates catchers, including hits, doubles, batting average, runs scored, games played, and home runs (tied with Ryan Doumit). His offensive prowess and leadership behind the plate helped guide the Pirates during a challenging period for the franchise.
First Base: Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell, affectionately known as “Pops,” had an illustrious baseball career, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Stargell was a prolific power hitter who played primarily first base and left field, making his MLB debut with the Pirates in 1962. Over his 21-year career, Stargell amassed numerous accolades, topped by the National League MVP award in 1979, which ironically wasn’t his best statistical season. That came in 1973, when Pops led the NL with 44 dingers, 119 RBI, and a 1.038 OPS. Additionally, Willie was selected to appear in seven All-Star Games and was the face of the franchise in the 1970s.
Stargell was a key player on two World Series championship teams with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971 and 1979, earning World Series MVP honors in 1979 for the “We Are Family” Pirates. His impact on the field was undeniable, and his leadership qualities made him a respected figure both on and off the field. In recognition of these traits, Stargell won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1974 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 as soon as he was eligible. The Pirates further honored his legacy by retiring his number 8 shortly before his retirement in 1982 and erecting a statue of him outside PNC Park just days before the stadium’s opening and his tragic early death at the age of 61. Stargell’s statistical achievements with the Pirates are impressive. He holds the top spot in several categories in team history, including home runs, RBI, and total bases.
Second Base: Bill Mazeroski
Bill Mazeroski manned the keystone for the Pirates for 17 seasons, breaking in as a 19-year-old kid in 1956. Known for his exceptional defensive skills, Mazeroski earned an impressive eight Gold Glove Awards throughout his career and is considered one of the best defensive second basemen in MLB history. His defense drove ten All-Star Game selections, as his offensive numbers were relatively average for his era.
Mazeroski was a key player on two World Series championship teams with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning titles in 1960 and 1971. Ironically, Mazeroski’s most iconic moment came from his bat in the 1960 World Series. His walk-off, series-winning home run in Game 7 against the New York Yankees is etched in baseball history as one of the greatest clutch hits of all time. The Pirates honored Maz by retiring his number 9 in 1987. However, the Hall of Fame eluded him until 2001, when the Veteran’s Committee inducted him. In 2010, the franchise erected a statue of a jubilant Mazeroski rounding the bases in front of PNC Park.
Shortstop: Honus Wagner
A few years ago, we ranked Honus Wagner as the best shortstop of all time. Thus, it’s little wonder he slots in here for the Pirates, with whom he played most of his career. “The Flying Dutchman” is the all-time leader in batting average (+3,000 plate appearances), doubles, triples, and stolen bases among shortstops, and leads the Pirates’ franchise in runs, triples, RBI, and WAR. His legacy includes eight batting titles, seven doubles titles, and 14 straight years hitting .300 or more during his illustrious career.
Wagner’s Pirates made it to two World Series, in 1903 and 1909. After losing the first, The Dutchman got his ring in 1909 after slashing .333/.467/.500 in the series. Honus retired after the 1917 season at the age of 43. The Hall of Fame wouldn’t exist for another 19 years, but Wagner was inducted with fellow luminaries Cobb, Ruth, Mathewson, and Johnson upon its creation. In 1956, the year after he passed away, the Pirates retired his number 33.
Third Base: Arky Vaughan
On any other team, Arky Vaughan would be our starting shortstop. After all, he ranked fourth on our list of the top shortstops of all time, three slots below Honus Wagner. He did play some third base towards the end of his career – after the Pirates traded him to the Dodgers in 1941. Regardless, as one of the all-time great Pirates, we had to find a place for him in our lineup, even though his inclusion at third bumped a deserving Pie Traynor.
Vaughan was among the best offensive shortstops ever. His lifetime .318 average trails only Wagner among shortstops with a minimum of 5,000 plate appearances. In 1935, Vaughan led the NL with a .385/.491/.607 slash line, finishing third in the MVP balloting. Arky played in nine All-Star games, eight as a member of the Bucs, highlighted by the two dingers he hit in the 1941 contest.
Vaughan played only four seasons with Brooklyn, retiring in 1944 due to conflicts with manager Leo Durocher. When Durocher was suspended in 1947, Vaughan returned for two more seasons before retiring for good in 1948. Perhaps due to his relatively short career, it took Arky a long time to make it to Cooperstown. The Veterans finally admitted him in 1985, 33 years after his tragic death from a drowning accident at the age of 40.
Left Field: Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds only played seven seasons in Pittsburgh, the first four of which he was good but not great. From 1990 – 1992, though, Bonds was incredible. During that stretch, he averaged 31 home runs, 45 stolen bases, 111 RBI, and 103 runs while slashing .301/.424/.566. Barry also took home three Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, and two MVPs and played in two All-Star games during this three-year span. His performance led to a massive free-agent contract with the Giants, and the rest is history.
The Pirates’ history is replete with great outfielders. You could certainly make a case for Max Carey, Fred Clarke, or Ralph Kiner – all Hall of Famers – over Bonds. However, Barry’s WAR per game lags only the great Honus Wagner in Pittsburgh history. Whatever you think of Bonds and his baseball legacy, there’s no denying his impact on the Pirates’ franchise.
Center Field: Andrew McCutchen
Choosing between Max Carey and Andrew McCutchen for center field was challenging. Carey roamed center for the Pirates from 1910 to 1926. He led the league in stolen bases ten times, is in the Hall of Fame, and has a higher WAR with the Bucs than Cutch. However, McCutchen’s WAR per game and WAR/7 are much higher. Thus, we went with the active player, but certainly, it’s a toss-up.
Cutch played the first nine years of his career in Pittsburgh and was an All-Star five times. He also won four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and the NL MVP in 2013. He combined power, speed, and durability during his first go-around with the club, averaging 155 games, 24 home runs, 19 stolen bases, 93 runs, and 84 RBI with a .291/.380/.489 slash-line after his rookie season. The Pirates made three playoff appearances during this time but only advanced past the Wild Card round once, in 2013. In early 2018, the rebuilding club traded Cutch to the Giants, but he returned for two more seasons from 2023-2024. At the time of writing, he’s a free agent, but many expect the 38-year-old Pittsburgh legend to return for at least one more season.
Right Field: Roberto Clemente
Honus Wagner may be the Pirates’ statistical leader, but Roberto Clemente is the franchise’s face. Not only was Clemente one of the best right fielders ever, he was number seven on our all-time list, but he was a great human. After he tragically died in a plane crash during a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua on New Year’s Eve, 1972, Major League Baseball changed the name of the Commissioner’s Award for excellence on and off the field to the Roberto Clemente Award.
On the field, there was little Clemente couldn’t do. He won four batting titles, could run, and hit for power. Defensively, he’s considered one of the greatest right-fielders of all time. Clemente led the NL in outfield assists five times, and his 12 Gold Gloves are tied with Willie Mays for the most ever by an outfielder. “Arriba” took home the MVP award in 1966 after slashing .317/.400/.554 with 29 home runs, 119 RBI, and 105 runs scored during baseball’s “second dead-ball era.”
The Bucs won two World Series during Clemente’s tenure with the club, and he was a major contributor to both. In particular, Roberto shined in the 1971 championship, winning the MVP after collecting 12 hits, five for extra bases, and posting a 1.210 OPS. The end came too soon for the 15-time All-Star, who was destined to be a great ambassador for the game after his career. Clemente was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame after his death in 1973, with MLB waiving the standard five-year waiting period. The Pirates retired his number 21 that same year and erected a statue of him outside Three Rivers Stadium in 1994.
Designated Hitter: Paul Waner
If not for Roberto Clemente, Paul Waner would have been an easy choice in right field. Arriba’s stellar defense pushed Waner to DH, but he was another historically great right-fielder, ranking ninth on our all-time list. “Big Poison” was one of the greatest hitters of his generation. His lifetime .333 average ranks in the top ten among all right-fielders and his .340 average with the Pirates is tops in franchise history (minimum 2k plate appearances).
Waner’s many accomplishments include three batting titles, four All-Star appearances (which didn’t exist until his age-30 season), and the 1927 NL MVP. In only his second season, the 24-year-old hit .380/.437/.549 with 18 triples and 131 RBI. That season also marked the only time in Waner’s career that he would see the postseason. Though he hit .333 in the series, the Yankees swept the Pirates.
After the 1940 season, the Pirates released the 37-year-old Waner. However, he didn’t retire until April of 1945 after spending time in Brooklyn, Boston, and New York. In 1952, the BBWAA made Big Poison a Hall of Famer. Oddly, the Pirates didn’t retire his number 11 for another 55 years, finally sending it to the rafters in 2007.
Right-Handed Starter: Babe Adams
Unlike the Pirates’ offense, which is chock-full of Hall of Famers, choosing the best starters was more difficult. Ultimately, the choice for our righty came down to Bob Friend vs. Babe Adams. Friend was a steady rotation piece for the Bucs from 1951 to 1965 and the franchise leader in starts and innings pitched. He was a good pitcher who made four All-Star teams and won the NL ERA title in 1960. However, his overall record was 191 and 218, and his 3.55 ERA with the franchise didn’t feel particularly special.
Thus, we went with Adams – an old-timer who spent 18 seasons with Pittsburgh in the early 20th century. Adams led the league in FIP four times and WHIP five during his career. He was a control specialist who rarely issued walks, leading the NL in walks-per-nine for four straight seasons from 1919 to 1922. What put Adams over the top for us, though, was his performance in the 1909 World Series. Adams won three of the four games for Pittsburgh, dominating the Tigers with three complete games. He allowed only four earned runs over his 27 innings, posting a 1.33 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. MLB didn’t begin the practice of awarding World Series MVPs until 1955, but had they done it in 1909, Adams surely would’ve garnered the trophy.
Left-Handed Starter: Wilbur Cooper
Wilbur Cooper was Adams’ teammate for most of his career. Cooper’s stats (as well as Adams’) were undoubtedly helped by pitching in the first Dead-Ball era. Even so, he’s the franchise leader in both fWAR and bWAR among left-handed starters. Arguments could be made for Bob Veale, Jesse Tannehill, and the Candy Man (John Candelaria), but in the end, none of the trio’s numbers were special enough to overcome Cooper’s 13 strong seasons with the franchise.
Cooper is the franchise leader in wins and complete games and trails only Bob Friend in starts and innings pitched. He’s third in strikeouts and tied with Adams for fifth in ERA among those who threw a minimum of 1,500 innings. Cooper was a workhorse, averaging 279 innings and 39 appearances from 1914 to 1924. He led the NL in starts and complete games twice and innings once. His 1.87 ERA over 246 innings remains a franchise single-season record. Cooper certainly warrants consideration as the Pirates’ top hurler of all time on a franchise that features no Hall of Fame pitchers.
Reliever: Kent Tekulve
It’s a coin-flip between Kent Tekulve and Roy Face for our reliever. The two pitchers had similar careers. Both played the majority of their career in Pittsburgh, and each was the closer on a World Champion squad. They have similar WARs and are first and second in career franchise saves. Tekulve had a better ERA and FIP. Face had a better strikeout-to-walk ratio. Tekulve gets the nod due to better numbers in his World Series and because he was about as unique as they come.
Tekulve was a submariner with a funky delivery. The lanky reliever stood 6’4″ but released the ball around his waist. He wore glasses, often shades, and was quite the sight on the mound, especially when the Bucs rocked the stovepipe hats in the late 70s. “Teke” debuted in 1974 and was finishing games by 1976. His best seasons were arguably ’78 and ’79, when he led the NL in games and games finished. In both seasons, he saved 31 games, finished fifth in the NL Cy Young balloting, and garnered MVP votes. He capped 1979 by saving three games in the World Series behind a 2.89 ERA and 0.75 WHIP.
The Pirates traded Teke to the Phillies in April 1985, ending his tenure in Pittsburgh. But for those of us who remember the “We Are Family” Pirates, he is a hard man to forget.
On Deck
We’ll travel to the Lone Star state next and take a look at the 2023 World Champion Rangers. Keep an eye out for it later this offseason. If you like this content, you can find much more like it in my archive or by searching “all-time” on the site.