[ifspuds]

Another double dose day...

1904: Same Place, Different Season

Top Hitter: RF Scott Podlasek (.344, 12 HR, 82 RBI)
Top Pitcher: Bill Rabbitt (22-12, 3.48)
Top Prospect: LF Michael Borkholder

Team Record: 72-82, 7th place
Awards: Gold Glove, 1B Arnold Houlihan
Trades: P Victor Gauer and 3B Ozzy Benning to NYG for SS Travis Hunt. 2B Fabian White to SLA for P Ray Esser and P Bren Ozaki. P Joe Roy to SLA for 1B Edward Brantsag.

Scott Podlasek turned in his best season, Bill Rabbitt fulfilled his promise as the team’s top prospect, and a talented left fielder in Michael Borkholder joined the team... and they still finished in 7th, despite 14 more games in the schedule. Travis Hunt joined the team in a trade with the New York Giants, and while his first action with the team (.268, 29 RBI) wasn’t special, he’d make his mark at shortstop in years to come.

1905: At Least We’re Not in Seventh Anymore...

Top Hitter: RF Scott Podlasek (.320, 6 HR, 65 RBI)
Top Pitcher: Ron Theroux (18-19, 3.58)
Top Prospect: SP Caleb Kieselhorst

Team Record: 64-90, 8th place
Awards: Gold Glove, SS Travis Hunt
Trades: P Richard Caruth, 3B Calvin Paige and P James Mark to WSH for 1B Paul Batt. P Bill Rabbitt to CHA for P Ron Theroux and LF Raymond Campbell.

After cementing their hold on 7th place for the first 4 seasons, the Pirates finally broke through in 1905 and dove into the cellar. Travis Hunt, who came over in a 1904 trade with the New York Giants, won the first of what would be 5 straight Gold Gloves (6 total) at shortstop, which was about the only bright spot in another lackluster season for the Pirates. It would, however, be a sign of things to come, as far as unusual personnel moves. The Pirates shipped three prospects to Washington for 35-year old 1B Paul Batt on June 30th, despite having Gold Glove winner (and superior hitter) Arnold Hourihan already at first. While only Calvin Paige amounted to a lot in the majors, the unaptly-named Batt spent essentially 2 full seasons with the Pirates, never hitting over .245.

The more interesting trade sent 1904’s Top Pitcher, Bill Rabbitt to the Chicago White Sox for 1905’s Top Pitcher Ron Theroux and LF Raymond Campbell. Theroux turned out to be a quality pickup for the Pirates, spending 6.5 seasons with them and playing a solid role in the most successful years in franchise history. But that’s not the interesting part. Why would the team be so anxious to deal Bill Rabbitt, after getting 22 wins and a 3.48 ERA out of him in 1904? We might get an answer from the fact that a mere 5 days after Rabbitt arrived in Chicago, he was back on the train, this time headed for the St. Louis Browns straight up for P Ron Stollar, a player at the tail end of his career. In interviews with former teammates, a picture starts to form. “He wanted to be called Lightning,” said former Pittsburgh hurler Sam Covallini. “Guess it went with the name Rabbitt. Let me tell you though, the guy never did anything fast ‘cept leave the locker room after the game. He was late for batting practice, showed up late to warm up before the game, and whined from day one he put on the uniform. Thought he was too good for the rest of us.”