3/15 From 1980: Taylor, Domingo, Heath, Vogey & Ian Sign, '23 Pre-Arbs Settled, Cobra Trade Bait; HBD Sean, Greg & Steve
- 1982 – RHP Steve Jackson was born in Sumter, South Carolina. The Yankee product via Clemson tossed two MLB seasons, both for the Bucs, in 2009-10 with a 2-4/4.31 slash. In 2011, he tossed in the minors for the LA Dodgers, Cincy Reds and Bucs in his last professional season.
- 1982 – Charley Feeney of the Post Gazette reported that the Yankees and Expos were talking to the Pirates about a Dave Parker swap. Pittsburgh’s ask from the Bronx Bombers was some front line pitching, and they worked the Expos for a package that featured Terry Francona. Nothing came of the palaver, unfortunately for the Buccos – they held onto The Cobra through 1983, couldn’t re-sign him and lost him for nada to the Reds when he hit free agency.
- 1993 – OF Greg Allen was born in San Diego. A fifth year player, mostly with Cleveland, he posted a .241 BA over that time. The Yankees DFA’ed him before the 2021-22 lockout began and the Bucs claimed him. He won a starting spot in left field – he played all three outfield positions – then injured his hammy in the week leading up to Opening Day and ended up on the 60-day IL, not returning to action until late July. Allen played some and was waived at the end of the season, rejoining to the Yankees. He was DFA’ed to the Brew Crew in August, then he re-upped with the Bronx Bombers. He’s now in Mexico.
- 1994 – RHP Sean Poppen was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Harvard product (he graduated with honors with a double Chemistry & Physics/Engineering major) pitched in parts of two seasons for the Twins before being DFA’ed in 2020 and claimed by the Bucs. He started the 2021 campaign in the alternate training camp and was called up in mid-April to replace Michael Feliz, who went on the IL. He was sold mid-season to the Tampa Bay Rays, then joined the Arizona D-Backs and later the Seattle Mariners. He pitched indie ball in ‘24, went to Mexico in ‘25, and is a free agent now.
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| Sean Poppen – 2021 photo MLB.com |
- 2008 – Five days after unilaterally renewing his pre-arb contract, the Pirates signed RHP Ian Snell to a three-year deal worth $8M with options for 2011-12. The 26-year old, who was arbitration eligible after the 2009 season, had a 24-26 record after two years in the show. He was dismal in 2008 and was sent to Class AAA at his request. Snell was traded to Seattle in 2009 at the deadline for a boatload of prospects, the best being Ronny Cedeno. Afterward, he pitched for two other organizations (Seattle and LA) in the minors, signed with an indie team, tossed in the Puerto Rican league and retired in 2017.
- 2022 – The Pirates announced the signing of 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach, 29, a 2019 All-Star, for one year/$800K and bonuses with a $1.5M option/$200K buyout, and 33-year-old RHP Heath Hembree (one year/$2.125M). Vogey was a low average, power lefty hitter with six years in the show while Hembree had several good years with Boston before hitting a rough patch with Cincinnati and Philadelphia. He couldn’t keep the ball in the park in those hitter-friendly yards, but rallied with the Mets in 2021 to earn a seat in the Bucco bullpen. Vogey kept true to form, hitting .228 with 12 HR before being dealt to the Mets for Colin Holderman. He returned to the Bucs as a coach during the 2025 spring and moved on as a Brewers coach for ‘26. Hembree reverted to form, went to LA in June, to Tampa/Detroit in ‘23 and then joined the Seattle system; he’s a free agent this season after pitching in the Dominican League in ‘25. The club also placed RHPs Blake Cederlind and Nick Mears on the 60-day IL. Cederlind underwent 2021 Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, last pitching in the pros in 2023, while Mears’ right elbow was scoped in February to clean out scar tissue. He’s since pitched for the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers; he’s now in the KC org.
- 2023 – The team agreed to 2023 contract terms with the 27 players on their 40-man roster who were pre-arb, with one dissenter: SS Oneil Cruz had his contract renewed for $720 K, the league minimum. Among the Buccos included in this group were P’s Dave Bednar, Roansy Contreras, Wil Crowe & Chase De Jong, OF Jack Suwinski, C Endy Rodriguez and IF Rudolfo Castro.
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| Oneil Cruz – 2023 Topps Home Field Advantage |
- 2024 – The Pirates agreed to a one-year/$4M contract with former AL Gold Glove winner (2021) CF Michael A. Taylor, pending a physical (the deal became official the next day, and the Bucs placed RHP Dauri Morata on the 60-day IL to clear room). Taylor, 32, was a 10-year vet who played with Washington for seven years, then for Kansas City in 2021-22 and spent last season with Minnesota. Taylor had a career-best 21 home runs with the Twins, but posted a line of .220/.278/.442 with an unsightly 33.5% strikeout rate. However, Taylor was still an above average center fielder, and that was a box the Bucs wanted to check off entering the ‘24 campaign. But Taylor only hit .193/5 HR in 300 PAs, was released in September and signed up with the White Sox for ‘25, retiring after the season.
- 2024 – It was a busy Friday for the FO gang: they also inked RHP Domingo German, 31, to a minor league NRI deal for $1.25M with bonuses, plus a 2025 team option for $2.25M with bonuses. German came toting bad-citizen and injury baggage; he also threw a perfect game and averaged a strikeout per inning in 2023 for the New York Yankees, so the Pirates were hoping that he would straighten up, keep his wing in one piece and fly right from his new nest. German was called up from the farm in August, worked 20-2/3 innings and gave up 18 earned runs; he was then DFA’d, cleared waivers and finished the season at Indy. He’s now pitching in the Dominican League.
Source: https://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2026/03/315-from-1980-taylor-domingo-heath.html
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