The Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 season was a season in American baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

. It consisted of the Pirates finishing in third place in the newly-established National League East

National League East

The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...

, twelve games behind the eventual World Series champion New York Mets

1969 New York Mets season

The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...

. The Pirates were managed by Larry Shepard

Larry Shepard

Lawrence William Shepard was a manager in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968 to 1969. During his playing days, Shepard was a right-handed pitcher who played minor league baseball from 1941 through 1956, with time out for military service during World War II...

, and played their home games at Forbes Field

Forbes Field

Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...

, which was in its final full season of operation, before moving into their new facility

Three Rivers Stadium

Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

 in the middle of the following season.

Offseason

• October 14, 1968: Maury Wills
  Maury Wills
  Maurice Morning "Maury" Wills is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and switch-hitting batter who played most prominently with the Los Angeles Dodgers , and also with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos...
  
   was drafted from the Pirates by the Montreal Expos
  Montreal Expos
  The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
  
   as the 21st pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.
• January 15, 1969: Manny Jiménez
  Manny Jiménez
  Manuel Emilio Jiménez Rivera is a former Major League Baseball left fielder. He played for the Kansas City Athletics...
  
   was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs
  Chicago Cubs
  The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
  
   for Joe Campbell
  Joe Campbell (baseball)
  Joseph Earl "Joe" Campbell is a retired professional baseball player. He played the outfield position, and batted and threw right-handed. Campbell was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He played one game in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs. Campbell had no hits in that game...
  
   and Chuck Hartenstein
  Chuck Hartenstein
  Charles Oscar Hartenstein [Twiggy] is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Hartenstein batted and threw right-handed...
  
  .

Notable transactions

• June 5, 1969: Pedro Ramos
  Pedro Ramos
  Pedro Ramos Guerra was a Major League pitcher with a 15-year career from 1955 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1970...
  
   was released by the Pirates.
• July 30, 1969: Bo Belinsky
  Bo Belinsky
  Robert "Bo" Belinsky was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, who became an instant southern California celebrity as a rookie with the original Los Angeles Angels, especially when the fourth of his season-opening four straight wins was a no-hit, no-run game against his former...
  
   was purchased by the Pirates from the California Angels
  Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
  
  .

Roster

1969 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders		Manager Coaches

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C		129	459	139	.303	5	57
1B		129	463	132	.285	17	70
2B		67	227	52	.229	3	25
3B
SS

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	77	168	45	.268	1	16

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	38	210	16	10	4.46	147

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	8	17.2	0	3	4.58	15

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
	56	5	4	10	3.95	44
	2	0	0	0	10.80	2

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: York