Tuesday, September 01, 2009

A (More) Relevant Post


OK, so your Texas Rangers have played admirably, but the August swoon looks like it may well be upon our heroes.

The Rangers surprising season has had my thoughts shifting away from this and toward to the great game overall and I've perused several lists claiming an all century/all-time lineup. With a few exceptions, it is all but impossible to choose the single greatest player at any given position. This made me think that it might be possible to widen the field a bit...say, select the 6 best players at each position (while allowing 30 at pitcher). Thus, with the help of the Tiny Box, I submit an all time list of the best by position. Debate or ignore:

Catcher

Yogi Berra
Roy Campanella
Johnny Bench
Ivan Rodriguez
Josh Gibson
Mike Piazza
First Base
Lou Gehrig
Hank Greenberg
Willie McCovey
Albert Pujols
Harmon Killebrew
Jimmie Foxx

Second Base

Rogers HOrnsby
Joe Morgan
Rod Carew
Ryne Sandberg
Roberto Alomar
Nap Lajoie

Third Base

Wade Boggs
Mike Schmidt
Eddie Matthews
Pie Traynor
George Brett
Brooks Robinson

Shortstop
Ernie Banks
Ozzie Smith
Cal Ripken
Honus Wagner
Derek Jeter
Alex Rodriguez

Left Field
Ted Williams
Rickey Henderson
Stan Musial
Joe Jackson
Lou Brock
Barry Bonds

Center Field
Ty Cobb
Tris Speaker
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Ken Griffey, Jr.

Right Field
Babe Ruth
Roberto Clemente
Mel Ott
Tony Gwynn
Frank Robinson
Hank Aaron

Utility
Jackie Robinson
Paul Molitor
Robin Yount
Pete Rose
Craig Biggio

Pitcher
Bruce Sutter
Mariano Rivera
Sandy Koufax
Christy Matthewson
Cy Young
Grover Alexander
Lefty Grove
Whitey Ford
Satchel Paige
Bob Feller
Greg Maddux
Warren Spahn
Bob Lemon
Robin Roberts
Bob Gibson
Steve Carlton
Juan Marichal
Fergie Jenkins
Gaylord Perry
Rollie Fingers
Tom Seaver
Nolan Ryan
Jim Palmer
Phil Niekro
Goose Gossage
Hoyt Wilhelm
Catfish Hunter
John Smoltz
Roger Clemens
Dennis Eckersley

Players not making this list include: Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, Willie Stargell, Gene Sisler, Orlando Cepeda, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Phil Rizzuto, Pee Wee Reese, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Medwick, Ralph Kiner, Duke Snider (a personal favorite), Kirby Puckett, Sam Crawford, Al Kaline, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Jim Bunning, Early Wynn, Lee Smith, Dizzy Dean, Dazzy Vance, Burleigh Grimes, Tom Glavine, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez.

If my memory is correct, of the 83 players who made the list, only five (Pudge, Ryan, Jenkins, Perry, Gossage) ever suited up for your Texas Rangers and ,oddly, four of those were pitchers.