GG: The Gigis

Infield: Third baseman Gary Gaetti (1981-2000) and shortstop Greg Gagne (1983-97) played side-by-side in the Minnesota Twins’ infield for six years in the late-1980s, including the 1987 championship team. They were both fine defensive players. Gaetti, more hard-nosed than elegant at third, won four Gold Gloves; Gagne, more efficient than spectacular at short, never won one but arguably deserved one or two. Neither was a great offensive player, but both made contributions. Gaetti was a .255 hitter who didn’t get on base, but he hit 360 home runs and 443 doubles, and he drove in 1,341 runs and scored 1,130. Gagne was a .254 hitter who walked about as often as Gaetti (which is to say, some but not a lot), and he had far less power, though his 111 career home runs represent a respectable total for a shortstop. Neither one had any speed, and they both had some strange base stealing figures – in 1986 Gaetti stole 14 bases and was thrown out 15 times, and Gagne in 1993-94 stole 20 bases and was thrown out 29 times. They weren’t great players, but they were good players. After their heydays with the Twins, both moved around the leagues a bit, reuniting for a couple of years in the 1990s on the infield of the Kansas City Royals. Second baseman George Grantham (1922-34) was a better offensive player than Gaetti or Gagne. Granted, he played in an era of high batting averages, but even so he was a .300 hitter who got on base and had gap power – he averaged 80 walks, 33 doubles, 10 triples and 12 home runs per 162 games. He played more than 800 games at second base, which was his primary position, but he made a huge number of errors there and was nicknamed “Boots.” First baseman Gary Gray (1977-82) was a decent minor-league hitter who never got a foothold in the majors until the post-expansion Mariners gave him a part-time job for a couple of years. He was a .240 hitter with a terrible strikeout-to-walk ratio but a bit of power – in his career, he had 625 at-bats and managed 24 home runs and 71 RBI, but he never really hit enough to stick.

Outfield: Right fielder Goose Goslin (1921-38) was one of the top hitters of his era, batting .316 and driving in 1,609 runs. He had his best years for the Senators, smashing line drives around the field and losing tons of home runs to cavernous Griffith Stadium. From 1923-29, his prime seasons in Washington, Goslin hit 104 home runs – 22 at home and 82 on the road. No foolin’. In 1926, he hit 17 home runs on the road and none at home. In the 1924 World Series, he batted .344 with three home runs to lead the Senators to their only championship, and a year later he batted .308 with another three home runs as Washington lost a seven-game series to Pittsburgh. Folks tend to assume that his nickname was simply a play on his last name, but apparently he was called “Goose” because he had a long neck and an ungainly way of running with his arms flapping. Center fielder George “Piano Legs” Gore (1879-92) must have been one of the most fascinating players to watch in the early era of baseball. He had good speed and a terrific throwing arm, and he was one of the first batters to grasp the importance of strike zone judgment, setting records for walks. He was a .300 hitter who scored lots of runs, and the general consensus was that he would have been an even better player if his penchant for drunkenness and cavorting with loose women hadn’t gotten in the way of his baseball. Left fielder Greg Gross (1973-89) didn’t have a colorful nickname like Goose or Piano Legs, and in fact he wasn’t a colorful player at all. A quiet, unassuming player, he was a fine left-handed hitter who spent much of his career and as role player and a platoon hitter – he had 11 seasons with more than 100 games, but only three with more than 130. He batted .287 for his career, walked twice as often as he struck out and very rarely stole a base or hit an extra-base hit.

Catcher: George Gibson (1905-1918) spent almost his entire career in Pittsburgh and was part of the Pirates’ 1908 championship team. He wasn’t much of a hitter, but a great defensive catcher and a workhorse at the time when shin guards were first being introduced.

Rotation: Gary Gentry (1969-75) was a 22-year-old rookie starter on the Miracle Mets of ’69, but he wasn’t destined to have the same type of career as teammates like Seaver, Koosman, Ryan and McGraw. An arm injury in his mid-20s saw to that. As a rookie, he started 35 games and won 13 for the team that swept to one of the most improbable championships in baseball history, but he somehow did not get mentioned on a single Rookie of the Year ballot while the voters flocked to a bunch of nondescript players like Ted Sizemore, Coco Laboy and Bob Didier. In Game 3 of the World Series, he teamed with Nolan Ryan to shut out the powerful Orioles on four hits and beat Jim Palmer. He finished his career with 46 victories and was out of baseball before he turned 30. Like Gentry, Geremi Gonzalez (1997-2006) had success as a 22-year-old rookie, winning 11 games for the Cubs, but was sidetracked by injuries (in his case, to the knee). He dropped off the map from 1999-2001, then came back and pitched occasionally and sometimes effectively in the majors, the minors, in Japan and in his native Venezuela for a few years until he was struck and killed by a bolt of lightning two days before his 31st birthday. George Gill (1937-39) went 23-14 in a couple of seasons for the Detroit Tigers, but then early in the 1939 season he was part of a 12-player trade, going from a good Detroit team to an absolutely godawful St. Louis Browns team. He went 1-12 for St. Louis that season, dragging his career record below .500 and bringing an end to his major-league career. Greg Garrett (1970-71) pitched quite effectively in brief turns as a lefty swingman for the Angels and the Reds, but he injuries finished him off in his mid-20s. (Considering the history of this rotation, it may be imperative that the team find a very good trainer and team doctor with the initials G.G.) In an odd footnote to his career, Garrett has the ignominious distinction of allowing the only home run ever hit by pinch-running specialist Allan “The Panamanian Express” Lewis. Gio Gonzalez of the Oakland A’s has gotten his career off to a fine start and, now in his mid-20s, he looks like he could have a good career.

Bullpen: Goose Gossage (1972-94) was one of the most overpowering closers of all time. His numbers don’t really do him justice – his 310 career saves pale compared to the numbers being put up by today’s closers, his 3.01 career ERA seems mundane, and his 1,502 strikeouts in 1,809 innings doesn’t really hint at how dominant he was for many years. For the White Sox in 1975, he worked 141 innings in 62 games with a 1.84 ERA, and a couple of years later in Pittsburgh he pitched 72 games, 133 innings with a 1.62 ERA. He joined the Bronx Zoo Yankees and put up a 2.10 ERA for six seasons. He consistently made all-star teams and factored into both Cy Young and MVP voting. He pitched into his 40s, but it was that deacde early in his career (1975-85, interrupted by one bad season in which a misguided manager tried to make him into a starter) that defines his greatness. Deservedly inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008, but unfortunately it took so long that he resorted to a lot of ingracious grumbling about not getting his due. Gene Garber (1969-88) would be the closer on most initial teams, with 218 career saves, but here he is a set-up guy to the Goose. The two of them will stay very busy, considering the rag-armed rotation and the back end of this bullpen. (Good thing they were durable – Gossage is one of the few pitchers to work 1,000 games in his career, and Garber’s not far behind at 931.) Geoff Geary (2003-09) had some good year in middle relief for the Phillies and the Astros but ran out of steam in his early-30s. Gary Glover (1999-2008) was a 6-foot-5 righty who was given a lot of chances but never pitched very well. He is no relation to Gary Glitter, who does a glam-rock version of the National Anthem before home games. Glenn Gardner (1945) was a career minor leaguer (160 wins) who pitched a few games for the Cardinals and went 3-1. Greg Gohr (1993-96) showed some promise, but when given an extended chance he couldn’t get big-league hitters out. German Gonzalez (1988-89) pitched for the Twins in the years between their two championshps.

Bench: Gary Geiger (1958-70) roamed the Red Sox outfield alongside Ted Williams during the early years of his career. He was a decent hitter with a bit of pop and a bit of speed. Gene Green (1957-63) was an outfielder who could also function as a backup catcher. Gil Garrido (1964-72) was a utility infielder who couldn’t hit, and Geronimo Gil (2001-07) was a backup catcher who hit like a utility infielder. George “Pickles” Gerken (1927-28) was an outfielder who had a good career in the minors but never did much in the majors.

Manager: George Gibson will serve as player-manager. He managed the Pirates for several years and was a coach (and briefly manager) with the Cubs as well.

GH: The George Hickenloopers

Infield: Gil Hodges (1943-63), the first baseman for the “Boys of Summer” Dodgers, was a tremendously strong man who hit 370 home runs in his career. He and teammate Duke Snider were the only two players to hit 300 home runs and drive in 1000 runs during the 1950s. He was a terrific defensive first baseman and a quiet leader of a historic team. That, coupled with his managerial career, brought him to the threshold of the Hall of Fame – but not through the door. It could be argued, in fact, that no player has ever received more Hall of Fame support than Hodges without getting eventually elected. Shortstop Granny Hamner (1944-62) was a good fielder and a decent hitter with some pop, sort of the Chris Speier of the ‘50s. Like Hodges, Hamner was viewed as a team leader, and at age 23 he was given much credit for the Philles’ NL pennant. (In 1962, after he had retired and then managed in the minors, he made it back to the majors to pitch a few games for the Kansas City A’s, so he might get some mop-up duty for the Hickenloopers.) Second baseman Glenn Hubbard (1978-89) was built like a fireplug, and he had a round face with a scraggly beard that always made him look stockier than he actually was. Hubbard was basically a .250 hitter who drew some walks and bunted well, plus he was a good glove at second base. He played for the Braves in the years just before the got really good. Third baseman Grady Hatton (1946-60) played for the Reds in the years following World War II. He was a functional player – a .260 hitter with double-digit home run power and enough walks to get on base a fair amount. He was a good enough hitter to resurface with the Cubs in 1960, four years after his last major-league game, and bat .342 as a pinch-hitter and role player. He later coached and managed at the major-league level. He later served for many years as a coach and manager at both the major- and minor-league levels.

Outfield: Center fielder George Hendrick (1971-88) had a reputation for being lazy, which was probably exaggerated – a reflection of his frequently casual and laidback approach to the game, but also perhaps a hint of the subtle racism that pervaded many people’s perception of black athletes in the 1970s. Hendrick hit the ball hard, good for 343 doubles and 267 home runs in his career, and he drove in more than 1,100 runs. He shifted in mid-career to right field, where his powerful throwing arm was a key defensive weapon. He is perhaps most famous as the cleanup batter on the 1982 Cardinals, who won the World Series despite hitting just 67 home runs during the regular season. Left fielder Glenallen Hill (1989-2001) was a journeyman who was never firmly established as an everyday player but who was good enough as a part-time player to hit 186 home runs in his career. He was a poor defensive outfielder, but a good enough hitter that he still helped the teams he played for. He earned his niche in the annals of bizarre sports injuries when he had to miss several games in 1990 with cuts,scrapes and bruises he sustained while sleepwalking during a nightmare in which he was being chased by spiders. Right fielder George Harper (1916-29) batted .303 in a career that spanned more than 1,000 games spread out over a half-dozen teams. He drew almost twice as many walks as strikeouts, and he hit the ball hard. All in all, he was a very solid hitter.

Catcher: Gabby Hartnett (1922-41) is on the short list of the greatest catchers of the first half of the 20th century. After battling through some injuries in his 20s, he was a dominant force in his 30s, helping lead the Cubs to four NL pennants and winning the MVP award in 1935. He was a fine defensive catcher who walked more than he struck out, and he hit 236 career home runs (including his famous Homer in the Gloamin’ during the 1938 pennant race). The nickname “Gabby” was a sarcastic reference to his soft-spoken nature. In a well known anecdote, Hartnett stopped by the side of the dugout one afternoon to chat with the legendary mobster Al Capone, who was taking in a game at Wrigley Field. Photos were snapped and circulated, and Commissioner Landis sent Hartnett a terse telegram ordering him to no longer pose for pictures with Al Capone. Hartnett wired back that he would comply, but that he would be more comfortable if Landis broke the news to Capone.

Rotation: Guy Hecker (1882-90) went 52-20 for Louisville in 1884, leading the American Association in wins, ERA (1.80), games (75), complete games (72), innings (670) and several other categories. He is one of four pitchers to have won 50 games in a season in a league listed as a major. The other three (Spaulding, Radbourn and Clarkson) are all in the Hall of Fame. Hecker is not in the Hall, in part becaue he only played nine season. He won 175 games in his career. He was also a good hitter and once scored seven runs in a game. Gentleman George Haddock (1888-94) pitched in the same era as Hecker, but he m axed out at 34 wins in his best season. Haddock won 95 games in his career. Glen Hobbie (1957-64) was a durable starter who won 16 games for the Cubs in both 1959 and ’60 (though he lost 20 in the second season). Greg W. Harris (1988-95) was a solid starter for several years, always referred to with his middle initial to differentiate from a different Greg Harris who pitched at the same time. Greg W. Harris started out with a couple of outstanding seasons in relief and then moved into the Padres’ rotation. He pitched well but was frequently injured and was out of baseball by his early 30s. Lefty Greg Hibbard (1989-94) went 57-50 before arm injuries ended his career before age 30. His 15 wins in 1993 was the most by a Cubs lefty in the years between Ken Holtzman (17 in 1970) and Ted Lilly (15 in 2007).
Bullpen: Greg A. Harris (1981-95), the bookend to Greg W., will start out as the team’s closer by virture of his 54 career saves. Harris was a consistently effective reliever, a righty who was ambidextrous enough that he wore a special mitt that allowed him to switch hands on the mound. His managers would not allow him to switch hands during the prime of his career, but pitching for the Expos in 1995, he finally got his opportunity to do so, facing three batters as a lefty (walking one and retiring the other two). Gene Harris (1989-95) spent seven seasons in the majors and only three times did he end the year with the same team with which he began it. He served as the Padres’ closer for one season. Guy Hoffman (1979-88) was a promising young lefty who had injury issues. Greg Hansell (1995-99) pitched one season apiece for four different teams, and when he finally had a good year for Pittsburgh in 1999, he got hurt and never made it back to the majors. Gil Heredia (1991-2001) was an occasionally effective swingman who gave up too many home runs. George Hemming (1890-97) worked a lot of games and a lot of innings in the dead ball era and will be a valuable long reliever and spot starter on this team. His nickname, for reasons lost to history, was Old Wax Figger. George Hesselbacher (1916) pitched a half-dozen games for Connie Mack’s A’s in 1916, got royally clobbered, and then moved on to other things, including a stint as a commanding officer in the Army during World War I.

Bench: Infielder Glenn Hoffman (1980-89), Trevor’s big brother, was a light-hitting glove man who wasn’t actually all that good with the glove either. Gail Harris (1955-60) was a slugging first baseman who spent most of his career backing up guys like Bill White, Orlando Cepeda and Norm Cash. Outfielder Gene Hermanski (1943-53), a teammate of Gil Hodges in Brooklyn, was a good lefty hitter who will get some platoon opportunties alongside Glenallen Hill. Hermanski batted .272 for his career, walked more than he struck out and could hit the occasional home run.Catcher Grover “Slick” Hartley (1911-34) spent most of his career in a backup role and was pretty decent in it. Outfielder George Hall (1871-77) batted .322 in his post-war career (that would be the Civil War).

Manager: Gil Hodges is almost as famous for managing the Miracle Mets of ’69 as for his outstanding playing career. He will serve as player-manager, and he will have considerable help from several teammates who were also managers – Granny Hamner, Glenn Hoffman Gabby Hartnett, Grady Hatton and several others who managed or coached in the minors and majors.