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Long-time Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson will retire after making one last trip to PNC Park with the team that released him most recently, the Atlanta Braves.
Wilson began his career in Pittsburgh and remained there for nine of his 12 MLB seasons, hitting .269 in 1,159 games with the club. His best season in Pittsburgh was in 2004, when he hit .308, earning the NL Silver Slugger, and represented the Pirates in the All-Star game. Although he was a solid hitter for average throughout his stay in Pittsburgh, he was most valuable as a defensive shortstop.
After being traded in 2009 to the Seattle Mariners, he would see a decline in his numbers, only hitting one of his 61 career homers after leaving the Pirates. He only played 57 games after signing with the Braves midway through the 2011 season, and was hitting .169 with Atlanta before they released him on Aug. 31 after a month and a half on the disabled list with a dislocated finger. The 34-year-old will return to Pittsburgh with an opposing team for the first time since being traded, as the Braves front office has allowed him to work with the team.
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