Pittsburgh Pirates: Building a Team of One-Season Wonders

Catcher Ronny Paulino of the Pirates waits in the dugout prior to action between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2006. The Royals won 10-6. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images)
Catcher Ronny Paulino of the Pirates waits in the dugout prior to action between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on June 20, 2006. The Royals won 10-6. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images) /
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Shortstop – 1948 Stan Rojek

Sometimes, players have one good season and in less than a half-decade and are out of the league. Stan Rojek is one of those players. While Tavares was never a high-end offensive shortstop, he was decent in 1948 and provided well above-average speed and defense at short. But this was just one of six seasons Tavares appeared in at least 30 games, and just one of two times he played in 100+ contests.

Rojek wasn’t all that great of a batter, turning in a .290/.355/.367 line. He hit for almost no power, having just 36 extra-base hits in 713 plate appearances. But he posted a solid 8.6% walk rate to go with his ability to rack up hits. Tavares used that on-base ability to his advantage, swiping 24 bags. On the defensive side of things, Rojek racked up +5 total zone runs saved at shortstop.

In total, Rojek’s 1948 season saw him post a +3.7 fWAR, which makes up 90.2% of his career fWAR of 4.1. Rojek batted just .251/.310/.301 with a 60 wRC+ after ’48 and only had 1106 plate appearances. Before ’48, Tavares had just 140 plate appearances and a 75 wRC+.