Pittsburgh Pirates: 5 Pitchers that Broke the Hearts of Fans Since 2005

#1, Bryan Morris, 2008-2015

Bryan Morris is a former American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six seasons from 2012 to 2017. He spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he established himself as a reliable and consistent bullpen arm. Which in lies the problem. This is a bit different than the previous 4, as Morris dissapointed us by not ever becoming a starting pitcher at the Big League level.

Morris was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft. He spent several seasons in the Dodgers' minor league system before being traded to the Pirates in 2008. Morris made his major league debut with the Pirates in 2012 and spent the next three seasons with the team as a valuable member of the bullpen.

Morris' best season with the Pirates came in 2014 when he posted a 3.52 ERA in 70 appearances out of the bullpen. He also recorded 21 holds and two saves that season. Morris was known for his ability to induce ground balls, which made him a valuable asset to the Pirates' pitching staff.

Morris' time with the Pirates came to an end in 2014 when he was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for a competitive balance draft pick. He spent the 2015 season with the Marlins before being traded again, this time to the San Francisco Giants. Morris played one more season in the majors in 2017, splitting time between the Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays, before being released and ultimately retiring from baseball.

Overall, Morris spent three seasons with the Pirates, pitching in 137 games and finishing with a record of 8-8 and a 3.46 ERA. While his numbers may seem okay and he did help with key bullpen innings, Morris left a lot to be desired. Morris along with Andy LaRoche were the two primary prospects in the Jason Bay deal. Morris was a first-round pick and was supposed to be one of the best pitching prospects in Baseball by the time of the trade. Instead, he was a reliever who would eventually be traded for Gaby Sanchez, a platoon first baseman.