Infield: First baseman Showboat Thomas was a Negro League star known for his defensive prowess. He was a good hitter, more line drive than power, but was most celebrated for his fancy style in the field. As his nickname suggests, he was a sight to behold – loose limbed and graceful. In 1937, when he played on the championship team in the top semipro tournament in the country, a newspaper reporter noted that Thomas “danced around the bag and scooped throws as though he were doing it to music.” Shortstop Specs Toporcer (1921-28) was the first position player to wear eyeglasses in the majors. His eyesight was so bad that Branch Rickey described how after the game, Toporcer would take his glasses off and then have to grope his way along the clubhouse wall to find the shower. Toporcer was a decent hitter but had only one season in which he played 100 games. After his playing days were done he had a long career as a coach and front office person with various organizations. Sam Trott (1880-88) was a catcher who also played quite a bit of second base despite the fact that he threw left-handed. He played in an era before the irrational prejudice against left-handed catchers had taken root, and before the double play pivot (all but impossible for lefties) became an integral part of a second baseman’s job. Third baseman Shane Turner (1988-92) was a career minor-leaguer who had a few cups o’coffee with Philadelphia, Baltimore and Seattle.
Outfield: Right fielder Big Sam Thompson (1885-1906) was one of the preeminent sluggers of the 19th century, back in the days of high collars and big mustaches. A standout for the early Philadelphia Phillies, he twice drove in more than 160 runs in a season. He finished his career with a .331 avarage and a .505 slugging percentage, and he averaged 150 RBI per 162 games, the highest rate in history (.926 RBI per game, edging Lou Gehrig). In 1894, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Billy Hamilton and Ed Delahanty to form an outfield of all .400 hitters. Speaking of batting .400, left fielder Scot Thompson (1978-85) batted .417 in 19 games with the Cubs at age 22. No one thought this made him a .400 hitter, but it was an exciting start to his career. As a rookie the next year he batted .289 and finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His career got derailed after that, by injuries and inconsistency, but he still had the occasional hot streak in him. He was out of the majors before he turned 30. Center fielder So Taguchi (2002-09) was a Japanese outfielder who came to America in the wake of Ichiro, and yes, in his first partial season with the Cardinals he batted .400 (6-for-15). He wasn’t a star or anything like it, but he was a solid role player and fan favorite for several years, and after the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 he ran along the perimeter of the field tossing batting gloves into the stands as souvenirs.
Catcher: Sammy Taylor (1958-63) had a little bit of punch in his prime with the Cubs, and he was the catcher in the notorious play in which two balls ended up in play simultaneously, with a very surprised Stan Musial being tagged out with one of them while trying to advance after the other one sailed into the outfield. Toward the end of his career, Taylor drifted among several teams, but his best seasons were in Chicago.
Rotation: Sloppy Thurston (1923-33) had one of those sarcastic “reverse nicknames.” He was actually a natty dresser and a very well groomed gentleman, so they called him “Sloppy” the same was you would call a 6-foot-8 guy Tiny. He was a pretty fair pitcher – won 20 for the White Sox in 1924 and later went back to the Pacific Coast League and won 20. He was a good hitting pitcher as well. Steve Trachsel (1993-2008) won 143 games in the majors but is probably best known for giving up the record-breaking 62nd home run to Mark McGwire in 1996. It meant a lot at the time, but then the record was broken in short order and revelations about steroid use made fans and media reconsider the sluggers of the ‘90s, so the tangential connection to McGwire’s milestone means less now than it did at the time. Trachsel never won 20, but he was in double digits in victories seven times. He was a solid back-of-the-rotation pitcher who had a problem with the long ball. Steve Trout (1978-89), son of Dizzy, was a lefty who showed promise but never fully blossomed in the majors. The highlight of his career was the fine season he put up for the division winnning 1984 Cubs. Lefty Steve Toole (1886-90) won a handful of games during baseball’s early days, highlighted by 14 victories for Brooklyn in 1887. Righty Scott Taylor (1995), not to be confused with Lefty Scott Taylor, started three games for the Rangers in 1995 and got mashed like a potato – a 9.39 ERA and 25 hits in 15 innings, six of which went over the fence.
Bullpen: Closer Shingo Takatsu (2004-05) saved a record-breaking 260 games for the Yakult Swallows in Japan. He signed with the White Sox in 2004 at age 35 and had a fine season (6-4, 19 saves, 2.31 ERA). He struggled in 2005 and went back to Japan. Salomon Torres (1993-2008) was a swingman who spent most of his career in the bullpen but also made 64 starts along the way, which means he will be pressed into duty in this team’s rotation as well. He was workhorse, logging 94 games for the Pirates at age 34, and he was still pitching alright when he retired to spend more time with his family. Scott Terry (1986-91) was another swingman who will also get some shots in this team’s rotation. He went 24-28, mostly for the Cardinals, and occasionally pitched well. Stan Thomas (1974-77) was a reasonably effective reliever who bounced around the American League for a few years. Lefty Scott Taylor (1992-93), not to be confused with Righty Scott Taylor, pitched briefly and ineffectively for the Red Sox. Sean Tracey (2006) was a nondescript minor-leaguer who eventually got a few games with the White Sox, pitched pretty well, but never got back to the bigs. Likewise, Stu Tate (1989) worked two games for the Giants, pitched reasonably well, and was done.
Bench: Scott Thorman (2006- ) is a lefty stick with mid-range power who can play first base and corner outfield. He hasn't done much in the bigs, but he's got 150 minor-league home runs and counting. Sandy Taylor (1879) was a weak-hitting outfielder who played a few games for Trenton in the period that was closer to the Civil War than to the 20th century. Steve Torrealba (2001-02) is the backup catcher, and here’s hoping he won’t be pressed to play too much. Outfielder Shag Thompson (1914-16) was a bit player with the Philadelphia A’s during the transitional period between the team that won 99 games in 1914 and the team that lost 116 in 1916. His willingness to stand in the outfield for an hour during batting practice to retrieve baseballs led to the phrase "shagging fly balls." (OK, we just made that up, but it sounds good, doesn't it?) Middle infielder Steve Tolleson (2010- ) may or may not be any good, but he is critical to this team, because before he made his debut, there were only two dozen players with the initials S.T. His arrival provided not only a full 25-man roster, but players to cover each position.
Manager: Sam Trott will act as player-manager, on the basis of a dozen games at the helm of the Washington Statesmen of the American Association back in 1891.
Outfield: Right fielder Big Sam Thompson (1885-1906) was one of the preeminent sluggers of the 19th century, back in the days of high collars and big mustaches. A standout for the early Philadelphia Phillies, he twice drove in more than 160 runs in a season. He finished his career with a .331 avarage and a .505 slugging percentage, and he averaged 150 RBI per 162 games, the highest rate in history (.926 RBI per game, edging Lou Gehrig). In 1894, he teamed with fellow Hall of Famers Billy Hamilton and Ed Delahanty to form an outfield of all .400 hitters. Speaking of batting .400, left fielder Scot Thompson (1978-85) batted .417 in 19 games with the Cubs at age 22. No one thought this made him a .400 hitter, but it was an exciting start to his career. As a rookie the next year he batted .289 and finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His career got derailed after that, by injuries and inconsistency, but he still had the occasional hot streak in him. He was out of the majors before he turned 30. Center fielder So Taguchi (2002-09) was a Japanese outfielder who came to America in the wake of Ichiro, and yes, in his first partial season with the Cardinals he batted .400 (6-for-15). He wasn’t a star or anything like it, but he was a solid role player and fan favorite for several years, and after the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 he ran along the perimeter of the field tossing batting gloves into the stands as souvenirs.
Catcher: Sammy Taylor (1958-63) had a little bit of punch in his prime with the Cubs, and he was the catcher in the notorious play in which two balls ended up in play simultaneously, with a very surprised Stan Musial being tagged out with one of them while trying to advance after the other one sailed into the outfield. Toward the end of his career, Taylor drifted among several teams, but his best seasons were in Chicago.
Rotation: Sloppy Thurston (1923-33) had one of those sarcastic “reverse nicknames.” He was actually a natty dresser and a very well groomed gentleman, so they called him “Sloppy” the same was you would call a 6-foot-8 guy Tiny. He was a pretty fair pitcher – won 20 for the White Sox in 1924 and later went back to the Pacific Coast League and won 20. He was a good hitting pitcher as well. Steve Trachsel (1993-2008) won 143 games in the majors but is probably best known for giving up the record-breaking 62nd home run to Mark McGwire in 1996. It meant a lot at the time, but then the record was broken in short order and revelations about steroid use made fans and media reconsider the sluggers of the ‘90s, so the tangential connection to McGwire’s milestone means less now than it did at the time. Trachsel never won 20, but he was in double digits in victories seven times. He was a solid back-of-the-rotation pitcher who had a problem with the long ball. Steve Trout (1978-89), son of Dizzy, was a lefty who showed promise but never fully blossomed in the majors. The highlight of his career was the fine season he put up for the division winnning 1984 Cubs. Lefty Steve Toole (1886-90) won a handful of games during baseball’s early days, highlighted by 14 victories for Brooklyn in 1887. Righty Scott Taylor (1995), not to be confused with Lefty Scott Taylor, started three games for the Rangers in 1995 and got mashed like a potato – a 9.39 ERA and 25 hits in 15 innings, six of which went over the fence.
Bullpen: Closer Shingo Takatsu (2004-05) saved a record-breaking 260 games for the Yakult Swallows in Japan. He signed with the White Sox in 2004 at age 35 and had a fine season (6-4, 19 saves, 2.31 ERA). He struggled in 2005 and went back to Japan. Salomon Torres (1993-2008) was a swingman who spent most of his career in the bullpen but also made 64 starts along the way, which means he will be pressed into duty in this team’s rotation as well. He was workhorse, logging 94 games for the Pirates at age 34, and he was still pitching alright when he retired to spend more time with his family. Scott Terry (1986-91) was another swingman who will also get some shots in this team’s rotation. He went 24-28, mostly for the Cardinals, and occasionally pitched well. Stan Thomas (1974-77) was a reasonably effective reliever who bounced around the American League for a few years. Lefty Scott Taylor (1992-93), not to be confused with Righty Scott Taylor, pitched briefly and ineffectively for the Red Sox. Sean Tracey (2006) was a nondescript minor-leaguer who eventually got a few games with the White Sox, pitched pretty well, but never got back to the bigs. Likewise, Stu Tate (1989) worked two games for the Giants, pitched reasonably well, and was done.
Bench: Scott Thorman (2006- ) is a lefty stick with mid-range power who can play first base and corner outfield. He hasn't done much in the bigs, but he's got 150 minor-league home runs and counting. Sandy Taylor (1879) was a weak-hitting outfielder who played a few games for Trenton in the period that was closer to the Civil War than to the 20th century. Steve Torrealba (2001-02) is the backup catcher, and here’s hoping he won’t be pressed to play too much. Outfielder Shag Thompson (1914-16) was a bit player with the Philadelphia A’s during the transitional period between the team that won 99 games in 1914 and the team that lost 116 in 1916. His willingness to stand in the outfield for an hour during batting practice to retrieve baseballs led to the phrase "shagging fly balls." (OK, we just made that up, but it sounds good, doesn't it?) Middle infielder Steve Tolleson (2010- ) may or may not be any good, but he is critical to this team, because before he made his debut, there were only two dozen players with the initials S.T. His arrival provided not only a full 25-man roster, but players to cover each position.
Manager: Sam Trott will act as player-manager, on the basis of a dozen games at the helm of the Washington Statesmen of the American Association back in 1891.
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