Infield: First baseman Jake Daubert (1910-24) was a terrific player in the mold of Keith Hernandez or Mark Grace – a consistent .300 hitter who drew a few walks and had gap power (led the league in triples twice and was in double-digits six more times). He was a spectacular bunter, a good fielder and a respected team leader. He was still playing regularly for Cincinnati at the time of his death at age 40, apparently from complications after an appendectomy. He was the National League MVP in 1913 with Brooklyn. Third baseman Jumping Joe Dugan (1917-31) was an average player at best who would most likely be forgotten today had he not been traded to the Yankees in 1922, becoming a teammate of Babe Ruth and a lesser light on the Murderers Row teams that played in five World Series. Second baseman Jim Delahanty (1901-15) was part of the great baseball family of the early 20th century. His brother, Big Ed Delahanty, was a Hall of Fame outfielder. His other brothers – Frank, Joe and Tom – also played in the majors, though they were nowhere near as good as Jim or Ed. Jim Delahanty bounced around eight teams and batted .283 for his career. Shortstop Joe DeMaestri (1951-61) was an absolutely terrible hitter but a slick fielder.
Outfield: Center fielder Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio (1936-51) was a mythical figure in his own time and has only grown more so since his retirement (at age 36) and his death (at age 84). As a ballplayer, he was a .325 hitter with power and speed, the biggest star on the Yankees juggernaut in between Gehrig and Mantle. He played in 10 World Series, winning nine, and won the AL MVP award three times. In the field, he was so swift and graceful that those who watched him insist that he was downright perfect, and that if you didn’t actually witness his defensive prowess you could never fully understand it. His 56-game hitting streak might be the most legendary record in all of American sports. Off the field, he crafted a public image of class, dignity and polite reticence, which prompted such hosannas as Paul Simon’s famous lament for lost heroes: “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” After his death, this public image was revealed to be a mask for pettiness and an obsessive vanity that no one could have ever imagined. (Example: An unscientific poll in the late 1960s chose him as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.” For the rest of his life, any time he would appear at any function associated with the Yankees or major-league baseball, he would be the last player introduced and he would be introduced as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.” He would emerge, waving almost bashfully, as though humbled by such praise. People always assumed this was a show of respect for the Yankee Clipper. After he died, it was revealed that DiMaggio had it written into any and all appearance contracts – he had to be introduced last, and he had to be introduced as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.”) Balance it all out and he remains one of the greatest, most well-rounded ballplayers of all time. Left fielder Johnny Damon (1995- ) has more career hits than Joe DiMaggio, or any other J.D. for that matter. He is closing in on 2,700 hits and and still has an outside shot at 3,000. Add in 500 doubles, 200-plus home runs, 1,600 runs scored. Then add in almost 400 steals at an 81 percent success rate, and the fact that he almost never grounds into a double play. He’s also won World Series titles with both the Red Sox and the Yankees. Right fielder J.D. Drew (1998- ) takes a lot of heat. He is despised in Philadelphia, because he (and agent Scott Boras) refused to sign after the Phillies took him with the second pick in the 1997 draft, even resorting to some underhanded tactics in an unsuccessful attempt to have Drew declared a free agent. More than a decade into his career, he is still criticized for being injury-prone, and there are those who see him as someone who has never been quite as good as he was supposed to be. But in spite of all this, he has had a fine career – a .280 hitter who draws walks, hits doubles and home runs, and plays very good defense in right field. The Damon-DiMag-Drew outfield will cover a lot of ground and help out the pitching staff a great deal.
Catcher: Jody Davis (1981-90) – or, as Harry Caray would sing to the tune of the Davy Crockett theme song, “Jo-deeee! Jo-o-o-odee Davis!” – hit 127 home runs, most of them for the Cubs, and often seemed to have a knack for clutch hits. He batted .389 and hit two home runs in the ill-fated 1984 NLCS.
Rotation: Joe Dobson (1939-54) was a consistent righty throughout the 1940s, winning 137 games. He never led the league in ERA but was almost always better than the league average. His short bio at baseballreference.com says that he lost his left thumb and part of the forefinger while playing with dynamite at age 9 or 10, which leads you to wonder a bit about his upbringing. (He was the youngest child of 14, so maybe we should be impressed that he still had 8½ digits by the time he was a teen.) Jose DeLeon (1983-95) went 2-19 for the Pirates in 1984, pulling off the rare feat of a winning percentage below .100 (but higher than zero). He also went 7-19 for the Cardinals in 1984. Those two seasons led to a rather ugly career record of 86-119, but he was actually a pretty fair pitcher – career ERA better than league average, and more strikeouts than hits allowed during his career. John Denny (1974-86) led the National League in ERA in 1976, in victories and winning percentage in 1983, and he won the Cy Young Award in ‘83. Pretty heady stuff for a guy who was a fairly nondescript pitcher. He finished with a career record of 123-108 – he was no better than Jose DeLeon, but Denny finished 15 games over .500 while DeLeon finished 33 games below .500. Breaks of the game, kid. Jim Deshaies (1984-95), a lefty with a wicked pickoff move, had some good seasons with the Astros. He won 84 games, went on to a career in the broadcast booth, and good-naturedly staged an ultimately successful campaign to get one vote when he appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot. He actually holds an all-time major-league record: most career at-bats for a player without an extra-base hit (373). John Danks (2007- ) is off to a good start on his career. If he stays healthy and continues to develop, this will be a very solid rotation.
Bullpen: Jerry DiPoto (1993-2000) was never a fulltime closer, but he was often a part-time closer – double-digits in saves three different times, but never 20 saves in a season. He was a good pitcher, but never a great pitcher. That’s enough to make him the nominal closer here. Joey Devine (2005- ) got off to a great start. In his first full season in the majors, at age 24, he went 6-1 with an 0.59 ERA out of the Oakland pen. He is now 27 years old and coming back from Tommy John surgery. We’ll see what kind of career he is able to fashion. Speaking of Oakland pitchers coming off of major injuries, Justin Duchscherer (2001- ) has used a mix of breaking and off-speed stuff to be an absolutely outstanding pitcher for the past decade – when he’s healthy. He missed most of 2007 with a hip injury, returned as one of the best pitchers in the American League in 2008, and then missed all of 2009 with arm and back problems compounded by clinical depression. Now in the Orioles organization, but back on the sidelines again. He's awfully good when he's able to pitch. John Dopson (1985-94) was an average pitcher who will get a few starts in the rotation here but will spend most of his time in long and middle relief. Jeff (Turn Me On) Dedmon (1983-88) was a very useful, if anonymous, reliever in the Atlanta bullpen in the years before the Braves got good. Jose DeJesus (1988-94) had a hell of a good fastball but he had trouble getting it over the plate. He seemed like he was close to breaking through, but injuries in his mid-20s and those pesky control issues brought his career to an early end. Jeff Darwin (1994-97) beats out John D’Acquisto (another flame thrower who couldn’t find the plate) for the last spot in the bullpen, largely for sentimental reasons. Darwin, brother of Danny Darwin, was a career minor leaguer who pitched 48 innings in the majors. In 1992, he was the closer for the Peninsula Pilots, here in Hampton, Virginia, as they played for the Single-A Carolina League championship. In the decisive game of the best-of-5 series against Lynchburg, Darwin struck out the side on nine pitches in the eighth inning, then pitched a perfect ninth with two more strikeouts to nail down the league title. The Pilots immediately left town and relocated to Wilmington, Delaware, making Darwin the last pitcher in the history of the team as it existed on the Virginia Peninsula.
Bench: Outfielder Jim Dwyer (1973-90) was a great role player who, as such, found his niche in his 30s playing for Earl Weaver. He was a lefty stick who hit .260 or so and drew enough walks to push his on-base percentage 90-100 points above his batting average. Infielder Jim Davenport (1958-70) was an outstanding defensive third baseman who could be stretched to play a passable short or second. As a hitter, he was pretty ordinary, but capable of hitting a dozen home runs in a season. Jack Doyle (1889-1905) was a turn-of-the-century first baseman who could also function as a utility guy. In the changing landscape of baseball at the time, he played for almost a dozen different teams, but he was a .300 hitter (well, .299 career) who ran well. He will see extra playing time on this team because of his ability to be the backup catcher. Outfielder Jim Delsing (1948-60) is best known as the guy who pinch-ran for Eddie Gaedel in 1951. Johnny Dickshot (1936-45) was a pretty good hitter, but he would have made this bench even if he was below-average, just on the “Beavis & Butt-Head” basis.
Manager: Jimmie Dykes, in all honesty, was a better third baseman than Joe Dugan or Jim Davenport. He wasn’t a great player, but he stuck around forever and collected 2,256 hits, and he topped 1,000 in both runs and RBI. But the JD initials have several good third baseman, but only one legitimate managerial candidate, so for now we’ll keep Dykes off the field and in the dugout. He was a manager and coach for several decades, and he had a winning record as often as not. He won 1,406 games as a manager.
Outfield: Center fielder Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio (1936-51) was a mythical figure in his own time and has only grown more so since his retirement (at age 36) and his death (at age 84). As a ballplayer, he was a .325 hitter with power and speed, the biggest star on the Yankees juggernaut in between Gehrig and Mantle. He played in 10 World Series, winning nine, and won the AL MVP award three times. In the field, he was so swift and graceful that those who watched him insist that he was downright perfect, and that if you didn’t actually witness his defensive prowess you could never fully understand it. His 56-game hitting streak might be the most legendary record in all of American sports. Off the field, he crafted a public image of class, dignity and polite reticence, which prompted such hosannas as Paul Simon’s famous lament for lost heroes: “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” After his death, this public image was revealed to be a mask for pettiness and an obsessive vanity that no one could have ever imagined. (Example: An unscientific poll in the late 1960s chose him as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.” For the rest of his life, any time he would appear at any function associated with the Yankees or major-league baseball, he would be the last player introduced and he would be introduced as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.” He would emerge, waving almost bashfully, as though humbled by such praise. People always assumed this was a show of respect for the Yankee Clipper. After he died, it was revealed that DiMaggio had it written into any and all appearance contracts – he had to be introduced last, and he had to be introduced as “The Greatest Living Ballplayer.”) Balance it all out and he remains one of the greatest, most well-rounded ballplayers of all time. Left fielder Johnny Damon (1995- ) has more career hits than Joe DiMaggio, or any other J.D. for that matter. He is closing in on 2,700 hits and and still has an outside shot at 3,000. Add in 500 doubles, 200-plus home runs, 1,600 runs scored. Then add in almost 400 steals at an 81 percent success rate, and the fact that he almost never grounds into a double play. He’s also won World Series titles with both the Red Sox and the Yankees. Right fielder J.D. Drew (1998- ) takes a lot of heat. He is despised in Philadelphia, because he (and agent Scott Boras) refused to sign after the Phillies took him with the second pick in the 1997 draft, even resorting to some underhanded tactics in an unsuccessful attempt to have Drew declared a free agent. More than a decade into his career, he is still criticized for being injury-prone, and there are those who see him as someone who has never been quite as good as he was supposed to be. But in spite of all this, he has had a fine career – a .280 hitter who draws walks, hits doubles and home runs, and plays very good defense in right field. The Damon-DiMag-Drew outfield will cover a lot of ground and help out the pitching staff a great deal.
Catcher: Jody Davis (1981-90) – or, as Harry Caray would sing to the tune of the Davy Crockett theme song, “Jo-deeee! Jo-o-o-odee Davis!” – hit 127 home runs, most of them for the Cubs, and often seemed to have a knack for clutch hits. He batted .389 and hit two home runs in the ill-fated 1984 NLCS.
Rotation: Joe Dobson (1939-54) was a consistent righty throughout the 1940s, winning 137 games. He never led the league in ERA but was almost always better than the league average. His short bio at baseballreference.com says that he lost his left thumb and part of the forefinger while playing with dynamite at age 9 or 10, which leads you to wonder a bit about his upbringing. (He was the youngest child of 14, so maybe we should be impressed that he still had 8½ digits by the time he was a teen.) Jose DeLeon (1983-95) went 2-19 for the Pirates in 1984, pulling off the rare feat of a winning percentage below .100 (but higher than zero). He also went 7-19 for the Cardinals in 1984. Those two seasons led to a rather ugly career record of 86-119, but he was actually a pretty fair pitcher – career ERA better than league average, and more strikeouts than hits allowed during his career. John Denny (1974-86) led the National League in ERA in 1976, in victories and winning percentage in 1983, and he won the Cy Young Award in ‘83. Pretty heady stuff for a guy who was a fairly nondescript pitcher. He finished with a career record of 123-108 – he was no better than Jose DeLeon, but Denny finished 15 games over .500 while DeLeon finished 33 games below .500. Breaks of the game, kid. Jim Deshaies (1984-95), a lefty with a wicked pickoff move, had some good seasons with the Astros. He won 84 games, went on to a career in the broadcast booth, and good-naturedly staged an ultimately successful campaign to get one vote when he appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot. He actually holds an all-time major-league record: most career at-bats for a player without an extra-base hit (373). John Danks (2007- ) is off to a good start on his career. If he stays healthy and continues to develop, this will be a very solid rotation.
Bullpen: Jerry DiPoto (1993-2000) was never a fulltime closer, but he was often a part-time closer – double-digits in saves three different times, but never 20 saves in a season. He was a good pitcher, but never a great pitcher. That’s enough to make him the nominal closer here. Joey Devine (2005- ) got off to a great start. In his first full season in the majors, at age 24, he went 6-1 with an 0.59 ERA out of the Oakland pen. He is now 27 years old and coming back from Tommy John surgery. We’ll see what kind of career he is able to fashion. Speaking of Oakland pitchers coming off of major injuries, Justin Duchscherer (2001- ) has used a mix of breaking and off-speed stuff to be an absolutely outstanding pitcher for the past decade – when he’s healthy. He missed most of 2007 with a hip injury, returned as one of the best pitchers in the American League in 2008, and then missed all of 2009 with arm and back problems compounded by clinical depression. Now in the Orioles organization, but back on the sidelines again. He's awfully good when he's able to pitch. John Dopson (1985-94) was an average pitcher who will get a few starts in the rotation here but will spend most of his time in long and middle relief. Jeff (Turn Me On) Dedmon (1983-88) was a very useful, if anonymous, reliever in the Atlanta bullpen in the years before the Braves got good. Jose DeJesus (1988-94) had a hell of a good fastball but he had trouble getting it over the plate. He seemed like he was close to breaking through, but injuries in his mid-20s and those pesky control issues brought his career to an early end. Jeff Darwin (1994-97) beats out John D’Acquisto (another flame thrower who couldn’t find the plate) for the last spot in the bullpen, largely for sentimental reasons. Darwin, brother of Danny Darwin, was a career minor leaguer who pitched 48 innings in the majors. In 1992, he was the closer for the Peninsula Pilots, here in Hampton, Virginia, as they played for the Single-A Carolina League championship. In the decisive game of the best-of-5 series against Lynchburg, Darwin struck out the side on nine pitches in the eighth inning, then pitched a perfect ninth with two more strikeouts to nail down the league title. The Pilots immediately left town and relocated to Wilmington, Delaware, making Darwin the last pitcher in the history of the team as it existed on the Virginia Peninsula.
Bench: Outfielder Jim Dwyer (1973-90) was a great role player who, as such, found his niche in his 30s playing for Earl Weaver. He was a lefty stick who hit .260 or so and drew enough walks to push his on-base percentage 90-100 points above his batting average. Infielder Jim Davenport (1958-70) was an outstanding defensive third baseman who could be stretched to play a passable short or second. As a hitter, he was pretty ordinary, but capable of hitting a dozen home runs in a season. Jack Doyle (1889-1905) was a turn-of-the-century first baseman who could also function as a utility guy. In the changing landscape of baseball at the time, he played for almost a dozen different teams, but he was a .300 hitter (well, .299 career) who ran well. He will see extra playing time on this team because of his ability to be the backup catcher. Outfielder Jim Delsing (1948-60) is best known as the guy who pinch-ran for Eddie Gaedel in 1951. Johnny Dickshot (1936-45) was a pretty good hitter, but he would have made this bench even if he was below-average, just on the “Beavis & Butt-Head” basis.
Manager: Jimmie Dykes, in all honesty, was a better third baseman than Joe Dugan or Jim Davenport. He wasn’t a great player, but he stuck around forever and collected 2,256 hits, and he topped 1,000 in both runs and RBI. But the JD initials have several good third baseman, but only one legitimate managerial candidate, so for now we’ll keep Dykes off the field and in the dugout. He was a manager and coach for several decades, and he had a winning record as often as not. He won 1,406 games as a manager.
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