Welcome to the PBN Around the Horn. Here you’ll find news and notes from across Major League Baseball, your Pittsburgh Pirates, and around the Sports Now network.

Since this crazy off-season started, Around the Horn hasn’t gone up during the weekends today; that changes. Since Saturday is a NICE day, we need a NICE number to go along with it! Since the masses agree the number 69 is, well… a nice number, let’s look at all the players to wear 69 for the Pirates.

We have to credit Mike Petriello of MLB dot com for the idea. Out of the 15 players to don 69 on their jersey. Out of the 15, seven of them were Pirates at some point. Before we list all of the names, can you think of them? DON’T CHEAT!

List of “NICE” Pirates

Bronson Arroyo- Pitched for the Pirates from 2000-2002 and had an ERA of 5.44 in 187.0 innings pitched.

Wilfredo Boscan- Pitched in just six major league games in his professional career. In 2016, Boscan posted a 6.46 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched.

Eric Fryer- Played in two separate stints with the Pirates. Fryer played for the Pirates from 2011-2012 in his first stint and then one more year in 2016 for his second stint while posting a .231 average while with Pittsburgh. Fryer donned 69 in 2011.

Jordy Mercer- Played for the Pirates from 2011-2018, and during Mercer’s seven years, he posted a .256 average. Mercer wore the number 69 during his rookie season in 2012. 

John Nogowski- Besides being Marcus Stroman’s nightmare, Nogowski was one of two Pirates in 2021 to wear the number 69. In his brief stint, Nogowski hit .261 in 111 at-bats.

Danny Ortiz- Much like Boscan, Ortiz only played one season in the majors. Ortiz played in nine games in 2017 and had a .083 average in 12 at-bats.  

Troy Stokes Jr.- 2021 was Stokes’ first year in the majors, and for a brief time, he made some eye-popping plays. In 18 at-bats, Stokes Jr. managed a .111 batting average.

Beau Sulser- 2022- Sulser is the latest Pirate to wear the number 69. Sunday April 24th the Pirates called up Sulser and he has yet to pitch a major league inning.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now Notes

Thursday’s CBA Meeting Results In No Momentum Towards Deal

Start Of Spring Training Officially Delayed; MLB/MLBPA Schedule Next Meeting

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