Infield: Shortstop Bobby Wallace (1894-1918) played for a long time and was pretty good. He batted .268 in the dead ball era with a good number of doubles and triples, and he was regarded as a very good defensive infielder. Wallace actually started out as a pitcher and had good success at the major-league level but was moved to the infield to take advantage of his bat. First baseman Bill White (1956-69) was an anchor on the Cardinals infields of the mid-1960s, a consistent .290-.300 hitter with mid-range power and good defense. When he was done playing, he worked as a broadcaster and was later president of the National League, the highest position ever held by an African-American within organized baseball. Second baseman Bump Wills (1977-82) was sort of a “poor man’s” version of his father, Maury Wills. Bump stole 196 bases in six seasons and was a decent enough player, but never a star. He left to play in Japan in his late 20s and never returned to the majors. Third baseman Billy Werber (1930-42) got on base and ran well, which is a good combination. He was a .271 hitter for his career, but he drew a few walks (.364 career on-base) and he led the league in steals three times. He was a baseball and basketball All-American at Duke University, and he was the leadoff batter for the Cincinnati Reds in the first baseball game ever televised live. He died in 2009, one of the few major-league players to ever live to be 100.
Outfield: Center fielder Bernie Williams (1991-2006) was a quiet, unassuming star on the dynastic Yankees teams of the late 1990s. He was a .300 hitter – he led the AL with a .338 average in 1998 – who hit with power, drew walks, stole bases and won four Gold Gloves. He had five years over 100 RBI and eight over 100 runs. His 80 postseason RBI are a major-league record, and he is second to teammate Derek Jeter in many other “career postseason” categories. He retired at age 37 – still a decent player, but hurt by the Yankees’ offer of a minor-league contract and not wanting to play for another team – he is now pursuing a second career as a jazz/blues/salsa guitarist. Billy Williams (1959-76) was, like Bernie, a soft-spoken star on a very fine team. He was durable – one of only seven players to appear in more than 1,000 consecutive games – and consistent, a fixture in left field and in the third spot in the batting order for the Cubs. (He moves to right field on the B.W. team for defensive reasons.) Though many of his prime years came in the heart of a pitcher’s era, he finished with a .290 career batting average, 426 home runs and more than 1,400 runs and RBI. Like Bernie, Billy Williams was often overshadowed by his more outgoing teammates. Left fielder Bob Watson (1966-84) was originally a catcher who got moved to first base, but he could be stretched to play corner outfield. He rounds out an outfield stocked with players who were underrated because of their quiet demeanors. Watson spent most of his career in the AstroDome, which played havoc on batting stats, but he still finished with a .295 batting average, 184 home runs and 989 RBI. (He was actually a very similar player to Bill White, who moved him off of first base in this lineup, and while White became president of the NL, Watson became vice president of Major League Baseball, in charge of on-field discipline.) All three outfielders had career averages in the .290s and drew a good number of walks. Watson had less power than Bernie and Billy but still hit the ball hard. He earned a small niche in baseball history in 1974 when he scored what was purported to be the millionth run in major-league history. He was also the first player to hit for the cycle in both leagues.
Catcher: Butch Wynegar (1976-88) was on the AL all-star team at age 20, one of the youngest players ever to appear in an all-star game. He never really built on that foundation – his 10 home runs in 1976 remained his career high – but he went on to a productive career as a .250-.260 hitter who drew some walks and played solid defense.
Rotation: Bucky Walters (1931-50) led the NL in wins three times and in ERA twice, and he was named the league’s MVP in 1939 when he won 27 games for Cincinnati. His career record was 198-160 with a 3.30 ERA, and he pitched for two pennant winners including the 1940 World Series champion Reds. In Game 6 of that World Series, Walters threw a 5-hit shutout against the Tigers and hit a home run. He was a converted third baseman, and always a good hitter – a .243 career average with 23 home runs and 234 RBI. Bob Welch (1978-94) was a solid, dependable pitcher who had an outstanding career record of 211-146, but he would be almost entirely forgotten today if not for two things. As a flame-throwing 21-year-old rookie for the Dodgers, he struck out Reggie Jackson in a scintillating power-on-power showdown to end Game 2 of the World Series. No one who witnessed that nine-pitch at-bat, with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, will ever forget it. And as a 33-year-old starter for the A’s in 1990, he got a ton of run support from Oakland’s powerhouse lineup and rode it to a 27-6 record and the Cy Young Award. His 27 wins that season (along with Steve Carlton’s 27 in 1972) mark the highest-single season total since Denny McLain won 31 in 1968. Brandon Webb (2003- ) has led the NL in victories twice, and he has a Cy Young Award (and two second-place finishes in the Cy voting). He has not throw a pitch in the majors since injuring his shoulder on Opening Day 2009, and he is now attempting a comeback in his early 30s. We’ll see where he goes from here. Bobby Witt (1986-2001) won 142 games but was never as good a pitcher as he was expected to be. The third overall pick in the 1985 draft, he was in the majors the following year and won 11 games for Texas. He had electric stuff but never gained full command of it, leading the AL in walks three times in his first four seasons. His control improved, but he was never able to put it all together and become dominant pitcher (though he had some good years). In an interleague game in 1997, he became the first A.L. pitcher to hit a home run since the adoption of the designated hitter in 1973. Lefty Bill Walker (1927-36) went 97-77 and won two National Leaue ERA titles. He split his career between some good New York Giants teams and the famous Gas House Gang Cardinals of the 1930s.
Bullpen: Closer Billy Wagner (1995-2010) saved 422 games in his career (fifth on the all-time list) without ever leading the league in that category. His career ERA was 2.31, and his 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings is among the most overpowering figures of all time. A relatively small (5-10, 180) lefty, Wagner was a consistent, dominant pitcher over the course of a long career. A country boy from a small town in Virginia, he retired following the 2010 season to spend more time with his family at their farm – in his final season, at age 38, he had a 1.43 ERA, and in 69 innings he struck out 104 while allowing just 38 hits and 22 walks. Not a bad “seeya later” season. Bob Wickman (1992-2007) had a long and effective career as a set-up man and closer. Wickman saved 267 games in his career, and unlike Wagner, he did lead the league one time (45 for the Indians in 2005). He retired with 63 victories and a 3.57 ERA. (Wickman was listed at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, but we suspect they may have gotten those last two digits transposed.) Brian Wilson (2006- ) has also led the league in saves – with 46 for the 2010 World Series champion Giants. He’s in mid-career and has 170 career saves, but he still has a ways to go to wrest the job away from Wagner. Plus, his beard is the ugliest facial hair the game has seen in several generations. Bill Wight (1946-58) and Bob Weiland (1928-40) were both journeyman lefty swingmen, and they’ll get some starts when the rotation needs a lefty. Both guys had losing records – 77-99 for Wight, 62-94 for Weilman – but respectable ERAs. Ben Weber (2000-05), who pumped his arms up and down spastically before going into his windup, spent a long time in the minors and even played in China before he arrived as a 30-year-old rookie. He made the best of his late opportunity, pitching well for a few years (career record of 19-8, 3.77 ERA) and winning a World Series title with the Angels. Bob Walk (1980-93) had one of the worst names ever for a pitcher, but he wasn’t half-bad (and he had very average control). He won 105 games for the Phillies, Braves and Pirates.
Bench: Backup infielders Buck Weaver (1912-20) and Bill Wambsganss (1914-26) were good but never great players who became famous via the World Series. Wambsganss turned an unassisted triple play for the Indians during the 1920 World Series, the only such play in postseason history. And Weaver emerged as the sympathetic figure in the Black Sox scandal of 1919 – by all accounts, he sat in on the meetings in which his crooked teammates planned the fix, but he couldn’t go through with it. He played his hardest to win, but he kept his mouth shut about what he knew, and his silence (quite appropriately) got him banned for life with the seven teammates who went along with the fix. He spent the rest of his life trying to clear his name, and his cause has many supporters to this day. He was a decent hitter who could play shortstop or third, and he might give Billy Werber some competition at the hot corner. First baseman and corner outfielder Brad Wilkerson (2001-08) was a lefty slugger in the “three true outcomes” mold – he struck out a lot, walked a lot, and hit home runs. He will be a valuable stick off the bench. Negro League outfielder Wild Bill Wright had a long career in both the Negro Leagues and in Mexico. He was a dangerous hitter and a regular all-star, and he will push for playing time in the crowded outfield picture. Bennie Warren (1939-47) is a backup catcher with a little bit of pop, a nice guy to have on your bench.
Manager: Bobby Winkles managed the Angels for a few years during the Nolan Ryan/Frank Tanana period.
Outfield: Center fielder Bernie Williams (1991-2006) was a quiet, unassuming star on the dynastic Yankees teams of the late 1990s. He was a .300 hitter – he led the AL with a .338 average in 1998 – who hit with power, drew walks, stole bases and won four Gold Gloves. He had five years over 100 RBI and eight over 100 runs. His 80 postseason RBI are a major-league record, and he is second to teammate Derek Jeter in many other “career postseason” categories. He retired at age 37 – still a decent player, but hurt by the Yankees’ offer of a minor-league contract and not wanting to play for another team – he is now pursuing a second career as a jazz/blues/salsa guitarist. Billy Williams (1959-76) was, like Bernie, a soft-spoken star on a very fine team. He was durable – one of only seven players to appear in more than 1,000 consecutive games – and consistent, a fixture in left field and in the third spot in the batting order for the Cubs. (He moves to right field on the B.W. team for defensive reasons.) Though many of his prime years came in the heart of a pitcher’s era, he finished with a .290 career batting average, 426 home runs and more than 1,400 runs and RBI. Like Bernie, Billy Williams was often overshadowed by his more outgoing teammates. Left fielder Bob Watson (1966-84) was originally a catcher who got moved to first base, but he could be stretched to play corner outfield. He rounds out an outfield stocked with players who were underrated because of their quiet demeanors. Watson spent most of his career in the AstroDome, which played havoc on batting stats, but he still finished with a .295 batting average, 184 home runs and 989 RBI. (He was actually a very similar player to Bill White, who moved him off of first base in this lineup, and while White became president of the NL, Watson became vice president of Major League Baseball, in charge of on-field discipline.) All three outfielders had career averages in the .290s and drew a good number of walks. Watson had less power than Bernie and Billy but still hit the ball hard. He earned a small niche in baseball history in 1974 when he scored what was purported to be the millionth run in major-league history. He was also the first player to hit for the cycle in both leagues.
Catcher: Butch Wynegar (1976-88) was on the AL all-star team at age 20, one of the youngest players ever to appear in an all-star game. He never really built on that foundation – his 10 home runs in 1976 remained his career high – but he went on to a productive career as a .250-.260 hitter who drew some walks and played solid defense.
Rotation: Bucky Walters (1931-50) led the NL in wins three times and in ERA twice, and he was named the league’s MVP in 1939 when he won 27 games for Cincinnati. His career record was 198-160 with a 3.30 ERA, and he pitched for two pennant winners including the 1940 World Series champion Reds. In Game 6 of that World Series, Walters threw a 5-hit shutout against the Tigers and hit a home run. He was a converted third baseman, and always a good hitter – a .243 career average with 23 home runs and 234 RBI. Bob Welch (1978-94) was a solid, dependable pitcher who had an outstanding career record of 211-146, but he would be almost entirely forgotten today if not for two things. As a flame-throwing 21-year-old rookie for the Dodgers, he struck out Reggie Jackson in a scintillating power-on-power showdown to end Game 2 of the World Series. No one who witnessed that nine-pitch at-bat, with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, will ever forget it. And as a 33-year-old starter for the A’s in 1990, he got a ton of run support from Oakland’s powerhouse lineup and rode it to a 27-6 record and the Cy Young Award. His 27 wins that season (along with Steve Carlton’s 27 in 1972) mark the highest-single season total since Denny McLain won 31 in 1968. Brandon Webb (2003- ) has led the NL in victories twice, and he has a Cy Young Award (and two second-place finishes in the Cy voting). He has not throw a pitch in the majors since injuring his shoulder on Opening Day 2009, and he is now attempting a comeback in his early 30s. We’ll see where he goes from here. Bobby Witt (1986-2001) won 142 games but was never as good a pitcher as he was expected to be. The third overall pick in the 1985 draft, he was in the majors the following year and won 11 games for Texas. He had electric stuff but never gained full command of it, leading the AL in walks three times in his first four seasons. His control improved, but he was never able to put it all together and become dominant pitcher (though he had some good years). In an interleague game in 1997, he became the first A.L. pitcher to hit a home run since the adoption of the designated hitter in 1973. Lefty Bill Walker (1927-36) went 97-77 and won two National Leaue ERA titles. He split his career between some good New York Giants teams and the famous Gas House Gang Cardinals of the 1930s.
Bullpen: Closer Billy Wagner (1995-2010) saved 422 games in his career (fifth on the all-time list) without ever leading the league in that category. His career ERA was 2.31, and his 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings is among the most overpowering figures of all time. A relatively small (5-10, 180) lefty, Wagner was a consistent, dominant pitcher over the course of a long career. A country boy from a small town in Virginia, he retired following the 2010 season to spend more time with his family at their farm – in his final season, at age 38, he had a 1.43 ERA, and in 69 innings he struck out 104 while allowing just 38 hits and 22 walks. Not a bad “seeya later” season. Bob Wickman (1992-2007) had a long and effective career as a set-up man and closer. Wickman saved 267 games in his career, and unlike Wagner, he did lead the league one time (45 for the Indians in 2005). He retired with 63 victories and a 3.57 ERA. (Wickman was listed at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, but we suspect they may have gotten those last two digits transposed.) Brian Wilson (2006- ) has also led the league in saves – with 46 for the 2010 World Series champion Giants. He’s in mid-career and has 170 career saves, but he still has a ways to go to wrest the job away from Wagner. Plus, his beard is the ugliest facial hair the game has seen in several generations. Bill Wight (1946-58) and Bob Weiland (1928-40) were both journeyman lefty swingmen, and they’ll get some starts when the rotation needs a lefty. Both guys had losing records – 77-99 for Wight, 62-94 for Weilman – but respectable ERAs. Ben Weber (2000-05), who pumped his arms up and down spastically before going into his windup, spent a long time in the minors and even played in China before he arrived as a 30-year-old rookie. He made the best of his late opportunity, pitching well for a few years (career record of 19-8, 3.77 ERA) and winning a World Series title with the Angels. Bob Walk (1980-93) had one of the worst names ever for a pitcher, but he wasn’t half-bad (and he had very average control). He won 105 games for the Phillies, Braves and Pirates.
Bench: Backup infielders Buck Weaver (1912-20) and Bill Wambsganss (1914-26) were good but never great players who became famous via the World Series. Wambsganss turned an unassisted triple play for the Indians during the 1920 World Series, the only such play in postseason history. And Weaver emerged as the sympathetic figure in the Black Sox scandal of 1919 – by all accounts, he sat in on the meetings in which his crooked teammates planned the fix, but he couldn’t go through with it. He played his hardest to win, but he kept his mouth shut about what he knew, and his silence (quite appropriately) got him banned for life with the seven teammates who went along with the fix. He spent the rest of his life trying to clear his name, and his cause has many supporters to this day. He was a decent hitter who could play shortstop or third, and he might give Billy Werber some competition at the hot corner. First baseman and corner outfielder Brad Wilkerson (2001-08) was a lefty slugger in the “three true outcomes” mold – he struck out a lot, walked a lot, and hit home runs. He will be a valuable stick off the bench. Negro League outfielder Wild Bill Wright had a long career in both the Negro Leagues and in Mexico. He was a dangerous hitter and a regular all-star, and he will push for playing time in the crowded outfield picture. Bennie Warren (1939-47) is a backup catcher with a little bit of pop, a nice guy to have on your bench.
Manager: Bobby Winkles managed the Angels for a few years during the Nolan Ryan/Frank Tanana period.
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