Mascots #M-19 Pirate Parrot - Pittsburgh Pirates

Mascot: Pirate Parrot (From the Reds' Website) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: M-19 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Division: National League Central
Introduced: 1979
Social Media Handles: (Twitter) (Instagram)

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 09: Pittsburgh Pirates mascot, the Pirate Parrot, waves the Jolly Roger flag on the mound after an MLB game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on April 09, 2017 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh won the game 6-5, coming back twice to beat the Braves in 10 innings. Pittsburgh won the 3-game series against Atlanta, their first sweep against the Braves since 1994. (Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Photo Date: April 9, 2017

Photographer: Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire (Website) (Twitter)

Of note, the Pirate Parrot was hatched in 1979, the year of the "We Are Family" World Champion Pirates.

This is the Pirate Parrot's 10th appearance as a card in the Opening Day set. Unlike some of the other mascots, his name was used on all of them instead of the generic "Team Mascot" designation.

In lieu of a card in the 2008 set, mascots were given a tattoo insert. Teams with no mascot had a logo tattoo.

In 2014, 2016 and 2017, collectors also had the chance to pull a Pirate Parrot Autograph card. Looks like he changed his signature up a little between 2014 and 2016.

#182 Josh Bell - Pittsburgh Pirates

Player: Josh Bell (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: 182 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Division: National League Central

Position: 1B

Jersey Number: 55
RC/Future Stars/Topps Rookie Cup: No

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 04: Josh Bell #55 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 4, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Game Date: September 4, 2017

Opponent: Chicago Cubs
Stadium: PNC Park
Home/Away: Home
Game Outcome: Pirates 12, Cubs 0
Win/Loss: Win
Player Game Line: 3-5, 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI
Photographer: Justin Berl (Personal Website) (Twitter)
New Team/Photoshopped?: No

Birthdate: August 14, 1992

Birthplace: Irving, TX

Bats: Both

Throws: Right

MLB Service Years: 2

Social Media Handles: (Twitter)

Something I learned because of this card: The home run Bell hit in this game (possibly even pictured) broke the NL record for home runs by a rookie switch hitter. That's a lot of qualifiers in there, but still kind of neat. Like Trey Mancini, Bell finished 3rd in the ROY balloting for his league. Also like Mancini, any other year he might have been a winner. 

Despite being a rookie, Bell had an Opening Day card last year as well. 

Bell was not featured in Series 1, making this a likely Series 2 preview. The same photo is used on the Factory Team Set card, but as you can see above, the Future Stars designation was added.

Cubs Ties?: None, other than the torching of them he contributed to as featured on this card.