Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the Major League Baseball.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, the Pirates finished last in the National League Central, winning only 71 games.  There were no new entrants, and only one active player was on the list.  Of note, Paul Skenes was very close to breaking the top 50 despite the brevity of his career.

As always, we present our top five, which remains unchanged.

1. Honus Wagner
2. Roberto Clemente
3. Paul Waner
4. Willie Stargell
5. Arky Vaughan

You can find the entire list here.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! 

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the small market Pirates again finished in the NL East basement, finishing 76-86.  There were three new entrants, though all enter based on the new algorithm and they are players from many years ago.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes.

1. Honus Wagner

2. Roberto Clemente

3. Paul Waner

4. Arky Vaughan

5. Willie Stargell

You can find the entire list here. 

Andrew McCutchen was unable to get past #11.

The three new entrants are Second Baseman Claude Ritchey at #48, Third Base Richie Hebner at #49 and Pitcher Vic Willis at #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out, and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Pirates got off to a good start but were unable to hold that momentum, and they again missed the playoffs.  There were no new entrants but one small elevation.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Honus Wagner

2. Roberto Clemente

3. Paul Waner

4. Arky Vaughan

5. Willie Stargell

You can find the entire list here.

The only change was the returning Andrew McCutchen, who went up one spot to #11.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pittsburgh Pirates first came into existence in 1882, first as the Alleghenys before changing their name to the Pirates in 1892.  They played in the first modern World Series in 1903, and won their first in 1909.  Since then, they have won four more, 1925, 1960, 1971 & 1979, and was the home of some of the greatest names in the game.

This list is up to the end of the 2022 regular season.

Our Top 50 lists in Baseball look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2022 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Honus Wagner

2.  Roberto Clemente

3. Paul Waner

4. Arky Vaughan

5. Willie Stargell

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for our more material coming soon!

As always, we thank you for your support.

Following the footsteps of a legendary hometown figure can overshadow a young player's career, but Arky Vaughan spent ten years demonstrating he could rise above the shadow of Honus Wagner. Coming from Arkansas farmland to earn his lifelong nickname, Vaughan arrived in Pittsburgh with a quiet, deadly focus that reflected the industrial surroundings of Forbes Field. While Wagner himself wandered the dugout as the team's iconic coach and mentor, Vaughan dedicated himself to building a legacy that ranks just below "The Flying Dutchman" among the greatest shortstops in history.

Initially, Vaughan was expected to observe during the 1932 schedule, learning from veteran Tommy Thevenow. However, an ankle injury to Thevenow put Vaughan, then just 20, directly into the action. He didn't merely survive the challenge; he secured the starting role for the next ten summers.

By his second season in 1933, he was consistently turning extra-base hits into a regular occurrence, leading the National League with a impressive 19 triples. The next summer marked the beginning of a historic nine-year streak of appearances in the All-Star Game, with the first eight played while he was a Pittsburgh player.

His 1935 season is considered one of the greatest offensive displays in Major League history. Vaughan dominated the National League, ending with a remarkable .385/.491/607 slash line. He also showed surprising power for a hitter known for contact, hitting a career-high 19 home runs and driving in 99 RBIs, finishing third in the NL MVP voting. His .385 batting average and 1.098 OPS from that summer remain franchise records to this day.

Evaluating Vaughan only at his peak underestimates his remarkable consistency. He was a dependable hitter, consistently maintaining a batting average above .300 in ten straight seasons with Pittsburgh. His outstanding bat speed, combined with sharp spatial awareness and disciplined plate approach, allowed him to walk nearly four times more often than he struck out throughout his career. This made it very difficult for opposing pitchers to avoid him.

Following the 1941 season, continued conflicts with management led to a major trade that sent him to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He left Forbes Field with impressive career stats: a .324 batting average, 1,709 hits, 908 runs scored, and an outstanding .887 OPS over 1,411 games.

Tragically, his post-baseball life was cut short in 1952 when he drowned at the age of 40 during a sudden storm while trying to save a fishing companion, a final act of selflessness that underscored the quiet dignity he carried throughout his life.

Vaughan was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 via the Veterans Committee.