3 former Pirates who went on 'Linsanity' runs in recent seasons

Xavier Nady

Over three seasons from 2005-2007, Xavier Nady proved to be a solid hitter, slashing .274/.330/.457 with a .339 wOBA and 105 wRC+. Nady hit for some pop with a .183 isolated slugging percentage, and while he barely walked with a 5.6% BB%, he also did not strike out much. His K% was below 20% at 18.9%. 

But the first half of 2008 would prove to be the best stretch of games Nady would ever play by a lightyear. In 89 games and 360 plate appearances, the outfielder hit .330/.383/.535 with a .396 wOBA, and 142 wRC+. He improved his walk rate to 6.9% but significantly cut down on the K’s with a 15.3% K%. Nady was putting up an isolated slugging percentage above .200 as well at .205. 

Before the Pirates traded him in 2008, Nady was one of the best hitters in the National League. He ranked in the top ten in wOBA (8th) and wRC+ (8th), as well as 14th in OPS, OBP, and 16th in slugging percentage. Only Chipper Jones, Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols, and Lance Berkman had a higher batting average than Nady before he was dealt to the New York Yankees.

But after getting sent to New York, Nady came back down to earth, slashing .268/.320/.474 with a .343 wOBA and 108 wRC+. Those numbers would not look out of line compared to what he did in the three previous seasons. Nady would appear in just 289 games after 2008, putting up a .636 OPS and 71 wRC+. The Pirates capitalized on a Linsanity run and eventually got some solid seasons out of Jeff Karstens and Jose Tabata, two players who were sent to Pittsburgh for Nady.