Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Pittsburgh Pirates All-Decade Team


Here goes a kind of fun topic to debate.  With all of the losing and bad baseball, the last deade here in Pittsburgh has pretty much been forgettable.  However, there have been some good players here in the Burgh, all have since been traded. I wanted to take a look at the All-Decade Team of the Bucs.  I decided this by not only stats, but how many seasons spent here this deacde.  Some of the positions were no brainers, but otheres were a challenge to come up with a decent name.  So here is the All-Decade team, feel free to dispute this.

Catcher- Jason Kendall (2000-04)- This was an easy one to pick.  The Piates all-time leader in games caught was one of the more popular Bucs of the last 10 seasons.  Kendall played five seasons in The Burgh and led MLB in games and innings caught from 2002-04.  He rarely struck out and while having no power at the plate was a solid contact hitter while in Pittsburgh.   Runner up- Ryan Doumit

First Base- Adam Laroche (2007-09)- I know this will be a very unpopular choice among everyone, but he wins the job.  This goes to show how very little talent we have had in the system.  I looked at everybody and as unpopular as he is, Laroches just put up better numbers than the whole list of guys that include: Kevin Young (his best seasons were in the late 90's  he has very lousy numbers this decade), Randall Simon, Craig Wilson, Brad Eldred and so on.  Laroche averaged .270/22/85 during his tenure in Pittsburgh.  Runner-up- Young

Second Base- Freddy Sanchez (2004-09)- After being acquired and starting out at third base for the Bucs, Sanchez found a home a the Pirates everyday second baseman.  This was another easy selection.  Sanchez made two all star appearances and brought home a batting title in 2006 when he hit .344.  Runner up- Jose Castillio

Third base- Aramis Ramirez (2000-03) Oh I'd love to kick Dave Littlefield's ass for just giving away Ramirez, but it is what it is and atleast Rammy wins a job on this team. Aramis had fantastic seasons in 01, hitting .300/34/112 and 03 when he hit .282/27/106.  He also got better as a third baseman every season.  It was fun to watch him grow as a Pirate.  Runner up- Jose Bautista

Shortstop- Jack Wilson (2001-09)- Another no braineer here.  While I was never the biggest Wilson supporter, the guy was an amazing defensive shortstop.  While he never could find consistency with the bat, Jack dazzled with the glove.  The only thing we could count on in the last decade were Pirates lossess and Jack Wilson would be shown on Web Gems almost weekly.- Runner Up-  I don't really have a name for this, but I guess we have to give it to Abraham Nunez who got some time in 2000 and stuck around for a while as Wilson's backup.

Outfield- Brian Giles (2000-03) Giles likely brings home Pirate player of the Decade also.  Homerun toals of 35,37 & 38 in 2000-03, while driving in 123, 95 & 103 in those seasons.  Giles was as consistent as any Bucco up until he got dealt.  His career hasn't been the same since he left (or since testing went into effect), but he was a good ball player while he was here.

Outfield- Jason Bay (2003-08)- Losing Giles brought us Jay Bay, who also put up some fine seasons in the Burgh. Bay became the first Bucco to win the Rookie of the Year in 2004 and hit over 21 HR and 84 RBI in all of his full seasons here.  His best two campaigns were in 2005, .306/32/101 and 2006 .286/35/109, both years he went to the all-star game.

Outfield-Nate McLouth (2005-09)- Wow, was this spot hard to find a deserving guy and I choose McLoth by default, because there really just isn't anyone else.  I actually almost chose McCutchen based on a hal;f of a season.  While I don't feel Nate has done enough to be a member of an all-decade team, his one big season in 2008, .276/26/94, trumps anything the rest of the list has done.  Runner Ups- Xavier Nady, Chris Duffy and Craig Wilson.

Starting Pitcher- Josh Fogg (2002-05) Boy this is sad.  If finding a third outfielder for this team wasn't hard enough,  try looking at the pitching numbers.  My original plan was to list five starters, but to hell with that.  The soft tossing Fogg wins this spot.  I'm telling you I looked at everyone's numbers from Kris Benson to Jason Schmidt to Ian Snell to Ollie Perez, to Zach Duke and unfortunatly Kip Wells.  Fogg's numbers have them beat.  No one has had more than one season of double digit wins except Fogg, who had three.  he was 12-12 in 2002, 10-9 in 03 and 11-10 in 04.  The era was kinda awful but no other pitcher has earned the right.  Runner up- Zach Duke.

Closer- Mike Williams (2000-02)- Difficult choice between Williams and Jose Smoke Mesa, but Williams wins.  Even though he was traded in the middle of his Bucco run and resigned, Williams posted seasons of 24 and 22 saves, but had a monster season in 02 of 46 saves.  There have been others along the way like Mike Fetters, Soloman Torres and Matt  Capps, but the nod goes to Williams.  Runner up- Mesa

19 comments:

  1. wow did we have some bums in the last decade. that team couldn't beat anyone. i had to laugh at the runner ups. thats one sorry looking list.

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  2. you should do the all decade team of shame next. that ought to be a funny read

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  3. cant believe you got laroche on that team. give it to ky. id maybe go nady over nate as well

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  4. josh fogg? your f'n kidding me right? there has to be someone better

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  5. how can craig wilson not get a spot. he had a good pirates career

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  6. Dude, Craig Wilson sucked. A pinch hit homer every now and then does not make one a ball player. AND where is Mr. Wilson now? That's right, out of baseball

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  7. mclouth is average at best. Did Al Martin play this decade?

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  8. my team. C kendall, 1b garett jones 2b sanchez, ss wilson 3b ramirez of bay of giles of mccutchen p christ, do we have to have one? i will vote ross ohlendorf closer- mike fetters

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  9. seriously this is bugging me. can we replace fogg. that guy cant be a part of an all anything team. any thoughts? we couldnt have been that bad?

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  10. my team. C kendall, 1b garett jones 2b sanchez, ss wilson 3b ramirez of bay of giles of mccutchen p christ, do we have to have one? i will vote ross ohlendorf closer- mike fetters

    By the way, YOUR TEAM BLOWS

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  11. mclouth is average at best. Did Al Martin play this decade

    nice al martin reference and i dont think he did play this decade and if he did, he wouldnt have been very good anyways.

    didnt al martin make the usc trojans all time football team?

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  12. wow. you are right. what a lack of talent. i tried to come up with a team and it's pretty much the same there is no competeition at some spots.

    hopefully the next decade team will be more of a challenge to pick

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  13. love the al martin usc football reference

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  14. everyone on this all-decade team are all gone. all traded

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  15. Glad people seem to be enjoying this topic. As far as Laroche over Kevin Young. Young's stats this decade are pretty average. 2000-.258/20/88 2001 .232/14/65 2002 .246/16/51 2003 .202/2/7. laroche actually was an easy choice.

    As far as Fogg, I'm taking suggestions, but no pitcher this decade was as effective as the Dragon Slayer

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  16. everyone on this all-decade team are all gone. all traded

    Boy that's outstanding analysis. too bad he wrote that already in the article

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  17. Errr. Josh Fogg is still the pitcher on this team. no one can find anyone better than captain mediocrity.

    Can't believe you called him the dragon slayer

    he's such a bum

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  18. the funny thing is that evryone listed doesnt deserve to make any kind of all anything. they truly are just a bunch of average ball players. from sanchez to gile to bay to wilson, all just completely average at best

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  19. why fogg over duke?

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