Infield: Buck Leonard was, by pretty much unanimous acclamation, the greatest first baseman in the history of the Negro Leagues. He batted behind Josh Gibson for the great Homestead Grays teams of the 1930s, and he was known as The Black Lou Gehrig. Leonard was a great hitter and fielder, and he was one of the most respected gentlemen of the Negro Leagues. A few years after the color line was broken, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck tried to sign him to a contract, but Leonard – past 40 and fearing that he would embarrass himself and set back the cause – declined the offer. Shortstop Barry Larkin (1986-2004) was a complete package. He was a .300 hitter with enough power to hit 198 career home runs and enough speed to steal 379 bases at a success rate of better than 80 percent. He walked more than he struck out, and he won three Gold Gloves at shortstop while playing for his hometown Cincinnati Reds. He never led the league in any offensive category, but when he was healthy he was consistently one of the best players in the league, and in 1995 he won the NL MVP award. Third baseman Buddy Lewis (1935-49) reached the majors at age 18 and broke into the Washinton Senators lineup at 19. He had more than 1,100 hits and 600 runs by the time he turned 24 – one of the highest totals ever – but then he lost 3 1/2 seasons in the heart of his prime to World War II. He came back strong in 1945, batting .333 and almost driving the Senators to a pennant, but a hip injury slowed him in his early 30s and he retired young, in part because of business obligations back home in North Carolina. Second baseman Bobby Lowe (1890-1907), the first batter ever to hit four home runs in a game, stuck around long enough to pile up almost 2,000 hits, and he scored 1,135 runs.
Outfield: Center fielder Bill Lange (1893-99) was a sensational athlete who had a .330 career batting average. He scored almost 700 runs and stole 400 bases in a career of just over 800 games. He was a big guy, and those who saw him insist that he was one of the fastest, smartest and most aggressive baserunners of all time – he would later be compared to Ty Cobb as a baserunner, though his personality was very different from Cobb’s. Lange retired at the peak of his skills (at age 28) to pursue a business career, despite offers by the Chicago Cubs to triple his salary. (Apparently his prospective father-in-law didn't approve of his daughter marrying a mere ballplayer.) Right fielder Billy Lush (1895-1904) was another speedster, though he wasn’t nearly as electrifying a player as Lange. Left fielder Bris Lord (1905-13) has the last name of God and the first name of a religious rite. He was nicknamed The Human Eyeball, apparently because of his massive forehead. As a rookie,he was part of the Philadelphia A’s team that won the AL pennant, but after a few years he went back to the minors and resurfaced in 1909 with Cleveland. A’s manager Connie Mack wanted him back, so he acquired Lord in a deal for Morrie Rath and a player to be named later. The player to be named later ended up being a young outfielder named Shoeless Joe Jackson, so it didn’t turn out to be the best trade Mack ever made, but Lord hit well for a couple of years and helped the A’s win two World Series titles.
Catcher: Bill Ludwig (1908) batted .182 in 66 games for the Cardinals in a year when the lost 105 games.
Rotation: Bob Lemon (1946-58) was an oddity, a guy who made it to the majors as a third baseman and outfielder, converted to the mound while in the majors, and then went on to a Hall of Fame career. He had a career record of 207-128, including seven seasons of 20 victories and another when he led the AL with 18. As part of the Cleveland Indians’ legendary rotation of the 1950s, he led the AL in wins three times and in complete games and innings pitched four times apiece. He was obviously a good hitter, with 37 career home runs. Bill “Spaceman” Lee (1969-82) was a talented and idiosyncratic lefty who won 119 games for the Red Sox and the Expos. He was a fine pitcher but drew more attention for his free-spirited lifestyle and a running commentary that was as clever as it was controversial. (He once said that the hardest thing about baseball is that “you’re supposed to sit on your ass and nod at stupid things,” prompting Warren Zevon to write a song about him). Lee smoked pot, stumped for left-wing political causes and bickered with team management. He occasionally threw a lob ball that he called his “Leephus” pitch, and he lobbied unsuccessfully to wear No. 337 on his jersey, since it would spell LEE upside-down. While playing for the Expos, he grew a mangy beard that eventually reached his chest. After his retirement, he announced that he was running for president as the candidate of the Rhino Party, which he said held its convention at a bar in Quebec. (A key part of his platform had to do with preventing attacks by killer bees.) Now in his mid-60s, he reportedly still pitches 200 innings a year in an over-40 league in New England. Big Bill Lee (1934-47), heretofore known as The Earthbound Righthander, won 169 games in his career, mostly for the Cubs (including a league-high 22 wins in 1938, also leading the league with a 2.66 ERA). Braden Looper (1998-2009) spent the first part of his career as a decent closer (103 saves) but later shifted to the rotation and won 38 games in three years as a starter. That’s where this team needs him more, so he’ll start the year in the rotation and we’ll see what happens. His career record was 72-65 with a 4.15 ERA. While Looper spent part of his career in the pen and part in the rotation, Barry Latman (1957-67) moved between starting and relieving throughout his career, winning 59 games.
Bullpen: Closer Brad Lidge (2002- ) is an overpowering (12 strikeouts per nine innings) but erratic reliever for the past decade. His career ERA is 3.44, which is good but not really what you’d want from a closer. He’s had full-season ERAs of 1.90, 1.95 and 2.29, but he’s also put up 7.21 and 5.28, so you never really know what you’re gonna get with him. He has 223 career saves. Bob Locker (1965-75) was the opposite of Lidge – an extraordinarily consistent reliever who mostly worked set-up. During his 10-year career, his ERA was below 3.20 nine times, including six years below 3.00. He won 57 games and saved 95. He provides very good insurance for the periods when Lidge goes off the ledge. Bill Landrum (1986-93) didn’t blow anyone away, but he had a couple of very effective seasons as Pittsburgh’s closer – 56 saves and a 2.32 ERA from 1989-91. Bob Lee (1964-68) worked as a closer for the Angels for a few years. He had 63 saves and a career ERA of 2.71, but his best seasons were at the heart of the pitching-dominated mid-1960s. Bob Lacey (1977-84) was a big lefty who had a few quietly effective years pitching in middle relief for Oakland. Barry Lersch (1969-74) won 18 games as a swingman for the Phillies during a period when the team wasn’t very good. Billy Loes (1950-61) was a swingman who won 80 games in his career and won three pennants and a World Series with his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. He is famous for one of the great excuses in sports history – after mishandling a ground ball in the 1952 World Series, he claimed that he lost it in the sun.
Bench: Utility infielder Baldy Louden (1907-16) was good at getting on base and he ran OK, so he’ll be the first guy called upon to pinch-hit. Infielder Bryan Little (1982-86) was a terrible hitter but a good bunter. He was a solid second baseman and an adequate shortstop. He’ll work out as a utility infielder here. Backup catcher Byrd Lynn (1916-20) was a spare part on the Black Sox team that threw the 1919 World Series. Third baseman Billy Lauder (1898-1903) was an Ivy League guy – educated at Brown, and later coached at Columbia and Yale. Outfielder Bevo LeBourveau (1919-29) was a minor-league star (.349 in a long career) but was never more than a decent reserve in the majors.
Manager: Bob Lillis was always right around .500 during 3 1/2 years with the Astros in the mid-1980s. His career record was 276-261. Bob Lemon actually had a better managerial career – 430-403 with a World Series titles with the ’78 Yankees – but we’ll put him in a support role so that he can focus on pitching.
Outfield: Center fielder Bill Lange (1893-99) was a sensational athlete who had a .330 career batting average. He scored almost 700 runs and stole 400 bases in a career of just over 800 games. He was a big guy, and those who saw him insist that he was one of the fastest, smartest and most aggressive baserunners of all time – he would later be compared to Ty Cobb as a baserunner, though his personality was very different from Cobb’s. Lange retired at the peak of his skills (at age 28) to pursue a business career, despite offers by the Chicago Cubs to triple his salary. (Apparently his prospective father-in-law didn't approve of his daughter marrying a mere ballplayer.) Right fielder Billy Lush (1895-1904) was another speedster, though he wasn’t nearly as electrifying a player as Lange. Left fielder Bris Lord (1905-13) has the last name of God and the first name of a religious rite. He was nicknamed The Human Eyeball, apparently because of his massive forehead. As a rookie,he was part of the Philadelphia A’s team that won the AL pennant, but after a few years he went back to the minors and resurfaced in 1909 with Cleveland. A’s manager Connie Mack wanted him back, so he acquired Lord in a deal for Morrie Rath and a player to be named later. The player to be named later ended up being a young outfielder named Shoeless Joe Jackson, so it didn’t turn out to be the best trade Mack ever made, but Lord hit well for a couple of years and helped the A’s win two World Series titles.
Catcher: Bill Ludwig (1908) batted .182 in 66 games for the Cardinals in a year when the lost 105 games.
Rotation: Bob Lemon (1946-58) was an oddity, a guy who made it to the majors as a third baseman and outfielder, converted to the mound while in the majors, and then went on to a Hall of Fame career. He had a career record of 207-128, including seven seasons of 20 victories and another when he led the AL with 18. As part of the Cleveland Indians’ legendary rotation of the 1950s, he led the AL in wins three times and in complete games and innings pitched four times apiece. He was obviously a good hitter, with 37 career home runs. Bill “Spaceman” Lee (1969-82) was a talented and idiosyncratic lefty who won 119 games for the Red Sox and the Expos. He was a fine pitcher but drew more attention for his free-spirited lifestyle and a running commentary that was as clever as it was controversial. (He once said that the hardest thing about baseball is that “you’re supposed to sit on your ass and nod at stupid things,” prompting Warren Zevon to write a song about him). Lee smoked pot, stumped for left-wing political causes and bickered with team management. He occasionally threw a lob ball that he called his “Leephus” pitch, and he lobbied unsuccessfully to wear No. 337 on his jersey, since it would spell LEE upside-down. While playing for the Expos, he grew a mangy beard that eventually reached his chest. After his retirement, he announced that he was running for president as the candidate of the Rhino Party, which he said held its convention at a bar in Quebec. (A key part of his platform had to do with preventing attacks by killer bees.) Now in his mid-60s, he reportedly still pitches 200 innings a year in an over-40 league in New England. Big Bill Lee (1934-47), heretofore known as The Earthbound Righthander, won 169 games in his career, mostly for the Cubs (including a league-high 22 wins in 1938, also leading the league with a 2.66 ERA). Braden Looper (1998-2009) spent the first part of his career as a decent closer (103 saves) but later shifted to the rotation and won 38 games in three years as a starter. That’s where this team needs him more, so he’ll start the year in the rotation and we’ll see what happens. His career record was 72-65 with a 4.15 ERA. While Looper spent part of his career in the pen and part in the rotation, Barry Latman (1957-67) moved between starting and relieving throughout his career, winning 59 games.
Bullpen: Closer Brad Lidge (2002- ) is an overpowering (12 strikeouts per nine innings) but erratic reliever for the past decade. His career ERA is 3.44, which is good but not really what you’d want from a closer. He’s had full-season ERAs of 1.90, 1.95 and 2.29, but he’s also put up 7.21 and 5.28, so you never really know what you’re gonna get with him. He has 223 career saves. Bob Locker (1965-75) was the opposite of Lidge – an extraordinarily consistent reliever who mostly worked set-up. During his 10-year career, his ERA was below 3.20 nine times, including six years below 3.00. He won 57 games and saved 95. He provides very good insurance for the periods when Lidge goes off the ledge. Bill Landrum (1986-93) didn’t blow anyone away, but he had a couple of very effective seasons as Pittsburgh’s closer – 56 saves and a 2.32 ERA from 1989-91. Bob Lee (1964-68) worked as a closer for the Angels for a few years. He had 63 saves and a career ERA of 2.71, but his best seasons were at the heart of the pitching-dominated mid-1960s. Bob Lacey (1977-84) was a big lefty who had a few quietly effective years pitching in middle relief for Oakland. Barry Lersch (1969-74) won 18 games as a swingman for the Phillies during a period when the team wasn’t very good. Billy Loes (1950-61) was a swingman who won 80 games in his career and won three pennants and a World Series with his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers. He is famous for one of the great excuses in sports history – after mishandling a ground ball in the 1952 World Series, he claimed that he lost it in the sun.
Bench: Utility infielder Baldy Louden (1907-16) was good at getting on base and he ran OK, so he’ll be the first guy called upon to pinch-hit. Infielder Bryan Little (1982-86) was a terrible hitter but a good bunter. He was a solid second baseman and an adequate shortstop. He’ll work out as a utility infielder here. Backup catcher Byrd Lynn (1916-20) was a spare part on the Black Sox team that threw the 1919 World Series. Third baseman Billy Lauder (1898-1903) was an Ivy League guy – educated at Brown, and later coached at Columbia and Yale. Outfielder Bevo LeBourveau (1919-29) was a minor-league star (.349 in a long career) but was never more than a decent reserve in the majors.
Manager: Bob Lillis was always right around .500 during 3 1/2 years with the Astros in the mid-1980s. His career record was 276-261. Bob Lemon actually had a better managerial career – 430-403 with a World Series titles with the ’78 Yankees – but we’ll put him in a support role so that he can focus on pitching.
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