» June 6, 1979: The Mariners make OF Al Chambers the number-one pick in the free-agent draft, but his big league career will last just 57 games. The Mets take UCLA P Tim Leary with the 2nd pick. The Blue Jays, picking 3rd, take high school C Jay Schroeder, who will play football for UCLA and will be drafted #1 in 1984 by the Colts, but will never catch in the ML. Kansas City picks football players on the 4th (Dan Marino) and the 17th (John Elway) rounds. Brad Komminsk (Braves) is the 4th pick, SS Juan Bustabad (A's) is 5th, with Andy Van Slyke (Cards) 6th. Bustabad is one of 13 of 16 picks who will not sign with the A's, but he does sign with the Red Sox, who will pick him #1 in the 1980 January draft. The Dodgers pick Orel Hershiser in the 17th round and the Yankees take Don Mattingly in the 19th round. Brett Butler goes to the Braves in the 23rd. The Reds take prep infielder Daniel Lamar in round one, then get slightly better results in the second round with Bob Buchanan and Keefe Cato.
» April 1, 1987:
St. Louis sends highly regarded youngsters OF Andy Van Slyke, C Mike LaValliere, and P Mike Dunne to Pittsburgh in exchange for All-Star catcher Tony Pena.
» April 9, 1990:
At Shea, the Pirates pound Dwight Gooden (0-1) for five runs in 4.1 innings and go on to win, 12–3. Doug Drabek gets the win as Bobby Bonilla and Andy Van Slyke homer to back his pitching. Gooden has a losing record for the first time in nine seasons.
» October 9, 1991:
The Pirates defeat the Braves in Game one of the NLCS, 5–1. 1990 Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek gets the victory for the Bucs and Andy Van Slyke homers.
» July 7, 1992: Pittsburgh's Andy Van Slyke becomes the first OF in nearly 18 years to record an unassisted double play, in the Pirates 5–3 win over the Astros. Van Slyke raced in from center field to catch a fly ball, then continues in to double up Ken Caminiti, who was running from 2nd base on the play.
» July 17, 1992:
Behind Greg Maddux, the Cubs beat first-place Pittsburgh, 2–1. Buc CF Andy Van Slyke has two hits and makes an unassisted DP.
» August 7, 1992:
As of today, the No. one hitters in the AL and NL, Edgar Martinez and John Kruk, are both hitting .341. The No. two hitters in each league, Kirby Puckett and Andy Van Slyke, are both hitting .331. The No. three hitters in each league, Shane Mack and Gary Sheffield, are both hitting .329.
» August 10, 1992: The Mets Vince Coleman will end the season with just 27 walks, but he picks up five today against the Pirates to tie the 20th century mark. Pittsburgh breaks a 1-1 tie against the host Mets, scoring three runs in the 16th inning to win, 4-2. Reliever Dennis Cook wins as the Bucs Andy Van Slyke and the Mets Bill Pecota homer. Franco pitches his second of four straight games, a season-high effort that puts him back on the disabled list.
» September 15, 1992:
At St. Louis, the Pirates edge the Cards, 4–2 behind homers by Jeff King, Barry Bonds, and Andy Van Slyke. Mark Clark (3–10) is the loser. Bucs RF Alex Cole helps with a 9–3 putout in the 2nd inning to nip Clark.
» September 20, 1992: Phillies 2B Mickey Morandini becomes the 9th player in history to turn an unassisted triple play in Philadelphia's 13 inning 3–2 loss to the Pirates. With runners on 1st and 2nd in the 6th inning, Morandini caught Jeff King's line drive, stepped on 2nd to double up Andy Van Slyke, and tagged out Barry Bonds, who was running from 1st.
» September 26, 1992: The Mets lose to the Pirates, 19–2 as the Bucs collect 20 hits, including homers by Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke. Van Slyke adds a triple and Lloyd McClendon has a homer and 4 RBIs. IF Bill Pecota pinch hits and pitches the last inning for NY, becoming the first position player ever to hurl an inning for the Mets. He gives up one hit and one run.
» October 9, 1992: Rookie Tim Wakefield hurls Pittsburgh to a 3–2 victory over the Braves, giving the Pirates their 1st win in the NLCS. He is the 1st rookie to start an National League playoff game since Philadelphia's Charles Hudson in 1983. Ron Gant homers for the Braves, but Andy Van Slyke's sac fly in the 7th provides the margin of victory.
» May 8, 1994:
Pittsburgh OF Andy Van Slyke goes 8-for-9 in the Pirates' 9-2 and 9-3 doubleheader sweep of the Cubs. Van Slyke homers and doubles in the first game, while driving in four runs.
» June 18, 1995: The Orioles trade OF Andy Van Slyke to the Phillies in exchange for P Gene Harris.
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