Your Dream Team line-up?

Guru · August 24, 2010 10:34AM

If you could pick any players for a baseball game; past, present, up and coming, dead or still alive; for each position in a game, who would they be?

SDSportsFan · August 24, 2010 10:47AM

1B - Lou Gehrig
2B - Joe Morgan
3B - Mike Schmidt
SS - Honus Wagner
LF - Ted Williams
CF - Mickey Mantle
RF - Babe Ruth
C - Johnny Bench
P - Walter Johnson
Rlf P - Sandy Koufax
DH - Hank Aaron (I hate the DH, but I had to find a spot for Hank)
Pinch Runner - Rickey Henderson

Steve

scotgreb · August 24, 2010 11:46AM

Steve -- hard to argue against your lineup, so I'll modify the question to only include players that I have seen, aka modern players.

1B - Eddie Murray
2B - Joe Morgan
3B - Tie: Mike Schmidt, George Brett
SS - Robin Yount
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Willie Mays
RF - Tie: Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente
C - Johnny Bench
DH - Frank Thomas
RHP - Tom Seaver
LHP - Tie: Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson
Closer - Mariano Rivera
Pinch Runner - Sid Bream

Toro · August 24, 2010 12:22PM

My list is composed of only players I've seen play........

1B Albert Pujols
2B Roberto Alomar
3B George Brett
SS Derek Jeter
OF Ichiro
CF Ken Griffey Jr.
OF Rickey Henderson
C Ivan Rodriguez
P Randy Johnson
P Nolan Ryan
P Greg Maddux
C Mariano Rivera
DH Frank Thomas

Yes, it was tough not including Ripken and even Bonds and Clemens.....

stevegarveyfan · August 24, 2010 12:41PM

1B Lou Gehrig
2B Eddie Collins
SS Honus Wagner
3B Mike Schmidt
C Johnny Bench
LHP Warren Spahn
RHP Walter Johnson
OF Babe Ruth
OF Ty Cobb
OF Willie Mays

SDSportsFan · August 24, 2010 12:44PM

OK, players I've seen play (in person):

1B - Willie McCovey
2B - Joe Morgan
3B - Mike Schmidt
SS - Ozzie Smith
LF - Hank Aaron
CF - Rickey Henderson
RF - Dave Winfield
C - Johnny Bench
RHP - Nolan Ryan
LHP - Steve Carlton
Reliever - Goose Gossage

Steve

JohnnyD · August 24, 2010 12:57PM

No love for Brooks Robinson at third???

Hallco · August 24, 2010 10:34PM

1B-Lou Gehrig
2B-Rogers Hornsby
SS-Ernie Banks
3B-Brooks Robinson
LF-Stan Musial
CF-Willie Mays
RF-Hank Aaron
C-Yogi Berra
P-Walter Johnson
RP-Hoyt Wilhelm

cubfan89 · August 24, 2010 11:47PM

I'll give it a shot, with DH

RF Cobb
CF Mays
DH Ruth
IB Gehrig
2B Hornsby
LF Williams
3B Schmitt
C Bench
SS Wagner

Bench

OF Musial
OF Dimaggio
OF Mantle
IF George Brett
IF Banks
C Berra

Staff

W.Johnson
C.Young
C.Mathewson
S.Koufax
N.Ryan

MeteoriteGuy · August 25, 2010 12:09AM

Rickey Henderson should be on everyone's list, for his On-Base% and steals if nothing else.

cwazzy · August 25, 2010 12:37AM

C Roy Campanella
1B Stan Musial
2B Rogers Hornsby
3B Mike Schmidt
SS Honus Wagner
LF Ted Williams
CF Ty Cobb
RF Babe Ruth
P Walter Johnson

markj111 · August 25, 2010 12:53AM

Two comments

Brooks Robinson over Schmidt is a bad joke; and
Clemente and Aaron tied? No way. Clemente was a great player (although he rarely walked), but he was no Aaron.

cubfan89 · August 25, 2010 1:16AM

I know I forgot about Aaron. The outfield is the toughest position by far. There really wouldn't be any room for Henderson.

I'll take Michael Jack over Robinson.

PowderedH2O · August 25, 2010 1:37AM

I'd start:

1B Lou Gehrig
2B Joe Morgan
3B Mike Schmidt
SS Derek Jeter
OF Ty Cobb
OF Babe Ruth
OF Ted Williams
C Johnny Bench
DH Lou Brock
SP Bob Gibson
RP Mariano Rivera

This is just for one game, and although I don't think Jeter is better than Honus, for one game I think he'd man up for it. Bob Gibson was the greatest big game pitcher of all time. Although Brock is not nearly as good in terms of career value as Aaron and others, I could use Brock's speed, and in big games/series, nobody was better than Lou, arguably the greatest postseason hitter of all-time.

cwazzy · August 25, 2010 3:42AM

I'm just curious but why all the love of Joe Morgan over Rogers Hornsby at second? From what I can tell Hornsby was better in almost every offensive catagory although not as good as Morgan defensively (but couldn't this be due to inferior equipment?). I'm young enough that I didn't get to see either play so I obviously have to rely on statistics which don't tell the whole story. Please educate me.

WinPitcher · August 25, 2010 7:06AM

1b Marv Throneberry
2b Mario Mendoza (have no idea what pos. he played) may as well be here
SS Ray Oyler
3B Joe Foy
C Choo Choo Coleman
OF Dave Kingman
OF Pepe Frias
OF Rob Deer ( the year he hit 179)
P Anthony (forgot his last name) or was that his last name? guy that lost 16 straight
RP Anyone the Mets have had (I'm sure to get the blown save)

Steve

QUITCRAB · August 25, 2010 7:22AM

There is a kid pitching in the little league world series named Brooks Robinson (ohio)
1st-Pete Rose
2nd -Joe Morgan
ss-Derek jeter
3rd-Brooks Robinson
P-Nolan Ryan
C-Johnny Bench
OF-Aaron
OF-Frank robinson
OF-Clemete

MeteoriteGuy · August 25, 2010 7:29AM

<< 1b Marv Throneberry
2b Mario Mendoza (have no idea what pos. he played) may as well be here
SS Ray Oyler
3B Joe Foy
C Choo Choo Coleman
OF Dave Kingman
OF Pepe Frias
OF Rob Deer ( the year he hit 179)
P Anthony (forgot his last name) or was that his last name? guy that lost 16 straight
RP Anyone the Mets have had (I'm sure to get the blown save)

Steve >>

No love for Kong (Kingman) Steve?

itzagoner · August 25, 2010 7:40AM

<< If you could pick any players for a baseball game; past, present, up and coming, dead or still alive; for each position in a game, who would they be? >>

hmmmm.....so, i'm just picking guys for a game, right? a game i want to win. well, ok.....i would need to base it on my preference for guys i've actually seen play, but i do want a winning lineup, so it would have to be:

Rickey Henderson - CF
Ryne Sandberg - 2B
Roberto Clemente - RF
Hank Aaron - LF
Willie McCovey - 1B
Mike Schmidt - 3B
Johnny Bench - C
Ozzie Smith - SS
Bob Gibson - P
Mariano Rivera - Closer

this is about as dynamic a lineup as i could conceive with fast thinking....i'm sure there are many better combos from eras past, but this group represents an incredible mix of speed, power, defense, and leadership that seems virtually unbeatable.

lanemyer85 · August 25, 2010 7:44AM

CF - Ty Cobb
2B - Rogers Hornsby
LF - Ted Williams
DH - Babe Ruth
RF - Willie Mays
1B - Lou Gehrig
3B - Mike Schmidt
C - Johnny Bench
SS - Honus Wagner

I'm just curious but why all the love of Joe Morgan over Rogers Hornsby at second? From what I can tell Hornsby was better in almost every offensive catagory although not as good as Morgan defensively (but couldn't this be due to inferior equipment?). I'm young enough that I didn't get to see either play so I obviously have to rely on statistics which don't tell the whole story. Please educate me

Sadly (because I can't stand any facet of Morgan's existence) they're closer in value than one might think.

Win-Shares (amount of wins an individual player is worth to his team)

#11 160.3 - Rogers Hornsby
#12 158.3 - Joe Morgan

Hornsby never swiped more than 17 bags in one season...career Fielding % of .965 (Morgan - .981%) would be Alfonso Soriano-esque awful in today's game. Granted, field conditions, equipment etc has to be taken into account. So although Hornsby was a vastly superior hitter, (Hornsby career - 175 OPS+ to Morgan's 132 OPS+) Morgan was a more complete all-around player.

edit to add - Eddie Collins is also right there with Hornsby & Morgan at #13 157.0

PowderedH2O · August 25, 2010 8:33AM

The only reason I picked Morgan over Hornsby is what they meant to their teams. Morgan was the heart and soul of the Big Red Machine. He was a winner. The guys on the team respected him. Hornsby was known as a guy that was a Rogers Hornsby guy. Kinda like a Barry Bonds. He was traded by the Cards just to get rid of him. And the Cards got better after he left.

cwazzy · August 25, 2010 11:47AM

Did not realize that. And I must say that I'm VERY disappointed to hear that.

lanemyer85 · August 25, 2010 12:39PM

Hornsby was known as a guy that was a Rogers Hornsby guy. Kinda like a Barry Bonds. He was traded by the Cards just to get rid of him. And the Cards got better after he left.

no it wasn't that Hornsby was selfish or a me-first guy, it was that he was a ball of hatred (Ty Cobb levels) abrasive, and allegedly a member of the KKK. In Cardinal tradition, they clipped him because they didn't want to pay him. Following the 1926 WS (which the Cards won over the Yanks) Hornsby wanted $50K for 5 years, the Cards offered $40K, he wouldn't budge, and subsequently he was dealt to the Giants.

metsfan · August 28, 2010 12:48PM

metsfan · August 28, 2010 12:52PM

<< 1b Marv Throneberry
2b Mario Mendoza (have no idea what pos. he played) may as well be here
SS Ray Oyler
3B Joe Foy
C Choo Choo Coleman
OF Dave Kingman
OF Pepe Frias
OF Rob Deer ( the year he hit 179)
P Anthony (forgot his last name) or was that his last name? guy that lost 16 straight
RP Anyone the Mets have had (I'm sure to get the blown save)

Steve >>

Dave Kingman is way to good for that team.

dontippet · August 28, 2010 1:28PM

<< 

<< 1b Marv Throneberry
2b Mario Mendoza (have no idea what pos. he played) may as well be here
SS Ray Oyler
3B Joe Foy
C Choo Choo Coleman
OF Dave Kingman
OF Pepe Frias
OF Rob Deer ( the year he hit 179)
P Anthony (forgot his last name) or was that his last name? guy that lost 16 straight
RP Anyone the Mets have had (I'm sure to get the blown save)

Steve >>

Dave Kingman is way to good for that team. >>

I believe the "Anthony" guy lost 24 games in a row for the Mets. I remember seeing an interview with him after breaking the record.

I stand corrected: Anthony Young lost 26 straight games in 1992-1993, maybe 24 was when he broke the previous record.

dontippet · August 28, 2010 1:31PM

I like the Sid Bream pick, very funny.

"Swung, line drive left field! One run is in! Here comes Bream! Here's the throw to the plate! He is...safe! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!...Braves win!"

Your Dream Team line-up?

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