Franchise All-Star Teams of the Divisional Era
Teams #26-30
This is part II of a multi-part series reviewing all-star franchise teams of the Divisional Era (1969 to present). The kickoff article explains the premise.
I’m beginning my countdown of the teams, starting with #30. This article took me longer than I anticipated as I revised some of the scoring mechanisms and then went down too many rabbit holes in doing my team summaries, but now that I’ve got this one done, hopefully I’ll be more efficient on the ones to come. Guess we’ll see how it goes.
As you read through these, I’ll be interested to hear where you disagree with the selections. Elaborating on that point…..one thing I will say is that, in going through the process of assembling these rosters, there are a lot of potential candidates for every team. I ended up selecting 25 players for each of the 30 teams, or 750 players in all. While many selections are fairly straightforward, as I worked through each roster it became clear that there are many cases where it came down to very tiny differences among fairly equally qualified candidates, and a slight adjustment of the criteria and the lens could make a difference.
And while I used my own scoring to help guide me and sift through the options, a lot of these are ultimately judgement calls, and I didn’t always go with the player who had the higher literal score. Sometimes, another player just seemed to be a better fit. Part of the fun of this is hearing others’ opinions in cases where we differ, so I encourage you to enter comments as you see fit.
As an example….a Reds fan might make a case for including someone like a Ron Oester, who played his whole career for the franchise and was in the top 10 (in this era) in franchise games played, or a Mets fan might push for someone like Ed Kranepool, who basically had the same kind of case (long career with one team). I didn’t opt for them, but a fan of the Reds or the Mets might. Or there might be other players who you think should make a roster, maybe because they were highly decorated or had some significant accomplishment while playing for a franchise. Or maybe you just think there was a better option. I want to hear your opinions.
For each franchise, I’m going to review:
- Team performance during the era (Championships, postseason appearances, winning percentage by decade, etc.)
- The 25-man roster I selected (with scoring). Keep in mind that these had to be "functional" rosters, with starters and legitimate backups at every position.
- The roster presented in an alternate "grid" format that provides a different view of the roster, and includes my suggested batting order
- Rankings among the 30 franchises in several categories based on the scoring system
- Position/roster notes (position battles, position "cheats", roster justifications, etc.)
- "Missed the Cut" - players who were considered but did not make the final roster
- The franchise’s "Grand" Club (position players with 1,000 or more games played during the era)
- The "Franchise Four" (basically the Mount Rushmore for each franchise in this time frame)
- Team assessment (weaknesses, strengths, team characteristics, observations, commentary)
- "Futures" (players currently with the franchise who aren’t on the team yet, but might make a future instance of the all-franchise team if they continue to play well)
And, before I get started, I wanted to mention that reader feedback after the kickoff article forced me to re-think and make some tweaks to the scoring/weights I was using. I won’t go through all of the details here, but as you look at the rosters, you’ll see the weights I’m applying. Basically, I reduced the DH weight slightly and re-distributed some of the pitcher weights.
The weights still aggregate to roughly a 65/35 overall split for position players vs. pitchers based on an assumption of 50% hitting and 50% defense, with about 70% of defense (and about 35% overall) attributable to pitching. It changed the rankings a little bit, but not too dramatically. Hopefully you’ll find it a more acceptable distribution.
I should also note that I also adjusted the basic scoring of the "primary" DH players whose raw WAR might have included some huge negative defensive components that suppressed their raw score. My thinking was, since their roster slot weights are already less than those of a full position player, I didn’t want to pile on the penalties. So, while I reduced their weight, I also tweaked their raw score in the other direction as well. Ultimately, this helps someone like a Gary Sheffield (who I have as DH for the Marlins) receive, in my view, a more reasonable overall score that reflects his value, because players who are being cast in a primary DH role for their teams seemed to be coming up with scores that I thought were too low, and I intervened. I can’t guarantee everyone will be happy with the adjustments, but hopefully it’s reasonable.
In any case, I’m ready to move on. Here goes…..
#30-Tampa Bay Rays/Devil Rays
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
TBR
|
0
|
.483
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
.407
|
.429
|
.543
|
The Rays were a very poor team over the first decade of their existence, finishing dead last 9 times in their first 10 seasons, and 4th in the other. Then, they shocked the world in 2008 by reaching the World Series, which they lost 4-1 to Philadelphia. In the 13 seasons since, they’ve been a pretty regular playoff participant (6 times), including another visit to the World Series in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season, giving the Dodgers a tough battle before losing 4-2.
The Rays are currently one of MLB’s model franchises, with their winning percentage in 2010-2021 of .543 placing them #4 in that time frame. However, they have only been in existence for about a quarter of a century, so their talent pool isn’t as deep as the majority of the other teams, most of whom have been around for 50 years or more.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Toby Hall
|
23.1
|
6.00%
|
20.8
|
|
1B
|
Carlos Pena
|
49.3
|
6.00%
|
44.4
|
|
2B
|
Brandon Lowe
|
53.7
|
6.00%
|
48.3
|
|
3B
|
Evan Longoria
|
75.5
|
6.00%
|
67.9
|
|
SS
|
Julio Lugo
|
49.5
|
6.00%
|
44.5
|
|
LF
|
Carl Crawford
|
61.9
|
6.00%
|
55.7
|
|
CF
|
B.J. Upton
|
38.0
|
6.00%
|
34.2
|
|
RF
|
Ben Zobrist
|
66.9
|
6.00%
|
60.2
|
|
DH
|
Aubrey Huff
|
46.2
|
4.75%
|
32.9
|
|
SP1
|
David Price
|
52.6
|
5.25%
|
41.4
|
|
SP2
|
Scott Kazmir
|
50.7
|
5.00%
|
38.1
|
|
SP3
|
Blake Snell
|
49.0
|
4.75%
|
34.9
|
|
SP4
|
James Shields
|
46.5
|
4.50%
|
31.4
|
|
SP5
|
Chris Archer
|
37.3
|
3.25%
|
18.2
|
|
RP1
|
Roberto Hernandez
|
27.5
|
3.75%
|
15.5
|
|
RP2
|
Fernando Rodney
|
61.5
|
2.75%
|
25.4
|
|
P
|
Jake McGee
|
47.9
|
2.00%
|
14.4
|
|
P
|
Alex Cobb
|
41.4
|
2.00%
|
12.4
|
|
P
|
Matt Garza
|
36.6
|
2.00%
|
11.0
|
|
Res
|
John Flaherty
|
7.0
|
2.00%
|
2.1
|
|
Res
|
Fred McGriff
|
32.5
|
2.00%
|
9.7
|
|
Res
|
Joey Wendle
|
48.1
|
2.00%
|
14.4
|
|
Res
|
Kevin Kiermaier
|
67.7
|
2.00%
|
20.3
|
|
Res
|
Desmond Jennings
|
45.4
|
2.00%
|
13.6
|
|
Res
|
Matt Joyce
|
34.2
|
2.00%
|
10.3
|
|
Mgr
|
Joe Maddon
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
722.0
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Toby Hall
|
Carl Crawford
|
David Price
|
Roberto Hernandez
|
John Flaherty
|
|
1B
|
Carlos Pena
|
Ben Zobrist
|
Scott Kazmir
|
Fernando Rodney
|
Fred McGriff
|
|
2B
|
Brandon Lowe
|
Evan Longoria
|
Blake Snell
|
Jake McGee
|
Joey Wendle
|
|
3B
|
Evan Longoria
|
Aubrey Huff
|
James Shields
|
Alex Cobb
|
Kevin Kiermaier
|
|
SS
|
Julio Lugo
|
Carlos Pena
|
Chris Archer
|
Matt Garza
|
Desmond Jennings
|
|
LF
|
Carl Crawford
|
Brandon Lowe
|
|
|
Matt Joyce
|
|
CF
|
B.J. Upton
|
B.J. Upton
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Ben Zobrist
|
Julio Lugo
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Aubrey Huff
|
Toby Hall
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
722.0
|
30
|
|
Offense
|
54.3
|
29
|
|
Defense
|
60.6
|
9
|
|
Speed
|
17.5
|
9
|
|
Infield
|
205.1
|
24
|
|
Outfield
|
150.2
|
23
|
|
Catching
|
22.9
|
30
|
|
Starting 9
|
409.0
|
29
|
|
Bench
|
70.5
|
28
|
|
Staff
|
242.5
|
30
|
|
Rotation
|
164.0
|
29
|
|
4 Starters
|
145.8
|
28
|
|
Bullpen
|
78.6
|
29
|
|
Short Relief
|
55.2
|
29
|
Position/Roster Notes:
In center field, I went Upton and his offense over Kiermaier and his defense, but I can see that one either way.
I slotted super-utility guy Zobrist in right field as that seemed to be where the team needed him most, but he can play just about anywhere.
At first base, McGriff was certainly a better player over his entire career, but my roster decisions tend to be based just on performance generated during time spent with the franchise, so I gave Pena the edge. I could also put McGriff at DH, but I went with Huff there.
Missed the Cut:
Jason Bartlett was a tough cut, came down to him and Wendle, and I went with Wendle since he offered greater position versatility. Logan Forsythe, Willy Adames, and Rocco Baldelli were also considered.
"Grand" Club:
Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, Ben Zobrist
Franchise Four:
Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, Ben Zobrist, David Price
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Speed, defense
Weaknesses: Just about everything else
The Rays (along with the Diamondbacks) are the youngest franchise in MLB, coming on to the scene in 1998. Although they have been a successful over the past 15 years or so, they really haven’t shown themselves to be a "star" type of system, and their all-time team reflects that, and I have them as the #30 seed.
They do have some strengths: they have good defensive players (notably Kiermaier, Longoria, and Zobrist) and they have some guys who can run (Crawford, Upton, Lugo, Zobrist, Jennings, Kiermaier). They rank 9th in both of those areas, but they don’t score well in most of the other ones.
By far the most iconic Ray is Longoria, although Zobrist and Crawford were very good players as well. Zobrist is probably on the short list of the best "Swiss Army Knife" utility players in history when you think of players who could truly play all over the diamond, players like Tony Phillips, Melvin Mora, etc. Crawford is another asset, basically a member of the Lou Brock family of players. Brock had a much longer career, but Crawford is the same basic model. So, there is some talent there, but they just don’t stack up to the other teams.
The pitching staff has had a couple of highlights (Cy Youngs by Price and Snell), but overall the rotation and the short relief don’t rate well in a competition like this. They are also dead last in catching.
Futures
It was a little too early for me to put Randy Arozarena on the team, but his time may be coming soon. Shane McLanahan could make the team with another season or two.
#29-Arizona Diamondbacks
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
ARI
|
1
|
.486
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
.509
|
.497
|
.472
|
The Diamondbacks came out of the gates swinging. They won 100 games in just their second year of existence, and won a World Series title in just their 4th year (2001) behind a team built largely on established veterans (all of their primary starters were over 30 years old) who came over from other franchises – players like Mark Grace, Jay Bell, Matt Williams, Reggie Sanders, Luis Gonzalez, Steve Finley, Tony Womack, Randy Johnson, and Curt Schilling. They’ve slowed down since that quick start, and generally have been reaching the postseason about every 5 years or so.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Miguel Montero
|
35.4
|
6.00%
|
31.9
|
|
1B
|
Paul Goldschmidt
|
72.7
|
6.00%
|
65.4
|
|
2B
|
Ketel Marte
|
54.1
|
6.00%
|
48.6
|
|
3B
|
Matt Williams
|
30.0
|
6.00%
|
27.0
|
|
SS
|
Stephen Drew
|
37.1
|
6.00%
|
33.4
|
|
LF
|
Luis Gonzalez
|
55.4
|
6.00%
|
49.9
|
|
CF
|
Steve Finley
|
44.8
|
6.00%
|
40.3
|
|
RF
|
Justin Upton
|
39.3
|
6.00%
|
35.4
|
|
DH
|
AJ Pollock
|
55.5
|
4.75%
|
39.5
|
|
SP1
|
Randy Johnson
|
86.3
|
5.25%
|
68.0
|
|
SP2
|
Curt Schilling
|
76.6
|
5.00%
|
57.4
|
|
SP3
|
Brandon Webb
|
67.6
|
4.75%
|
48.1
|
|
SP4
|
Zack Greinke
|
55.7
|
4.50%
|
37.6
|
|
SP5
|
Dan Haren
|
52.6
|
3.25%
|
25.7
|
|
RP1
|
Jose Valverde
|
46.4
|
3.75%
|
26.1
|
|
RP2
|
J.J. Putz
|
45.0
|
2.75%
|
18.6
|
|
P
|
Byung-Hyun Kim
|
55.6
|
2.00%
|
16.7
|
|
P
|
Miguel Batista
|
41.7
|
2.00%
|
12.5
|
|
P
|
Patrick Corbin
|
36.1
|
2.00%
|
10.8
|
|
Res
|
Damian Miller
|
26.2
|
2.00%
|
7.9
|
|
Res
|
Mark Reynolds
|
22.9
|
2.00%
|
6.9
|
|
Res
|
Orlando Hudson
|
47.2
|
2.00%
|
14.2
|
|
Res
|
Jay Bell
|
33.1
|
2.00%
|
9.9
|
|
Res
|
David Peralta
|
38.1
|
2.00%
|
11.4
|
|
Res
|
Chris Young
|
37.1
|
2.00%
|
11.1
|
|
Mgr
|
Bob Brenly
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
754.3
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Miguel Montero
|
Ketel Marte
|
Randy Johnson
|
Jose Valverde
|
Damian Miller
|
|
1B
|
Paul Goldschmidt
|
Steve Finley
|
Curt Schilling
|
J.J. Putz
|
Mark Reynolds
|
|
2B
|
Ketel Marte
|
Luis Gonzalez
|
Brandon Webb
|
Byung-Hyun Kim
|
Orlando Hudson
|
|
3B
|
Matt Williams
|
Paul Goldschmidt
|
Zack Greinke
|
Miguel Batista
|
Jay Bell
|
|
SS
|
Stephen Drew
|
Justin Upton
|
Dan Haren
|
Patrick Corbin
|
David Peralta
|
|
LF
|
Luis Gonzalez
|
Matt Williams
|
-
|
-
|
Chris Young
|
|
CF
|
Steve Finley
|
AJ Pollock
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
RF
|
Justin Upton
|
Miguel Montero
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
DH
|
AJ Pollock
|
Stephen Drew
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
754.3
|
29
|
|
Offense
|
66.3
|
28
|
|
Defense
|
48.4
|
13
|
|
Speed
|
10.1
|
18
|
|
Infield
|
174.4
|
29
|
|
Outfield
|
125.6
|
30
|
|
Catching
|
39.7
|
26
|
|
Starting 9
|
371.5
|
30
|
|
Bench
|
61.4
|
30
|
|
Staff
|
321.5
|
13
|
|
Rotation
|
236.8
|
6
|
|
4 Starters
|
211.1
|
4
|
|
Bullpen
|
84.7
|
26
|
|
Short Relief
|
61.3
|
24
|
Position/Roster Notes:
Finley vs. Pollack was a pretty close call in center field, but I ended up going with Finley as the better franchise representative in center, and installed Pollack at DH. I went with Marte (who has spent a lot of time at 2B, SS, and CF) as the primary second baseman over Hudson, who had a pretty nice 3-year run there.
Missed the Cut:
Craig Counsell just missed the team. He would have provided nice depth & multi-position flexibility in the infield. Ian Kennedy had his moments, but not enough to make the team.
"Grand" Club:
Paul Goldschmidt, Luis Gonzalez
Franchise Four:
Randy Johnson, Paul Goldschmidt, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Starting rotation, defense
Weaknesses: Offense, depth, relievers
Despite the fact that the franchise has only been around for 25 years, they have a clear strength, and that’s their starting rotation, especially their top 4 starters. Johnson is the ace, of course, but he’s well supported (as he was in real life) by Schilling as a strong #2. Webb and Greinke round out the top 4. Johnson took home 4 Cy Youngs (plus a 2nd place), Schilling had two runner-up finishes, Webb won 1 and had two 2nds, and Greinke finished 4th one season. All four of them had ERA+’s between 131 and 164. It’s a strong rotation, and despite being the #29 team overall, I suspect this is a team no one would look forward to facing in a tournament. I have their rotation ranked 6th, and their top 4 starters as 4th.
The team rates pretty well defensively too, as Goldschmidt, Pollack, Hudson, and Finley have all won Gold Gloves while with the franchise, and Williams won several prior to joining the team.
On the flip side, their offense is ranked near the bottom of the league. Goldschmidt and Gonzalez are the two big bats, although Upton had his moments and Marte has been valuable in recent years as well. Marte’s 2019 season looks like it may be shaping up as a bit of an outlier, but he still could have several good years ahead of him.
They rank dead last in both their starting 9 and their depth, and their bullpen is a weakness as well. This franchise, more than any other, will live or die on the performance of their starting pitchers, but they’re very dangerous in a short series.
Futures
If Zac Gallen can stay healthy, he has a chance to make the team. Daulton Varsho is an interesting candidate, an unusual catcher/center fielder combination who’s only 25 years old. Christian Walker could push for a spot on the team with a little more time as well.
#28–Miami/Florida Marlins
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
MIA
|
2
|
.461
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
.442
|
.501
|
.438
|
The Marlins have been a boom-or-bust franchise. They have only had 7 winning records and only 3 postseason appearances in their nearly 30 year existence, but have parlayed those rare playoff appearances into 2 World Series titles (1997 and 2003).
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
J.T. Realmuto
|
48.4
|
6.00%
|
43.5
|
|
1B
|
Jeff Conine
|
34.4
|
6.00%
|
30.9
|
|
2B
|
Luis Castillo
|
46.2
|
6.00%
|
41.5
|
|
3B
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
50.0
|
6.00%
|
45.0
|
|
SS
|
Hanley Ramirez
|
57.8
|
6.00%
|
52.1
|
|
LF
|
Christian Yelich
|
52.1
|
6.00%
|
46.9
|
|
CF
|
Marcell Ozuna
|
42.4
|
6.00%
|
38.2
|
|
RF
|
Giancarlo Stanton
|
70.7
|
6.00%
|
63.7
|
|
DH
|
Gary Sheffield
|
70.1
|
4.75%
|
49.9
|
|
SP1
|
Kevin Brown
|
69.6
|
5.25%
|
54.8
|
|
SP2
|
Josh Johnson
|
68.6
|
5.00%
|
51.4
|
|
SP3
|
Jose Fernandez
|
61.6
|
4.75%
|
43.9
|
|
SP4
|
Sandy Alcantara
|
54.3
|
4.50%
|
36.6
|
|
SP5
|
Dontrelle Willis
|
47.3
|
3.25%
|
23.1
|
|
RP1
|
Robb Nen
|
36.0
|
3.75%
|
20.3
|
|
RP2
|
Steve Cishek
|
37.9
|
2.75%
|
15.6
|
|
P
|
AJ Ramos
|
44.4
|
2.00%
|
13.3
|
|
P
|
Anibal Sanchez
|
46.0
|
2.00%
|
13.8
|
|
P
|
Josh Beckett
|
43.4
|
2.00%
|
13.0
|
|
Res
|
Charles Johnson
|
39.5
|
2.00%
|
11.9
|
|
Res
|
Derrek Lee
|
29.4
|
2.00%
|
8.8
|
|
Res
|
Dan Uggla
|
42.4
|
2.00%
|
12.7
|
|
Res
|
Miguel Rojas
|
31.5
|
2.00%
|
9.5
|
|
Res
|
Mike Lowell
|
35.5
|
2.00%
|
10.7
|
|
Res
|
Cliff Floyd
|
50.8
|
2.00%
|
15.2
|
|
Mgr
|
Jack McKeon
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
766.3
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
J.T. Realmuto
|
Luis Castillo
|
Kevin Brown
|
Robb Nen
|
Charles Johnson
|
|
1B
|
Jeff Conine
|
Hanley Ramirez
|
Josh Johnson
|
Steve Cishek
|
Derrek Lee
|
|
2B
|
Luis Castillo
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
Jose Fernandez
|
AJ Ramos
|
Dan Uggla
|
|
3B
|
Miguel Cabrera
|
Giancarlo Stanton
|
Sandy Alcantara
|
Anibal Sanchez
|
Miguel Rojas
|
|
SS
|
Hanley Ramirez
|
Gary Sheffield
|
Dontrelle Willis
|
Josh Beckett
|
Mike Lowell
|
|
LF
|
Christian Yelich
|
Christian Yelich
|
|
|
Cliff Floyd
|
|
CF
|
Marcell Ozuna
|
Marcell Ozuna
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Giancarlo Stanton
|
Jeff Conine
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Gary Sheffield
|
J.T. Realmuto
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
766.3
|
28
|
|
Offense
|
124.8
|
12
|
|
Defense
|
7.8
|
29
|
|
Speed
|
5.7
|
24
|
|
Infield
|
169.5
|
30
|
|
Outfield
|
148.7
|
24
|
|
Catching
|
55.4
|
20
|
|
Starting 9
|
411.7
|
28
|
|
Bench
|
68.7
|
29
|
|
Staff
|
285.8
|
23
|
|
Rotation
|
209.8
|
17
|
|
4 Starters
|
186.8
|
17
|
|
Bullpen
|
76.0
|
29
|
|
Short Relief
|
49.2
|
29
|
Position/Roster Notes:
Castillo and Uggla is a fairly close call at second base, and they offer very distinct contrasts. Castillo posted a near-.300 average with .370 OBP, good speed/stolen bases, and was a 3-time Gold Glove winner. Uggla was none of those, but he consistently would hit more home runs each season (typically over 30) than Castillo would hit in his whole career (28). I went with Castillo as I felt he gave the team a little more of what it needed in terms of speed, defense, and a leadoff hitter, but you can make an argument either way.
Rojas isn’t a great player, but he’s top 10 on the franchise list of games played and he can play any position in the infield, so he gives them some much-needed flexibility.
Missed the Cut:
Dee Strange-Gordon and Juan Pierre are a couple of speedsters who could have made the team and would have improved their ranking in the Speed category, but I felt the others ahead of them were better overall players. Preston Wilson and Josh Willingham had their moments, but didn’t make the team. Ricky Nolasco started more games than any other Marlin pitcher, but I passed on him as there were others who were better.
"Grand" Club:
Luis Castillo, Jeff Conine
Franchise Four:
Giancarlo Stanton, Hanley Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, Kevin Brown
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Offense/power, better than expected starting pitching
Weaknesses: Defense, relievers
The Marlins are #12 in offense, a very respectable ranking. There are some really strong hitters here, and the Cabrera/Stanton/Sheffield heart of the order matches up very well to just about any team.
Most of Cabrera’s career was defined by his time in Detroit, especially with the 2 MVP’s, the 4 batting titles, and the Triple Crown, but he was essentially the same quality hitter in Florida as he was with the Tigers. His stat line is similar in both stops - .300+ average, .380-.390 OBP, over .500 slugging, and around a 140 OPS+.
Ramirez was a shining star for a while. He was a highly regarded Red Sox prospect and came over to the Marlins in a big trade in 2005 (with Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell going over to Boston), and through age 26 he had been averaging about 25 HR and 40 steals, hitting over .300, getting on base at about .385, although he struggled defensively at shortstop. Eventually, he was traded to LA and wasn’t the same player, but for a while he was one of the true exciting young stars of the game.
Floyd had some really good years with the franchise, and Yelich showed some promise here as well in his pre-Milwaukee days. There’s definitely a lot of offensive talent to like on this roster.
However, the team is challenged defensively. Castillo was a good glove at 2B, while Realmuto and (especially) Johnson behind the plate are good defenders, but for the most part the team does not stack up well defensively. The left side of the infield (Ramirez and Cabera) is very talented offensively, but very challenged defensively.
The starting pitching is better than I thought it would be, but there’s not a lot of "longevity" represented with the franchise. Brown was one of the elite NL starters with the Marlins (including a Cy Young runner-up in 1996), but he was only there 2 years. Fernandez was tremendous in his short time with the team before his tragic death at age 26. He was shaping up to be one of the great pitching talents of recent vintage. Johnson had 8 seasons with the franchise, but his time was compromised by injuries. While healthy, he was impressive. Willis was a joy to behold for a few years there, and Alcantera is one of the bright young pitching stars going today. In all, it’s an electric rotation, but one that is generally short on staying power.
The bullpen ranks pretty low (#29). Nen was a good closer, but he was much better with the Giants than he was with the Marlins.
Again, a lot to like here, but the defense and the bullpen may be their undoing.
Futures
Starting pitcher Edward Cabrera has made an impact in his young career already. He’s one to keep an eye on. Second baseman Jazz Chisolm Jr. shows a lot of potential as well.
#27-Colorado Rockies
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
COL
|
0
|
.470
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
.478
|
.474
|
.463
|
Colorado and San Diego are the only 2 franchises to never have a winning decade. The team has had 5 playoff appearances in their nearly 30-year history, making one World Series (2007) in which they were swept by the Red Sox.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Chris Iannetta
|
25.9
|
6.00%
|
23.3
|
|
1B
|
Todd Helton
|
72.3
|
6.00%
|
65.0
|
|
2B
|
DJ LeMahieu
|
40.6
|
6.00%
|
36.5
|
|
3B
|
Nolan Arenado
|
73.6
|
6.00%
|
66.2
|
|
SS
|
Troy Tulowitzki
|
74.0
|
6.00%
|
66.6
|
|
LF
|
Carlos Gonzalez
|
46.3
|
6.00%
|
41.6
|
|
CF
|
Charlie Blackmon
|
40.1
|
6.00%
|
36.1
|
|
RF
|
Larry Walker
|
81.4
|
6.00%
|
73.2
|
|
DH
|
Matt Holliday
|
59.9
|
4.75%
|
42.7
|
|
SP1
|
Ubaldo Jimenez
|
55.7
|
5.25%
|
43.9
|
|
SP2
|
Kyle Freeland
|
49.9
|
5.00%
|
37.5
|
|
SP3
|
Jhoulys Chacin
|
46.4
|
4.75%
|
33.1
|
|
SP4
|
German Marquez
|
43.7
|
4.50%
|
29.5
|
|
SP5
|
Jorge De La Rosa
|
42.3
|
3.25%
|
20.6
|
|
RP1
|
Brian Fuentes
|
53.2
|
3.75%
|
29.9
|
|
RP2
|
Huston Street
|
39.0
|
2.75%
|
16.1
|
|
P
|
Bruce Ruffin
|
46.3
|
2.00%
|
13.9
|
|
P
|
Jose Jimenez
|
36.1
|
2.00%
|
10.8
|
|
P
|
Aaron Cook
|
43.6
|
2.00%
|
13.1
|
|
Res
|
Wilin Rosario
|
11.4
|
2.00%
|
3.4
|
|
Res
|
Andres Galarraga
|
43.0
|
2.00%
|
12.9
|
|
Res
|
Eric Young Sr.
|
32.5
|
2.00%
|
9.8
|
|
Res
|
Trevor Story
|
67.5
|
2.00%
|
20.2
|
|
Res
|
Vinny Castilla
|
39.4
|
2.00%
|
11.8
|
|
Res
|
Ellis Burks
|
43.7
|
2.00%
|
13.1
|
|
Mgr
|
Clint Hurdle
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
770.9
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Chris Iannetta
|
Charlie Blackmon
|
Ubaldo Jimenez
|
Brian Fuentes
|
Wilin Rosario
|
|
1B
|
Todd Helton
|
Troy Tulowitzki
|
Kyle Freeland
|
Huston Street
|
Andres Galarraga
|
|
2B
|
DJ LeMahieu
|
Todd Helton
|
Jhoulys Chacin
|
Bruce Ruffin
|
Eric Young Sr.
|
|
3B
|
Nolan Arenado
|
Larry Walker
|
German Marquez
|
Jose Jimenez
|
Trevor Story
|
|
SS
|
Troy Tulowitzki
|
Nolan Arenado
|
Jorge De La Rosa
|
Aaron Cook
|
Vinny Castilla
|
|
LF
|
Carlos Gonzalez
|
Matt Holliday
|
|
|
Ellis Burks
|
|
CF
|
Charlie Blackmon
|
Carlos Gonzalez
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Larry Walker
|
DJ LeMahieu
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Matt Holliday
|
Chris Iannetta
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
770.9
|
27
|
|
Offense
|
103.6
|
21
|
|
Defense
|
66.4
|
6
|
|
Speed
|
12.8
|
16
|
|
Infield
|
234.4
|
10
|
|
Outfield
|
151.0
|
22
|
|
Catching
|
26.7
|
29
|
|
Starting 9
|
451.3
|
25
|
|
Bench
|
71.2
|
27
|
|
Staff
|
248.3
|
29
|
|
Rotation
|
164.5
|
28
|
|
4 Starters
|
143.9
|
30
|
|
Bullpen
|
83.8
|
27
|
|
Short Relief
|
60.0
|
25
|
Position/Roster Notes:
Tulowitzki and Story duked it out at shortstop in an epic battle, but in the end Tulo claimed the job. Holliday and Gonzalez fought it out for left field, and I ended up going with Gonzalez (who actually played a little more right field but who could play all 3 outfield positions) over Holliday due to his superior glove, and installing Holliday as the primary DH.
Missed the Cut:
Dexter Fowler, Clint Barmes, Garrett Atkins. Juan Pierre came up a bit short on the games played threshold. Dante Bichette was a significant player in the franchise’s early years, but as you may have guessed, he doesn’t score real well in something like this.
"Grand" Club:
Todd Helton, Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez, Larry Walker, Vinny Castilla, Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki, Dante Bichette
Franchise Four:
Larry Walker, Todd Helton, Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Infield, Defense
Weaknesses: Pitching, Catching
Well, these are the Rockies, what did you expect? Sure, once you make adjustments, the hitters are never quite as strong as they appear and the pitchers are never quite as bad as they seem, but even after those adjustments, it’s still a hitting first, pitching second kind of team.
Walker’s a Hall of Famer, Helton might become one (he had over 50% of the vote on last year’s ballot), and Arenado is developing a really strong case, not the least of which is his perfect 9-for-9 performance in Gold Glove awards in his first 9 MLB seasons. Tulowitzki is another talented two-way player, although his career was undermined by injuries.
I was a little surprised at how high the team is ranked defensively, but it makes sense when you look at the individuals, as there are mutli-season Gold Glovers all over the place. The infield is especially strong with Gold Glovers at all 4 spots (Arenado, Tulowitzki, LeMahieu, Helton), while the outfield has a couple more in Walker and Gonzalez. A very strong defensive squad, and there’s definitely hitting talent, but the pitching figures to hold them back.
Futures
Not really sure who might emerge from the current roster. Not getting an "all time" vibe from anyone who isn’t already on the roster.
#26-San Diego Padres
Team Performance:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
SDP
|
0
|
.462
|
.406
|
.486
|
.490
|
.474
|
.464
|
The Padres are one of only 2 franchises in this era to never have a winning decade (the other being Colorado). They have made just 6 playoff appearances in 50+seasons, appearing in 2 World Series (1984 and 1998), but losing both times.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Benito Santiago
|
38.9
|
6.00%
|
35.0
|
|
1B
|
Adrian Gonzalez
|
51.1
|
6.00%
|
46.0
|
|
2B
|
Roberto Alomar
|
49.8
|
6.00%
|
44.8
|
|
3B
|
Manny Machado
|
60.5
|
6.00%
|
54.4
|
|
SS
|
Fernando Tatis Jr.
|
58.8
|
6.00%
|
53.0
|
|
LF
|
Dave Winfield
|
60.2
|
6.00%
|
54.2
|
|
CF
|
Gene Richards
|
44.3
|
6.00%
|
39.9
|
|
RF
|
Tony Gwynn
|
78.0
|
6.00%
|
70.2
|
|
DH
|
Nate Colbert
|
53.6
|
4.75%
|
38.2
|
|
SP1
|
Jake Peavy
|
54.9
|
5.25%
|
43.2
|
|
SP2
|
Andy Ashby
|
53.8
|
5.00%
|
40.3
|
|
SP3
|
Andy Benes
|
50.1
|
4.75%
|
35.7
|
|
SP4
|
Randy Jones
|
47.0
|
4.50%
|
31.7
|
|
SP5
|
Ed Whitson
|
42.1
|
3.25%
|
20.5
|
|
RP1
|
Trevor Hoffman
|
67.2
|
3.75%
|
37.8
|
|
RP2
|
Mark Davis
|
58.5
|
2.75%
|
24.1
|
|
P
|
Heath Bell
|
51.0
|
2.00%
|
15.3
|
|
P
|
Bruce Hurst
|
45.1
|
2.00%
|
13.5
|
|
P
|
Eric Show
|
41.1
|
2.00%
|
12.3
|
|
Res
|
Terry Kennedy
|
43.2
|
2.00%
|
13.0
|
|
Res
|
Phil Nevin
|
45.7
|
2.00%
|
13.7
|
|
Res
|
Bip Roberts
|
38.5
|
2.00%
|
11.6
|
|
Res
|
Ken Caminiti
|
57.9
|
2.00%
|
17.4
|
|
Res
|
Brian Giles
|
44.0
|
2.00%
|
13.2
|
|
Res
|
Gene Tenace
|
62.9
|
2.00%
|
18.9
|
|
Mgr
|
Bruce Bochy
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
797.8
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Benito Santiago
|
Gene Richards
|
Jake Peavy
|
Trevor Hoffman
|
Terry Kennedy
|
|
1B
|
Adrian Gonzalez
|
Tony Gwynn
|
Andy Ashby
|
Andy Benes
|
Phil Nevin
|
|
2B
|
Roberto Alomar
|
Adrian Gonzalez
|
Andy Benes
|
Mark Davis
|
Bip Roberts
|
|
3B
|
Manny Machado
|
Dave Winfield
|
Randy Jones
|
Eric Show
|
Ken Caminiti
|
|
SS
|
Fernando Tatis Jr.
|
Manny Machado
|
Ed Whitson
|
Bruce Hurst
|
Brian Giles
|
|
LF
|
Dave Winfield
|
Fernando Tatis Jr.
|
|
|
Gene Tenace
|
|
CF
|
Gene Richards
|
Nate Colbert
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Tony Gwynn
|
Benito Santiago
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Nate Colbert
|
Roberto Alomar
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
797.8
|
26
|
|
Offense
|
120.8
|
15
|
|
Defense
|
20.6
|
25
|
|
Speed
|
18.3
|
5
|
|
Infield
|
198.2
|
27
|
|
Outfield
|
164.2
|
15
|
|
Catching
|
48.0
|
24
|
|
Starting 9
|
435.6
|
27
|
|
Bench
|
87.7
|
16
|
|
Staff
|
274.5
|
27
|
|
Rotation
|
171.5
|
27
|
|
4 Starters
|
151.0
|
27
|
|
Bullpen
|
103.1
|
11
|
|
Short Relief
|
77.2
|
11
|
Position/Roster Notes:
Tatis Jr. is one of the "exceptions" who I alluded to in the kickoff article. To date, he has only played 273 games, well below the established guidelines for an expansion franchise (450 games). However, to me, he is already clearly the best shortstop in franchise history. He has 2 of the top 3 seasons by WAR for a San Diego shortstop, and 3 of the top 10. This despite the fact that 2 of them (his 2019 rookie season and the 2020 pandemic season) amounted to more like half-seasons. If you adjust those seasons to full-length, Tatis Jr. has essentially had the 3 most productive seasons by a SS in team history.
The other best options are Ozzie Smith (brilliant defensively but a .231 hitter with the team), Garry Templeton (a lot of years with the Padres, but not as good as he was with St. Louis), and Khalil Greene. Despite the brevity of his career and the suspension he’s currently serving, I have to conclude that Tatis Jr. deserves to be the franchise’s shortstop. I did apply a penalty/adjustment to his score based on the shortness of his career to date.
Gwynn and Winfield were both mostly right fielders with the Padres, so I shifted Winfield to left field. Richards was more left field than anything, and is kind of miscast as a center fielder. The franchise really hasn’t had a standout centerfielder – Steve Finley is listed as the most center field seasons with only 4, so I put Richards out there in a bit of a "position cheat". Winfield could also start in center – he did play some there in his younger days (both Winfield and Richards played about 200 games in their careers in center field).
Santiago vs. Kennedy are pretty even and being right vs. lefty would probably see a pretty good time share. Tenace provides a third option at catcher and can also play first base.
Machado vs. Caminiti at 3B was a pretty good battle, but I went with Machado, and he will probably only widen the gap as he gets more time with the team.
Not everyone may agree with Alomar for this team, but he’s the best 2nd baseman in San Diego history – he has more WAR than any other player who was primarily a second baseman for the franchise. He only had 3 seasons as the regular second baseman, but then again, the only one with more was Tim Flannery (4). I like Roberts as his backup/super-utility guy.
Missed the Cut:
Mark Loretta, Randy Ready, and Jack Clark had had good WAR/162 game figures with the team, but came up short on the games played threshold. Chase Headley got nosed out as a reserve infielder. I didn’t pick either Ozzie Smith or Garry Templeton….as mentioned above, I went with Tatis Jr., with Manny Machado and Bip Roberts providing backup SS coverage. Greg Harris, Joey Hamilton, and Dave Dravecky were pretty effective pitchers who didn’t make the team. Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage are Hall of Fame closers who could have made the team but I opted for others.
"Grand" Club:
Tony Gwynn, Garry Templeton, Dave Winfield
Franchise Four:
Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Dave Winfield, Adrian Gonzalez
(Gonzalez might just be keeping a spot warm for Tatis Jr. if the latter can get past injuries and suspensions)
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Speed, Short Relief
Weaknesses: Rotation, Defense.
4 Hall of Famers make the roster: Gwynn, Winfield, Hoffman, and Alomar, although his Padres years were not really Alomar’s best. Machado (who will also make the Orioles’ roster) may make it 5 someday, and who knows with Tatis Jr.?
There is some really good speed on the roster – Gwynn, Richards, Tatis Jr., Roberts, Winfield, and Alomar all have pretty good wheels. They rank 5th in that category.
The offense is kind of middle-of-the pack. The outfield does have Hall of Famers on the corners in Gwynn and Winfield, and Machado, Tatis Jr., and Gonzalez offer good support. The bullpen rates pretty well with Hoffman leading the way, supported by Bell on the right and Davis on the left.
I’d have to say the starting pitching is pretty blah in the context of this competition, despite the Cy Young presence of Peavy and Jones. Their rotation ranks near the bottom. And the team defense is pretty mediocre. Maybe I should rethink the decision to leave off Ozzie…..
Futures
The Padres "Franchise Four" may undergo a makeover soon, especially if Machado and Tatis Jr. hang around long enough. They’re already on the roster, but figure to keep adding to their scores. The newly acquired Juan Soto could also work his way onto the roster in a few years if he plays anything like he demonstrated with Washington. Jake Cronenworth could also be a future candidate who offers multi-position flexibility.
Wrapping it Up
Well, that’s it for the bottom 5 franchises. Teams #21 through 25 are next up. I’ll try to get a little more efficient at writing these summaries….I ended up spending a lot of time going back and forth on what to write, but I think I’ll start to get into a better groove.
As a hint, the next group of five will feature three more expansion franchises, but also the appearance of our first two "original" franchises.
Thank you for reading.
Dan