![]() Heaton played in the majors until July 1993, seeing time with the Royals, Milwaukee Brewers (one inning in 1992) and the 1993 New York Yankees. ![]() In 1992 the Pirates traded him during spring training to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Kirk Gibson. In fact, Heaton didn’t pitch in the playoffs once in his 12-year career. Despite being with the team during two playoff seasons, he did not appear in a postseason game. In 1991 he pitched out of the bullpen all year, posting a 4.33 ERA in 68.2 innings over 42 games (one start). He also made his only All-Star appearance that season. In 1990 he went 12-9, 3.45 in 146 innings, helping the Pirates to their first division title since 1979. He had a career best 3.05 ERA in 147.1 innings pitched. ![]() Heaton started 18 games for the Pirates in 1989 and pitched another 24 games out of the bullpen. During the 1988 season, he spent the first two months in the starting rotation, then moved to a relief role on June 17th, after putting up a 6.12 ERA. From 1984-87, he averaged 199.2 innings per season. The following February, he was dealt to the Montreal Expos, who kept him until late spring 1989, when he was shipped to the Pirates in exchange for 24-year-old pitcher Brett Gideon. After the deal, he went 4-9, 3.98 in 124.1 innings. Heaton was traded to the Minnesota Twins in June of 1986 after posting a 4.24 ERA in 12 starts. He posted a 21-32 record between 1984-85 with an ERA over 5.00 in 67 starts. He moved into the starting role full-time the next two seasons and did not pitch well, but was also hurt by some poor teams behind him. He went 11-6, 4.16 in 16 starts and 23 relief appearances in 1983 during his first full season in the majors. Heaton was in Triple-A the next year, going 10-5, 4.01 in 172.2 innings, before joining the Indians in September for four starts and four relief appearances. He went straight to Double-A after signing, where he went 4-4, 3.97 in 77 innings over 11 starts. Heaton was originally drafted in the first round by the New York Mets out of high school in January of 1979, selected first overall, but he decided to attend college instead. By 1983 he was already an 11-game winner in the majors, who not only threw three shutouts, but also saved seven games. He was a second round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians in 1981 out of the University of Miami, who made his Major League debut just one season later. Neal Heaton, pitcher for the 1989-91 Pirates. 290 hitter in 736 Major League games, with 45 homers and 226 RBIs. He signed with the New York Yankees in December of 2012, but he was cut during Spring Training, then signed with the Marlins eight days later. He remained in Atlanta through the end of 2012, then finished his big league career with a brief stint for the Miami Marlins in 2013. On Aughe was traded to the Braves for minor league pitcher Eliecer Cardenas. Diaz played exactly 100 games with Pittsburgh, hitting. On Decemhe signed a two-year contract with the Pirates. ![]() 250 with seven homers in 84 games for the Braves. The next season he set career highs with 13 homers and 58 RBIs, while hitting. Diaz was limited to 43 games in 2008 due to a knee injury suffered in late May when he crashed into the outfield wall. He started 140 of his 259 games during those two seasons. 338 with 21 doubles, 12 homers and 45 RBIs in 135 games. In 323 plate appearances over 124 games in 2006, he batted. Diaz saw instant success with the Braves as a semi-regular in the lineup, who also saw a lot of time off the bench. 281 with one homer in 34 games for the Royals, who traded him to the Atlanta Braves in December of 2005. The Devil Rays lost him on waivers to the Baltimore Orioles in February of 2005, then just two days later he ended up with the Kansas City Royals. Diaz saw very limited time in the majors in both 20 with Tampa, playing a total of 14 games. He was a 17th round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999 out of Florida State, who made at least a brief appearances in the majors each season from 2003 until 2013. Matt Diaz, outfielder for the 2011 Pirates. ![]() Seven former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date. ![]()
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