Pittsburgh Pirates: Impressive Rookie Seasons in Franchise History
After seeing Ke’Bryan Hayes raise some eyebrows, I have been reminded of other Pittsburgh Pirates rookies to impress their first year.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have seen their fair share of disappointment throughout the years, and this year is no different. Some fans have become relatively numb to the pain. Some fans still feel the pain with each loss, and yes, even some don’t care and will never care. For all the fans that care and are paying attention, there is one player on this roster that has eased the pain slightly. His name is Ke’Bryan Hayes, and he has not disappointed in his short time with the big club.
In just his short time here with Pittsburgh, he has risen some eyebrows with his impressive play. We all knew that his defense was top notch at the hot corner, but it was his bat that came into question. You could instantly tell that he put in some work at the Pirates alternate site in Altoona, and that was evident in his first game with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He went 2-5 with a home run, a double and three RBIs to boot.
Hayes is not the only Pirate rookie to impress in their first season, though. There have been several Pirate rookies throughout the years who have put a stamp on the year, and I’m here to reveal who they are. (Disclaimer: These names are not in order or ranks.)
Ralph Kiner
In 1946 Ralph Kiner donned an MLB baseball jersey for the first time, and it so happened to be with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just a year after World War II, Kiner would start something that didn’t end until his last year in the Majors in 1955. What was that? Hit 20+ home runs every year.
As a rookie, Kiner hit 23 home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was not just his homers that were impressive for Kiner. It was the entire package he brought.
In his rookie campaign, he hit for a .247/.345/.430 slash line. If you’re into advanced stats, I got you covered. His wOBA was an impressive .366, and even more impressive was his wRC+ or 116, which is 16 points above average. The National Leagues’s original home run king surely started crafting his crown as soon as he entered into the Majors that year.
1946 was truly just the start for Kiner who went on to slug 369 home runs in his 11 year MLB career. He was a six-time National League All-Star with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Jason Kendall
I know some of you are going to hate me, and I’m prepared for it, but there is no denying how good Jason Kendall was for the Pirates. This included his rookie season, when no one can deny how good he was for the Pirates.
Kendall entered into the Majors with the Pirates in 1996, when he played in 130 games. In those 130 games, Kendall managed to hit for a .300/.372/.401 slash line. His advanced stats were impressive as well, with a wOBA of .339, wRC+ of 102 and just a 14.3% soft contact percentage.
That year he finished 3rd in the National League Rookie of the Year voting falling short to Edgar Renteria and Todd Hollandsworth. Honestly, I think Rentaria deserved the award, but hey, I don’t have a vote but come on, 3rd place?! Kendall deserved at least 2nd that year. Anyways he was extremely impressive that year, so impressive that he earned the honor to go to the All-Star Game.
This was the first of three NL All-Star selections for Kendall with the Pirates. Kendall spent nine seasons with the Pirates and signed what was at the time the largest contract the team had ever handed out. His tenure with the Pirates ended when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics following the 2004 season.
The Candy Man
Let’s incorporate a pitcher into the mix. Who better than the “Candy Man” John Candelaria. Candelaria’s rookie year took place in 1975, and he didn’t disappoint. That year Candelaria posted an 8-6 record with a very impressive 2.76 ERA and a slightly higher FIP of 2.82. Not too shabby for a rookie, eh? That 2.76 ERA put him slightly behind the 10th place in top ERA.
In 120.2 innings pitched he gave up just eight homers, 36 walks and 95 hits. Opponents were batting just .207 against Candelaria, and when you tie the low walk numbers into that as well, you get a very impressive WHIP of just 1.09. That 1.09 WHIP placed him in third place that year with the lowest. the “Candy Man” would lead a very long and successful career.
Cutch
I usually tend to stay away from Andrew McCutchen conversations because of the pain I feel for thinking what could have been. None of which is his fault, of course, just bad circumstances. Cutch was donned the new savior for many years as he was coming up through the Pirate system. Well, fans got their wish in 2009. That year Cutch tore the cover off the ball, it seemed.
In 2009 Cutch had a .286/.365/.471 slash line, and to boot, he showcased his power/speed combo with 12 homers and 22 stolen bases. His advanced stats were impressive too with a .363 wOBA, 122 wRC+ and a 30.5% hard-hit rate. That year Cutch finished 4th in NL Rookie of the Year voting, falling victim to Chris Coghlan’s rampant year.
Jason Bay
Now, this may be cheating a little bit, but not really. Jason Bay was traded from San Diego in 2003, along with Oliver Perez and Corey Stewart for Brian Giles. Bay did play in 30 games in 2003, but his rookie year didn’t officially start until the next year in 2004. Bay went on a tear that year. In fact, he broke a Pirates rookie record with 26 home runs.
That year Bay impressed with a .282/.358/.550 slash line along with 82 RBIs. His advanced stats were ultra-impressive with a .382 wOBA, 130 wRC+ and a 31.2% hard hit rate. Bay became the first Canadian to win the NL Rookie of the Year, as well as being the lone Pirate to take home the award.
Final Thoughts
I know I might get some flack for some of these choices, and I will respect any and all opinions or suggestions from all of you. Just seeing Hayes and his impressive start reminded me of the plethora of Pittsburgh Pirates rookies to impress as well. I encourage to interact with this one and give me your thoughts and suggestions!