Earlier I had written about my Detroit Tigers Franchise Four and created a poll to see what others thought. Today, I’m going to blaze through all of the teams as well as a couple extra’s, as today is the last day of voting.
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on each team and go off of the MLB’s shared numbers with maybe a few comments as we go…
AL East
Baltimore Orioles
Options: Paul Blair/OF, Dave McNally/SP, Eddie Murray/1B, Jim Palmer/SP, Boog Powell/1B, Cal Ripken Jr./SS, Brooks Robinson/3B, Frank Robinson/OF
My Vote: Palmer, Ripken, B Robinson, F Robinson
Comments: Leaving Eddie Murray off hurts to do, but I couldn’t see taking any of the others off either. Also, I considered writing in Earl Weaver, as I think he’s right up there when you think of all time Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Options: Dwight Evans/OF, Carlton Fisk/C, Pedro Martinez/SP, David Ortiz/DH, Jim Rice/OF, Ted Williams/OF, Carl Yastrzemski/OF, Cy Young/SP
My Vote: Young, Williams, Yazstrzemski, Fisk
Comments: Tough leaving Pedro off the list, but his time spent with other teams diminished his Red Sox value in my opinion. Yaz makes it over Ortiz also as I think Triple Crown when I hear his name and I think DH when I hear Ortiz
New York Yankees
Options: Yogi Berra/C, Joe DiMagigo/OF, Whitey Ford/SP, Lou Gehrig/1B, Derek Jeter/SS, Mickey Mantle/OF, Mariano Rivera/RP, Babe Ruth/OF
My Vote: Ruth, Joe D, Mantle, Gehrig
Comments: I mean, talk about tough calls…the best closer of all-time is left off, the Yankees hits leader is left off, one of the best catchers of all-time is left off, etc., etc.
Tampa Bay Rays
Options: Carl Crawford/OF, Scott Kazmir/SP, Evan Longoria/3B, Carlos Pena/1B, David Price/SP, James Shields/SP, Melvin Upton Jr/OF, Ben Zobrist
My Vote: Price, Longoria, Shields, Crawford
Comments: Whatever…
Toronto Blue Jays
Options: Roberto Alomar/2B, Jose Bautista/OF, George Bell/OF, Joe Carter/OF, Carlos Delgado/1B, Tony Fernandez/SS, Roy Halladay/SP, Dave Stieb/SP
My Vote: Alomar, Delgado, Halladay, Carter
Comments: Toss-up leaving Stieb off for Joe Carter, but his World Series home run does it for me
AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Options: Luis Aparicio/SS, Luke Appling/SS, Harold Baines/DH, Eddie Collins/2B, Nellie Fox/2B, Paul Konerko/1B, Minnie Minoso/OF, Frank Thomas/1B
My Vote: Thomas, Collins, Appling, Joe Jackson (Write-in)
Comments: Had to write in Joe Jackson, scandal or not
Cleveland Indians
Options: Earl Averill/OF, Lou Boudreau/SS, Larry Doby/OF, Bob Feller/SP, Nap Lajoie/2B, Tris Speaker/OF, Jim Thome/1B, Omar Vizquel/SS
My Vote: Thome, Speaker, Feller, LaJoie
Detroit Tigers
My Vote: Cabrera, Kaline, Cobb, Greenberg
Kansas City Royals
Options: George Brett/3B, Alex Gordon/OF, Hal McRae/DH, Amos Otis/OF, Dan Quisenberry/RP, Brett Saberhagen/SP, Frank White/2B, Willie Wilson/OF
My Vote: Brett, Quis, White, Wilson
Comments: After picking Brett first, I wondered if I had to continue…(I did)
Minnesota Twins
Options: Bert Blyleven/SP, Rod Carew/1B, Walter Johnson/SP, Jim Kaat/SP, Harmon Killebrew/1B, Joe Mauer/C, Tony Oliva/OF, Kirby Puckett/OF
My Vote: Killebrew, Johnson, Carew, Puckett
Comments: Tough to leave a Hall of Famer off like Blyleven, however Puckett epitomized the Twins in the 80’s and 90’s
AL West
Houston Astros
Options: Jeff Bagwell/1B, Lance Berkman/OF, Craig Biggio/2B, Jose Cruz/OF, J.R. Richard/SP, Nolan Ryan/SP, Mike Scott/SP, Jimmy Wynn/OF
My Vote: Ryan, Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman
Comments: How sad is it that MLB had to use J.R. Richard as 1-of-8 and couldn’t MLB.com seriously find a better picture of Mike Scott? I mean black and white? They friggin’ had Polaroid’s in the 80’s right?
Los Angeles Angels
Options: Garret Anderson/OF, Brian Downing/DH, Chuck Finley/SP, Jim Fregosi/SS, Vladimir Guerrero/OF, Nolan Ryan/SP, Tim Salmon/OF, Mike Trout/OF
My Vote: Ryan, Salmon, Guerrero, Finley
Comments: Will anyone else other than Nolan Ryan be on multiple lists (my guess is yes)? I refuse to vote for Trout since I don’t like him and he’ll be playing for the Yankees or Dodgers in a few years anyway…
Oakland Athletics
Options: Dennis Eckersley/RP, Rollie Fingers/RP, Jimmie Foxx/1B, Lefty Grove/SP, Rickey Henderson/OF, Catfish Hunter/SP, Reggie Jackson/OF, Al Simmons/OF
My Vote: Foxx, Henderson, Reggie, Simmons
Comments: Right up there with the Yankees for tough decisions. Was a bit surprised as I had forgotten about the Philadelphia Athletics teams
Seattle Mariners
Options: Jay Buhner/OF, Alvin Davis/1B, Ken Griffey Jr/OF, Felix Hernandez/SP, Randy Johnson/SP, Edgar Martinez/DH, Jamie Moyer/SP, Ichiro Suzuki/OF
My Vote: Griffey, Ichiro, Randy, Martinez
Comments: This list probably changes once Felix’s career is up, replacing Edgar Martinez, but that’s a heck of a list
Texas Rangers
Options: Adrian Beltre/3B, Juan Gonzalez/OF, Josh Hamilton/OF, Frank Howard/OF, Rafael Palmeiro/1B, Ivan Rodriguez/C, Nolan Ryan/SP, Michael Young/SS
My Vote: Ryan, Pudge, Howard, Young
Comments: Ummm…the Rangers may want to look in to their team a bit more with all the PED’s and drug use going on over the years. Oh, make that 3 lists for Nolan Ryan!
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