42 days until the first Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training workout
By Marty Leap
In 42 days, pitchers and catchers for the Pittsburgh Pirates will partake in their first team workout of Spring Training 2018
As pitchers and catchers reporting to Bradenton continues to inch closer, we are now 42 days away from the first team workout for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Spring Training 2018. In 42 days, the team’s pitchers and catchers will hold their first workout of the spring at Pirate City.
The number 42 was retired league wide by Major League Baseball in 1997. This was done, of course, to honor Jackie Robinson breaking the game’s color barrier. When the number was retired players currently wearing number 42 could keep the number, but once they changed that number it would then become retired for each team.
The last member of the Pittsburgh Pirates to wear number 42 was right-handed pitcher Jason Schmidt. Following the 1997 season, Schmidt switched to number 22.
Jason Schmidt was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for fellow pitcher Danny Neagle on August 30, 1996. He would remain a Pirate until 2001 when he was traded to the San Francisco Giants, along with outfielder John Vandel Wal, for outfielder Armando Rios and pitcher Ryan Vogelsong.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Schmidt was one of the team’s best starting pitchers each year. In 129 starts for the Pirates, Jason Schmidt averaged 3.62 BB/9, 6.71 K/9, and 0.93 HR/9 in 799 2/3 innings pitched. He posted a 4.39 ERA, a 4.29 FIP, and a 10.5 fWAR.
After leaving the Giants, Schmidt pitched for the Dodgers in 2007 and 2009. His time with the Dodgers was riddled with injuries that would eventually lead to his retirement. Jason Schmidt finished with 1,996 1/3 career Major League innings pitched. He averaged 3.57 BB/9, 7.93 K/9, 0.83 HR/9, and he owned a 3.96 ERA, 3.79 FIP, and a 37.6 fWAR.
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As has become the tradition in Major League Baseball, every team will wear number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on Jackie Robinson Day this season. So on April 15, every member of the Pittsburgh Pirates will sport number 42 on their jerseys.