#190 Dave Giusti

Best of NL firemen 1971….star making turn in the bullpen spawned by fill in role in 1970... started as a run of the mill yet earnest starter for Colt .45s...Played in the team’s first year….made significant time with the big club circa 1965...over several seasons displayed good ERA with a sub .500 W-L due to the growing pains of his support cast.... had a career high 15 wins in 1966....several times was courted by the Cardinals, first as a College player prior to his Colt .45 debut, was traded to Cardinals in 1968, in turn gave him up in expansion draft to Padres,  who flipped him back to the Cards....circumvent us route was all for naught for Giusti’s neither established himself as a Redbird starter or substantial reliever going 3-7....passed along  to Pirates in a minor deal...Unexpected dividend early in 1970 when he took over the bullpen In April....proceeded to collect 26 saves and propelled the Bucs to the playoffs...contributions not unnoticed finish 4^th and 6^th in Cy Young and MVP voting...1971 continued excellence NL best 30 saves and no runs surrendered in 10 innings of post season work as Pitt rolled to the WS championship.... several years of superior work followed....last year for Pirates was 1976....lost effectiveness and the process of handing over the reins to a young Kent Tekulve began...traded to Oakland in a 9 player trade as the A’s needed bodies after 1977 massive free agent exodus... had a sub 3.00 ERA in 1977 was a strong effort despite being on a gutted squad...sold to Cubs nearing the end of the season but could not regain form and was released at the end of the season....impressive run though.