You can’t find a fanbase that is more traumatized than that of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Years upon years of helpless losing, watching star after star leave, and squandering what little opportunities they had will do that to anyone.
So when it was announced that the Pirates were bringing back a blast from the past and signed pitcher Carson Fulmer to a minor league deal, many fans had flashbacks to the 2020 Pirates season.
Fulmer was a part of a team that went 19-41 (well on pace for 100+ losses in a full-length season) during the Covid-19 season, which saw games played in empty ballparks across the country and the cancellation of the minor league seasons altogether.
Fulmer, despite spending time on the roster, never appeared in a game for the 2020 Pirates. He was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers, spending a week and a half in the organization before the Pirates designated him for assignment again, where he was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles.
He is the ultimate type of obscure player in Pirates history.
Although hating on a minor league signing in December is a bit of a stretch (yes, even if it’s an organization like the Pirates), the reaction I saw prompted me to go back and take a detailed look at the 2020 Pirates.
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