Infield: First baseman Ron Fairly (1958-78) was a solid player who got some hits, drew some walks, hit a dozen or so home runs per year and played his position well. A very effective hitter whose stats don't fully reflect his abilities because he played his prime years in Dodger Stadium during a pitchers' era. Shortstop Rafael Furcal (2000- ) is primarily known for two things – his speed (the kid could fly when he first came up) and his throwing arm (an absolute Howitzer). Aside from those two skills, he’s a .288 hitter with a bit of power and a decent batting eye. Third baseman Ryan Freel (2001-09) had some speed, and he would take a walk, but in general he doesn’t do enough to put runs on the board. He’s better suited to a utility role or a fourth outfielder job, but on this team he starts at third base. Second baseman Ray French (1920-24) batted .193 in a short career.
Outfield: Left fielder Roy Foster (1970-72) is a “what if” case. He hit 23 home runs for Cleveland in 1970 and was runner-up to Thurman Munson for Rookie of the Year (and actually won The Sporting News’ honor as the AL’s top rookie). The injuries began the following season, and he dropped to 18 home runs. More injuries ensued, and he missed half of the ’72 season. He never played in the majors again. Right fielder Robert Fick (1998-2007) batted .258 and could hit the occasional long ball. His towering grand slam on Sept. 27, 1999, was the last hit in the history of Tiger Stadium. Rikkert Faneyte (1993-96) batted .174, but he was the best player in baseball history named Rikkert. (There was, however, a better player named Rikalbert.)
Catcher: Rick Ferrell (1929-47) was a great defensive catcher and he had about as good a batting eye as a player can have – 277 strikeouts and 931 walks in 7072 plate appearances. Somehow this got him into the Hall of Fame. That’s a bit excessive, but it takes nothing away from the fact that he was a valuable player.
Rotation: Negro League legend Rube Foster was a spectacular pitcher before he became a manager, team owner and league builder/promoter. Foster may have been the best Negro League pitcher before Satchel Paige. According to legend, he taught Christy Mathewson how to throw the famous fadeaway pitch, though that account has been called into question. Hall of Famer Red Faber (1914-33) won 254 games for the White Sox and led the league in ERA twice. He was injured at the end of the 1919 season; Ray Schalk said that if Faber had been available to pitch in the World Series, the fix either would not have happened or would not have succeeded. Ray Fisher (1910-20) won 100 games for the Yankees and the Reds, and he was on the Cincinnati team that beat the Faber-less White Sox in 1919. Russ Ford (1909-15) is credited with inventing the “emery ball,” a variation of the spitball that involved scuffing the ball with a small chunk of an emery board. He won 26 games in 1910 and 22 in 1911 for the Yankees. In all he won 73 games for the Yankees, then jumped to the Federal League and won 26 games in two years for Buffalo. Rube Foster (1913-17) pitched for the Red Sox and was actually a pretty good pitcher for a few years – but in baseball terms, he will always be the other Rube Foster.
Bullpen: Rollie Fingers (1968-85) was a very fine closer for the Oakland A’s championship teams, and manager Dick Williams’ use of him in late-inning situations helped define the evolving role of the closer in the 1970s. Fingers was inexplicably given an MVP award for pitching 78 innings for the Brewers in 1981, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. In 1972, A’s owner Charlie Finley offered his players bonus money for growing cool facial hair, and Fingers responded with great gusto, fashioning an elaborate, bushy handlebar that harkened back to the stars of the 19th century. Roy Face (1953-69), who preceded Fingers in the evolution of the closer, went 18-1 for the Pirates in 1959. In his career, he won 104 games and saved 193. Ryan Franklin (1999- ) was one of first players busted for steroids after MLB finally began its testing program, but no one really cared because he wasn’t a big, bulky guy who hit home runs. He had a great year closing games for the Cardinals in 2009 but went downhill after that. Ray Fontenot (1983-86) was a decent lefty swingman for a couple of years. Randy Flores (2002- ) is one of those modern lefty relievers who comes in, gets one out, and then hits the showers. His brother Ron Flores (2005-07) was also a lefty, but he actually averaged an inning per appearance. Ray Francis (1922-25) went 12-28 for three teams.
Bench: Ray Fosse (1967-79) was a good defensive catcher with decent power, but he will forever be known as the guy who Pete Rose pancaked in the 1971 All-Star Game. Roger Freed (1970-79) was a big lummox of an outfielder, but he accepted his lot as a role player and was a good pinch-hitter. He earned his spot in Cardinals lore on May 1, 1979, when his 11th-inning grand slam off Joe Sambito erased a 6-3 Houston lead and gave the St. Louis a walkoff victory. Red Fisher (1910) was an outfielder who hit .125 in a brief career. Ray Flaskamper (1927) is the backup infielder. His nickname was “Flash,” but that was apparently just a play on his name rather than any sort of commentary on his style of play. Ray Fitzgerald (1931) was an outfielder who batted .300 in 3,000 minor-league at-bats but went 0-for-1 in the majors. On this team, he might get the chance to play a bit.
Manager: Who else? Rube Foster. (And we don’t mean the one who pitched for the Sox.) Foster was a player-manager by his late 20s and was a highly successful one, including one reported winning streak of 48 games. He became the most vital manager and exective in black baseball, eventually becoming president of the Negro National League. Foster fell ill in his late 40s and died at age 51. The Negro National League collapsed without him.
Outfield: Left fielder Roy Foster (1970-72) is a “what if” case. He hit 23 home runs for Cleveland in 1970 and was runner-up to Thurman Munson for Rookie of the Year (and actually won The Sporting News’ honor as the AL’s top rookie). The injuries began the following season, and he dropped to 18 home runs. More injuries ensued, and he missed half of the ’72 season. He never played in the majors again. Right fielder Robert Fick (1998-2007) batted .258 and could hit the occasional long ball. His towering grand slam on Sept. 27, 1999, was the last hit in the history of Tiger Stadium. Rikkert Faneyte (1993-96) batted .174, but he was the best player in baseball history named Rikkert. (There was, however, a better player named Rikalbert.)
Catcher: Rick Ferrell (1929-47) was a great defensive catcher and he had about as good a batting eye as a player can have – 277 strikeouts and 931 walks in 7072 plate appearances. Somehow this got him into the Hall of Fame. That’s a bit excessive, but it takes nothing away from the fact that he was a valuable player.
Rotation: Negro League legend Rube Foster was a spectacular pitcher before he became a manager, team owner and league builder/promoter. Foster may have been the best Negro League pitcher before Satchel Paige. According to legend, he taught Christy Mathewson how to throw the famous fadeaway pitch, though that account has been called into question. Hall of Famer Red Faber (1914-33) won 254 games for the White Sox and led the league in ERA twice. He was injured at the end of the 1919 season; Ray Schalk said that if Faber had been available to pitch in the World Series, the fix either would not have happened or would not have succeeded. Ray Fisher (1910-20) won 100 games for the Yankees and the Reds, and he was on the Cincinnati team that beat the Faber-less White Sox in 1919. Russ Ford (1909-15) is credited with inventing the “emery ball,” a variation of the spitball that involved scuffing the ball with a small chunk of an emery board. He won 26 games in 1910 and 22 in 1911 for the Yankees. In all he won 73 games for the Yankees, then jumped to the Federal League and won 26 games in two years for Buffalo. Rube Foster (1913-17) pitched for the Red Sox and was actually a pretty good pitcher for a few years – but in baseball terms, he will always be the other Rube Foster.
Bullpen: Rollie Fingers (1968-85) was a very fine closer for the Oakland A’s championship teams, and manager Dick Williams’ use of him in late-inning situations helped define the evolving role of the closer in the 1970s. Fingers was inexplicably given an MVP award for pitching 78 innings for the Brewers in 1981, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. In 1972, A’s owner Charlie Finley offered his players bonus money for growing cool facial hair, and Fingers responded with great gusto, fashioning an elaborate, bushy handlebar that harkened back to the stars of the 19th century. Roy Face (1953-69), who preceded Fingers in the evolution of the closer, went 18-1 for the Pirates in 1959. In his career, he won 104 games and saved 193. Ryan Franklin (1999- ) was one of first players busted for steroids after MLB finally began its testing program, but no one really cared because he wasn’t a big, bulky guy who hit home runs. He had a great year closing games for the Cardinals in 2009 but went downhill after that. Ray Fontenot (1983-86) was a decent lefty swingman for a couple of years. Randy Flores (2002- ) is one of those modern lefty relievers who comes in, gets one out, and then hits the showers. His brother Ron Flores (2005-07) was also a lefty, but he actually averaged an inning per appearance. Ray Francis (1922-25) went 12-28 for three teams.
Bench: Ray Fosse (1967-79) was a good defensive catcher with decent power, but he will forever be known as the guy who Pete Rose pancaked in the 1971 All-Star Game. Roger Freed (1970-79) was a big lummox of an outfielder, but he accepted his lot as a role player and was a good pinch-hitter. He earned his spot in Cardinals lore on May 1, 1979, when his 11th-inning grand slam off Joe Sambito erased a 6-3 Houston lead and gave the St. Louis a walkoff victory. Red Fisher (1910) was an outfielder who hit .125 in a brief career. Ray Flaskamper (1927) is the backup infielder. His nickname was “Flash,” but that was apparently just a play on his name rather than any sort of commentary on his style of play. Ray Fitzgerald (1931) was an outfielder who batted .300 in 3,000 minor-league at-bats but went 0-for-1 in the majors. On this team, he might get the chance to play a bit.
Manager: Who else? Rube Foster. (And we don’t mean the one who pitched for the Sox.) Foster was a player-manager by his late 20s and was a highly successful one, including one reported winning streak of 48 games. He became the most vital manager and exective in black baseball, eventually becoming president of the Negro National League. Foster fell ill in his late 40s and died at age 51. The Negro National League collapsed without him.
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