As for that one season, Andy Van Slyke, the second-best hitter behind Bonds on the ’92 team, missed half of the season and was at the end of his career. Also, the team ERA jumped from 3.35 to 4.77.
The only pitcher to start a game that season and finish with a winning record was 29-year old Jeff Ballard, who started five games and was 4-1 on the season in 25 appearances. Only Steve Cooke was a starter with an ERA under four (3.89), and that would be far and away the best of his three full major-league seasons.
Al Martin became the new “slugger” on the Pirates, with his team-leading 18 home runs and .481 slugging percentage. You can compare that to Bonds' .624 slugging percentage from the previous year, but why torture yourself?
1994 would be better for the Pirates for only one reason: It was shortened by a strike.
Prospects Don’t Deliver on Their Promise
As the early '90s became the mid-'90s, the Pirates were still a team stuck at the bottom of the division, but it seemed like they were getting younger and had a few bright spots to look forward to in the future.
By 1995, the young staff was anchored by Denny Neagle, Esteban Loaiza, and Jon Lieber.
Orlando Merced, Jeff King, and Al Martin were becoming reliable veterans that you could at least count on to keep you in the game.
But they weren’t just lacking a Barry Bonds-type star. They were lacking any kind of star.
In 1996, it looked like Jeff King was finally going to step it up another level. He belted 30 homers and drove in 111 runs for the Pirates, but they still finished in fifth place.
On the bright side, 1996 saw the debuts of 22-year old Jason Kendall and 23-year old Jason Schmidt—a player they acquired in a deal with the Atlanta Braves for the 14-6 Denny Neagle.
At the very least, it seemed the Pirates could be fun to watch again.
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