Pittsburgh Pirates: 30 greatest players in franchise history

One of many notable pitchers from the early 1900s to play for the Pirates, Deacon Phillippe spent all but one season with the team. His MLB career started in 1899 at age 27 with the Louisville Colonels before spending the next 12 seasons with the Pirates.

In his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, Phillippe was a 20-game winner. His 25 wins in 1903 set a personal best. Through all of his years with the Pirates, he managed to come away with 168 wins, which puts him fifth in franchise history.

Phillippe ranks seventh in team history for pitcher WAR at 30.0. His great control on the mound was a major key to his success. Phillippe five times with the lowest walks per nine rate.

The 1909 season signaled a change for Phillippe. He began to see more action as a reliever and with a lot of success. He was nearly a full-time reliever in 1910, which turned out to be a good thing. He went 14-2 for a league-best .875 winning percentage. His 2.29 ERA in eight starts and 23 relief appearances also highlighted one last great year from him.

There aren’t any major statistics you will find Phillippe listed at the top of in team history. However, he’s a top-five in many thanks to his well-roundedness on the mound.

Phillippe was one of many famous Pirates traded by the Louisville team to Pittsburgh weeks before the turn of the century. While he is far from the best-known in the group, he put together a career no one should ever forget.