"Did you know that if you chose up 676 All-Star teams by initials, Bill Russell would probably be on the winning team? The J.C. team would be awfully good ..." - The Bill James Baseball Abstract 1984
OK, so this started as a simple exercise, putting together 25-man rosters from all of baseball history with initials that match our own (J.R. and M.H.). We had fun, so we started doing teams of players with our friends' initials. We had even more fun. So we began trying to see how many "initial teams" we could put together. Some teams came together naturally. Others have tremendous strengths and glaring weaknesses. Along the way, we discovered some fascinating players we had previously overlooked.
Each team, theoretically, has eight starting position players (no DH, thank you very much), five bench players (including a backup catcher, a utility infielder, a fourth outfielder and two others), a five-man rotation and a seven-man bullpen with one identified as the nominal closer. We only deviate from this roster format if necessary. Each team has a manager, and if none is available, we do the best we can to identify one. The teams are given random names - sometimes after our friends - that play off of the initials used to create the roster.
We have tried to pick the best teams possible with each set of initials, though in choosing the final bench or bullpen spots we reserve the right to pick sentimental favorites or, failing that, guys with funny names. We will not list a player at a position he did not play, though if roster requirements dictate (e.g., two outstanding shortstops but no decent second baseman), we will put a guy at his secondary position. We try to manage resources the way a real manager would - for example, if you've got two starting right fielders, you move one of them to left. For what it's worth, some guys might appear on more than one team if they were equally well known by two different names (e.g., Rich Gossage is eligible for the RG team, but he's also eligible for the GGs as Goose Gossage), but we won't abuse this by trying to put Babe Ruth on the GRs or anything like that.
Have fun.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Monday, May 2, 2011
AB: The Antonio Banderases
Infield: Aaron Boone (1997-2009) spent most of his career at third base but will move to first (where he played more than 100 games) on this roster. Boone – grandson of Ray, son of Bob, brother of Bret – hit 126 regular season home runs in his career, but he will always be remembered for one he hit in the postseason: the walk-off shot he hit off Boston’s Tim Wakefield in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Boone moves to first to accommodate third baseman Adrian Beltre (1998- ), who has pushed past 300 home runs and has already moved past 1,100 career RBI in his early 30s. Beltre was a good power hitter from the time he arrived with the Dodgers at age 19, but he broke loose for 48 home runs in 2004, the walk year of his contract. That led to a big free agent deal in Seattle, where he played well but was perceived as a disappointment beause he didn’t hit 40-plus home runs again. He had a big year for the Red Sox in 2010 to revive his career. He is a Gold Glove defender with a good bat. Second baseman Alan Bannister (1974-85) was a utility guy who played all over the field as needed. He wasn’t a great hitter, but he wasn’t bad either – a decent average, walked as often as he struck out, ran well. He was a useful player who bounced around five teams and generally helped them. Shortstop Al Bridwell (1905-15) was a slap hitter who earned his niche in baseball history as the guy who hit the would-be single that was turned into a fielder’s choice by Fred Merkle’s infamous baserunning gaffe that cost the New York Giants the 1908 pennant. (If you’re not familiar with the play, simply google “Merkle’s Boner,” or look up that phrase on Wikipedia. Don’t worry – it’s “work-safe.”)
Outfield: Left fielder Albert Belle (1989-2000) was one of the best hiters of his generation, but his career was cut short by a hip injury and his sensational production was constantly overshadowed by his violent temper. He was originally known by his childhood nickname Joey, but after several controversial incidents and a stint in alcohol rehab, he re-emerged using his given name, Albert, as a symbol of his fresh start. It got his career back on track, but sobriety did little to tame his volcanic temper, and his career was a long-running battle with media, fans, opponents and sometimes teammates. He was suspended after he was caught using a corked bat, and he was fined when he decked an opposing infielder with a vicious elbow to the face in the middle of the basepath. His wrath was not limited to the baseball diamond – on Halloween 1995 he was arrested after he jumped in his vehicle and tried to run down some trick-or-treaters who had egged his house. He finished his career at .295/.369/.564 with 381 home runs despite retiring at age 33. He is the only player in history to have 50 doubles and 50 home runs in the same season. Belle drove in 100-plus runs in each of his last nine seasons, and between 1992-98 he averaged 126 RBI, and that total would be pushed even higher if you extrapolate his astonishing 1994 totals (101 RBI in 106 games) to account for the season-ending lockout. Center fielder Al Bumbry (1972-85) did a two-year tour of duty in Vietnam, winning a Bronze Star, before returning to baseball in 1972 and winning Rookie of the Year in 1972 when he batted .337 for the Orioles. He was very fast, a solid contact hitter and a good defensive outfielder. Right fielder Al Burch (1906-11) was a slap hitter with a little speed who spent most of his career in Brooklyn. Near the end of the 1906 season, in a game against the Boston Beaneaters, Burch came to bat against Happy Jack Cameron, a guy who had washed out as an outfielder and was attempting to hang on in the majors as a reliever. Burch rifled a line drive back up the middle that hit Cameron’s head with such force that it ricocheted back on the fly to the catcher, who caught it and doubled the runner off first base, one of the odder 1-2-3 double plays in history.
Outfield: Left fielder Albert Belle (1989-2000) was one of the best hiters of his generation, but his career was cut short by a hip injury and his sensational production was constantly overshadowed by his violent temper. He was originally known by his childhood nickname Joey, but after several controversial incidents and a stint in alcohol rehab, he re-emerged using his given name, Albert, as a symbol of his fresh start. It got his career back on track, but sobriety did little to tame his volcanic temper, and his career was a long-running battle with media, fans, opponents and sometimes teammates. He was suspended after he was caught using a corked bat, and he was fined when he decked an opposing infielder with a vicious elbow to the face in the middle of the basepath. His wrath was not limited to the baseball diamond – on Halloween 1995 he was arrested after he jumped in his vehicle and tried to run down some trick-or-treaters who had egged his house. He finished his career at .295/.369/.564 with 381 home runs despite retiring at age 33. He is the only player in history to have 50 doubles and 50 home runs in the same season. Belle drove in 100-plus runs in each of his last nine seasons, and between 1992-98 he averaged 126 RBI, and that total would be pushed even higher if you extrapolate his astonishing 1994 totals (101 RBI in 106 games) to account for the season-ending lockout. Center fielder Al Bumbry (1972-85) did a two-year tour of duty in Vietnam, winning a Bronze Star, before returning to baseball in 1972 and winning Rookie of the Year in 1972 when he batted .337 for the Orioles. He was very fast, a solid contact hitter and a good defensive outfielder. Right fielder Al Burch (1906-11) was a slap hitter with a little speed who spent most of his career in Brooklyn. Near the end of the 1906 season, in a game against the Boston Beaneaters, Burch came to bat against Happy Jack Cameron, a guy who had washed out as an outfielder and was attempting to hang on in the majors as a reliever. Burch rifled a line drive back up the middle that hit Cameron’s head with such force that it ricocheted back on the fly to the catcher, who caught it and doubled the runner off first base, one of the odder 1-2-3 double plays in history.
Catcher: Al Bool (1928-31) was a fine minor-league hitter who got a few trials in the majors in his early 30s.
Rotation: Andy Benes (1989-2002) was the first overall pick in the 1988 draft, taken by San Diego out of the University of Evansville. He went on to win 155 games and struck out 2,000 batters, mostly for San Diego and St. Louis. A.J. Burnett (1999- ) has had a similar career to Andy Benes, a solid starter who never quite became an ace. He was a top prospect in the Mets organization before he was traded to the Marlins. He pitched a no-hitter in 2001, had Tommy John surgery two years later and has continued to plug away. He had 110 career wins entering the 2011 season. Lefty Addison Brennan (1910-18) had a couple of good years for the Phillies, highlighted by 14 wins and a 2.37 ERA in 1913. Alan Benes (1995-2003) won 29 games in his career, almost half of them when he went 13-10 for the Cardinals in 1996. He is the brother of Andy Benes; their other brother, Adam, qualifies for the team with his initials but never made it to the majors. Al Benton (1934-52) was a swingman who won 98 games in his career, mostly for the Tigers. He also had a season in which he led the league in retroactive saves.
Bullpen: Closer Armando Benitez (1994-2008) was a flame-thrower who saved 289 games and struck out almost 11 batters per nine innings over the course of his career. Andrew Bailey (2009- ) was AL Rookie of the Year in 2009 and followed up with a fine second season. For his first two seasons he had 51 saves, a 1.70 ERA, and in 132 innings he has 133 strikeouts and just 37 walks. If he stays healthy, he could try to wrest the closer role away from Benitez, but he’s got a ways to go. Lefty Al Brazle (1943-54) started out as a swingman and then transitioned into a full-time reliever for the Cardinals. When saves were retroactively figured, it was determined that Brazle led the NL in both 1952 and ’53. He won 97 games in his career and saved 60. Andrew Brown (2006-08) is a 6-foot-6 righty who had a fine minor-league career and pitched reasonably well in the bigs before running out of steam. Antonio Bastardo (2009- ) is a young lefty fireballer whose name, when said in a deep and guttural tone, is every bit as intimidating as his fastball. Ambiorix Burgos (2005-07) had a live arm, a great name, and no control. Alton Brown (1951) is a local guy from here in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia who pitched a few games for the Senators.
Bench: Infielder Angel Berroa (2001-09) had an oustanding rookie season in 2003, batting .287 with 17 home runs and 21 steals, winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He also struck out 100 times and walked just 29 times, and that was a portent of things to come. Berroa’s career went straight downhill after his rookie season. Outfielder Angel Bravo (1969-71) was a minor-league speed demon who was never able to stick in the majors. Adrian Brown (1997-2006) was a slap-hitting outfielder for the Pirates. Infielder Art Butler (1911-16) was born Arthur Bouthillier but shortened his name to make it simpler. He was a .300 hitter in a long minor-league career but just a spart part in the majors. Backup catcher Arlo Brunsberg (1966) had three at-bats and finished with a .333 batting average (one hit), a .667 slugging percentage (it was a double) and a .500 on-base percentage (he got drilled once, too).
Manager: There has never been an A.B. manager in the major leagues, but Al Bumbry spent many years coaching for the Red Sox, Orioles and Indians.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
AC: The Archibald Coxes
Infield: Third baseman Andy Carey (1952-62) won four pennants and two World Series championships with the Mantle-Berra Yankees. He was a dependable player – a decent defender at the hot corner and a batter who would hit .260 or so, make good contact and supply a bit of pop. Playing for Casey Stengel, who platooned a lot and who liked to change his lineup around, Carey had only one season in which he had 500 at-bats (1955, when he played 135 games and came to the plate 570 time). He led the AL in triples that year with 11. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (2007- ) is just hitting his prime with the Indians, and he’s establishing himself as a good top-of-the-order hitter. He bats close to .300, draws a few walks, hits the ball hard and runs well. He’s not great at anything, but he’s pretty strong across the board. Second baseman Alberto Callaspo (2006- ) is also in mid-career, playing with Anaheim. He’s a good contact hitter who can rip some doubles. Check back in a decade or so to see what kind of careers Callaspo and Cabrera have put together. First baseman Archi Cianfrocco (1992-98) was versatile enough to play all over the field, but he never fully developed as a hitter. He had a bit of pop, but he struck out too much, didn’t walk enough and struggled to push his batting average north of .250.
Outfield: Right fielder Al Cowens (1974-86) was a multi-talented player who had some very good seasons but struggled with inconsistency. He could hit 20 home runs in a good year, and he stole some bases but got thrown out too much. He made good contact and hit some good line drives, and he was a fine defensive player. At his peak he was a very good ballplayer – such as in 1977, when he went .312-23-112 for the Royals and won a Gold Glove. In 1979, Texas relief pitcher Ed Farmer broke Cowens’ jaw with a fastball and also broke Frank White’s wrist with a pitch. Cowens held a grudge, and the next time he faced Farmer – in 1980, when Cowens was with Detroit and Farmer with the White Sox – Cowens charged the mound during a groundout and jumped Farmer from behind. Center fielder Alex Cole (1990-96) could fly. As a 24-year-old rookie for Cleveland, he batted .300 and stole 40 bases (in 49 attempts) in less than half a season. He wasn’t really a .300 hitter, he never stole 40 bases again, and his success rate dropped. And, oh yeah, he wasn’t a great fielder. But he did hit for a decent average, and he did draw a few walks, and of course, he ran well, so he was an exciting and fairly functional player. Left fielder Adam Comorosky (1926-35) had a big year for Pittsburgh in 1930 – he batted .313 with 47 doubles, a league-high 23 triples, 12 home runs. He scored 112 runs and drove in 119, and for good measure, he led the league with 33 sac bunts. That was by far the best year of his career. He appears to have been a good defensive outfielder as well. He finished his career at .285, but with just 28 home runs.
Catcher: Amos Cross (1885-87) was the older brother of Lave Cross, who had 2,651 hits and who scored and drove in more than 2,700 runs. Amos had a good year at age 26 but he played just eight games the following year and was dead at age 28. It’s not clear how he died, but we’re open to suggestions.
Rotation: Andy Coakley (1902-11) won 58 games and had a 2.35 career ERA in the deadball era. He never led the league in anything, but he had two seasons with ERAs below 2.00 with well over 200 innings pitched. He went on to a long coaching career at Columbia University. Aaron Cook (2002- ) has spent his entire career with the Colorado Rockies, entering the 2011 season with a career record of 68-59. Arnold “Hook” Carter (1944-45) was a lefty who pitched well for Cincinnati for a couple of years during World War II but was finished once the top players came back from military service. He struck out just 37 batters in 195 innings, which suggests that he was never going to be able to sustain a career anyway. Lefty Art Ceccarelli (1955-60) was a swingman who won nine games for three teams. Al Cicotte (1957-62) was the great-nephew of disgraced Black Sox conspirator Eddie Cicotte. He was nowhere near as good as his great uncle Eddie – just a swingman who pitched for six teams in five seasons.
Bullpen: In the absence of an experienced closer, Cuban fireballer Aroldis Chapman (2010- ) will be handed the job. He arrived with the Reds as a 22-year-old with a fastball that lights up the radar gun at speeds approaching 105 mph. The Reds are still figuring out how to use him, and if he eventually moves into their rotation, he will almost certainly settle into the A.C. rotation as well – but as long as he remains in the Cincinnati pen, he’s the closer for the A.C. roster. Alex Carrasquel (1939-49) was the first Venezuelan to play in the majors, and he struck out DiMaggio, Gehrig and Dickey in his debut. That was an anomaly – he was a good pitcher but not a great one, and he didn’t strike out a lot of batters. He effectively ended his major league career in 1945 when he jumped from the Senators to the outlaw Mexican League, though he came back for three games with the White Sox in 1949. Andrew Cashner (2010- ) is a 6-foot-6 flamethrower, former first-round draft pick, who is just getting started and could have a fine career ahead of him, though shoulder issues in 2011 raised a red flag. Al Corwin (1951-55) pitched for the Giants and did well enough to get by for several years. Alberto Castillo (2008- ) is a Cuban lefty who has had a long career in the minors and a few call-ups to the Orioles in his mid-30s. We'll always switch catchers when he comes in so our battery will be a coupla Alberto Castillos. Anthony Chavez (1997) was a solid minor-league pitcher who got called up to Anaheim for a couple of weeks at age 25. In 9 2/3 innings, he struck out 10 and gave up just one run – but he never made it back to the majors. Aaron Crow (2011- ) is a talented young reliever coming off a fine rookie year with the Royals. He's a Topeka native and a former University of Missouri star who should be a natural favorite in Kansas City if he continues to develop.
Outfield: Right fielder Al Cowens (1974-86) was a multi-talented player who had some very good seasons but struggled with inconsistency. He could hit 20 home runs in a good year, and he stole some bases but got thrown out too much. He made good contact and hit some good line drives, and he was a fine defensive player. At his peak he was a very good ballplayer – such as in 1977, when he went .312-23-112 for the Royals and won a Gold Glove. In 1979, Texas relief pitcher Ed Farmer broke Cowens’ jaw with a fastball and also broke Frank White’s wrist with a pitch. Cowens held a grudge, and the next time he faced Farmer – in 1980, when Cowens was with Detroit and Farmer with the White Sox – Cowens charged the mound during a groundout and jumped Farmer from behind. Center fielder Alex Cole (1990-96) could fly. As a 24-year-old rookie for Cleveland, he batted .300 and stole 40 bases (in 49 attempts) in less than half a season. He wasn’t really a .300 hitter, he never stole 40 bases again, and his success rate dropped. And, oh yeah, he wasn’t a great fielder. But he did hit for a decent average, and he did draw a few walks, and of course, he ran well, so he was an exciting and fairly functional player. Left fielder Adam Comorosky (1926-35) had a big year for Pittsburgh in 1930 – he batted .313 with 47 doubles, a league-high 23 triples, 12 home runs. He scored 112 runs and drove in 119, and for good measure, he led the league with 33 sac bunts. That was by far the best year of his career. He appears to have been a good defensive outfielder as well. He finished his career at .285, but with just 28 home runs.
Catcher: Amos Cross (1885-87) was the older brother of Lave Cross, who had 2,651 hits and who scored and drove in more than 2,700 runs. Amos had a good year at age 26 but he played just eight games the following year and was dead at age 28. It’s not clear how he died, but we’re open to suggestions.
Rotation: Andy Coakley (1902-11) won 58 games and had a 2.35 career ERA in the deadball era. He never led the league in anything, but he had two seasons with ERAs below 2.00 with well over 200 innings pitched. He went on to a long coaching career at Columbia University. Aaron Cook (2002- ) has spent his entire career with the Colorado Rockies, entering the 2011 season with a career record of 68-59. Arnold “Hook” Carter (1944-45) was a lefty who pitched well for Cincinnati for a couple of years during World War II but was finished once the top players came back from military service. He struck out just 37 batters in 195 innings, which suggests that he was never going to be able to sustain a career anyway. Lefty Art Ceccarelli (1955-60) was a swingman who won nine games for three teams. Al Cicotte (1957-62) was the great-nephew of disgraced Black Sox conspirator Eddie Cicotte. He was nowhere near as good as his great uncle Eddie – just a swingman who pitched for six teams in five seasons.
Bullpen: In the absence of an experienced closer, Cuban fireballer Aroldis Chapman (2010- ) will be handed the job. He arrived with the Reds as a 22-year-old with a fastball that lights up the radar gun at speeds approaching 105 mph. The Reds are still figuring out how to use him, and if he eventually moves into their rotation, he will almost certainly settle into the A.C. rotation as well – but as long as he remains in the Cincinnati pen, he’s the closer for the A.C. roster. Alex Carrasquel (1939-49) was the first Venezuelan to play in the majors, and he struck out DiMaggio, Gehrig and Dickey in his debut. That was an anomaly – he was a good pitcher but not a great one, and he didn’t strike out a lot of batters. He effectively ended his major league career in 1945 when he jumped from the Senators to the outlaw Mexican League, though he came back for three games with the White Sox in 1949. Andrew Cashner (2010- ) is a 6-foot-6 flamethrower, former first-round draft pick, who is just getting started and could have a fine career ahead of him, though shoulder issues in 2011 raised a red flag. Al Corwin (1951-55) pitched for the Giants and did well enough to get by for several years. Alberto Castillo (2008- ) is a Cuban lefty who has had a long career in the minors and a few call-ups to the Orioles in his mid-30s. We'll always switch catchers when he comes in so our battery will be a coupla Alberto Castillos. Anthony Chavez (1997) was a solid minor-league pitcher who got called up to Anaheim for a couple of weeks at age 25. In 9 2/3 innings, he struck out 10 and gave up just one run – but he never made it back to the majors. Aaron Crow (2011- ) is a talented young reliever coming off a fine rookie year with the Royals. He's a Topeka native and a former University of Missouri star who should be a natural favorite in Kansas City if he continues to develop.
Bench: In a crowded middle infield picture, Alex Cintron (2001-09) and Andujar Cedeno (1990-96) emerge as the utility guys. Cintron, given a regular job by the Diamondbacks in 2003, batted .317 with some power. He spent the rest of his career proving he wasn’t really that good. Cedeno was fascinating to baseball fans because his arrival as a 20-year-old rookie hinted that the Astros were preparing to hand their shortstop job over to a guy whose name combined references to two of the team’s most talented and famous head cases (Joaquin Andujar and Cesar Cedeno). It didn’t really work out – Andujar Cedeno batted below .250, didn’t walk, was a poor defensive shortstop and had just mid-range power – but he hung around as a part-time infielder for several years. Outfielder Allie Clark (1947-53) was a journeyman role player who won World Series titles with the Yankees in 1947 and the Indians in 1948. Outfielder Allen Craig (2010- ) has emerged as a valuable role player with the Cardinals - a guy who hits for a decent average with a little power and can be stretched to play the infield. Alberto “Bambino” Castillo (1995-2007) was a light-hitting backup catcher with solid defensive skills for more than a decade.
Manager: Andy Cohen was the manager of the Phillies for 24 hours in 1960. Eddie Sawyer was the team’s manager but he stepped down early in the season, and Cohen had the job on an interim basis until Gene Mauch was hired one day later. Cohen’s career record as a big-league manager was 1-0. We’ll see if he can keep on winning with the A.C. team. He’ll be assisted by longtime Dodgers executive Al Campanis.
Manager: Andy Cohen was the manager of the Phillies for 24 hours in 1960. Eddie Sawyer was the team’s manager but he stepped down early in the season, and Cohen had the job on an interim basis until Gene Mauch was hired one day later. Cohen’s career record as a big-league manager was 1-0. We’ll see if he can keep on winning with the A.C. team. He’ll be assisted by longtime Dodgers executive Al Campanis.
AD: The Abner Doubledays
Infield: First baseman Alvin Davis (1984-92) was sort of Fred McGriff Lite. He wasn’t as good as McGriff, and he didn’t play nearly as long, but he was a similar model – a .280-.290 hitter who drew lots of walks and hit for power. He spent almost his entire career with the Mariners, winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 1984 (.284-27-116) and going on to hit 160 career home runs. He will be sharing the infield with Alvin Dark (1946-60), Art Devlin (1904-13) and Adam DeBus (1917), though the exact configuration is a bit tricky. Dark was a shortstop and Devlin a third baseman, but each played a few games at other infield spots. DeBus only played 38 games, splitting time at short and third, and unfortunately he never moved to second base. For now, Dark will play shortstop, Devlin will move to second and DeBus will hold down third base – but the coaching staff is hoping that DeBus will volunteer to learn to play second. Dark was a good enough player that historian Bill James has suggested he may have made the Hall of Fame if the start of his playing career had not been delayed by World War II. He was a good contact hitter with a little bit of power (126 career home runs) and a decent glove. He won a Rookie of the Year Award, played in three all-star games and had a .323 batting average in 16 World Series games. Devlin was also a contact hitter, with more speed than Dark but less power. DeBus, who thus far is mucking up our infield alignment with his inability to play second base, batted .229 in a handful of games for the Pirates.
Outfield: Hall of Famer Andre “Hawk” Dawson (1976-96) came up with the Expos as a speed burning center fielder who also hit with power. Knee injuries, complicated by the artificial turf at Stade Olympique, eventually took away his speed and forced him to move to right field, where his powerful throwing arm remained an asset. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in almost 1,600 runs, but he had a terrible batting eye that limited his ability to get on base. He was tremendously respected as a team leader and a mentor to young players, which allowed him to stay in the game into his 40s. In 1987, when the owners colluded and secretly agreed not to sign any free agents, Dawson (looking to escape the artificial turf) famously handed the Cubs a blank contract with his signature on it and told them to fill in whatever salary they wanted. The Cubs signed him for $500,000 plus some incentives, and he responded with 49 home runs, 137 RBI and an NL MVP award. That season made him a Cubs legend, and he spent five more years there. Dawson will stay in center field on this team, while Adam Dunn (2001- ) will start in right. Dunn is a huge guy, listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, and a consistent slugger. How consistent? For four straight years, starting in 2005, he he exactly 40 home runs. He broke that streak by hitting 38 in back-to-back seasons. Dunn is a “three true outcomes” player – more than 49 percent of his career plate appearances have resulted in either a home run, a strikeout or a walk – and he is closing in on 400 homers in his early 30s. His run of consistent production was distrupted with a 2011 season that was an unmitigated disaster, and we’re sort of interested to see what kind of rebound he’s got left in him. (As a side note, the 2009 Washington Nationals frequently used an outfield of Dunn, Elijah Dukes and Austin Kearns, a trio that according to their officially listed weights that year checked in at a combined 778 pounds. If that ain’t a record, we want to see who beats it.) Left fielder Abner Dalrymple (1878-91) was a 19th-century leadoff batter who ran well and had some pop.
Catcher: Al DeVormer (1918-27) was never more than a backup in the majors, but he played for some very good teams and spent almost his entire major-league career playing for Hall of Fame managers (Miller Huggins, Frank Chance and John McGraw). He was a respected defensive catcher and a popualr teammate, and he stuck around in the minors until he was 40.
Rotation: Lefty Al Downing (1961-77) came up with the Yankees in the final years of the Mantle-Berra-Ford dynasty, a kid with an overpowering fastball but also with control problems (he led the AL in both strikeouts and walks in 1964). He eventually got it together enough to win 123 games, including a 20-9 season for the Dodgers in 1971. He was a good pitcher – very, very good at times – but he is probably best known for giving up Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. Al Demaree (1912-19) won 80 games for four teams, and he had some good seasons along the way. After he retired, he went on to an even more prominentn career, spending several decades drawing highly distinctive sports-themed narrative cartoons for The Sporting News. Art Ditmar (1954-62) was nothing special as a pitcher, but he had the good fortune to spend a few years with the Yankees – in the years right before Al Downing – and therefore he won three pennants and a World Series title. Ditmar split his career between the powerhouse Yankees and the laughingstock A’s – he was 47-32 with a 3.24 ERA with the Yankees, and 25-45 with a 4.97 ERA with the A’s. Atley Donald (1938-45) spent his whole career with the Yankees during the DiMaggio era, putting up a career record of 65-33. He won three World Series titles with the Yankees, though he didn’t appear in the 1939 or ’43 World Series and he pitched badly in the 1941 Series. Art Decatur (1922-27) won 23 games for the Brooklyn Robins and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bullpen: Closer Adrian Devine (1973-80) had 11 wins and 15 saves for the Rangers in 1977, which was the highlight of his career. Probably the most interesting detail of his career is the trade history that shuttled him back and forth between Atlanta and Texas. He came up with the Braves and was traded in 1976 to Texas as part of a package for Jeff Burroughs, who was two years removed from his AL MVP award. A year later, he went back to the Braves in a massive deal that involved 11 players moving among four teams. Two years after that, the Rangers traded him back to Atlanta. It seemed like every December at the winter meetingts, the Braves and Rangers would exchange Adrian Devine. Art Delaney (1924-29) had a distinguished minor-league career but largely got hammered in the majors. He’s a set-up man in this rather thin bullpen. Andy Dunning (1889-91) pitched a total of three games in the majors, all before his 20th birthday, and he appears to have gotten clobbered in all three. Two of them were complete game starts. Arthur Doll (1936-38) pitched in a total of four games and seems to have had better luck than Andrew Dunning. Alec Distaso (1969) pitched in two games for the Cubs at age 20, and he was out of baseball due to arm injuries before he turned 22. He went on to a career with the L.A.P.D. Art Daney (1928) had a major-league career that consisted of one scoreless inning for the Philadelphia A’s. That means the last four guys in our bullpen pitched in a total of 10 major-league games – we’ll be looking for some complete games out of our rotation.
Bench: Outfielder Alex Diaz (1992-99) never hit much, didn’t get on base, had no power and just a little bit of speed. He hung around for a few years and then became a Pentecostal minister in Puerto Rico. Argenis Diaz (2010- ) is an infielder who is still young. He hasn’t done anything all that impressive in the bigs, but if he does establish himself at all it wouldn’t take much to dislodge Adam DeBus from the starting lineup. Especially if he can play second base. Backup catcher Alex Delgado (1996) spent 18 years in the minors and in Mexico but only got a brief shot in the majors with the Red Sox. Outfielder Alejandro de Aza (2007- ) is a lefty stick with a bit of speed who has done alright in brief trials with the Marlins and the White Sox. He’s hitting his late 20s without having established himself, but he could be a valuable bench player. Outfielder Andy Dirks (2011- ) is another young lefty stick trying to stick in the majors. First baseman Arturo DeFreites (1978-79) was a minor-league slugger who never stuck in the majors.
Manager: Alvin Dark will be player-manager. He won a pennant with the 1962 Giants (might have won the World Series if McCovey had hit the ball three feet to either side on the final play of Game 7), and then won a World Series title with the A’s in 1974 (replacing Dick Williams, who had won titles in Oakland the previous two years but then quit because he was tired of dealing with owner Charles Finley). His career record was 994-954. Early in his managerial career there was the perception that he had difficulties dealing with players of color. A magazine article quoted him saying that blacks and Latins lacked the “mental alertness” of white players; he claimed that he had been misquoted, and several players such as Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson spoke up for him. He later became a devout Christian, which led to a very funny column by Mike Royko about the day that Dark came into a blue-collar saloon in Chicago trying to preach the benefits of godliness and clean living. One of the assembled drunks observed that Babe Ruth was (a.) a drinker and a womanizer, and (b.) a better player than Alvin Dark. When Dark agreed with both assessments, the assembled drunks “drank a shot to the memory of Babe Ruth and dirty living.”
Outfield: Hall of Famer Andre “Hawk” Dawson (1976-96) came up with the Expos as a speed burning center fielder who also hit with power. Knee injuries, complicated by the artificial turf at Stade Olympique, eventually took away his speed and forced him to move to right field, where his powerful throwing arm remained an asset. Dawson hit 438 home runs and drove in almost 1,600 runs, but he had a terrible batting eye that limited his ability to get on base. He was tremendously respected as a team leader and a mentor to young players, which allowed him to stay in the game into his 40s. In 1987, when the owners colluded and secretly agreed not to sign any free agents, Dawson (looking to escape the artificial turf) famously handed the Cubs a blank contract with his signature on it and told them to fill in whatever salary they wanted. The Cubs signed him for $500,000 plus some incentives, and he responded with 49 home runs, 137 RBI and an NL MVP award. That season made him a Cubs legend, and he spent five more years there. Dawson will stay in center field on this team, while Adam Dunn (2001- ) will start in right. Dunn is a huge guy, listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, and a consistent slugger. How consistent? For four straight years, starting in 2005, he he exactly 40 home runs. He broke that streak by hitting 38 in back-to-back seasons. Dunn is a “three true outcomes” player – more than 49 percent of his career plate appearances have resulted in either a home run, a strikeout or a walk – and he is closing in on 400 homers in his early 30s. His run of consistent production was distrupted with a 2011 season that was an unmitigated disaster, and we’re sort of interested to see what kind of rebound he’s got left in him. (As a side note, the 2009 Washington Nationals frequently used an outfield of Dunn, Elijah Dukes and Austin Kearns, a trio that according to their officially listed weights that year checked in at a combined 778 pounds. If that ain’t a record, we want to see who beats it.) Left fielder Abner Dalrymple (1878-91) was a 19th-century leadoff batter who ran well and had some pop.
Catcher: Al DeVormer (1918-27) was never more than a backup in the majors, but he played for some very good teams and spent almost his entire major-league career playing for Hall of Fame managers (Miller Huggins, Frank Chance and John McGraw). He was a respected defensive catcher and a popualr teammate, and he stuck around in the minors until he was 40.
Rotation: Lefty Al Downing (1961-77) came up with the Yankees in the final years of the Mantle-Berra-Ford dynasty, a kid with an overpowering fastball but also with control problems (he led the AL in both strikeouts and walks in 1964). He eventually got it together enough to win 123 games, including a 20-9 season for the Dodgers in 1971. He was a good pitcher – very, very good at times – but he is probably best known for giving up Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. Al Demaree (1912-19) won 80 games for four teams, and he had some good seasons along the way. After he retired, he went on to an even more prominentn career, spending several decades drawing highly distinctive sports-themed narrative cartoons for The Sporting News. Art Ditmar (1954-62) was nothing special as a pitcher, but he had the good fortune to spend a few years with the Yankees – in the years right before Al Downing – and therefore he won three pennants and a World Series title. Ditmar split his career between the powerhouse Yankees and the laughingstock A’s – he was 47-32 with a 3.24 ERA with the Yankees, and 25-45 with a 4.97 ERA with the A’s. Atley Donald (1938-45) spent his whole career with the Yankees during the DiMaggio era, putting up a career record of 65-33. He won three World Series titles with the Yankees, though he didn’t appear in the 1939 or ’43 World Series and he pitched badly in the 1941 Series. Art Decatur (1922-27) won 23 games for the Brooklyn Robins and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bullpen: Closer Adrian Devine (1973-80) had 11 wins and 15 saves for the Rangers in 1977, which was the highlight of his career. Probably the most interesting detail of his career is the trade history that shuttled him back and forth between Atlanta and Texas. He came up with the Braves and was traded in 1976 to Texas as part of a package for Jeff Burroughs, who was two years removed from his AL MVP award. A year later, he went back to the Braves in a massive deal that involved 11 players moving among four teams. Two years after that, the Rangers traded him back to Atlanta. It seemed like every December at the winter meetingts, the Braves and Rangers would exchange Adrian Devine. Art Delaney (1924-29) had a distinguished minor-league career but largely got hammered in the majors. He’s a set-up man in this rather thin bullpen. Andy Dunning (1889-91) pitched a total of three games in the majors, all before his 20th birthday, and he appears to have gotten clobbered in all three. Two of them were complete game starts. Arthur Doll (1936-38) pitched in a total of four games and seems to have had better luck than Andrew Dunning. Alec Distaso (1969) pitched in two games for the Cubs at age 20, and he was out of baseball due to arm injuries before he turned 22. He went on to a career with the L.A.P.D. Art Daney (1928) had a major-league career that consisted of one scoreless inning for the Philadelphia A’s. That means the last four guys in our bullpen pitched in a total of 10 major-league games – we’ll be looking for some complete games out of our rotation.
Bench: Outfielder Alex Diaz (1992-99) never hit much, didn’t get on base, had no power and just a little bit of speed. He hung around for a few years and then became a Pentecostal minister in Puerto Rico. Argenis Diaz (2010- ) is an infielder who is still young. He hasn’t done anything all that impressive in the bigs, but if he does establish himself at all it wouldn’t take much to dislodge Adam DeBus from the starting lineup. Especially if he can play second base. Backup catcher Alex Delgado (1996) spent 18 years in the minors and in Mexico but only got a brief shot in the majors with the Red Sox. Outfielder Alejandro de Aza (2007- ) is a lefty stick with a bit of speed who has done alright in brief trials with the Marlins and the White Sox. He’s hitting his late 20s without having established himself, but he could be a valuable bench player. Outfielder Andy Dirks (2011- ) is another young lefty stick trying to stick in the majors. First baseman Arturo DeFreites (1978-79) was a minor-league slugger who never stuck in the majors.
Manager: Alvin Dark will be player-manager. He won a pennant with the 1962 Giants (might have won the World Series if McCovey had hit the ball three feet to either side on the final play of Game 7), and then won a World Series title with the A’s in 1974 (replacing Dick Williams, who had won titles in Oakland the previous two years but then quit because he was tired of dealing with owner Charles Finley). His career record was 994-954. Early in his managerial career there was the perception that he had difficulties dealing with players of color. A magazine article quoted him saying that blacks and Latins lacked the “mental alertness” of white players; he claimed that he had been misquoted, and several players such as Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson spoke up for him. He later became a devout Christian, which led to a very funny column by Mike Royko about the day that Dark came into a blue-collar saloon in Chicago trying to preach the benefits of godliness and clean living. One of the assembled drunks observed that Babe Ruth was (a.) a drinker and a womanizer, and (b.) a better player than Alvin Dark. When Dark agreed with both assessments, the assembled drunks “drank a shot to the memory of Babe Ruth and dirty living.”
AH: The Anne Hathaways
Infield: First baseman Aubrey Huff (2000- ) has hit 241 home runs and has a shot at 1,000 RBI if he can extend his career into his late 30s. He’s driven in 100 runs three times. Huff came up with Tampa and then wandered around a bit before winning a World Series title with the Giants in 2010. Second baseman Aaron Hill (2005- ) will hit his 100th career home run sometime early in 2012 (he finished 2011 with 98 career homers). His best season was 2009 when – coming back from a concussion the year before – he went .286-36-108 season for Toronto. He’ll turn 30 right around the time the 2012 season starts, so he should be right in the prime of his career, but he’s trying to reestablish himself after a couple of down seasons. Third baseman Art Howe (1974-85) was a very functional player whose best years were with the Astros. He was a .260 hitter who made good contact and could play decent defense all over the infield. Shortstop Andy High (1922-34) was primarily a third baseman but he moves to short, where he played occasionally, because that’s where he is most needed on this roster. He was a journeyman who never struck out, and his four seasons with the Cardinals (1928-31) included three pennants and a World Series title. He was 5-foot-6, and his nickname was “Knee” High.
Outfield: Left fielder Adam Hyzdu (2000-06) hit almost 300 home runs in the minors, but he never stuck in the majors. In 407 plate appearances, spread out over six seasons with four teams, he batted .229, struck out 98 times and hit 19 home runs. In 2000, playing for the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League, he went .290-31-106 and was named the league’s MVP. People got excited over that, not realizing that if a first-round draft pick is still in Double-A in his 11th season of pro ball, he probably ought to win the league MVP award. Right fielder Albert Hall (1981-89) sadly never played in Kansas City and therefore never became “the Royal Albert Hall.” (Rimshot) He spent almost his entire career with the Braves, a .250 hitter with a little bit of speed but not much else. Center fielder Al Heist (1960-62) had a long, serviceable career in the minors before graduating to the cubs in his early 30s. He stole just six bases in his career, which is disappointing since you would think that a guy named Heist would steal more. (Rimshot.)
Catcher: A.J. Hinch (1998-2004) batted .219 and had a terrible batting eye, but he had a little bit of power (32 home runs in 953 career at-bats) and he was a pretty fair defensive catcher.
Rotation: Andy Hawkins (1982-91) won 84 games, mostly for the Padres. Pitching for the Yankees in July 1990, he had a very eventful stretch of three starts. First, he threw a no-hitter but lost 4-0 because his teammates could neither hit nor field the ball. As the losing pitcher in a road game, he only pitched eight innings, and for that reason his performance was later ruled to not be an official no-hitter even though he pitched a complete game in a nine-inning game and allowed no hits. You decide for yourself. Putting linguistics aside, in his next start he pitched 11 shutout innings but lost 2-0 in the 12th. Then in his next next start, he lost 8-0 to the Chicago White Sox as Melido Perez pitched a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter. So in the space of two weeks, Hawkins made three starts in which he got zero runs from his teammates, involving two complete-game no-hitters that were later declared not to be no-hitters when the statistic was re-defined, and in between those two he pitched shutout ball for 11 innings but lost. Atlee Hamaker (1981-95) was a talented lefty who could generally get people out when he was healthy but who was very rarely healthy for an entire season. In 1983 he was the best pitcher in the NL for the first half of the season, but he got clobbered in the All-Star Game (7 runs in 2/3 of an inning) and had a miserable second half, though he still led the league in ERA (2.25). The following year he had a 2.18 ERA in six starts before injuries ended his season. He struggled in 1985, missed the entire ’86 season, and then came back for a successful run as a swing man, finishing with 59 career victories. Aaron Harang (2002- ) is on track to become the first A.H. pitcher with 100 wins, having finished the 2011 season with a 95=94 record. He’s been a solid pitcher, mostly for the Reds, for the past decade; in 2006 he was one of a half-dozen pitchers who tied for the NL lead with 16 victories. Harang will not, however, become the first A.H. pitcher with 100 losses. That distinction belongs to Al “Boots” Hollingsworth (1935-46), who finished at 70-104 after a fairly decent career as a journeyman swing man. He had some good seasons along the way and later worked for years as a manager, coach and scout at the major- and minor-league levels. Art “Hard Luck” Houtteman (1945-57) went 87-91 for the Tigers and Indians. He was a solid pitcher whose career record was torpedoed by two bad seasons – he went 2-16 in 1949 and he went 8-20 in 1952, and for the rest of his career he was 77-55.
Bullpen: Closer Al Hrabosky (1970-82) fashioned himself as The Mad Hungarian. He had long, dark hair and a Fu Manch mustache, and between hitters he would step behind the mound, turn his back to the plate and work himself into a frenzy before charging back up the mound with a glare in his eye. Hrabosky had a couple of very good seasons for the Cardinals (13-3, 1.66 with a league-high 22 saves in 1975), but when straight-laced manager Vern Rapp demanded that he shave and cut his hair, Hrabosky – like Samson – seemed to lose his mystique. He had a fine career – 64 wins, 97 saves and a 3.10 ERA – but his legacy remains the image of the angry man with the bushy mustache. Al Holland (1977-87), another compact lefty, was actually a very similar pitcher to Hrabosky, right down to the facial hair and the angry stare. Holland saved 78 games, mostly for the Phillies and the Giants. Andy “Swede” Hansen (1944-53) won 23 games in a career split between the Phillies and the Giants. Aaron Heilman (2003- ) was a Mets prospect who struggled as a starter but who has put together a respectable career as a middle reliever. Andy Hassler (1971-85) was a lefty swingman who pitched a long time for a lot of teams and generally had success by keeping the ball down and pitching to contact. Al Hargesheimer (1980-86) pitched a few games here and there for the Giants, Cubs and Royals but never got a strong foothold in the bigs. Art “Red” Herring (1929-47) was a swingman who pitched mostly for the Tigers and the Dodgers.
Bench: Infielder Anderson Hernandez (2005- ) is fast and plays a decent defense, but he’s not much of a hitter. Utility man Al “Who Goes There?” Halt (1914-18) played mostly in the Federal League and didn’t make much of an impression. Outfielder Archibald Hall (1879-80) played center field for the Troy Trojans alongside Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers and a bunch of yahoos like Thorny Hawkes, Live Oak Taylor and Kick Kelly. The records don’t show when he was born, but it was presumably before the Civil War and he died in 1885, presumably at a farily young age. Arthur “Hoss” Hoelskoetter (1905-08) played all nine positions for the Cardinals in the early 20th century, and it didn’t appear to be a novelty. He played at least a dozen games at every position, including 49 behind the plate and 15 pitching. He couldn’t hit, but his versatility will come in handy. Backup catcher Allen Hubbard (1883) appeared in two games during the 1883 season, in one of which he played under the pseudonym Al West. In those two games, he went 2-for-6 with two runs, two RBI and a walk. Two games isn’t much to go on, but at this point he might push A.J. Hinch for the starting job on the principle that success in a small sample size is superior to futility in a larger sample size.
Manager: Art Howe will be the player-manager. He has managed the Astros, A’s and Mets and has won 1,129 games and two division titles. Played by Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman in the movie “Moneyball.”
Outfield: Left fielder Adam Hyzdu (2000-06) hit almost 300 home runs in the minors, but he never stuck in the majors. In 407 plate appearances, spread out over six seasons with four teams, he batted .229, struck out 98 times and hit 19 home runs. In 2000, playing for the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League, he went .290-31-106 and was named the league’s MVP. People got excited over that, not realizing that if a first-round draft pick is still in Double-A in his 11th season of pro ball, he probably ought to win the league MVP award. Right fielder Albert Hall (1981-89) sadly never played in Kansas City and therefore never became “the Royal Albert Hall.” (Rimshot) He spent almost his entire career with the Braves, a .250 hitter with a little bit of speed but not much else. Center fielder Al Heist (1960-62) had a long, serviceable career in the minors before graduating to the cubs in his early 30s. He stole just six bases in his career, which is disappointing since you would think that a guy named Heist would steal more. (Rimshot.)
Catcher: A.J. Hinch (1998-2004) batted .219 and had a terrible batting eye, but he had a little bit of power (32 home runs in 953 career at-bats) and he was a pretty fair defensive catcher.
Rotation: Andy Hawkins (1982-91) won 84 games, mostly for the Padres. Pitching for the Yankees in July 1990, he had a very eventful stretch of three starts. First, he threw a no-hitter but lost 4-0 because his teammates could neither hit nor field the ball. As the losing pitcher in a road game, he only pitched eight innings, and for that reason his performance was later ruled to not be an official no-hitter even though he pitched a complete game in a nine-inning game and allowed no hits. You decide for yourself. Putting linguistics aside, in his next start he pitched 11 shutout innings but lost 2-0 in the 12th. Then in his next next start, he lost 8-0 to the Chicago White Sox as Melido Perez pitched a rain-shortened six-inning no-hitter. So in the space of two weeks, Hawkins made three starts in which he got zero runs from his teammates, involving two complete-game no-hitters that were later declared not to be no-hitters when the statistic was re-defined, and in between those two he pitched shutout ball for 11 innings but lost. Atlee Hamaker (1981-95) was a talented lefty who could generally get people out when he was healthy but who was very rarely healthy for an entire season. In 1983 he was the best pitcher in the NL for the first half of the season, but he got clobbered in the All-Star Game (7 runs in 2/3 of an inning) and had a miserable second half, though he still led the league in ERA (2.25). The following year he had a 2.18 ERA in six starts before injuries ended his season. He struggled in 1985, missed the entire ’86 season, and then came back for a successful run as a swing man, finishing with 59 career victories. Aaron Harang (2002- ) is on track to become the first A.H. pitcher with 100 wins, having finished the 2011 season with a 95=94 record. He’s been a solid pitcher, mostly for the Reds, for the past decade; in 2006 he was one of a half-dozen pitchers who tied for the NL lead with 16 victories. Harang will not, however, become the first A.H. pitcher with 100 losses. That distinction belongs to Al “Boots” Hollingsworth (1935-46), who finished at 70-104 after a fairly decent career as a journeyman swing man. He had some good seasons along the way and later worked for years as a manager, coach and scout at the major- and minor-league levels. Art “Hard Luck” Houtteman (1945-57) went 87-91 for the Tigers and Indians. He was a solid pitcher whose career record was torpedoed by two bad seasons – he went 2-16 in 1949 and he went 8-20 in 1952, and for the rest of his career he was 77-55.
Bullpen: Closer Al Hrabosky (1970-82) fashioned himself as The Mad Hungarian. He had long, dark hair and a Fu Manch mustache, and between hitters he would step behind the mound, turn his back to the plate and work himself into a frenzy before charging back up the mound with a glare in his eye. Hrabosky had a couple of very good seasons for the Cardinals (13-3, 1.66 with a league-high 22 saves in 1975), but when straight-laced manager Vern Rapp demanded that he shave and cut his hair, Hrabosky – like Samson – seemed to lose his mystique. He had a fine career – 64 wins, 97 saves and a 3.10 ERA – but his legacy remains the image of the angry man with the bushy mustache. Al Holland (1977-87), another compact lefty, was actually a very similar pitcher to Hrabosky, right down to the facial hair and the angry stare. Holland saved 78 games, mostly for the Phillies and the Giants. Andy “Swede” Hansen (1944-53) won 23 games in a career split between the Phillies and the Giants. Aaron Heilman (2003- ) was a Mets prospect who struggled as a starter but who has put together a respectable career as a middle reliever. Andy Hassler (1971-85) was a lefty swingman who pitched a long time for a lot of teams and generally had success by keeping the ball down and pitching to contact. Al Hargesheimer (1980-86) pitched a few games here and there for the Giants, Cubs and Royals but never got a strong foothold in the bigs. Art “Red” Herring (1929-47) was a swingman who pitched mostly for the Tigers and the Dodgers.
Bench: Infielder Anderson Hernandez (2005- ) is fast and plays a decent defense, but he’s not much of a hitter. Utility man Al “Who Goes There?” Halt (1914-18) played mostly in the Federal League and didn’t make much of an impression. Outfielder Archibald Hall (1879-80) played center field for the Troy Trojans alongside Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers and a bunch of yahoos like Thorny Hawkes, Live Oak Taylor and Kick Kelly. The records don’t show when he was born, but it was presumably before the Civil War and he died in 1885, presumably at a farily young age. Arthur “Hoss” Hoelskoetter (1905-08) played all nine positions for the Cardinals in the early 20th century, and it didn’t appear to be a novelty. He played at least a dozen games at every position, including 49 behind the plate and 15 pitching. He couldn’t hit, but his versatility will come in handy. Backup catcher Allen Hubbard (1883) appeared in two games during the 1883 season, in one of which he played under the pseudonym Al West. In those two games, he went 2-for-6 with two runs, two RBI and a walk. Two games isn’t much to go on, but at this point he might push A.J. Hinch for the starting job on the principle that success in a small sample size is superior to futility in a larger sample size.
Manager: Art Howe will be the player-manager. He has managed the Astros, A’s and Mets and has won 1,129 games and two division titles. Played by Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman in the movie “Moneyball.”
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
AM: The Alonzo Mourning Mornings
Infield: First baseman Alex McKinnon (1884-87) was a .300 hitter in the early years of the National League who slashed out a lot of doubles and triples. His career was cut short when he contracted typhoid fever and died at age 30. Second baseman Al Myers (1884-91) was a solid middle infielder who played for four teams in the 1880s. He was your basic .250 contact hitter with a decent glove. Third baseman Alex McCarthy (1910-17) was a light-hitting utility infielder from Notre Dame who backed up (and sometimes played alongside) Honus Wagner with the Pirates for a few seasons. Shortstop Al Moran (1963-64) played for the New York Mets during their hapless post-expansion years. He batted .195 with just eight extra-base hits in almost 400 times to the plate, and he stole just three bases in 10 attempts. He wasn’t very good in the field either.
Outfield: Center fielder Andrew McCutchen (2009- ) is one of the most exciting young players in the game today. Three years into his career, he has been a consistent power-speed threat for the Pirates and he has a good batting eye. He appears to be on his way to a very solid career. Left fielder Austin McHenry (1918-22) was a fine player w ith the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1921, at age 25, he batted .350 with 37 doubles, 17 home runs and 102 RBI. Midway through the next season he was having another good year when he began to misjudge fly balls. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died at age 27. Right fielder Al Martin (1992-2003) was a solid player. He batted .276 for his career, with 132 home runs and 173 steals. He seemed to court controversy, however. He used to talk about his days playing football at Southern Cal, and he once compared an outfield collision to the sensation he had while tackling an All-American runner from Michigan State. Problem is, he never played football at USC. In fact, he never attended USC. He offered no explanation for why he thought he did. Later, he was accused of domestic violence and the police realized that he actually had two wives. He did have an explanation for that one - he said he didn't realize that the second ceremony was a real, legally binding wedding ceremony. That went over real well with the missus.
Outfield: Center fielder Andrew McCutchen (2009- ) is one of the most exciting young players in the game today. Three years into his career, he has been a consistent power-speed threat for the Pirates and he has a good batting eye. He appears to be on his way to a very solid career. Left fielder Austin McHenry (1918-22) was a fine player w ith the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1921, at age 25, he batted .350 with 37 doubles, 17 home runs and 102 RBI. Midway through the next season he was having another good year when he began to misjudge fly balls. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died at age 27. Right fielder Al Martin (1992-2003) was a solid player. He batted .276 for his career, with 132 home runs and 173 steals. He seemed to court controversy, however. He used to talk about his days playing football at Southern Cal, and he once compared an outfield collision to the sensation he had while tackling an All-American runner from Michigan State. Problem is, he never played football at USC. In fact, he never attended USC. He offered no explanation for why he thought he did. Later, he was accused of domestic violence and the police realized that he actually had two wives. He did have an explanation for that one - he said he didn't realize that the second ceremony was a real, legally binding wedding ceremony. That went over real well with the missus.
Catcher: Adam Melhuse (2000-08) batted .230 with a little bit of power but poor command of the strike zone. It was enough to keep him around as a backup and a part-time player for several seasons.
Rotation: Andy Messersmith (1968-79) was an outstanding pitcher – durable, a two-time 20-game winner, regularly among the league leaders in ERA – but he is best known as baseball’s first free agent. Pitching for the Dodgers in 1975, and still bound to the team in perpetuity under the guidelines of the reserve agreement in the basic contact, he tried to negotiate a no-trade clause and things got ugly. One thing led to another, and he filed a challenge to the reserve clause, and he succeeded where others had failed before. An arbiter ruled that players could “play out their option” and become free agents. Messersmith signed a three-year deal with Atlanta for a total of $1 million, plus a $400,000 signing bonus. (Ted Turner, the Braves’ maverick owner, wanted to replace Messersmith’s name on the back of his jersey with “CHANNEL 17” as an advertisement for his fledgling cable TV network WTBS, but MLB said no.) Moving from a good team to a bad one, trying to live up to the hype surrounding the contract, Messersmith struggled and then got hurt. He went 11-11 in his first year with the Braves and won just seven games after that. He finished with a career record of 130-99 with an ERA of 2.86. Al Mamaux (1913-24) had a couple of 21-win seasons with the Pirates in his early 20s but mostly struggled after that. His record through age 22 was 47-25; for the rest of his career it was 29-42. He also won 150 games in the minors, all in the International League. Art Mahaffey (1960-66) lost 19 for the Phillies in 1961 and then turned around and won 19 for them in 1962. He wasn’t an overpowering pitcher, but he once struck out 17 in a game. Happy Al Milnar (1936-46) was a lefty who won 57 games, all but two of them for the Indians. He earned his place in baseball history by giving up the final hit in Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Lefty Angel Miranda (1993-97) went 17-21 as a swingman for the Brewers.
Bullpen: Closer Al McBean (1961-70) was, with all due respect to Horace Clarke, probably the best player ever born in the Virgin Islands. He won 67 games, saved 63 and had a career ERA of 3.13. He threw a hard sinker and came from a lot of different angles and arm slots to keep hitters off balance. Alan Mills (1990-2001) was an effective pitcher for a decade, mostly for the Orioles, winning 39 games in middle relief. Andy McGaffigan (1981-91) had a good run as a journeyman swingman, putting up a 3.38 career ERA. He was never a star, but he was always effective. Lefty Archie McKain (1937-43), nicknamed “Happy” just like Al Milnar, had a few good years for the Red Sox and the Tigers. Alvin Morman (1996-99) pitched for four teams in four years and was generally alright but never actually good. Aurelio Monteagudo (1963-73) had a long career in the minors, winning 100 games, but his major-league career was limited to a few relatively short callups that added up to 72 games. Andrew Miller (2006- ) is a 6-foot-7 lefty who is in mid-career but who has yet to show any real effectiveness.
Bench: Outfielder Andres Mora (1976-80) came to the Orioles as a highly touted prospect but he never really developed. The power was there, but he struck out too much, didn’t get on base and couldn’t crack Earl Weaver’s lineup. Gone before he turned 30. Infielder Aaron Miles (2003- ) is a good defensive player and a passable hitter who makes good contact. Outfielder Alex Metzler (1925-30) was a lefty hitter with a bit of speed and a good line drive stroke that produced a lot of doubles and triples. Infielder Amby McConnell (1908-11) – one of the few guys named Ambrose who would choose to shorten it to “Amby” – was a decent hitter with a bit of speed. He had the distinction of hitting into the first undisputed unassisted triple play in baseball history. Backup catcher Al Montgomery (1941) was a promsing young player – he batted just .192 for the Boston Braves, but he had a good track record in the minors – when he died at age 21 in a car crash heading north from spring training in 1942. He makes at least three members of this team who died tragically young.
Manager: No A.M. has ever managed in the majors, but Amby McConnell had a long career in the minors as a coach, manager and even a team owner. We’ll hand him the reins for now.
Rotation: Andy Messersmith (1968-79) was an outstanding pitcher – durable, a two-time 20-game winner, regularly among the league leaders in ERA – but he is best known as baseball’s first free agent. Pitching for the Dodgers in 1975, and still bound to the team in perpetuity under the guidelines of the reserve agreement in the basic contact, he tried to negotiate a no-trade clause and things got ugly. One thing led to another, and he filed a challenge to the reserve clause, and he succeeded where others had failed before. An arbiter ruled that players could “play out their option” and become free agents. Messersmith signed a three-year deal with Atlanta for a total of $1 million, plus a $400,000 signing bonus. (Ted Turner, the Braves’ maverick owner, wanted to replace Messersmith’s name on the back of his jersey with “CHANNEL 17” as an advertisement for his fledgling cable TV network WTBS, but MLB said no.) Moving from a good team to a bad one, trying to live up to the hype surrounding the contract, Messersmith struggled and then got hurt. He went 11-11 in his first year with the Braves and won just seven games after that. He finished with a career record of 130-99 with an ERA of 2.86. Al Mamaux (1913-24) had a couple of 21-win seasons with the Pirates in his early 20s but mostly struggled after that. His record through age 22 was 47-25; for the rest of his career it was 29-42. He also won 150 games in the minors, all in the International League. Art Mahaffey (1960-66) lost 19 for the Phillies in 1961 and then turned around and won 19 for them in 1962. He wasn’t an overpowering pitcher, but he once struck out 17 in a game. Happy Al Milnar (1936-46) was a lefty who won 57 games, all but two of them for the Indians. He earned his place in baseball history by giving up the final hit in Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Lefty Angel Miranda (1993-97) went 17-21 as a swingman for the Brewers.
Bullpen: Closer Al McBean (1961-70) was, with all due respect to Horace Clarke, probably the best player ever born in the Virgin Islands. He won 67 games, saved 63 and had a career ERA of 3.13. He threw a hard sinker and came from a lot of different angles and arm slots to keep hitters off balance. Alan Mills (1990-2001) was an effective pitcher for a decade, mostly for the Orioles, winning 39 games in middle relief. Andy McGaffigan (1981-91) had a good run as a journeyman swingman, putting up a 3.38 career ERA. He was never a star, but he was always effective. Lefty Archie McKain (1937-43), nicknamed “Happy” just like Al Milnar, had a few good years for the Red Sox and the Tigers. Alvin Morman (1996-99) pitched for four teams in four years and was generally alright but never actually good. Aurelio Monteagudo (1963-73) had a long career in the minors, winning 100 games, but his major-league career was limited to a few relatively short callups that added up to 72 games. Andrew Miller (2006- ) is a 6-foot-7 lefty who is in mid-career but who has yet to show any real effectiveness.
Bench: Outfielder Andres Mora (1976-80) came to the Orioles as a highly touted prospect but he never really developed. The power was there, but he struck out too much, didn’t get on base and couldn’t crack Earl Weaver’s lineup. Gone before he turned 30. Infielder Aaron Miles (2003- ) is a good defensive player and a passable hitter who makes good contact. Outfielder Alex Metzler (1925-30) was a lefty hitter with a bit of speed and a good line drive stroke that produced a lot of doubles and triples. Infielder Amby McConnell (1908-11) – one of the few guys named Ambrose who would choose to shorten it to “Amby” – was a decent hitter with a bit of speed. He had the distinction of hitting into the first undisputed unassisted triple play in baseball history. Backup catcher Al Montgomery (1941) was a promsing young player – he batted just .192 for the Boston Braves, but he had a good track record in the minors – when he died at age 21 in a car crash heading north from spring training in 1942. He makes at least three members of this team who died tragically young.
Manager: No A.M. has ever managed in the majors, but Amby McConnell had a long career in the minors as a coach, manager and even a team owner. We’ll hand him the reins for now.
Monday, April 25, 2011
AP: The Arnold Palmers
Infield: Albert Pujols (2001- ) is halfway through one of the best careers ever by a first baseman. He is a .300-30-100 machine, he draws 90-100 walks a year, and he cruised past 400 home runs (and 400 doubles) by age 31. In the first 11 years of his career, he has scored 100 runs 10 times and driven in 100 runs 10 times. The only year he didn't score 100, he scored 99. The only year he didn't drive in 100, he drove in 99. He has won three MVP awards and finished second in the voting four times. As a bonus, he plays Gold Glove defense. He’s not Lou Gehrig, but by the time he’s done he might well rank second on the list of the best first basemen of all time. If he is as consistent in his 30s as he was in his 20s, his final career numbers will be staggering. Third baseman Art Phelan (1910-15) was a speedy third baseman who hit a lot of triples. He was a regular for one year with the Reds and one year with the Cubs, and a semiregular in another season, but he never hit enough to nail down a fulltime job. Second baseman Arquimedez Pozo (1995-97) had some spectacular seasons as a young minor-leaguer, establishing himself as a hot prospect. He never got things together in the majors, struggling in a few dozen games with the Red Sox, and he never made it back to the majors after age 23. By his mid-20s, he was playing in Japan and Mexico. Shortstop Al Pedrique (1987-89) batted .300 in a partial season with Pittsburgh but he struggled to hit .200 after that.
Outfield: Center fielder Adolfo Phillips (1964-72) arrived in the majors as a hot power-speed prospect. When the Chicago Cubs acquired Phillips from the Astros, future Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins was a throw-in. Leo Durocher, who had developed a young Willie Mays with the Giants, thought he had hit the jackpot again with Phillps – but it wasn’t to be. He stole 30 bases a couple of times, he could reach 15-20 home runs and he played solid defense. But he didn’t like the expectations that were heaped upon him, and he preferred to bat at the bottom of the order. He faded fast and was done at age 30. Albie Pearson (1958-66) was a tiny little slap hitter who almost never struck out. He was listed at 5-foot-5 and 140 pounds, and he used that small frame to draw tons of walks. He played mostly center field but he’ll shift to right to accommodate Adolfo Phillips. Left fielder Andy Pafko (1943-59) had a long career with the Cubs and the Braves, with a couple of years in Brooklyn in between (he was the left fielder who watched Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” sail over his head. Pafko was a good player, a .285 career hitter with 213 career home runs and 976 RBI.
Catcher: A.J. Pierzynski (1998- ) isn’t great, but he’s been consistent enough to play regularly for a decade. He hits for a decent average and is good for double-digit home runs. He’s a pepperpot type who gets under the skin of opposing players and fans, but he gets the job done.
Rotation: Lefty Andy Pettitte (1995-2010) was the right guy with the right team in the right era. He was a durable, dependable pitcher who arrived with the Yankees at the same time as Jeter, Rivera, Bernie, Posada and Co. He never won an ERA title and was only in the top 10 three times, but he was always good, and he played for good teams. As a result, he won 240 games with a .635 winning percentage, and he played for eight pennant winners and five World Series champs. He won 19 postseason games and developed a reputation as a big-game pitcher. That reputation, as well as his image as a soft-spoken and well-liked ballplayer, made him one of the few players to remain popular even after admitting to steroid use. Arlie Pond (1895-98) – real name Erasmus Arlington Pond – went 16-8 for the Baltimore Orioles in 1896 and 18-9 in 1897. He had earned a medical degree from University of Vermont before signing with the Oriole, and he did his residency and studied surgery at Johns Hopkins while in Baltimore. He pitched a 5-hit shutout in his final game before leaving to become acting assistant surgeon of the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. He eventually founded a hospital in the Phillippines to treat lepers and became a hero in that country. Ariel Prieto (1995-2001) was a Cuban star who defected to the U.S., signed with the Oakland A’s and was expected to be an instant sensation. It didn’t happen. He was never more than an average pitcher in the majors, and he finished with a 15-24 record and a 4.85 ERA for his career. Arnie Portocarrero (1954-60) went 15-11 for the 1958 Orioles; in the rest of his career his record was 23-46. Al Pratt (1871-72) had a career record of 12-26. His full name was Albert, and his nickname was Uncle Al, so we’ll play Paul McCartney while he warms up.
Bullpen: Closer Alejandro Pena (1981-96) was a terrific pitcher who won the N.L. ERA title at age 25 before a shoulder injury forced his move to the bullpen. He was outstanding there, working in mostly set-up relief but logging enough time as a closer to save 74 games in his career. His work as a fill-in closer was critical to the Atlanta Braves’ stretch drive in 1991. He won World Series titles in Los Angeles and Atlanta, and his career postseason ERA was 2.03. Aaron Poreda (2009- ) is a 6-foot-6 lefty who has only had a taste of the majors (13 innings); he is a prospect in the Padres organization, a former first-round draft pick acquired from the White Sox in the Jake Peavy deal. Adam Peterson (1987-91) got several shots with the White Sox but generally got clobbered. Lefty Ambrose Puttman (1903-06) had a couple of 20-win seasons in the minors but never had much success in the majors; the best thing about him is that if you see his photograph at baseballreference.com, he actually looks like an Ambrose Puttman. Alfonso Pulido (1983-86) was a Mexican lefty who pitched a few games for the Pirates and the Yankees. Al Pierotti (1920-21) pitched well for the Boston Braves in 1920, with a 2.88 ERA in 25 innings at age 25. The following season he got hit hard in two outings and went back to the minors and won 22 games. And then he was out of pro baseball a year later. Abner Powell (1884-86) was not a good pitcher. His career ERA of 4.00 was pretty weak in the era when he pitched, and then there’s the little detail that he gave up almost as many unearned runs as earned, which helps to explain his career record of 8-18.
Bench: Infielder Ace Parker (1937-38) batted .179 for the Philadelphia A's, but he is a legend here in Southeastern Virginia - a multi-sport star at Duke University (later baseball coach there for more than a decade), an NFL Hall of Famer and an outstanding golfer. He's still hitting them straight down the fairway at age 98. Outfielder Angel Pagan (2006- ) is a speedster, a pretty fair hitter, and a good defensive center fielder. If he has a couple more seasons like 2010, he might push for a starting job here. Corner infielder Andy Phillips (2004-08) was a fine minor-league hitter who never hit enough to stick in the majors. Antonio Perez (2003-06) was a quick utility infielder who didn't hit much. Backup catcher Angel Pena (1998-2001) batted .209 for the Dodgers.
Manager: Hall of Famer Alex Pompez was never formally a manager, but his resume is sufficient for him to get the job here. A Cuban immigrant and an operator of illegal gambling operations, he was an influential owner and promoter in the Negro Leagues for many years. After the demise of the Negro Leagues, he worked as a scout for the New York (and later San Francisco) Giants, and he played a key role in bringing Caribbean and Latin American players to the majors. We think he’ll do a good job here, and we’re hoping he’ll get some more production out of Ariel Prieto.
Outfield: Center fielder Adolfo Phillips (1964-72) arrived in the majors as a hot power-speed prospect. When the Chicago Cubs acquired Phillips from the Astros, future Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins was a throw-in. Leo Durocher, who had developed a young Willie Mays with the Giants, thought he had hit the jackpot again with Phillps – but it wasn’t to be. He stole 30 bases a couple of times, he could reach 15-20 home runs and he played solid defense. But he didn’t like the expectations that were heaped upon him, and he preferred to bat at the bottom of the order. He faded fast and was done at age 30. Albie Pearson (1958-66) was a tiny little slap hitter who almost never struck out. He was listed at 5-foot-5 and 140 pounds, and he used that small frame to draw tons of walks. He played mostly center field but he’ll shift to right to accommodate Adolfo Phillips. Left fielder Andy Pafko (1943-59) had a long career with the Cubs and the Braves, with a couple of years in Brooklyn in between (he was the left fielder who watched Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” sail over his head. Pafko was a good player, a .285 career hitter with 213 career home runs and 976 RBI.
Catcher: A.J. Pierzynski (1998- ) isn’t great, but he’s been consistent enough to play regularly for a decade. He hits for a decent average and is good for double-digit home runs. He’s a pepperpot type who gets under the skin of opposing players and fans, but he gets the job done.
Rotation: Lefty Andy Pettitte (1995-2010) was the right guy with the right team in the right era. He was a durable, dependable pitcher who arrived with the Yankees at the same time as Jeter, Rivera, Bernie, Posada and Co. He never won an ERA title and was only in the top 10 three times, but he was always good, and he played for good teams. As a result, he won 240 games with a .635 winning percentage, and he played for eight pennant winners and five World Series champs. He won 19 postseason games and developed a reputation as a big-game pitcher. That reputation, as well as his image as a soft-spoken and well-liked ballplayer, made him one of the few players to remain popular even after admitting to steroid use. Arlie Pond (1895-98) – real name Erasmus Arlington Pond – went 16-8 for the Baltimore Orioles in 1896 and 18-9 in 1897. He had earned a medical degree from University of Vermont before signing with the Oriole, and he did his residency and studied surgery at Johns Hopkins while in Baltimore. He pitched a 5-hit shutout in his final game before leaving to become acting assistant surgeon of the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. He eventually founded a hospital in the Phillippines to treat lepers and became a hero in that country. Ariel Prieto (1995-2001) was a Cuban star who defected to the U.S., signed with the Oakland A’s and was expected to be an instant sensation. It didn’t happen. He was never more than an average pitcher in the majors, and he finished with a 15-24 record and a 4.85 ERA for his career. Arnie Portocarrero (1954-60) went 15-11 for the 1958 Orioles; in the rest of his career his record was 23-46. Al Pratt (1871-72) had a career record of 12-26. His full name was Albert, and his nickname was Uncle Al, so we’ll play Paul McCartney while he warms up.
Bullpen: Closer Alejandro Pena (1981-96) was a terrific pitcher who won the N.L. ERA title at age 25 before a shoulder injury forced his move to the bullpen. He was outstanding there, working in mostly set-up relief but logging enough time as a closer to save 74 games in his career. His work as a fill-in closer was critical to the Atlanta Braves’ stretch drive in 1991. He won World Series titles in Los Angeles and Atlanta, and his career postseason ERA was 2.03. Aaron Poreda (2009- ) is a 6-foot-6 lefty who has only had a taste of the majors (13 innings); he is a prospect in the Padres organization, a former first-round draft pick acquired from the White Sox in the Jake Peavy deal. Adam Peterson (1987-91) got several shots with the White Sox but generally got clobbered. Lefty Ambrose Puttman (1903-06) had a couple of 20-win seasons in the minors but never had much success in the majors; the best thing about him is that if you see his photograph at baseballreference.com, he actually looks like an Ambrose Puttman. Alfonso Pulido (1983-86) was a Mexican lefty who pitched a few games for the Pirates and the Yankees. Al Pierotti (1920-21) pitched well for the Boston Braves in 1920, with a 2.88 ERA in 25 innings at age 25. The following season he got hit hard in two outings and went back to the minors and won 22 games. And then he was out of pro baseball a year later. Abner Powell (1884-86) was not a good pitcher. His career ERA of 4.00 was pretty weak in the era when he pitched, and then there’s the little detail that he gave up almost as many unearned runs as earned, which helps to explain his career record of 8-18.
Bench: Infielder Ace Parker (1937-38) batted .179 for the Philadelphia A's, but he is a legend here in Southeastern Virginia - a multi-sport star at Duke University (later baseball coach there for more than a decade), an NFL Hall of Famer and an outstanding golfer. He's still hitting them straight down the fairway at age 98. Outfielder Angel Pagan (2006- ) is a speedster, a pretty fair hitter, and a good defensive center fielder. If he has a couple more seasons like 2010, he might push for a starting job here. Corner infielder Andy Phillips (2004-08) was a fine minor-league hitter who never hit enough to stick in the majors. Antonio Perez (2003-06) was a quick utility infielder who didn't hit much. Backup catcher Angel Pena (1998-2001) batted .209 for the Dodgers.
Manager: Hall of Famer Alex Pompez was never formally a manager, but his resume is sufficient for him to get the job here. A Cuban immigrant and an operator of illegal gambling operations, he was an influential owner and promoter in the Negro Leagues for many years. After the demise of the Negro Leagues, he worked as a scout for the New York (and later San Francisco) Giants, and he played a key role in bringing Caribbean and Latin American players to the majors. We think he’ll do a good job here, and we’re hoping he’ll get some more production out of Ariel Prieto.
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