All-Time Teams: Rangers

Topps may have forgotten about today's team but The Collector hasn't. Here's the all-time roster for the Texas Rangers:

Manager: Ron Washington
Home: The Ballpark In Arlington

Leading off for the Rangers.. the Second Baseman.. Ian Kinsler

Ian Kinsler has the second-highest stolen base total and fifth-highest WAR total in Texas Rangers history. The four-time All-Star has a career WAR of 55.2, which ranks him ahead of Hall of Fame second basemen Bobby Doerr and Nellie Fox. Kinsler won two Gold Gloves, played in three World Series, and won a ring with the Red Sox in 2018. He posted a dozen seasons of double-digit home runs over his 14-year career, including two seasons of 30+ round-trippers. Kinsler announced his retirement in December, ending his career one hit shy of 2,000.

Batting second for Texas.. the Shortstop.. Michael Young

A mainstay in the Rangers' infield for twelve seasons, Michael Young spent significant time at shortstop, second base, and third base. The seven-time All-Star won a Gold Glove at short in 2008, won a batting title in 2005, and led the majors in hits twice. Young is the Rangers' career leader in hits, runs scored, total bases, doubles, triples, and games played. The lifetime .300 hitter has more career base knocks than Hall of Fame shortstops Alan Trammell and Barry Larkin.

Batting third.. the First Baseman.. Rafael Palmeiro

Rafael Palmeiro spent half of his 20-year career in Texas, setting franchise records for offensive WAR and runs created. "Raffy" won three Gold Gloves (including one as a full-time DH) and two Silver Slugger awards from 1997-1999. The four-time All-Star is one of just six players in major league history with 3,000 career hits and 500 career home runs. Palmeiro ranks 13th all-time with 569 round-trippers and 17th all-time with 1,835 RBI (one behind Ken Griffey, Jr.) After returning to the Rangers at age 34, Palmeiro averaged 43 home runs, 122 RBI, and 321 total bases per season from 1999-2003.

Batting fourth.. the Right Fielder.. Juan Gonzalez

The American League's MVP in 1996 and 1998, Juan Gonzalez crushed over 40 home runs in a season five times, leading the majors in 1992 and 1993. "Juan Gone" is the Rangers' all-time leader in home runs, runs batted in, and extra-base hits. His slugging and OPS averages are second to Alex Rodriguez in franchise history and only "A-Rod" collected more total bases in a season for Texas. Gonzalez won six Silver Slugger awards, hit .310 or higher in a season five times, and led the Rangers to their first three division titles in the late 1990s.

Batting fifth.. the Third Baseman.. Adrian Beltre

Originally signed by the Dodgers as a 15 year-old, Adrian Beltre blossomed into a superstar ten years later, finishing second in NL MVP voting in 2004 after leading the majors with 48 home runs. The all-time leader in RBI by a third baseman, Beltre has the second-most hits, the third-most home runs, and the third-highest WAR of any 'hot corner' regular. His 3,166 hits are 17th all-time among all players. A standout defender, Beltre earned five Gold Gloves (and two Platinum Gloves) to go with his four Silver Slugger awards. In eight seasons with the Rangers Beltre batted .300 or better five times, and his 41.2 WAR with Texas is third-highest in team history.

Batting sixth.. the Designated Hitter.. Frank Howard

A superstar slugger for the Senators in the late 1960s, Frank Howard also began his career with the Dodgers, earning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1960 and a World Series ring in 1963. Howard represented Washington in four All-Star games. The "Capital Punisher" blasted at least 44 home runs each year from 1968-1970, leading the league in home runs and total bases twice in that span. His 246 long balls for the Senators/Rangers franchise is third in team history, and his 153 OPS+ is second only to Alex Rodriguez.

Batting seventh.. the Center Fielder.. Josh Hamilton

The first overall pick in the 1999 draft, Josh Hamilton was a highly productive hitter when healthy. In a spectacular five-year period beginning in 2008 Hamilton made five All-Star teams, won three Silver Slugger awards, and led the Rangers to back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. In 2010 he was named MVP of the ALCS after a 4-homer, 7-RBI performance against the Yankees and earned league MVP honors after leading the majors in batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. Hamilton is third on the Rangers' career list in slugging and OPS, and his 134 OPS+ is the fourth-highest in club history.

Batting eighth.. the Catcher.. Ivan Rodriguez

Ivan Rodriguez began his 21-year career at age 19, handling a pitching staff that included Nolan Ryan. Rodriguez and Ryan are the only two Hall of Famers with a Rangers cap depicted on their plaques. The Rangers' career leader in WAR with an even 50, "Pudge" won 13 Gold Gloves, made 14 All-Star teams, and owns the all-time record for games caught with 2,427. Rodriguez won the American League MVP award in 1999 after setting career highs with 35 home runs, 113 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. He took home six consecutive Silver Slugger awards (seven overall) and led the Marlins to their second World Series title in 2003.

Batting ninth.. the Left Fielder.. Rusty Greer

Rusty Greer ranks fourth among Rangers outfielders in WAR with a total of 22.4 over nine seasons with the team. Greer posted double-digit home run totals in each of his first six seasons, topping out at 26 in 1997. He set career highs that year with 42 doubles, a .936 OPS, and 319 total bases. Rusty ranks fourth in Rangers history with a .387 on-base percentage and his .305 batting average ties him with Alex Rodriguez for the team's fourth-highest career mark. His offensive WAR, OPS, runs scored, hits, total bases, RBI, and runs created totals are also top-ten for Texas.

The Starting Pitcher for the Rangers.. Kevin Brown

Kevin Brown pitched just six full seasons for the Rangers, earning the first of his six All-Star accolades in 1992. He led the AL with 21 wins and 265 2/3 innings pitched that season. Brown is fifth on the Rangers' career list in those categories, and his 40 complete games are fourth in team history. He became a Cy Young contender in the National League, leading the league in ERA twice and WHIP twice. The durable right-hander compiled 67.8 WAR over his 19-year career, ranking him ahead of several Hall of Fame pitchers including Roy Halladay and Bob Feller.

Now let's take a look at the Rangers' bench and bullpen:

Catcher - Jim Sundberg

Infield - Elvis Andrus

Infield - Toby Harrah

Outfield - Jeff Burroughs

Outfield - Ruben Sierra

Sundberg is fourth on the Rangers' all-time list in games played and sixth in WAR. The three-time All-Star won six Gold Gloves with Texas and a World Series in 1985 with the Royals. Andrus has made two All-Star teams and played the second-most games in Texas team history. The franchise leader in stolen bases has a lower slash line and OPS+ than 1st Base options like Pete O'Brien and Mike Epstein, but this lineup has enough thunder. The Rangers are rich in third base options including Harrah and the player he was traded for, Buddy Bell. Corner outfield was another tough call; without a natural center fielder to consider I chose 1974 AL MVP Burroughs over Nelson Cruz, who did most of his damage after leaving the Rangers.

#2 Starter - Yu Darvish
#3 Starter - Charlie Hough
#4 Starter - Kenny Rogers
#5 Starter - C. J. Wilson

Darvish has the highest strikeouts per 9 innings rate in league history. He whiffed more batters for the Rangers than Nolan Ryan, Fergie Jenkins, and Kevin Brown. Hough leads the franchise in wins, strikeouts, and starts. His 32.6 WAR for Texas is first among pitchers and seventh in franchise history. Rogers made four All-Star teams, won five Gold Gloves, and posted the second-highest WAR of any Rangers pitcher. Finding a fifth starter was difficult; Wilson pitched out of the bullpen for five of his seven seasons with Texas. However his 125 ERA+ (second in team history) was good enough to beat Bobby Witt, who allowed far too many base runners.

RH Reliever - Frank Francisco
LH Reliever - Darold Knowles
RH Reliever - Neftali Feliz
RH Reliever - Jeff Russell
RH Reliever - Francisco Cordero

Knowles posted a 2.46 ERA over six seasons with the Senators, earning an All-Star spot in 1969. Feliz is fourth among Ranger relievers in saves and won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2010. Russell, a two-time All-Star, is number two on the team's all-time list in appearances and saves. Cordero is third in both categories and earned three All-Star nods with three different teams.  


John Wetteland would have been the Rangers' closer, but I could not bring myself to add him to this roster. I've never excluded a deserving player from any All-Time Team - not racists or cheaters or gamblers - but I guess I'm drawing the line at child molesters. 

Unfortunately the pitching-starved Rangers don't have many options to replace him. Lefty Darren Oliver pitched 20 seasons with nine teams - including a decade in Arlington - but his ERA was close to 5. Casey Cox had a better ERA and WHIP than Oliver but he was a negative-WAR player overall. Steve Foucault had four good seasons for Texas. I guess he'll get the last spot. 



The road to the finish line goes through Canada. Stay tuned for the Toronto Blue Jays. 


Thanks for reading, and take care out there!


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Closing Up Shop

So here's the thing about this hobby of ours. It's supposed to be a fun way to occupy one's leisure time. But what happens when our 'leisure time' increases tenfold but our access to sports cards is practically cut off? 

Earlier this week I got an e-mail from Burbank Sports Cards with a 15% off coupon:

My plan was to wait until the weekend (and the next credit card billing cycle) to fill my cart with $30 worth of singles. Unfortunately I didn't make it that far. By Friday morning Burbank Sportscards - along with every other non-essential business in the state of California - had been ordered to close.

Which brings me to option #2 - Cardbarrel. This was sort of a last resort; I've completed nearly all of the baseball sets I was working on, and they don't sell cards for any other sports. However I do have a tentative plan for a new franken-set that's related to my All-Time Teams series. Cardbarrel could help with that project, and I could always pick up some Red Sox singles or boost some player PCs.

It looks like the site is still doing business, even though they're in New York and that state is also under lockdown. I started filling my card with whatever singles I could think of, but before finalizing my order I e-mailed Mehmet, the proprietor of Cardbarrel. I asked him if he's still filling orders at this time. Haven't heard back, so I'm not sure if I should go ahead and place an order. What would you do?

Here's my LCS, Attack of the Baseball Cards:

It's hard enough getting there under normal circumstances. I don't think I've been there in at least five years, but I still get their e-mails on the off chance that my brother-in-law wants to go to Pack Wars. I wonder if they did more business today than usual..or less?

I know it makes no sense to non-collectors, but if you're reading this you might also feel that having new cards to flip through and enjoy is helpful in times of great uncertainty and/or stress. A lot of you are much more prepared for this than I am. Perhaps you've built up a pack stash for this exact reason, or you made one last run to Target, Wal-Mart, or your LCS. I was never able to get out there, and it feels unimportant but also unsettling. 

COMC certainly helps fill that void. I've got over 80 nice cards sitting in my inventory and I'm usually able to add 1-2 cheap cards per day, thanks to Challenge credit. Also I was able to make three more TCDB trades this week. I sent those envelopes out this morning, with much more concern than the usual 'don't wreck the cards' thought in my head. Some folks don't want to receive any mail at the moment. I'm not one of them, but out of respect for those who are concerned I won't send away for my COMC purchases or make any more trades until the Coronavirus is completely contained.

I do still plan to have a Free Stuff Friday exclusive event soon. However I will only send cards if and when the participants are comfortable with receiving them (and of course I will take precaution.) Oh, and one more reminder that my All-Time Teams posts are listed on the Your City, Your Team tab at the top of my blog. If you get bored you can catch up on the series. (And if I get bored I'll fix up the previous posts and release the remastered versions!)

It seems certain that the 2020 MLB season will be an abbreviated one - if it happens at all. I've wondered what will become of the NHL and NBA seasons; they've still got about a month's worth of games before the playoffs. Assuming those leagues get the "all clear" to continue by May 15 or so, it would be terribly unfair if the regular season was declared 'finished' as-is. I'm not even sure if you could cut the regular season back to 76 games without affecting the integrity of the postseason races. 

My suggestion would be to play out the regular season as scheduled but make all of the playoff series best-of-5. That would trim about a month off the schedule without creating any inequitable results like the ones produced by baseball's split-season in 1981. How would you resume an interrupted NHL/NBA season, or plan an abbreviated baseball season?

Perhaps I'll explore some potential NHL/NBA playoff scenarios in a future post, along with a list of legends who have likely played their last game if the season does not resume.

I had planned to take a blogging break in April, but it seems I've got plenty of post ideas even if there are no new cards to show off or sports to discuss. There won't be a 'closed' sign at The Collector for quite a while!

Thanks for reading, and take care out there!



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All-Time Teams: Rays

Eighty percent of success is showing up. And eighty percent of this All-Time Team was filled by determining which players met the minimum standard of seasons played. Here's the Tampa Bay Rays roster:

Manager: Joe Maddon

Home: Tropicana Field

Leading off for the Rays.. the Left Fielder.. Carl Crawford

Carl Crawford is the Rays' all-time leader in career hits, batting average, stolen bases, and triples. The four-time All-Star is second in several categories including WAR, runs scored, runs created, extra base hits, total bases, and games played. Crawford won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger in 2010, his last season in Tampa. He led the league in stolen bases and triples four times, including a major-league leading 19 three-base hits in 2004. Crawford batted .345 in the 2008 ALCS against Boston, helping the Rays win their first pennant.

Batting second for Tampa.. the Second Baseman.. Ben Zobrist

Ben Zobrist has played every position except catcher in his 14-year career. The three-time All-Star finished eighth in AL MVP voting in 2009 (his first season as a full-time player) after posting career highs in home runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage, and OPS+. Zobrist is third on Tampa Bay's all-time list in games played, runs scored, hits, total bases, stolen bases, RBI, and WAR. He ranks second in Rays history with 229 doubles and a 29.0 oWAR. A key member of the 2008 American League champion Rays, Zobrist won back-to-back World Series rings with the Royals in 2015 and the Cubs in 2016.




Batting third.. the Third Baseman.. Evan Longoria

The American League's Rookie of the Year in 2008, Evan Longoria is the Rays' all-time leader in over two dozen categories - including WAR, home runs, RBI, total bases, and games played. The three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove recipient won a Silver Slugger in 2009 after posting his first of three consecutive 7+ WAR seasons. "Longo" hit over 30 homers in a season four times and collected 300+ total bases three times. His 12th-inning walk-off squeaker on the last day of the 2011 season won the wild card for Tampa, eliminating the "chicken and beer" Red Sox from playoff contention.  




Batting fourth.. the First Baseman.. Fred McGriff

Fred McGriff played parts of five seasons in Atlanta, five in Toronto, and five for his hometown team. Tampa's career leader in on-base and slugging, McGriff was an original Devil Ray before a 2001 trade to the Cubs. He closed out his Hall of Fame-caliber career with the Rays in 2004. The "Crime Dog" is sixth in Rays history with 603 hits, seventh in home runs, RBI, and total bases, and tied for second in batting average. McGriff's 493 career home runs ties him with Lou Gehrig for the 11th-highest total all-time among first basemen.

Batting fifth.. the Designated Hitter.. Carlos Pena

Carlos Pena had a monster season for the Devil Rays in 2007, setting single-season franchise records for offensive WAR, OPS, home runs, and RBI. He earned a Silver Slugger that season, the first of three straight 30+ homer, 100+ RBI campaigns. Pena led the AL with 39 home runs in 2009, earning his only All-Star appearance. Pena's batting average dipped throughout his Tampa tenure; his career .230 mark is the second-lowest among qualifying players. However his 163 home runs for the Rays is the second-highest total in team history.

Batting sixth.. the Right Fielder.. Matthew Joyce

Matt Joyce ranks among the Rays' top-ten in career home runs, total bases, RBI, and OPS. His career batting average for the franchise is significantly lower than the only other right field option, Randy Winn. However their on-base percentages are equal and Joyce produced more power. An All-Star in 2011, Joyce is fourth in franchise history with a 118 OPS+.

Batting seventh.. the Center Fielder.. Melvin Upton, Jr.

Drafted second overall in 2002, the former B.J. Upton stole over 40 bases in three consecutive seasons from 2008-2010. Originally a shortstop, Upton was converted to a center fielder in 2007 - a year in which he batted .300 for the first (and only) time. Upton hit 20+ home runs in a season four times, and his Tampa total of 118 round-trippers is fourth in Rays history. Upton also ranks fourth among Rays in games played, hits, runs scored, runs created, total bases, and doubles. He's second to Carl Crawford among Tampa Bay base-stealers with 232. 

Batting eighth.. the Shortstop.. Julio Lugo

Julio Lugo is the only shortstop who played the minimum four years for the Rays/Devil Rays. Though he gets the start by default he did put up solid numbers during his tenure in Tampa. Lugo's .287 batting average is tied for fifth-highest in team history, and his .350 on-base percentage is also fifth in franchise annals. Lugo won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2007, batting .375 against Colorado in the Fall Classic.

Batting ninth.. the Catcher.. Toby Hall

Only three catchers played four or more seasons for Tampa Bay. Toby Hall caught the most games in franchise history and ranks ninth among all Rays players with 586 total games played. Hall's slash line of .262/.298/.382 is only slightly higher than that of John Flaherty (.252/.289/.365) and Dioner Navarro (.243/.300/.352) and his OPS+ of 81 tops the trio. 


 

The Starting Pitcher for the Rays.. David Price

The first Cy Young award winner in Rays history, David Price earned the honor in 2012 after leading the league in wins and ERA. Price finished second in Cy Young voting in 2010 and 2015, made four All-Star teams, and led the majors with 271 strikeouts in 2014. The first overall pick in the 2007 draft is first among Tampa pitchers in WAR, ERA, and WHIP. Though his postseason struggles are well-documented, Price pitched brilliantly in Tampa's 2008 run to the World Series and won a ring with the Red Sox ten years later.

Now let's take a look at the Rays' bench and bullpen:

Catcher - Dioner Navarro
1st Base - Aubrey Huff
Infield - Jorge Cantu
Outfield - Kevin Kiermaier
Outfield - Desmond Jennings

Navarro was an All-Star in 2008, and his OPS+ of 73 with the Rays barely beats Flaherty's 69. Finding a backup infielder for Tampa was a tough task: Jason Bartlett, Logan Forsythe, and Miguel Cairo didn't qualify - and they played more games for the franchise than Cantu. However the only other qualifying infielder was Sean Rodriguez, who batted .228 over 553 games for the Rays. Cantu hit more home runs, collected more RBI, and totaled more total bases than Rodriguez - in 221 fewer games. Kiermaier has won three Gold Gloves and has the fifth-most stolen bases in Rays history. Jennings beat out Randy Winn for the final spot on the bench. I would prefer not to discuss Aubrey Huff.

#2 Starter - Blake Snell
#3 Starter - Chris Archer
#4 Starter - James Shields
#5 Starter - Scott Kazmir

Snell became the second Rays pitcher to win the Cy Young award in 2018, setting single-season franchise records with a 1.89 ERA, 0.974 WHIP, 21 wins, and a 7.1 WAR. His 129 ERA+ and 10.045 strikeouts per 9 innings are the highest in team history. Archer made two All-Star teams and posted three seasons of over 230 strikeouts from 2015-2017. Shields holds franchise records for wins, strikeouts, starts, innings pitched, complete games, and shutouts. Kazmir made three All-Star teams, led the AL with 239 strikeouts in 2007, and sits third on Tampa's all-time list in WAR, wins, strikeouts per 9 innings, and ERA+.

LH Reliever - J. P. Howell
RH Reliever - Grant Balfour
RH Reliever - Joel Peralta
RH Reliever - Brad Boxberger
LH Reliever - Jake McGee
RH Reliever - Alex Colome

Balfour posted a 1.54 ERA and 0.891 WHIP for the Rays in 2008. Peralta pitched just four seasons with Tampa but his 296 appearances are one shy of the club record. His 80 appearances in 2013 led the majors. Boxberger led the AL with 41 saves in 2015 and repped the Rays in the All-Star game. McGee, the Rays' career leader in appearances, posted a 2.58 fielding-independent ERA and a 1.017 WHIP over six seasons with the team. Colome made the All-Star team in 2016, led the majors with 47 saves in 2017, and his 95 saves for the Rays are second in team history. Roberto Hernandez is the Rays' record-holder with 101 closeouts, however he only pitched three seasons for Tampa and did not qualify.



Three more All-Time Teams to go. The Texas Rangers are next.


Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!


 
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All-Time Teams: Mariners

Today we'll look at the only franchise that has not played in a World Series. Here's the All-Time Team for the Seattle Mariners:

Manager: Lou Piniella

Home: Kingdome

Leading off for the Mariners.. the Right Fielder.. Ichiro Suzuki

Pete Rose is considered baseball's Hit King, but Ichiro has more base hits at the highest levels of professional baseball. After collecting 1,278 hits in Japan "Ichi" had an historic debut season for Seattle -  winning the batting title, Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and AL MVP honors in 2001. In 2004, Ichiro led the majors with a .372 batting average and broke George Sisler's single-season hits record with 262. The ten-time All-Star and ten-time Gold Glove recipient stole 509 bases in his career, including a franchise-leading 438 for the Mariners. His 3,089 hits stateside gives him a professional total of 4,367 - that's 111 more than "Charlie Hustle."




Batting second for Seattle.. the Designated Hitter.. Edgar Martinez

Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez holds Mariners' career records for games played, offensive WAR, on-base percentage, runs scored, runs batted in, doubles, and total bases. Martinez earned seven All-Star nods, five Silver Slugger awards, and two batting titles in his 18-year career. He finished third in AL MVP voting in 1995 after leading the league in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, runs scored, and doubles. The award for the league's top DH (which he won five times) was re-named in Edgar's honor at the conclusion of his career in 2004.





Batting third.. the Center Fielder.. Ken Griffey, Jr.

Few players in baseball history have had the five-tool talent, Hall of Fame production, and transcendent popularity of Ken Griffey, Jr. "The Kid" was drafted first overall in 1987, made his debut for the Mariners as a teenager two years later, and shared an outfield with his father Ken Griffey, Sr. A 13-time All-Star, "Junior" won ten Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, and unanimous AL MVP honors in 1997. His 630 career home runs are seventh on the all-time list, and he's first in Mariners history with 417 homers and 70.6 WAR. Three members of the BBWAA did not have Griffey on their Hall of Fame ballots when he was elected with a then-record 99.3% of the vote in 2016.



Batting fourth.. the Left Fielder.. Jay Buhner

Jay Buhner played just 16 games in left field but he'll have to move to the unfamiliar corner to make room for Ichiro, who succeeded him in right field for the Mariners. Buhner blasted 307 home runs for Seattle, the third-highest total in team history. Despite three consecutive seasons of 40+ home runs and 100+ RBI Buhner made just one All-Star team - in 1996, when he was also awarded his only Gold Glove. "Bone" finished fifth in AL MVP voting in 1995 and ranks among the Mariners' all-time top five in offensive WAR, games played, hits, runs scored, runs batted in, doubles, and total bases.




Batting fifth.. the First Baseman.. Alvin Davis

The 1984 American League Rookie of the Year, Alvin Davis was the most valuable Mariner (by WAR) of the 1980s. His 20.1 total with the franchise ranks ninth among position players and twelfth overall. Davis is sixth in Seattle history with 1,163 hits and 1,875 total bases, and his career RBI total of 667 is fourth-highest among Mariners. He walked more than he struck out over his career, resulting in a .381 on-base percentage that places him fifth on the M's all-time list.






Batting sixth.. the Second Baseman.. Bret Boone

Bret Boone began his big league career with Seattle in 1992, spent seven seasons in the National League after a 1993 trade to the Reds, then returned to the Emerald city in 2001. In his seven seasons with the Mariners Boone won three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, and made the AL All-Star team twice. He finished third in AL MVP voting in 2001 after setting career highs with a .331 batting average, 37 home runs, and a league-leading 141 RBI for a 116-win Mariners squad. Boone's .478 slugging percentage for Seattle places him seventh in franchise history.





Batting seventh.. the Third Baseman.. Kyle Seager

Kyle Seager enters his tenth season with Seattle in 2020. An All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2014, Seager is currently fifth among Mariners position players with a 32.5 career WAR. He ranks fifth among all Mariners in games played, hits, total bases and RBI, and his doubles, home runs, and extra-base hits totals are fourth in team history. Seager set career highs with a .278/.359/.499 slash line, 30 home runs, and 99 RBI in 2016, resulting in a 133 OPS+ and a handful of MVP votes.






Batting eighth.. the Catcher.. Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson played 1,251 games for the Mariners - the sixth highest total in team history. An All-Star in 1996, Wilson was Seattle's primary catcher for all four of the team's trips to the postseason. His longevity for the M's (along with a franchise-leading 11.1 defensive WAR) was enough to earn a starting spot over two other catchers with similar offensive production. Dave Valle played 405 fewer games for Seattle, and his slash line of .235/.311/.371 was not an upgrade over Wilson's .262/.309/.384 averages. 





Batting ninth.. the Shortstop.. Yuniesky Betancourt

Yuniesky Betancourt accumulated 6.0 offensive WAR over five seasons with the Mariners, posting a .279/.302/.393 slash line and an 85 OPS+. I'm not going to try to convince you that "Yuni" deserves a starting spot on an all-time team. Alex Rodriguez would be the obvious choice as Seattle's shortstop, but I couldn't justify assigning him here after seven seasons when he spent twelve in the Bronx. Omar Vizquel and Carlos Guillen totaled more overall WAR for the M's than Betancourt. So did Brendan Ryan, Jean Segura, and Brad Miller. Unfortunately none of those players qualified based on the parameters I set in order to avoid arbitrarily assigning players to favor certain teams. I'm sorry, Mariners fans. 



The Starting Pitcher for the Mariners.. Felix Hernandez

Felix Hernandez made his first start for the Mariners in 2005 at age 19. After fifteen seasons in Seattle, he signed with the Braves this off-season. "King Felix" holds Mariners franchise records for starts, innings pitched, wins, and strikeouts. His 50.1 career WAR is fourth-highest among all Mariners and tops all Seattle pitchers. Hernandez made six All-Star teams in seven seasons from 2009-2015; the lone exception was his Cy Young season of 2010 in which he led the majors with a 2.27 ERA. He finished second in AL Cy Young voting twice - in 2009, when he led the AL with 19 wins and in 2014, when he paced the circuit with a 2.14 ERA and 0.915 WHIP. 

Now let's take a look at the Mariners' bench and bullpen:

Catcher - Mike Zunino
1st Base - Bruce Bochte 
Infield - Harold Reynolds
Outfield - Raul Ibanez
Outfield - Phil Bradley

Zunino's career batting average is ugly, but with Wilson (and Betancourt) in the starting lineup Seattle desperately needs a power bat off the bench. Bochte was an All-Star in 1979 and slashed .290/.370/.429 over five seasons in Seattle. Reynolds made two All-Star teams and won three Gold Gloves with the Mariners. Ibanez ranks among the M's top ten in career hits, runs, home runs, total bases, doubles, and RBI. Bradley was an All-Star in 1985 and his career batting average and on-base percentage as a Mariner places him fourth in team history. 



#2 Starter - Jamie Moyer
#3 Starter - Freddy Garcia
#4 Starter - Hisashi Iwakuma
#5 Starter - Mark Langston

Moyer pitched until he was nearly 50. The 269-game winner ranks second among Mariners in starts and wins, and third in strikeouts and WAR. Garcia led the league in innings and ERA in 2001, the first of his back-to-back All-Star seasons. Iwakuma has the lowest WHIP and walks per 9 innings among all Mariners pitchers. Langston pitched two more years and 34 more times for the Angels, but he couldn't crack their rotation. The four-time All-Star struck out 200+ batters in five of his first six seasons for the M's before being traded to Montreal for Randy Johnson. 



RH Reliever - Tom Wilhelmsen
RH Reliever - Michael Jackson
RH Reliever - Mike Schooler
RH Reliever - Jeff Nelson
RH Reliever - Kazuhiro Sasaki
RH Reliever - J. J. Putz

Wilhelmsen posted a 3.01 ERA and 1.198 WHIP over six seasons in Seattle. Jackson made the second-most relief appearances in team history. Schooler is fourth in franchise annals with 98 career saves. Nelson won four World Series with the Yankees but pitched 101 more times for the Mariners. Sasaki is Seattle's all-time saves leader with 129 in just four seasons. Putz is third among Mariners with 101 saves - eight behind Edwin Diaz, who didn't qualify. (The minimum is four seasons with a given team.) Rafael Soriano posted a 151 ERA+ in five seasons with the M's, but his 116 career appearances aren't even in the team's top 50. 





Stay tuned fur our next All-Time Team, the Tampa Bay Rays.


 
Thanks for reading, and take care out there!




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All-Time Teams: Giants

The New York Yankees have the greatest All-Time Team. Period, full stop. Right? Not so fast...

Submitted for your consideration, here are the all-time greatest San Francisco Giants:

Manager: John McGraw

Home:  Oracle Park

Leading off for the Giants.. the Shortstop.. George Davis

George Davis has the second-highest career batting average among players with over 1,500 at-bats for the Giants. The Hall of Famer slashed .332/.393/.467 in his ten seasons with the team. Davis posted three seasons of 100+ RBI including a major-league leading 135 in 1897. He stole 65 bases that year and 619 overall, placing him 17th all-time. His career WAR of 84.7 is the fourth-highest for a shortstop - behind only Honus Wagner, Alex Rodriguez, and Cal Ripken.






Batting second for San Francisco.. the First Baseman.. Bill Terry

The last National Leaguer to hit .400, Bill Terry collected over 200 hits in six of his ten full seasons. Terry finished top-10 in MVP voting six times but the award was not given after his .401 season in 1930 due to the Great Depression. "Memphis Bill" succeeded John McGraw as New York's manager in 1932, leading the team to three pennants and a World Series title in 1933. His career .341 average is first in Giants history; only Willie Mays and Mel Ott collected more hits for the club. He received Hall of Fame votes while he was still playing in 1936 and earned induction into Cooperstown in 1954.




Batting third.. the Left Fielder.. Barry Bonds

The most feared hitter in modern baseball history, Barry Lamar Bonds is the single-season and career record-holder in home runs, walks, and intentional walks. His career .477 on-base percentage is highest in Giants history and nearly 100 points greater than his output in Pittsburgh. The seven-time NL MVP won eight Gold Gloves, twelve Silver Sluggers, and two batting titles - but did not win a World Series. Barry's 112.5 WAR with the Giants trails only his godfather Willie Mays in team history, and his career total of 162.8 is bested only by three pre-integration greats.





Batting fourth.. the Center Fielder.. Willie Mays

Willie Mays is perhaps the greatest all-around player in baseball history. The 1951 NL Rookie of the Year missed much of 1952 and all of 1953 while serving in the Army. In 1954 Mays had a season for the ages - winning a batting title, NL MVP honors, and helping the Giants sweep Cleveland in the World Series with one incredible catch. The "Say Hey Kid" made 24 All-Star teams, won 12 Gold Gloves, and finished top-5 in NL MVP voting nine times. Mays holds Giants' career records in hits, runs, total bases, home runs, and WAR; he ranks top-5 in league history in the latter three categories.





Batting fifth.. the Right Fielder.. Mel Ott

Mel Ott slugged 323 of his 511 career home runs in the horseshoe-shaped Polo Grounds. However his .311 batting average on the road was fourteen points higher than his home total. A 12-time All-Star, Ott posted eight seasons of 30+ home runs and nine seasons of 100+ RBI. He led the league in OPS+ five times, walks six times, and home runs six times. Ott ranks 20th all-time with 110.7 WAR - a total that would lead several franchises. On the Giants' list he ranks behind Bonds and Mays. The three outfielders have a combined 1,933 career home runs.





Batting sixth.. the Designated Hitter.. Willie McCovey

Willie McCovey gives this lineup four consecutive members of the 500-home run club. "Stretch" is tied with Frank Thomas and Ted Williams for 20th all-time with 521 round-trippers. The six-time All-Star needed just 52 games to secure NL Rookie of the Year honors unanimously in 1959. Ten years later he was named NL MVP after leading the league in home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, and slugging. McCovey played more games for the Giants than anyone but Mays and Ott. The first-ballot Hall of Famer ranks fourth in franchise history in WAR, hits, total bases, and home runs.





Batting seventh.. the Third Baseman.. Matt Williams

Before Barry Bonds set the single-season home run record in 2001, Matt Williams made a serious run at it in 1994. The five-time All-Star led the majors that year with 43 long balls in just 112 games. His career home run total of 378 is eighth all-time among third basemen, and his Giants total of 247 is good for fifth in franchise annals. Matt was more than just a masher, winning four Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger awards in his 17-year career. Williams played in three World Series for three different teams, winning a title in 2001 with the Diamondbacks.  





Batting eighth.. the Second Baseman.. Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent hit more home runs than any second baseman in history. The five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger winner owns the second-highest slugging percentage and third-highest RBI total of any player at his position. Kent played 900 games over six seasons for the Giants, earning NL MVP honors in 2000 with a career-high slash line of .334/.424/.596. Batting behind Barry Bonds, Kent posted six of his eight 100-RBI seasons in San Francisco. Like Bonds, he had significantly better numbers in his thirties than in his twenties.  





Batting ninth.. the Catcher.. Buster Posey

The Giants' current catcher, Buster Posey won NL Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, a batting title, a Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers, and three World Series titles before turning 30. The six-time All-Star has struggled with injuries since earning his fourth Silver slugger with a .320/.400/.462 slash line in 2017. Posey leads all Giants catchers in games played, hits, home runs, and WAR. With a solid 2-WAR season in 2020 he would move into the top eight on the team's all-time list among all position players.


The Starting Pitcher for the Giants.. Christy Mathewson

Christy Mathewson was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1936, earning enshrinement a year earlier than Cy Young and with more votes than Walter Johnson. Mathewson won 373 games, a total tied by Pete Alexander for third all-time. He led the league in ERA five times, fielding-independent ERA eight times, and strikeout-to-walk ratio nine times. In the 1905 World Series Christy pitched three shutouts, striking out 18 Athletics while walking just one in the Giants' win. Three years later "Matty" went 37-11 for New York, leading the league with an 0.827 WHIP, 1.43 ERA, 11 shutouts, and 259 strikeouts against just 42 walks.

Now let's take a look at the Giants' bench and bullpen:

Catcher - Buck Ewing
1st Base - Roger Connor
Infield - Larry Doyle
Outfield - Bobby Bonds
Des. Hitter - Orlando Cepeda

Ewing is ninth in Giants history with a 146 OPS+. Connor is second among Giants with a 161 OPS+, boosted by a slash line of .319/.402/.488. Both 19th-century stars have plaques in Cooperstown. Doyle won the 1912 NL MVP and ranks in the Giants' all-time top ten in games played, hits, runs, total bases, and WAR. Bonds beat out Hall of Famers Ross Youngs and Monte Irvin for the fourth outfielder spot based on his combination of speed (461 career stolen bases), power (332 home runs), and defense (three Gold Gloves.) This team really doesn't need a fourth first baseman but I had to squeeze Cepeda in somewhere.

#2 Starter - Carl Hubbell
#3 Starter - Juan Marichal
#4 Starter - Madison Bumgarner
#5 Starter - Gaylord Perry

Hubbell earned two MVP awards and made nine All-Star teams in his Hall of Fame career, famously striking out five all-time greats in succession. Marichal, the first Dominican player inducted into the Hall of Fame, ranks second on the Giants' all-time list in strikeouts and starts, and has the third-lowest WHIP. "Madbum" (aka Mason Saunders) ranks fourth in strikeouts and fifth in WHIP, earning the fourth starter spot ahead of several Hall of Famers based on his legendary postseason performances. Perry is one such Hall of Famer - a 300-game winner with two Cy Young Awards and over 3,500 strikeouts to his credit.



RH Reliever - Santiago Casilla
RH Reliever - Marv Grissom
LH Reliever - Gary Lavelle
RH Reliever - Sergio Romo
RH Reliever - Brian Wilson
RH Reliever - Rod Beck

Casilla posted a 2.42 ERA and 153 ERA+ in seven seasons with San Francisco, earning three World Series rings with an 0.92 ERA in the postseason. Lavelle leads the franchise in appearances, made two All-Star teams, and earned the fourth-most saves in Giants history. Romo posted an 0.955 WHIP and averaged 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings over his nine years with the club. Wilson earned three All-Star nods and led the majors with 48 saves in 2010. "Shooter" is second in San Fran history with 199 saves and led the league in games finished four times. 



Five teams to go. The Seattle Mariners are next. 



Thanks for reading, and take care out there!


 

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