7 days until the Pittsburgh Pirates have their first spring workout

Spring Training 2018 is officially just a week away for the Pittsburgh Pirates

The countdown to the first workout of Spring Training 2018 for the Pittsburgh Pirates is officially in its final week. In just 7 days, the team’s pitchers and catchers will take to the fields of Pirate City for their first workout of the spring.

During the 1986 season, a rookie wore number 7 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. This rookie? Well, that was Barry Bonds.

When the Pirates drafted Barry Bonds 6th overall in the 1985 June Amateur Major Leauge Baseball Draft expectations were high. Barry would go on to meet these expectations and then some. In fact, in the opinion of many, myself included, Barry Lamar Bonds would go on to become the greatest player in the history of baseball.

As a rookie in 1986, Barry Bonds played in 113 games for the Pirates. He posted a .330 on-base percentage, a .333 wOBA, a wRC+ of 108, and he had a fWAR of 3.3. Bonds also stole 36 bases while posting an 8.0 dWAR in left field.

During this rookie campaign Bonds would showcase the two traits that he would become known for – plate patience and power. As a rookie Bonds owned a 13.4 percent walk rate, and he would go on to own a lifetime walk rate of 20.3 percent which is the best in Major League history.

Barry also hit the first 16 of his Major League record 762 home runs as a rookie in 1986. He also had an isolated power (ISO) of .194 as a rookie, his career ISO would be a staggering .309.

While it did not happen, Barry Bonds should have been the National League Rookie of the Year for the 1986 season.

Following the 1986 season, Barry Bonds switched his jersey number to 24. This would remain his number until he signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1993 and switched to number 25. Regardless if it were as number 7, 24, or 25, the player Bonds was is unlike any other Major League Baseball ever saw before Bonds, has seen since, or that they will ever see again.

Next: Pirates sign Daniel Nava

We are now just one week away from the Pittsburgh Pirates sending their pitchers and catchers to the fields of Pirate City for their first workout of Spring Training 2018. Just 7 more days until Pirate baseball.