Just got my new Sports Illustrated in the mail

TNP777 · October 6, 2006 1:28PM

One of the nicest covers I have ever seen. It's going into my S.I. Dodger collection due to Koufax being on it. On the inside there is a large painting of the overall team. The painting is so large that one must turn the page to see the whole thing - might have to buy an extra copy so I can put the pages together in a frame.

According to S.I., here is the all-time MLB team, along with their blurb about each (in no particular order, since no list is given - taken from the pics on the inside):

Warren Spahn, pitcher - 363 Wins, 20-game winner 13 times, most wins by a lefty, 1957 Cy Young Award
Lou Gehrig, first baseman - .340 avg., 498 homers, 1995 RBIs, two-time MVP ('27, '36)
Dennis Eckersley, pitcher - 390 saves, 197 wins, last pitcher to win MVP ('82)
Cy Young, pitcher - 511 wins, 30-game winner five times, winningest pitcher in baseball history
Roger Clemens, pitcher - 348 wins, 4604 strikeouts, seven Cy Youngs ('86, '87, '92, '97, '98, '01, '04)
John McGraw, manager - 2763-1948 in 34 seasons, second most by a manager, three World Series titles
Joe McCarthy, coach - 2125-1333 in 24 seasons, seven World Series titles
Casey Stengel, coach - 1905-1842 in 25 seasons, seven World Series titles
Lefty Grove, pitcher - 300 wins, .680 win pct., nine ERA titles, seven strikeout titles
Yogi Berra, catcher - 358 homers, 15 all-star games, three-time MVP ('51, '54, '55)
Jackie Robinson, second base - .311 avg., .409 OBP, broke modern MLB color barrier, 1949 MVP
Joe DiMaggio, outfield - .325 avg., 56-game hitting streak, three-time MVP ('39, '41, '47)
Mariano Rivera, pitcher - 413 saves, 0.81 postseason ERA, alltime postseason saves leader (34)
Stan Musial.331 avg., 475 homers, 1951 RBIs, three-time MVP ('43, '46, '48)
Ted Williams, outfield - .344 avg., .482 OBP, 521 homers, two-time MVP ('46, '49)
Ty Cobb, outfield - .366 avg., 4189 hits, 892 steals, second most in baseball history
Christy Mathewson, pitcher - 373 wins, 2.13 ERA, won 30 games four times ('03, '04, '05, '08)
Sandy Koufax, pitcher - .655 win pct., 0.95 postseason ERA, three Cy Youngs ('63, '65, '66), 1963 MVP
Rogers Hornsby, second base - .358 avg., hit .400 three times, two-time Triple Crown winner ('22, '25)
Babe Ruth, outfield - .342 avg., 714 homers, led majors in homers 11 times
Willie Mays, outfield - 660 homres, 12 Gold Gloves, two time MVP ('54, '65)
Walter Johnson, pitcher - 417 wins, 3509 strikeouts, won 20 games 12 times, 30 games twice
Mickey Mantle, outfield - 536 homers, 1509 RBIs, three-time MVP ('56, '57, '62)
Honus Wagner, shortstop - 3420 hits, 723 steals, one of original five Hall of Famers
Hank Aaron, outfield - 755 homers, 3771 hits, alltime home run king, 1957 MVP
Johnny Bench, catcher - 389 homers, 10 Gold Gloves, two-time MVP ('70, '72)
Mike Schmidt, third base - 548 homers, 10 Gold Gloves, three-time MVP ('80, '81, '86)
Alex Rodriguez, shortstop (pictured as a Mariner) - 464 homres, 1347 RBIs, two-time MVP ('03, '05)

Comments? Who's been left out that deserves to be there. Conspicuously absent are Rose (hits), Bonds (7-time MVP, 700+ homers)

, Ryan (7 no-hitters, all-time strikeout leader), Rickey Henderson (all-time stolen base leader). Those're just off the time of my head.

Stone193 · October 6, 2006 1:33PM

It's a great cover Geordie.

Does it say who the artist is?

mike

TNP777 · October 6, 2006 1:39PM

photo illustration by Aaron Goodman
text by Tom Verducci
uniforms by Mitchell & Ness (??????)

Geordie

GDM67 · October 6, 2006 4:49PM

I got this today, as well, and wondered if anyone else here had seen it. It's billed as being part of The Baseball Book. I'd bet that it's a fold out, there.

There were several NFL Decade teams done in this style (I would bet by the same artist) in the program for Super Bowl XXIX.

Personally, I'm skeptical of many Dead Ball Era position players and I also have a hard time imagining any team of this nature without Roberto Clemente.

cardpool · October 9, 2006 11:53PM

That is one sweet cover.

kadokakid · October 10, 2006 12:15AM

Interesting that there are not many players from the steroid age included in that list.

I think it is fairly accurate, haven't really had a chance to think of omissions.

Peace

carew4me · October 10, 2006 1:24AM

Where's Carew? Someone has to be on base for the over abundance of power hitters to drive in.

kadokakid · October 10, 2006 1:40AM

How about this topic. Least deserving players on the list.

I would have to say Eck, Rivera, Schmidt. Closers weren't needed in the days the pitchers on this list played. The starting pitchers on this list actually threw complete games.

Killebrew or Brett could have also gotten the nod at 3rd base, maybe even Brooks Robinson, although his offensive stats not great.

Pretty good bunch of outfielders on the list, not sure Frank Robinson belongs, but might be best player left off the list.

I think I'd replace Eck and Rivera with Tom Seaver and Bob Gibson, both of those guys could have come in in the 9th and blew guys away, actually they did that when they were completing games, no need for a closer.

Peace

NewJerseyMeatHook · October 10, 2006 1:57AM

Where's Carew?

Where's Killebrew!?

thesplendidsplinter · October 10, 2006 2:46AM

Earl Weaver as a bench coach!

kadokakid · October 10, 2006 2:49AM

Splinter:

I definately agree with Earl on the bench, meant to mention him also. You can't tell I may have a slight bias toward Orioles can you?

I think he should replace Stengel, highly over rated in my opinion. He should have won all those world series with that talent. But I guess his record speaks for itself.

I guess he didn't mess it up though, so you have to give him props for that.

Peace

Skinpinch · October 10, 2006 3:08AM

Guys are so close to each other that it is hard to make a definitive list.

Seaver deserves to be a PITCHER on that team over Eck or Rivera. Great point about closing out the ninth inning...after already throwing eight. So Seaver got his share of 'saves' himself. All the other starting pitchers are most deserving.

Jackie Robinson gets on for a special reason, but Joe Morgan was the better player by far.

Did anybody notice Alex Rodriguez beat out Cal Ripken? Surprised this happened with Ripken's popularity, and the 'disdain' for Arod, though tough to argue against Arod up to this point at least.

OUTFIELD? THat is a mighty tough outfield lineup to crack. Many great OF left off, but none worthy to replace the guys on. Henderson very well may be next in line.

Bonds? No juicers allowed please. That is their punishment...get totally ignored for these types of things, and just let it eat at them forever, and it will(regardless of how much money they have).

Schmidt is the best 3B ever, period. He is on par with Brooks defensively, and nobody touches him offensively. You get it from both ends with him.

Overall, it is a fairly accurate list. GIve Eck a big boot off the list, and put Seaver on it. What, are we going to add the best middle man ever too, and take off Spahn? PITCHER is the position. Kind of Pre War heavy too, but that is a LENGTHY discussion.

kadokakid · October 10, 2006 3:16AM

Skinpinch:

Agree with you.

I think closers are the most overrated players in the history of baseball, and saves and holds are the most idiotic stats ever created.

I would venture to guess those stats were dreamed up by some agent trying to get his "don't have the talent to be starter" client a pay raise.

I don't think any closers should be on the greatest of the game lists.

I don't see any pinch hitters or designated hitters on the list, they are on par with closers in my book, but I'm old fashioned, I long for the pre pitch count, pre closer days.

Peace

rvc · October 10, 2006 10:47AM

arod doesnt belong being mentioned with those guys. and he's bad luck too.
eck? c'mon not on the all time list.
great picture , would look nice framed if arod could be left out somehow.
maybe i can get knuckles to erase arod and replace with ripken somehow?

lawnmowerman · October 10, 2006 12:28PM

<<

>>

Wheres Barry Bonds?

Matt

GDM67 · October 10, 2006 2:53PM

Had the chance to take a quick look at the book itself this weekend and it is indeed a two page foldout.

ARod's all the way over to the right hand side of the dugout, rvc...that might help you in excising him from the team if you chose to.

Axtell · October 10, 2006 4:01PM

<< arod doesnt belong being mentioned with those guys. and he's bad luck too. >>

Please explain why a 2 time MVP, and the youngest man to 450 HRs doesn't belong being mentioned with those guys?

<< eck? c'mon not on the all time list. >>

Last pitcher to win an MVP, nearly 200 wins and 390 saves? Throw him out, you better throw Rivera out as well.

<< great picture , would look nice framed if arod could be left out somehow. >>

It's obvious you're an irrational Arod hater - you think Ripken was a better SS?

<< maybe i can get knuckles to erase arod and replace with ripken somehow? >>

Why would you want to do that? Arod crushes him in every category, as well as being a better fielder.

GDM67 · October 10, 2006 5:28PM

ARod's missing a rather chunky metallic and gemstone object commonly worn on the fourth finger, which Mr, Ripken has.

I think Alex is probably the right choice between the two, but sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story.

Parenthetically, I find it interesting that Alex is depicted in his Mariner uniform in the picture

Axtell · October 11, 2006 2:42AM

<< ARod's missing a rather chunky metallic and gemstone object commonly worn on the fourth finger, which Mr, Ripken has. >>

Oh I forgot! Ripken won that all by himself, didn't he? Arod's lack of a ring is hardly his fault.

<< I think Alex is probably the right choice between the two, but sometimes numbers don't tell the whole story. >>

They tell me that Arod is a significant upgrade over ripken.

<< Parenthetically, I find it interesting that Alex is depicted in his Mariner uniform in the picture

>>

Probably to cut down on the number of yankee jerseys on the cover.

stevek · October 11, 2006 5:50AM

<< One of the nicest covers I have ever seen. It's going into my S.I. Dodger collection due to Koufax being on it. On the inside there is a large painting of the overall team. The painting is so large that one must turn the page to see the whole thing - might have to buy an extra copy so I can put the pages together in a frame.

According to S.I., here is the all-time MLB team, along with their blurb about each (in no particular order, since no list is given - taken from the pics on the inside):

Warren Spahn, pitcher - 363 Wins, 20-game winner 13 times, most wins by a lefty, 1957 Cy Young Award
Lou Gehrig, first baseman - .340 avg., 498 homers, 1995 RBIs, two-time MVP ('27, '36)
Dennis Eckersley, pitcher - 390 saves, 197 wins, last pitcher to win MVP ('82)
Cy Young, pitcher - 511 wins, 30-game winner five times, winningest pitcher in baseball history
Roger Clemens, pitcher - 348 wins, 4604 strikeouts, seven Cy Youngs ('86, '87, '92, '97, '98, '01, '04)
John McGraw, manager - 2763-1948 in 34 seasons, second most by a manager, three World Series titles
Joe McCarthy, coach - 2125-1333 in 24 seasons, seven World Series titles
Casey Stengel, coach - 1905-1842 in 25 seasons, seven World Series titles
Lefty Grove, pitcher - 300 wins, .680 win pct., nine ERA titles, seven strikeout titles
Yogi Berra, catcher - 358 homers, 15 all-star games, three-time MVP ('51, '54, '55)
Jackie Robinson, second base - .311 avg., .409 OBP, broke modern MLB color barrier, 1949 MVP
Joe DiMaggio, outfield - .325 avg., 56-game hitting streak, three-time MVP ('39, '41, '47)
Mariano Rivera, pitcher - 413 saves, 0.81 postseason ERA, alltime postseason saves leader (34)
Stan Musial.331 avg., 475 homers, 1951 RBIs, three-time MVP ('43, '46, '48)
Ted Williams, outfield - .344 avg., .482 OBP, 521 homers, two-time MVP ('46, '49)
Ty Cobb, outfield - .366 avg., 4189 hits, 892 steals, second most in baseball history
Christy Mathewson, pitcher - 373 wins, 2.13 ERA, won 30 games four times ('03, '04, '05, '08)
Sandy Koufax, pitcher - .655 win pct., 0.95 postseason ERA, three Cy Youngs ('63, '65, '66), 1963 MVP
Rogers Hornsby, second base - .358 avg., hit .400 three times, two-time Triple Crown winner ('22, '25)
Babe Ruth, outfield - .342 avg., 714 homers, led majors in homers 11 times
Willie Mays, outfield - 660 homres, 12 Gold Gloves, two time MVP ('54, '65)
Walter Johnson, pitcher - 417 wins, 3509 strikeouts, won 20 games 12 times, 30 games twice
Mickey Mantle, outfield - 536 homers, 1509 RBIs, three-time MVP ('56, '57, '62)
Honus Wagner, shortstop - 3420 hits, 723 steals, one of original five Hall of Famers
Hank Aaron, outfield - 755 homers, 3771 hits, alltime home run king, 1957 MVP
Johnny Bench, catcher - 389 homers, 10 Gold Gloves, two-time MVP ('70, '72)
Mike Schmidt, third base - 548 homers, 10 Gold Gloves, three-time MVP ('80, '81, '86)
Alex Rodriguez, shortstop (pictured as a Mariner) - 464 homres, 1347 RBIs, two-time MVP ('03, '05)

Comments? Who's been left out that deserves to be there. Conspicuously absent are Rose (hits), Bonds (7-time MVP, 700+ homers)

, Ryan (7 no-hitters, all-time strikeout leader), Rickey Henderson (all-time stolen base leader). Those're just off the time of my head.

>>

Tough to "argue" with this list. You can "nitpick" at it - but tough to argue with it.

GDM67 · October 11, 2006 3:02PM

Glad to see Bad Henry on the top step. I also love that Teddy Ballgame is talking his head off to Cobb back there. It's very appropriate. (Williams used to visit the elderly but still fiery Cobb to talk hitting.)