15 days until the Pittsburgh Pirates have their first spring workout

We are now just a little over two weeks away from the Pittsburgh Pirates having their first workout of Spring Training

Spring Training 2018 is just a hair over two weeks away for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 15 days, the team’s pitchers and catchers will take to the fields of Pirate City in Bradenton for their first workout of the spring.

The number 15 belonged to one of two Cy Young Award winners in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates – Doug Drabek.

Doug Drabek pitched for the Pirates from 1987 – 1992. Drabek played a vital role in the Pirates winning National League Eastern Division Championships in 1990, 1991, and 1992. During the 1990 season, he joined Vern Law as one of two Pirate pitchers to ever win the Cy Young Award.

During that 1990 season, Drabek posted a 2.76 ERA and a 3.28 FIP in 231 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed just 15 home runs, averaged a measly 2.18 BB/9, he threw nine complete games, and he had a 4.2 fWAR for Jim Leyland‘s Pirates.

Doug Drabek pitched a total of 1,362 2/3 innings in six seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had an 18.5 fWAR during his time as a Pirate, and he ranked 8th in the National League in ERA (3.03) and 27th in FIP (3.47) during his time in Pittsburgh.

As a member of the Pirates, Drabek also made seven postseason starts. In these seven starts he posted a 2.05 ERA, 2.65 FIP, and he allowed just 40 hits in 48 1/3 innings pitched. While the Pirates went just 2-5 in these starts, it was no fault of Drabek’s.

Unfortunately, Drabek’s most memorable game as a Pirate came on that infamous night down in Atlanta 26 years ago this October. He took the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning with the Pirates three outs away from a trip to the World Series, but after a Jose Lind error and some questionable ball/strike calls, well, we all know what came next.

That infamous game in ’92 would be the franchise’s final postseason game until October 1, 2013, when the Cincinnati Reds came to town for the National League Wild Card Game. Prior to this game, Drabek returned to Pittsburgh to throw out the first pitch in what would become one of the most memorable victories in Pirate history.

In the opinion of many, Doug Drabek is the best starting pitcher in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Next: The Pirates should sign Carlos Gonzalez

We are now just 15 days away from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitchers and catchers holding their first workout of Spring Training 2018. Baseball is almost here.