relief pitcher there before joining the Pirates for the final weeks of the year. Through 2003, he averaged 7.6 strikeouts per 9 innings in the minor leagues, striking out 9.5 batters per 9 innings at the AAA level. In the summer of 2003 he made six appearances with Team USA in the Olympic qualifying team trials. Major leagues Pittsburgh Pirates Grabow was called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003, after having spent six years playing in the minor leagues. It was the most memorable moment of his life. Grabow appeared in 68 games in his first year with the Pirates, a team record for the number of appearances by a rookie left-hander. Used both in short stints and long ones, Grabow said: "That stuff where there are guys in certain roles, yeah, there are some guys who have roles set, but I don't think I'm one of them. I just pitch when they tell me to. Whether it's one or two innings, or to one batter, it doesn't matter to me." On the light side, for his rookie hazing he had to wear a Tweety Bird backpack during batting practice and carrying all the snacks to the bullpen, go through an airport wearing a cheerleader outfit that was two sizes too small, and serve drinks on the plane. In February 2005 Grabow signed a contract pursuant to which he would make $327,000 in the majors, but $240,000 if he pitched at Class AAA Indianapolis. He was a workhorse in the Pittsburgh bullpen in 2005, appearing in 63 games in his second full major league season. He held opposing batters to a .186 batting average and a .186 slugging percentage when there were runners in scoring position. He stranded a major-league best 89.7% of his inherited runners, allowing just 4 of 39 inherited runners to score. In 2006, he appeared in 72 games. He held opposing batters to a .217 batting average when there were runners in scoring position. Grabow stranded 82.5% of the runners he inherited, the best in the National League. In February 2007, Grabow and the Pirates avoided arbitration, and agreed to a 1-year contract for $832,500. Grabow was also in a position to make $10,000 to $70,000 in incentive bonuses if he finished 20–35 games, but was not able to cash in as he only finished 14 games. He was also in a position to make