On Twitter, a few people have passed along a link to Jose Guillen’s ridiculous throw from the warning track in Colorado in 1998 that was named the MLB Network’s #1 Unbelievable Throw of All-Time from last night’s countdown.
I remember that throw like it was yesterday, as I imagine anyone that saw it live would. Watching the clip, though, is kind of sad. Despite the MLBN label, the game couldn’t have taken place in April 27, 1998, because the Pirates were in San Francisco that day. Instead, it was July 27th of that year. Todd Van Poppel was the pitcher, making his second start with the Pirates after being traded from the Rangers with Warren Morris for Esteban Loaiza. Loaiza went on to a 28 WAR career with the Rangers, Blue Jays, White Sox, and Yankees. Van Poppel threw 47 innings for the Piraes and became a free agent. Morris had a semi-promising rookie year in 1999, an awful second year in 2000, and he lost his job to Pat Meares in 2001. He was released in 2002.
The shocked third baseman who somehow manages to apply the tag is Keith Osik, nominally the Pirates’ back-up catcher at the time. He’s playing because 19-year old rookie Aramis Ramirez got the night off. Despite being overwhelmed, Ramirez was the starting third baseman at the time because no one in the Pirates’ front office had thought to protect Joe Randa in the expansion draft after the 1997 season. Because Rarmirez’s arbitration clock started in 1998 and not 2000 like it should’ve, the Pirates dumped his salary for Bobby Hill in 2003. Bobby Hill was even worse than Warren Morris.
Jose Guillen was just a little over 22 and one of the Pirates’ great young hopes to help turn the franchise around. 361 days after his amazing throw, the Pirates got fed up with his immaturity and traded him to Tampa Bay for Joe Oliver and Humberto Cota. They needed Oliver and Cota because Jason Kendall was injured and the very same Keith Osik that they were starting at third base a year before was deemed an inadequate starting catcher. The Pirates made the trade hoping to finish .500. They didn’t. They haven’t since, either.
Great throw, though.
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