This is the first of a four-part series in which each OTW contributor will choose their all-time MLB team. Each writer will create their ideal 25 man roster consisting of the best players to ever grace the diamond. They welcome your mockery.
The rules for the game are: standard 25-man roster, DH is included, assume the game is at Camden Yards because it's the best stadium.
My colleagues will join me in this project, and will certainly mock my choices vehemently. But they are foolish and have dandruff. Let's start with the lineup...
Lineup
Lineup
1. LF--Rickey Henderson
This may already be a surprise pick to many, but it shouldn't. Henderson is, quite simply, the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of the game. He has more stolen bases (1,406) and runs scored (2,295) than anyone in the history of the game. He's not all about speed, however, as he posted a career line of .279/.401/.419 with 297 home runs and over 1,100 RBIs batting almost exclusively out of the leadoff spot.
2. RF--Ted Williams
Theodore Ballgame is considered by many to be the greatest hitter of all time, and I can't say I disagree. Williams posted outstanding career numbers despite missing three full seasons as a fighter pilot in World War II. His on-base percentage of .482 is best all-time, and he hit over 500 home runs to boot. Though Ted played primarily as a left fielder during his career, he started off as a right fielder and should feel right at home patrolling the grounds in front of the big scoreboard in right at Camden Yards.
3. CF--Willie Mays
The Say Hey kid did it all--outstanding defense, great speed, and one of the best bats the game has ever seen. Over the course of his 22-year career, Mays slugged 660 home runs, earned 11 Gold Glove awards, and won the league MVP in 1954 and 1965.
4. DH/RP--Babe Ruth
The inclusion of Babe Ruth is obvious for any all-time team not only because he is widely considered the greatest player in the history of the game but because he can fill two roles: slugger and pitcher. The Babe first made a name for himself as a pitcher with the Red Sox, leading the league with a 1.75 ERA in 1916. But it soon became apparent that he could make an even greater impact as an everyday player. Ruth's ability to hit home runs like no one before or after him (until Hank Aaron broke his record in 1974) puts him truly in a class of his own.
5. C--Johnny Bench
On a regular team, the #5 hitter is typically a low-average, high-power type. While Bench's average is nowhere near low (.267 career), he's the closest fit to that profile. Bench won the NL MVP in 1970 and 1972, belting 40 or more homers both seasons. He was also adept behind the plate as well, routinely throwing out nearly 50% of stolen base attempts during his career.
6. 1B--Lou Gehrig
The 6th spot in the order is a bit lower than Ol' Biscuit Pants is used to (seriously, that's one of his nicknames on Baseball Reference), but I wanted to preserve the righty-lefty balance and he's juuuuuuust 1% not as good as Williams or Ruth. Gehrig's personality was nearly the opposite of Ruth's, allowing him to be the stabilizing force within the Yankee clubhouse throughout his career. Though often in the shadow of Ruth, Gehrig was the MVP of the 1927 "Murderer's Row" Yankees. He also took home the award in 1936.
7. 3B--Mike Schmidt
I could have easily gone with George Brett in this spot, but I opted for a little bit more power and on-base ability to Brett's higher average and more hits. Schmidt blasted 548 home runs in his career, playing every season in Philadelphia (which would be enough to drive most people to commit themselves). Schmidt also took home ten Gold Glove awards. His fatal flaw, however, is that mustache. He'll need to shave it or I'm going with Brett again.
8. SS--Cal Ripken, Jr
Is this strictly a sentimental pick? Maybe. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TEAMS I LIKE! But there aren't a lot of shortstops who compare with Cal. Honus Wagner? He played in like 1773. Derek Jeter? Sure, if I wanted infield singles and bloops galore. Cal's legacy goes beyond his Hall of Fame numbers. He was a power hitter in a position that was, basically throughout the history of the game, completely devoid of power hitters. Of course, Cal is also as reliable as they come, playing in 2,632 consecutive games.
9. 2B--Pete Rose
Not particularly fast or strong, Pete Rose excelled using the sheer tenacity and insanity that only someone with a permanent bowl cut can possess. Charlie Hustle led the league in hits seven times during his career, and ended as the all time leader with 4,256. Whether or not you believe he should be allowed in the Hall of Fame, you cannot deny his enormous success on the diamond.
Rotation
SP1--Sandy Koufax
Koufax probably has the worst career numbers of anyone on this list. As a young player, he was all speed and no control, which resulted in high walk totals and very average ERAs. The end of his career was cut short when elbow troubles caused him to retire at the age of 30. But when he discovered that he didn't need to put so much force behind his pitches to get batters out, he hit a prime that was phenomenal. Koufax's fastball was blazing and his curve was unhittable. During his five-season period of dominance (1962-66), he went 111-34 with an ERA of 1.95 and a WHIP of 0.926. He thrice won the Cy Young Award and was league MVP in 1963.
SP2--Greg Maddux
Maddux may not have had overpowering stuff on the mound, but he was a marksman and a genius. He knew the scouting report on each pitcher like the back of his hand, and he painted the corners better than Picasso. During the hitter-friendly '90s, Maddux posted ERAs of 1.56 and 1.63, with WHIPs of 0.896 and 0.811. He was a master of his craft perhaps more than any other player in history. His glove was nearly as good as his arm, earning him an amazing 18 Gold Gloves.
SP3--Randy Johnson
Originally I was going to make Johnson my lefty specialist, as left-handed hitters OPS'd just .571 over the course of his 22-year career. But the Big Unit measures up too well to leave in the 'pen. Physically imposing at 6'10" and armed with a five-star fastball and slider, Johnson is the all-time league leader in K/9, at 10.6. He averaged over 12 K/9 for six straight seasons, peaking at 13.4 in 2001. His accolades include five Cy Young Awards, including four straight from 1999-2002. Fun fact about Randy Johnson: my mother thought his nickname was The Big Eunuch.
SP4--Walter Johnson
The Big Train was dominant during the early 20th century. Although mired in a losing franchise, Walter Johnson nevertheless earned 417 wins and 110 shutouts (still the all-time best). Johnson won two MVP awards in his career, and finished in the top five on two other occasions.
SP5--Jim Palmer
An ideal fifth starter is typically someone you'd want to be consistent and eat innings. For this role, I chose Jim Palmer. Palmer was never a great strikeout artist, but he led the league in innings four times and in ERA twice. Palmer, like Maddux, thrives on his intuition and intelligence on the mound. His knowledge of the game is evidenced on a nightly basis when he serves as the color commentator for the Orioles (except in Canada; then it's Bordick's turn).
Bullpen
Long Relief--Satchel Paige
While there may not be much need for long relief with this staff, I want to at least construct the team in a realistic manner. Paige's career numbers are somewhat contentious, but the legends and tales surrounding him are numerous. He dominated the Negro Leagues with a seemingly endless arsenal of pitches and a full supply of confidence.
Middle Relief--Rollie Fingers
Fingers was one of the pioneers of the closer role. From the late '60s to the early '80s, Rollie was a shutdown reliever out of the pen. He was so good in 1981 that he earned not only the Cy Young Award but also the MVP award as a reliever. He relinquishes the closer role on this club to another dominant closer, but he'll serve as middle reliever and mustache stylist for Randy Johnson.
Lefty Specialist--Steve Carlton
Like Randy Johnson, Carlton was an intimidating lefty on the mound. He led the league in strikeouts five times in his career and took home four Cy Young Awards. Any lefty coming up to bat late in the game is going to have a difficult time with Carlton on the mound.
Set-Up Man--Pedro Martinez
Martinez stood at just 5'11" but had batters shaking when he took the mound. His best of many great years came in 2000, when he posted a 1.74 ERA and led the league in strikeouts (284), WHIP (0.737!), H/9 (5.3), HR/9 (0.7), K/9 (11.8), and K/BB ratio (8.88).
Set-Up Man--Roger Clemens
Putting a seven-time Cy Young Award winner in the bullpen seems like blasphemy, but I went with Rocket because of his dominating stuff and indomitable personality on the mound. Clemens should have little problem handling the late innings before handing it over to...
Closer--Mariano Rivera
It's no secret that I'm not fond of the Yankees, so seeing Rivera come out of the bullpen always made me bitter. But Rivera is easily the greatest relief pitcher to play the game. His feature pitch was a cut fastball that hit the high 90's in his prime and could dot the i on a catcher's mitt signed by Yogi Berra. The movement on his pitch meant that hitters routinely made contact with the weak part of the bat. Lefties, especially, were vulnerable, slugging just .267 off Rivera in his career.
SCRUBS
C/LF/RF--Yogi Berra
Before he peddled government insurance, Berra was one of the best players in the game. Yogi was a three-time MVP catcher, but also spent a decent amount of time at each corner outfield spot later in his career.
INF--Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby (who is, in fact, just the one guy despite his first name) routinely led the league in batting average throughout the early '20s. Hornsby thrice hit over .400 in his career, including a .424 mark in 1924. I couldn't even hit .424 with my Yuhei Azuma character in MLB '09: The Show. I still beat Ryan Howard out for NL MVP though.
OF--Ichiro
Ichiro is an absolute hit machine. Over the course of his entire professional career (which includes his time with the Orix Blue Wave of the NPB) he has swatted over 4,100 hits. Ichiro provides another leadoff option off the bench and a pinch run option as well. Though he mostly played RF for Seattle, he occasionally did time in CF and can cover all three outfield positions nicely.
OF/1B--Hank Aaron
I should probably include Hank Aaron, right? I mean, 755 home runs, all-time leader in RBI, hell he even stole 240 bases in his career. Hammerin' Hank was one of the most consistent sluggers in the history of the game.
"Henry Louis Aaron, meet Henry Louis Gehrig."
C--Bob Uecker
Bob Uecker was not a good baseball player. Over a career that lasted six seasons with four teams, Uecker hit just .200 (technically .1997) and was nothing more than the backup backstop. But what Uecker does provide is hilarity; and since Babe Ruth can serve as a relief pitcher, I can waste a bench spot on a guy that will only see rare playing time behind the plate.
SP1--Sandy Koufax
Koufax probably has the worst career numbers of anyone on this list. As a young player, he was all speed and no control, which resulted in high walk totals and very average ERAs. The end of his career was cut short when elbow troubles caused him to retire at the age of 30. But when he discovered that he didn't need to put so much force behind his pitches to get batters out, he hit a prime that was phenomenal. Koufax's fastball was blazing and his curve was unhittable. During his five-season period of dominance (1962-66), he went 111-34 with an ERA of 1.95 and a WHIP of 0.926. He thrice won the Cy Young Award and was league MVP in 1963.
SP2--Greg Maddux
Maddux may not have had overpowering stuff on the mound, but he was a marksman and a genius. He knew the scouting report on each pitcher like the back of his hand, and he painted the corners better than Picasso. During the hitter-friendly '90s, Maddux posted ERAs of 1.56 and 1.63, with WHIPs of 0.896 and 0.811. He was a master of his craft perhaps more than any other player in history. His glove was nearly as good as his arm, earning him an amazing 18 Gold Gloves.
SP3--Randy Johnson
Originally I was going to make Johnson my lefty specialist, as left-handed hitters OPS'd just .571 over the course of his 22-year career. But the Big Unit measures up too well to leave in the 'pen. Physically imposing at 6'10" and armed with a five-star fastball and slider, Johnson is the all-time league leader in K/9, at 10.6. He averaged over 12 K/9 for six straight seasons, peaking at 13.4 in 2001. His accolades include five Cy Young Awards, including four straight from 1999-2002. Fun fact about Randy Johnson: my mother thought his nickname was The Big Eunuch.
SP4--Walter Johnson
The Big Train was dominant during the early 20th century. Although mired in a losing franchise, Walter Johnson nevertheless earned 417 wins and 110 shutouts (still the all-time best). Johnson won two MVP awards in his career, and finished in the top five on two other occasions.
SP5--Jim Palmer
An ideal fifth starter is typically someone you'd want to be consistent and eat innings. For this role, I chose Jim Palmer. Palmer was never a great strikeout artist, but he led the league in innings four times and in ERA twice. Palmer, like Maddux, thrives on his intuition and intelligence on the mound. His knowledge of the game is evidenced on a nightly basis when he serves as the color commentator for the Orioles (except in Canada; then it's Bordick's turn).
Bullpen
Long Relief--Satchel Paige
While there may not be much need for long relief with this staff, I want to at least construct the team in a realistic manner. Paige's career numbers are somewhat contentious, but the legends and tales surrounding him are numerous. He dominated the Negro Leagues with a seemingly endless arsenal of pitches and a full supply of confidence.
Middle Relief--Rollie Fingers
Fingers was one of the pioneers of the closer role. From the late '60s to the early '80s, Rollie was a shutdown reliever out of the pen. He was so good in 1981 that he earned not only the Cy Young Award but also the MVP award as a reliever. He relinquishes the closer role on this club to another dominant closer, but he'll serve as middle reliever and mustache stylist for Randy Johnson.
Lefty Specialist--Steve Carlton
Like Randy Johnson, Carlton was an intimidating lefty on the mound. He led the league in strikeouts five times in his career and took home four Cy Young Awards. Any lefty coming up to bat late in the game is going to have a difficult time with Carlton on the mound.
Set-Up Man--Pedro Martinez
Martinez stood at just 5'11" but had batters shaking when he took the mound. His best of many great years came in 2000, when he posted a 1.74 ERA and led the league in strikeouts (284), WHIP (0.737!), H/9 (5.3), HR/9 (0.7), K/9 (11.8), and K/BB ratio (8.88).
Set-Up Man--Roger Clemens
Putting a seven-time Cy Young Award winner in the bullpen seems like blasphemy, but I went with Rocket because of his dominating stuff and indomitable personality on the mound. Clemens should have little problem handling the late innings before handing it over to...
Closer--Mariano Rivera
It's no secret that I'm not fond of the Yankees, so seeing Rivera come out of the bullpen always made me bitter. But Rivera is easily the greatest relief pitcher to play the game. His feature pitch was a cut fastball that hit the high 90's in his prime and could dot the i on a catcher's mitt signed by Yogi Berra. The movement on his pitch meant that hitters routinely made contact with the weak part of the bat. Lefties, especially, were vulnerable, slugging just .267 off Rivera in his career.
SCRUBS
C/LF/RF--Yogi Berra
Before he peddled government insurance, Berra was one of the best players in the game. Yogi was a three-time MVP catcher, but also spent a decent amount of time at each corner outfield spot later in his career.
INF--Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby (who is, in fact, just the one guy despite his first name) routinely led the league in batting average throughout the early '20s. Hornsby thrice hit over .400 in his career, including a .424 mark in 1924. I couldn't even hit .424 with my Yuhei Azuma character in MLB '09: The Show. I still beat Ryan Howard out for NL MVP though.
OF--Ichiro
Ichiro is an absolute hit machine. Over the course of his entire professional career (which includes his time with the Orix Blue Wave of the NPB) he has swatted over 4,100 hits. Ichiro provides another leadoff option off the bench and a pinch run option as well. Though he mostly played RF for Seattle, he occasionally did time in CF and can cover all three outfield positions nicely.
OF/1B--Hank Aaron
I should probably include Hank Aaron, right? I mean, 755 home runs, all-time leader in RBI, hell he even stole 240 bases in his career. Hammerin' Hank was one of the most consistent sluggers in the history of the game.
"Henry Louis Aaron, meet Henry Louis Gehrig."
C--Bob Uecker
Bob Uecker was not a good baseball player. Over a career that lasted six seasons with four teams, Uecker hit just .200 (technically .1997) and was nothing more than the backup backstop. But what Uecker does provide is hilarity; and since Babe Ruth can serve as a relief pitcher, I can waste a bench spot on a guy that will only see rare playing time behind the plate.
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