1985?

was a fine defensive player. He made the greatest throw I’ve never seen.

This was 1983, game in Shea against a terrible Mets team. Pirates up a run in the ninth and Mets on first and third (think it was John Stearns on first), due to an effed-up grounder to Jason Thompson, and the batter hits a ball in the left center gap and Orsulak, playing CF, dives and misses. First runner scores, game tied. I figure second runner will score too and the game’s over, so I mark my scorebook accordingly.

After I do, I look up and there’s a ballsized rocket flying from somewhere in left toward home, and Stearns, who could run a little IIRC, was out by 10 feet.

I asked somebody who made the relay and was told there was no relay.

The rest of those guys? P.U.

Sid Thrift was the GM he traded Rhoden for 3 guys one was Doug Drabeck and Tony Pena for Andy VS. Also drafted Barry Bonds this was the start of a great team .

always calling him Jim “People Are Strange” Morrison and I didn’t know as a JR HS kid what it meant.

Got a little older and have been a big fan of The Doors ever since.

How about Benny Distefano and playing a little catcher in his career as a lefty?

Don’t remember if he did in any games in Pittsburgh, though.

The first game I saw on KBL Bill Almon hit an inside-the-park HR.

Joe Orsulak had no power whatsoever but, as bucdaddy points out, was a solid defensive guy with a strong arm and had a lengthy career.

My dad, grandfather, uncles etc. refused to watch the Pirates for the most part after George Hendrick had a couple of games where he pretty much refused to run to first.

And to think we gave up John Tudor and Brian Harper for Hendrick….

No matter what W-L ends up for the ’10 Pirates, they in no way, shape, or form should be equated with the ’85 bums.