A Pirates legend passed away yesterday. Catcher Ed Ott, a member of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates, died at age 72. “The Otter” played eight seasons in MLB, the first seven of them with the Pirates. His best season was the world championship season of 1979 when he hit .273 with 20 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 51 RBIs. He was 4-for-12 in the World Series with three runs driven in.
Lifetime, Ott hit .259 with 33 home runs and 159 RBIs. His career ended after one season with the Angels, during which he tore his rotator cuff.
Ott’s high school in Muncy, PA didn’t have a baseball team. He played football and wrestled and played legion baseball. He was famed for his toughness, most notably when he picked up and body slammed Mets second baseman Felix Milan during a scuffle at second base.
At Bradenton yesterday, the Bucs played the Orioles in a Spring Training game. Greg Brown has the story. (5-2 loss.)
As Greg noted, reliever Dauri Moreta left the game with an injury, and it’s a concerning one…he was shaking his pitching arm after delivering an 89.9 miles per hour fastball. He averaged 95.4 miles per hour on his fastball last season. Manager Derek Shelton said after the game that Moreta had elbow pain. Moreta has allowed five runs on three hits, all homers, with four walks in three appearances totaling two-and-a-third innings.
Bucs closer David Bednar has yet to appear in a game in spring training, and it could be a while. Bednar has tightness in his right lat, the muscle in his back behind the arm. He felt the pain while throwing last week.
Other Pirates injury news:
- Outfielder Joshua Palacios is expected to see his first action this week after recovering from a lower leg injury.
- Designated hitter/outfielder Andrew McCutchen will likely play in a game for the first time this week as he continues his return from last year’s partial left Achilles tear.
The Pirates will play the Tampa Bay Rays today at Port Charlotte. Luis Ortiz gets the start for the Bucs. It’s a non-radio game.
Comments