Since we’re in a down period for sports to me until March Madness, I got to thinking about baseball.
Many can recite the greatest players ever for their teams, like Honus Wagner being the Pirates all-time shortstop and Pie Traynor being the third baseman. What I’m looking for is what would be your all-time team for your favorite team in YOUR lifetime as a fan. I know we have Phillies, Orioles, Yankees, Mets and even Red Sox fans in here. Some of those teams should be very, very good.
Now I haven’t consulted any statistics. This is strictly from my eye test, and I know from waking up in the morning to some females that my eyes have deceived me. God bless the person who invented make-up, but I digress.
For those of you who consult WAR and all those statistics, that’s fine, but let me state this, whatever Wally Pipp’s WAR was, was INCREDIBLY WRONG because Pipp’s replacement was none other than Lou Gehrig, maybe the greatest first baseman of all-time. So there’s no convincing me WAR is accurate because how does anyone know how good any replacement will be?
Now keep in mind this includes over 20 consecutive losing seasons of Pirates baseball so my selections were talently challenged. There are probably some good players I just can't think of at the moment too.
Catcher – The Panamanian Road Runner, Manny Sanguillen. Sanguillen was for a number of years the second best catcher in the National League. The best just happened to be the best catcher in the history of the game in Johnny Bench. Honorable Mention: Jason Kendall
First Base – Pops, the Captain, Wilver Dornell Stargell. If it weren’t for Stargell, the options are not great: Sid Bream, Jason Thompson.
Second Base – Had I been born five years earlier, this would be clearly Bill Mazeroski, the king of the double play. I loved watching Dave Cash and hated to see him go to the Phillies, but my pick would be his replacement, Rennie Stennett. Before injuring his leg, he was coming into his own and hitting .336 only points behind his teammate Dave Parker in the batting race. He was never the same after that.
There have been some other good second basemen: Jose Lind, Phil Garner and Neil Walker, but I think Walker defensively is more of a product of analytic field positioning.
Shortstop – Gene Alley might be the choice here were I older but I’m going to go with Jumpin Jack Wilson over Jay Bell and Tim Foli. As you can see, shortstop hasn’t been a position of great strength for the Pirates.
Third Base – Bill Madlock. A two-time batting champion with the Pirates, the Mad Dog was solid. Honorable Mention: Bonilla, Hebner and not sure if Freddie Sanchez should be considered a 3B or a 2B. Would of loved if Alvarez would of become this pick.
Left field – The pre-steroids Barry Bonds.
Center field – Andrew McCutchen – far more bat than Van Slyke or the antelope, Omar Moreno.
Right field – the Great One, Roberto Clemente, over Dave Parker.
RHP – This may become Garrett Cole but for now my choice is Doug Drabek in a close call over Bert “be home” Blyleven.
LHP – Liriano over Candelaria. Perhaps if I were a bit older Bob Veale might be my choice.
RP – Going to go with Kent Tekulve over Dave Giusti.
Mgr – The Irishman, Danny Murtaugh.
So what would be your favorite team’s starting lineup in your lifetime?
Many can recite the greatest players ever for their teams, like Honus Wagner being the Pirates all-time shortstop and Pie Traynor being the third baseman. What I’m looking for is what would be your all-time team for your favorite team in YOUR lifetime as a fan. I know we have Phillies, Orioles, Yankees, Mets and even Red Sox fans in here. Some of those teams should be very, very good.
Now I haven’t consulted any statistics. This is strictly from my eye test, and I know from waking up in the morning to some females that my eyes have deceived me. God bless the person who invented make-up, but I digress.
For those of you who consult WAR and all those statistics, that’s fine, but let me state this, whatever Wally Pipp’s WAR was, was INCREDIBLY WRONG because Pipp’s replacement was none other than Lou Gehrig, maybe the greatest first baseman of all-time. So there’s no convincing me WAR is accurate because how does anyone know how good any replacement will be?
Now keep in mind this includes over 20 consecutive losing seasons of Pirates baseball so my selections were talently challenged. There are probably some good players I just can't think of at the moment too.
Catcher – The Panamanian Road Runner, Manny Sanguillen. Sanguillen was for a number of years the second best catcher in the National League. The best just happened to be the best catcher in the history of the game in Johnny Bench. Honorable Mention: Jason Kendall
First Base – Pops, the Captain, Wilver Dornell Stargell. If it weren’t for Stargell, the options are not great: Sid Bream, Jason Thompson.
Second Base – Had I been born five years earlier, this would be clearly Bill Mazeroski, the king of the double play. I loved watching Dave Cash and hated to see him go to the Phillies, but my pick would be his replacement, Rennie Stennett. Before injuring his leg, he was coming into his own and hitting .336 only points behind his teammate Dave Parker in the batting race. He was never the same after that.
There have been some other good second basemen: Jose Lind, Phil Garner and Neil Walker, but I think Walker defensively is more of a product of analytic field positioning.
Shortstop – Gene Alley might be the choice here were I older but I’m going to go with Jumpin Jack Wilson over Jay Bell and Tim Foli. As you can see, shortstop hasn’t been a position of great strength for the Pirates.
Third Base – Bill Madlock. A two-time batting champion with the Pirates, the Mad Dog was solid. Honorable Mention: Bonilla, Hebner and not sure if Freddie Sanchez should be considered a 3B or a 2B. Would of loved if Alvarez would of become this pick.
Left field – The pre-steroids Barry Bonds.
Center field – Andrew McCutchen – far more bat than Van Slyke or the antelope, Omar Moreno.
Right field – the Great One, Roberto Clemente, over Dave Parker.
RHP – This may become Garrett Cole but for now my choice is Doug Drabek in a close call over Bert “be home” Blyleven.
LHP – Liriano over Candelaria. Perhaps if I were a bit older Bob Veale might be my choice.
RP – Going to go with Kent Tekulve over Dave Giusti.
Mgr – The Irishman, Danny Murtaugh.
So what would be your favorite team’s starting lineup in your lifetime?
