Matthew Wade Stairs is a Canadian former professional baseball outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter, who holds the record for most pinch-hit home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB) history with 23. His pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of Game 4 in the 2008 National League Championship Series off the Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton was called "one of the most memorable home runs in Phillies history".
Miguel Jesús Cairo [ki'-row], is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and currently the bench coach for the Washington Nationals. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine different clubs in a 17-year career, spanning from 1996 to 2012. During his playing days, Cairo stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 225 pounds (102 kg) while batting and throwing right-handed. While primarily a second baseman, Cairo was able to play all the infield positions and as a corner outfielder. He was also used for pinch-hitting duties late in his career. He was interim manager for the White Sox in the latter part of the 2022 season as manager Tony La Russa stepped away due to health concerns.
Fury Gene Tenace, better known as Gene Tenace, is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1969 through 1983, most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974.
James Francis Williams was an American professional baseball infielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1966 and 1967 and managed the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Houston Astros.
Robert Andrew Meacham is an American former professional baseball shortstop, who spent his entire six-year big league playing career with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since retiring from active play, Meacham has managed and coached for several organizations in the majors and minors.
Richard Joseph Hebner is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from 1968 through 1985, most prominently as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five National League Eastern Division titles in six years between 1970 and 1975 and won the World Series in 1971. After his playing career, Hebner spent several years as a hitting coach at the major league and minor league levels. He also managed minor league teams in the Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles organizations.
Salvatore Anthony "Torey" Lovullo is an American professional baseball manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB), appointed November 4, 2016.
Darold Duane Knowles is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 through 1980, most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974. In the 1973 World Series, Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators / Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, and St. Louis Cardinals. Knowles batted and threw left-handed. In 2014, he was hired as the pitching coach of the Florida State League's Dunedin Blue Jays.
Robert Lewis Thomson is a Canadian professional baseball manager for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.
Nelson Figueroa is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, and Houston Astros. Figueroa also played for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. He featured a fastball topping out at 91 mph, slider, curveball, changeup, and a splitter. He has also worked as a post-game studio analyst for Mets broadcasts.
Turner Max Ward is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for six teams, over 12 seasons. He previously served as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds.
Donald George Leppert was an American professional baseball player and coach.
Howard Roddy Clark is an American professional baseball coach and former utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins, and coached for the Orioles and Chicago White Sox. He is currently the hitting coach for the Memphis Redbirds.
Richard Michael Sofield is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was the Pittsburgh Pirates third base coach from 2013 to 2016 and was the manager of their Class-A South Atlantic League team the West Virginia Power during the 2012 season.
The 2008 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 127th season of the franchise; the 122nd in the National League. This was their eighth season at PNC Park. It was the first under new president Frank Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington, and manager John Russell. Unable to improve on their 68–94, last place finish during the 2007 season, the Pirates had not had a winning record or made it to the playoffs since 1992, and finished 67–95 for their 16th straight losing season. The season was the final of play-by-play announcer Lanny Frattare, whose 33-year tenure as Pirates' broadcaster was the longest in franchise history.
The 1988 Cleveland Indians season was the 88th season for the franchise. The team, managed by Doc Edwards, finished sixth in the American League East.
Joseph Paul Lonnett was an American professional baseball catcher, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. During his playing days, Lonnett stood 5 feet 10+1⁄2 inches (1.791 m) tall, weighing 185 pounds (84 kg). He threw and batted right-handed.
Mpho' Gift Ngoepe is a South African former professional baseball shortstop and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays. In 2017, he became the first native of continental Africa to reach the Major Leagues.
Matthew Donald Hague is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current assistant hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. Between 2012 and 2016, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at the University of Washington and Oklahoma State. In early 2020, he joined the Blue Jays organization as a coach.
The 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the franchise's 135th season overall, the 130th season as a member of the National League, and the 16th season at PNC Park. The regular season started with a win at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 3 and ended with a loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 2. The Pirates finished the regular season third in the National League Central with 78 wins, 83 losses and one tie. For the first time since the 2012 season, the Pirates finished with a losing record and did not qualify for the postseason.
