All-Time Team based on your favorite player.
JoeBanzai
Posts: 11,806 ✭✭✭✭✭
I thought it would be fun to pick an all time great team based on the first letter of you favorite players last name. My guy is Harmon Killebrew.
Move your guys around if need be, but try to keep it reasonable in where you position them (Killebrew played three full years in LF even though he was primarily a 1B/3B, Kaline played 2 years in CF full time). All my guys had at least 7-8 years in majors so Eddie Gaedel should not qualify.
First thing I noticed, I ended up with all left handed starting pitchers. Next thing I found is that "K" doesn't leave me a lot of choices (especially in CF), even though I think I have a great team. Several great non-HOFer's in Kaat (283 wins), Kluszewski (4X AS, 3X top 7 in MVP voting), Kent (MVP), Kuenn (10X All-Star). Assuming Kershaw will make it.
On a side note, too bad it took so long for Ted Kluszewski to make it to the Majors, he was very good. He didn't get into baseball until after college as he was a standout football player and didn't want to lose his eligibility.
I went with 4 starting pitchers, one middle relief/set up guy and a closer, added a DH as well. Assuming any position player could "play" DH even if his career was before the rule change.
I stayed out of the early 1900's or I would have added Tim Keefe as a RHP, then dropping Koosman. If you want to pick a 5 man rotation, I'll have to add Keefe or Bob Knepper (ouch). Keefe it is 2.62 ERA 1.12 WHIP.
Here's my team; (position, ERA, WHIP Pitchers BA, OPS Position players)
SP Koufax, Sandy 2.76 1.11 HOF
SP Kershaw, Clayton 2.37 1.00 HOF?
SP Kaat, Jim 3.45 1.26
SP Koosman, Jerry 3.36 1.26
RP Klein, Ron 3.75 1.37
Closer Kimbrel, Craig 1.81 0.91
C Kendall, Jason .288 .744
1B Kluszewski, Ted .298 .850
2B Kent, Jeff .290 .855
3B Kell, George .306 .781 HOF
SS Kuenn, Harvey .303. .765
LF Killebrew, Harmon .256 .884 HOF
CF Kaline, Al .297 .855 HOF
RF Klein, Chuck .297 .855 HOF
DH Kiner, Ralph .279 .946 HOF
Let's see what you got!
Comments
That's way too limited. I thought about starting a thread where you pick you favorite team. Where you get 6 OF and 2 at the other positions and 5 starting pitchers and a closer....but not limited to any letter in name.
More limited for sure, I just thought it would challenging and also be fun!
I also learned about some good players I had heard of and a couple I had never heard of.
I'm challenging 1970s! You're taking the "B"s right? Let's see who you pick!!!!
skin and dallas got favorite players? OR how about either or both of you letting us know the "best" letter? "M" might be pretty good (what an outfield!), although "W" (an all "Williams" outfield?) and "A" could be right up there!
My favorite player was Carlos Zambrano.
My team ain't making it to the playoffs.
With the way you spell you could push the envelope
Welcome back Jon
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
Second favorite? Dan Quisenberry?
Hey, I resemble that remark!
Richie Zisk was good! Ben Zobrist, Barry Zito.......man you're not even trying!!! ;-)
Manager Don Zimmer!
SP Ryan, Nolan 3.19 1.25 HOF
SP Ruffing, Red 3.80 1.34 HOF
SP Rixey, Eppa 3.15 1.27 HOF
SP Roberts, Robin 3.41 1.17 HOF
RP Radatz, Dick 3.13 1.19
Closer Rivera Mariano 2,21 1.00
C Rodriguez, Pudge .296 .798 HOF
1B Rose, Pete .303 .784
2B Robinson, Jackie .311 .883 HOF
3B Robinson, Brooks .267 .723 HOF
SS Ripken, Cal .276 .788 HOF
LF Raines, Tim .294 .810 HOF
CF Roush, Edd .323 .815 HOF
RF Ruth, Babe .342 1.164 HOF
DH Robinson, Frank .294 .926 HOF
Heckofa pitching staff. Not much Home Run Power except for Ruth and FRobby though. Great defensive team too!
The "K" team will have problems here! If we make it to the W.S. watch out for Koufax! ;-) Might have to pitch him 4 times LOL.
Not much of a racing stable except for Secretariat and Citation.
dallas, do you have a particular favorite player, or do you just like the "R" team?
In a 20 year competition(career length of many of the great players), my team wins 4-7 world series' against the "R" team.
Great longevity and long peak streaks dallas. Koufax and Klu hurt me the most. Now if we limit it to a 10 year window, I might be on a more equal footing.
Here's my Mays team...
OF Mays
OF Mantle
OF Musial
1B McCovey
2B Morgan
3B Mathews
SS Machado
C Mackey
DH Murray
U Mazeroski
U Molitor
STAFF:
Morris
Maddux
Martinez, Pedro
Marichal
Mathewson
McGinnity
I think we have a winner!
No Thurman at Catcher?
I'll do the W's
Wynn Early
Walsh Ed
Waddell Rube
Welch Mickey
Warneke Lon
Wilhelm Hoyt
Wagner Billy
C Wilson Jimmy
1B Watson Bob
2B Whittaker Lou
3B Williams Matt
SS Wagner Honus
OF Williams Ted
OF Walker Larry
OF Williams Bernie
U Williams Billy
U Wright David
Couple of weak spots
Munson was my first catcher for the Ms but Mackey allowed me to get a full HOF squad and add a N-League player.
My favorite "active" player growing up was Steve Garvey, so I made a run at the Gs. Within seconds I realized he wouldn't be playing first base for the Gs. So I took a loophole and placed him at 3rd since his RC did indeed list him at 3rd.
3B Garvey
DH Greenberg
1B Gehrig
OF Griffey Jr
2B Gehringer
OF Guerrero, Vlad
OF Gwynn
C Gibson, Josh
SS Garciaparra
U Gallaragga
U Gaetti
STAFF:
Guidry
Gibson
Glavine
Gooden
Greinke
Gossage
Nolan Ryan is my favorite player.
The "M" team is, and will be no matter what other letters people try, the runaway winner. But in the name of all that is holy, what is Jack Morris doing on there? You could easily fill two M teams with 5 starters and not befoul either one with him, and there's no relief pitcher (Mike Marshall, Tug McGraw).
That "G" team is LOADED! Entire starting 8 in HOF or worthy. They will hit!!!! Gibson the best starter but Glavine was better than I thought
So Dallas what's with Babe Ruth and Frank Robinson batting eighth and ninth.
Don't you guys know how to put the players in lineup form?
Lou Brock LF
Wade Boggs 3B
George Brett 1B
Barry Bonds RF
Johnny Bench C
Mookie Betts CF
Ernie Banks SS
Yogi Berra DH
Craig Biggio 2B
Pitchers
Bert Blyleven
Madison Bumgarner
Jonathon Broxton
Reserves
Cool Papa Bell
Jeff Bagwell
Carlos Beltran
He's listing his players by position number on the field, not in batting order form.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
The R team in batting order:
LF Raines, Tim .294 .810 HOF
2B Robinson, Jackie .311 .883 HOF
RF Ruth, Babe .342 1.164 HOF
DH Robinson, Frank .294 .926 HOF
C Rodriguez, Pudge .296 .798 HOF
1B Rose, Pete .303 .784
SS Ripken, Cal .276 .788 HOF
CF Roush, Edd .323 .815 HOF
3B Robinson, Brooks .267 .723 HOF
Rose ended up being the odd man out since I picked a lineup with two leadoff hitters. Anyway, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 are where they need to be, the rest could be rearranged several ways.
And as Morris plays to the score.....he would end the "M" team season at 24-6, with a 12.82 ERA
Great hitting team! Maybe a little weak at pitcher.