New York Mets

Date of birth: December 24, 1949 Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic

High School:  Taveras signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent January 8, 1968.

Nickname:  Pittsburgh Stealer; he stole 300 bases. His 206 with the Pirates is 10th all time for them.

Location: BUNTING

First Impression; He’s bunting and this looks like real game action, the shot is well centered.

Career stats: He played 8 seasons with the Pirates before 3 with the Mets and one final season with the Expos. In Pittsburg he was their primary shortstop from 1974-1979 and just at the tail end of We Are Family, he was traded to the Mets. In defense of Pittsburgh, the player they got for Taveras (and another player) was Tim Foli. After the trade Foli hit .291 which is a lot better than the .244 Taveras was hitting prior to the trade.

All time stat: Led the NL in steals in 1977 with 70.

Fun fact: He hit two homers in his career. 724 games 2718 plate appearances. His first homer came in career game #510, it was the 2nd half of a double header in 1977 against the Reds which the Pirates swept, scoring 22 runs in the two games combined. That homer was worth the wait as it was a grand slam. The 2nd was with the Mets, career game #835, also against Cincinnati, this time a solo shot.

Ever a Future Star?  He was a “Rookie Shortstop” in 1974

Rookie or final card? No

Hall of Fame? Number retired? N/A

Links to stories including Frank Taveras.

*per wikipedia