The Pittsburgh Pirates have had some very effective relief pitchers in their history. You probably know Kent Tekulve, Roy Face, Dave Giusti, Mark Melancon, and a few others. But before every effective closer, there’s an effective set up man. When Giusti was getting the bulk of save opportunities in the early-to-mid 1970’s, lefty Ramon Hernandez was the one getting the game to the 9th inning.
Hernandez’s path to becoming one of the best relief pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history was a winding road. Before the 1959 season, he was actually signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent.