Infield: Shortstop Dave Concepcion (1970-88) was a second-tier star on the Big Red Machine – a tall, skinny Venezuelan who was a decent hitter and a very good fielder. He won five Gold Gloves, played in nine all-star games and was arguably the best shortstop in baseball between Aparicio and Yount. (Key word: arguably. There really wasn't a dominant shortstop in that period.) First baseman Dolph Camilli (1933-45) was a very, very good ballplayer who is almost entirely unknown to modern fans. He would consistently hit in the .280s, with power, and regularly led the league in walks. As a result, he scored 100 runs four times and drove in 100 runs four times, winning the National League MVP Award in 1941 when he led the NL with 34 home runs and 120 RBI for Brooklyn. Second baseman Dave Cash (1969-80) was very durable, batted leadoff for a good team and took an average number of walks, so for a few years he held the major-league record for at-bats in a season (699 for Philadelphia in 1975 – Willie Wilson broke the 700 barrier five years later). Cash was a consistent .280 contact hitter who had some gap power, and he was a good defensive player with a reputation for intelligence on the field. Third baseman Darnell Coles (1983-97) probably should have had a better career than he did. A high first-round draft pick by Seattle, he was traded to Detroit and, in his first year as a starter, batted .273 with 30 doubles, 20 home runs and 86 RBI at age 24. But he struggled for a couple of years after that and gradually drifted into a utility role, bouncing around both leagues and playing several different positions. He wasn’t necessarily destined to be a star, but in his mid-20s he sure looked like he would have better career numbers than .245 and 75 home runs.
Outfield: Center fielder Doc Cramer (1929-48) was a very good defensive outfielder and a .296 hitter, but he had no power or speed and he didn’t walk a lot. Right fielder Duff Cooley (1893-1905) was a similar type of hitter to Cramer – a .300 hitter with little or now power. Cooley was faster and was probably a slightly better hitter, but in a shorter career than Cramer (who had over 2,700 hits, while Cooley had 1,579). Cooley was also a fine defensive outfielder. Left fielder Dave Collins (1975-90) stole 79 bases in 1980, and four years later he stole 60 and led the American League with 15 triples. Other than that, he never did a lot that drew attention. In fact, he was a similar hitter to Cramer and Cooley -- .272 career average, no power, average number of walks – but in his good seasons, when he would push .300, he was fairly valuable. He played for eight teams and had the repuation as a hard-working, popular player. He rounds out a very fine defensive outfield.
Catcher: Del Crandall (1949-66) was an outstanding defensive catcher and would hit 15-25 home runs per year. He arrived in the majors at ag 19 and spent 13 years as a key contributor to the Braves teams that were built on the triumvirate of Aaron, Spahn and Mathews. He finished with 179 home runs.
Rotation: David Cone (1986-2003) had a productive and eventful career spread out over five teams.He won 20 games twice – a decade apart. He won a Cy Young Award, threw a perfect game, struck out 19 batters in a game and won five World Series championships (with a 2.12 ERA in five World Series starts and one relief appearance). He finished with 194 victories (at a .606 winning percentage), a solid 3.46 ERA and 2,668 strikeouts – but he got barely a sniff from Hall of Fame voters. Dean Chance (1961-71) spent his peak years during the pitching-dominated mid-1960s, and he put up some great numbers. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 1964 when he led the league with 20 wins, a 1.65 ERA and 11 shutouts. He pitched a league-leading 278 innings and gave up just 194 hits and 7 home runs, striking out 207. That was by far his best season, but he had several other good ones for the Angels. He finished his career with 128 wins and a 2.92 ERA, and after his playing career was done he had a long and successful career as a boxing promoter. Don Cardwell (1957-70) pitched a no-hitter for the Cubs in 1960 and was part of the pitching rotation of the 1969 Amazin’ Mets (though he was moved to the bullpen for the postseason). He won 102 games for four teams. Lefty Dan Casey (1884-90) won 96 games in his career and led the National League in ERA in 1887. When he grew older, he used to claim that he was the inspiration for the epic poem “Casey at the Bat,” but no one believed him. Danny Cox (1983-95) was a big, tall swingman who won 18 games for the pennant-winning 1985 Cardinals.
Bullpen: Closer Doug Corbett (1980-87) was an undrafted free agent who pitched very well in the Cincinnati Reds organization but never made it to the majors until the Twins plucked him from the Reds in the Rule V draft. As a 27-year-old rookie, he worked 136 innings, had a 1.98 ERA and saved 23 games. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, he led the AL with 54 appearances, saving 17 with a 2.57 ERA. He began to break down in 1982, perhaps because of the heavy workload, and he mostly struggled after that. Lefty Danny Coombs (1963-71) won 19 games in his career, spent with the fledgling Houston Colt .45s/Astros and the fledgling San Diego Padres. Don Carrithers (1970-77) won 28 games for the Giants and the Expos. Contemporary reliever D.J. “King” Carrasco (2003- ) has been a solid, if anonymous, middle reliever for four teams and is still pitching well as he hits his mid-30s. Lefty Doug Capilla (1976-81) won a dozen games for the Cubs, Reds and Cardinals. Doc Crandall (1908-18) went 102-62 and had a career ERA of 2.92, and he was sort of a closer before the role was invented, as he led the NL in games finished for four straight seasons with the Giants. The last spot on the pitching staff will go to either Dad Clarke (1888-98), who won 44 games, or Dad Clarkson (1891-96), who won 29 but with a better ERA. Clarkson had a brother (John) who made the Hall of Fame, but Clarke grew up in Oswego, N.Y., just up the road from Cooperstown. Actually, we might try to keep both of them in the bullpen and hope the similar names confuse opponents into thinking they’re the same guy.
Bench: Donn Clendenon (1961-72) was a big, slugging first baseman who hit 159 home runs and was the MVP of the 1969 World Series with the Amazin’ Mets. (He and Don Cardwell will be showing off their rings.) Backup catcher Doug Camilli (1960-69), the son of Dolph, didn’t inherit his father’s hitting genes – Doug batted .199 for his career. Danny Cater (1964-75) was a functional corner infielder and outfielder who batted .276 for six teams. Dennis Casey (1884-85) was a center fielder who played well in a short career. He was the brother of pitcher Dan Casey, and when people refused to believe Dan’s contention that he was the inspiration for “Casey at the Bat,” he then tried to claim that Dennis was. No one believed that, either. Utility infielder Deivi Cruz (1997-2005) had enough power to hit double-digit home runs if he was playing full time. He certainly knew how to impress people: In 1997 he batted .241 with a .263 on-base percentage, 2 home runs and three steals in nine attempts – and he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting and somehow even turned up on one voter’s MVP ballot.
Manager: Del Crandall will be player-manager. His record in the majors was 364-469, but keep in mind that he managed two teams – the Brewers from 1972-75 and the Mariners from 1983-84 – that were still getting their post-expansion legs under them.
Outfield: Center fielder Doc Cramer (1929-48) was a very good defensive outfielder and a .296 hitter, but he had no power or speed and he didn’t walk a lot. Right fielder Duff Cooley (1893-1905) was a similar type of hitter to Cramer – a .300 hitter with little or now power. Cooley was faster and was probably a slightly better hitter, but in a shorter career than Cramer (who had over 2,700 hits, while Cooley had 1,579). Cooley was also a fine defensive outfielder. Left fielder Dave Collins (1975-90) stole 79 bases in 1980, and four years later he stole 60 and led the American League with 15 triples. Other than that, he never did a lot that drew attention. In fact, he was a similar hitter to Cramer and Cooley -- .272 career average, no power, average number of walks – but in his good seasons, when he would push .300, he was fairly valuable. He played for eight teams and had the repuation as a hard-working, popular player. He rounds out a very fine defensive outfield.
Catcher: Del Crandall (1949-66) was an outstanding defensive catcher and would hit 15-25 home runs per year. He arrived in the majors at ag 19 and spent 13 years as a key contributor to the Braves teams that were built on the triumvirate of Aaron, Spahn and Mathews. He finished with 179 home runs.
Rotation: David Cone (1986-2003) had a productive and eventful career spread out over five teams.He won 20 games twice – a decade apart. He won a Cy Young Award, threw a perfect game, struck out 19 batters in a game and won five World Series championships (with a 2.12 ERA in five World Series starts and one relief appearance). He finished with 194 victories (at a .606 winning percentage), a solid 3.46 ERA and 2,668 strikeouts – but he got barely a sniff from Hall of Fame voters. Dean Chance (1961-71) spent his peak years during the pitching-dominated mid-1960s, and he put up some great numbers. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 1964 when he led the league with 20 wins, a 1.65 ERA and 11 shutouts. He pitched a league-leading 278 innings and gave up just 194 hits and 7 home runs, striking out 207. That was by far his best season, but he had several other good ones for the Angels. He finished his career with 128 wins and a 2.92 ERA, and after his playing career was done he had a long and successful career as a boxing promoter. Don Cardwell (1957-70) pitched a no-hitter for the Cubs in 1960 and was part of the pitching rotation of the 1969 Amazin’ Mets (though he was moved to the bullpen for the postseason). He won 102 games for four teams. Lefty Dan Casey (1884-90) won 96 games in his career and led the National League in ERA in 1887. When he grew older, he used to claim that he was the inspiration for the epic poem “Casey at the Bat,” but no one believed him. Danny Cox (1983-95) was a big, tall swingman who won 18 games for the pennant-winning 1985 Cardinals.
Bullpen: Closer Doug Corbett (1980-87) was an undrafted free agent who pitched very well in the Cincinnati Reds organization but never made it to the majors until the Twins plucked him from the Reds in the Rule V draft. As a 27-year-old rookie, he worked 136 innings, had a 1.98 ERA and saved 23 games. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, he led the AL with 54 appearances, saving 17 with a 2.57 ERA. He began to break down in 1982, perhaps because of the heavy workload, and he mostly struggled after that. Lefty Danny Coombs (1963-71) won 19 games in his career, spent with the fledgling Houston Colt .45s/Astros and the fledgling San Diego Padres. Don Carrithers (1970-77) won 28 games for the Giants and the Expos. Contemporary reliever D.J. “King” Carrasco (2003- ) has been a solid, if anonymous, middle reliever for four teams and is still pitching well as he hits his mid-30s. Lefty Doug Capilla (1976-81) won a dozen games for the Cubs, Reds and Cardinals. Doc Crandall (1908-18) went 102-62 and had a career ERA of 2.92, and he was sort of a closer before the role was invented, as he led the NL in games finished for four straight seasons with the Giants. The last spot on the pitching staff will go to either Dad Clarke (1888-98), who won 44 games, or Dad Clarkson (1891-96), who won 29 but with a better ERA. Clarkson had a brother (John) who made the Hall of Fame, but Clarke grew up in Oswego, N.Y., just up the road from Cooperstown. Actually, we might try to keep both of them in the bullpen and hope the similar names confuse opponents into thinking they’re the same guy.
Bench: Donn Clendenon (1961-72) was a big, slugging first baseman who hit 159 home runs and was the MVP of the 1969 World Series with the Amazin’ Mets. (He and Don Cardwell will be showing off their rings.) Backup catcher Doug Camilli (1960-69), the son of Dolph, didn’t inherit his father’s hitting genes – Doug batted .199 for his career. Danny Cater (1964-75) was a functional corner infielder and outfielder who batted .276 for six teams. Dennis Casey (1884-85) was a center fielder who played well in a short career. He was the brother of pitcher Dan Casey, and when people refused to believe Dan’s contention that he was the inspiration for “Casey at the Bat,” he then tried to claim that Dennis was. No one believed that, either. Utility infielder Deivi Cruz (1997-2005) had enough power to hit double-digit home runs if he was playing full time. He certainly knew how to impress people: In 1997 he batted .241 with a .263 on-base percentage, 2 home runs and three steals in nine attempts – and he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting and somehow even turned up on one voter’s MVP ballot.
Manager: Del Crandall will be player-manager. His record in the majors was 364-469, but keep in mind that he managed two teams – the Brewers from 1972-75 and the Mariners from 1983-84 – that were still getting their post-expansion legs under them.
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