Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Baseball's All-Time Team - Cody's View

Baseball's All-Time Team - Cody's View
Cody Goggin
9-24-13  1:02 pm

OWENSVILLE, MO-There are so many great players in the history of Major League Baseball, however, for the entertainment purposes of this article, Sam Grus and I each drafted our own teams. We drafted these 12 man teams based on stats. Many of these players are hall of famers and the thought of having them all on the same team is unfathomable, which is why we did it.
RHP- Christy Mathewson: (373-188) 2.13 ERA
In the early 1900’s, Mathewson was one of the most dominant pitcher of his era. Pitching for the Giants when they roamed the Polo Grounds, Mathewson posted an ERA close to two while also accumulating over 350 wins, making him my greatest right handed pitcher of all time.
LHP- Sandy Koufax: (165-87) 2.76 ERA
Although his career was short-lived, for about a decade Sandy Koufax was the most dominant pitcher on earth. Pitching for the Dodgers in the late 50’s and early 60’s, the “Left Arm of God” literally played just like his nickname. Koufax is my best left-handed starting pitcher of all time.
Closer- Trevor Hoffman: 601 Saves
At the time he retired, Hoffman was the all-time leader in saves. Passing many greats along the way, Trevor Hoffman was the first player to ever hit 600 saves. Of course Mariano Rivera has now passed him, but Hoffman is still a legend in the bullpen.
Catcher- Mike Piazza: 427 HR
Considered possibly the best hitting catcher of all time, Piazza logged 16 years in the Majors. Splitting time between the Dodgers and Mets, Piazza’s career became the ultimate underdog story as he retired as a potential future hall of famer after not being drafted until the 62nd round of the 1988 draft. Piazza was a pitcher’s worst nemesis when he was at his best.
First Baseman- Lou Gehrig: 2,130 consecutive games played
Gehrig was the definition of durable when it came to his career. He played every game for his team for years, eventually setting a consecutive game mark that would stand for almost sixty years. Gehrig was also productive at the plate as he hit 493 homers and had a career batting average of .340 while batting behind the Great Bambino and having 1992 RBIs.
Second Baseman: Nap Lajoie: 3,243 Hits
Lajoie is probably one of the lesser-known players on this team, however, he is also one of the more productive ones. Playing in the early 1900’s, Lajoie had over 3,000 hits, 1,599 RBIs, and a .338 batting average. His team was even named after him.

Third Baseman- Mike Schmidt: 548 HR
When you ask an avid baseball fan who the best third baseman of all time is, the reply will more often than not include the name Mike Schmidt. Schmidt was the man at the hot corner for the Phillies between 1972 and 1989. His dominance was not only at the plate, but also in the field as he earned ten gold glove awards. All around, I believe Schmidt is the best third baseman of all time.
Shortstop- Honus Wagner: 723 SB
This shortstop was a four tool player. His skill set lacked power, but he made up for it with his 723 SB, 3,420 hits, and .940 fielding percentage. Wagner was the face of the Pirates in the first 17 years of the 20th century. Wagner is underrated by many and in my mind he could be the best.
Left Field- Ted Williams: .482 OBP
Ted Williams is often regarded as one of the top five greatest players of all time, so there is no doubt that I picked him as my left fielder. In his 19 years for the Red Sox, Williams absolutely dominated. Although he never delivered the cursed Sox to the World Series, he was the face of their franchise. Williams is thought of as a national hero. His .482 on base percentage is the best mark of all time. He also marked 521 home runs and 1,839 RBIs. And the scary part is that he could’ve been even better if he had not missed three seasons due to the war.
Center Field- Willie Mays: 660 HR
Willie Mays’s most remembered moment was “The Catch.” Willie Mays was a beast at the plate as he hit 660 HRs, 1903 RBIs, 3,283 hits, and 338 stolen bases. He was great in centerfield but also one of the most prolific hitters of all time. Willie Mays is the all-time Giant.
Right Fielder- Babe Ruth: 714 HR
I could just say, “Babe Ruth: ‘Nuff said,” however, on the other and I could write a whole paragraph about the Sultan of Swat. The third batter in Murderer’s Row, Ruth was the most feared hitter of all time. He is the most known player in baseball history. His .690 SLG, 1.164 OPS, and 206 OPS+ are all the highest of all time. He held the home run record for years before it was broken by Aaron. The Great Bambino is the best hitter of all time.
Bench: Mickey Mantle: 536 HR
“The Mick” is regarded as one of the best centerfielders of all time, and that is why I just had to include him on the list. There was no competing with Mays, but Mantle came dang close to it. They ruled New York at about the same time while Mantle was playing the Yankees. Scoring 1,676 runs and 3 MVP awards.
Did you believe it when I told you that these teams would be ridiculous? What about now? If these players played on the field at the same time there is no telling who would prevail and impress. Only in our imaginations will this ever come true, but to a true baseball fan, just imagining this is fun

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