Pittsburgh Pirates: Constructing the Franchise’s All-Time Defensive Team

In dedication to the Pittsburgh Pirates putting a strong emphasis on defense for the upcoming 60-game 2020 season, let’s take a look back at the best defenders at each position in Pirates’ history.

Defense can sometimes be a team’s best asset in any sport. This can include defense being more valuable to a team than their offense might be. Remember, even if a team is struggling offensively if they limit how many runs their opponent’s score they will still be difficult to beat. In 2020, it appears that this will be the case for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Defense not only can be useful in run prevention, but it helps out the pitcher in more ways than one. A good catcher can be the difference between a confident pitcher and tepid one. Having a catcher that is a good framer can also help a pitcher throw more strikes. A good defense can make or break a game.

Today, I wanted to see who were the best defensive players in Pittsburgh Pirates history at each position. These players were the best at each position defensively during their Pirates’ career. So without further ado, let’s get into our first player on our list. We will start with the man who will be behind the plate on the franchise’s all-defense team.