Franchise All-Star Teams of the Divisional Era
Teams #21-25
This is part III of a multi-part series reviewing all-star franchise teams of the Divisional Era (1969 to present). The kickoff article explains the premise.
One quick note…..I relabeled the "Franchise Four" section of each team’s summary to "Mount Rushmore Four" because "Franchise Four" was the term used by MLB several years ago to honor 4 players from each franchise. Again, the 4 I’m identifying are limited to the Divisional Era.
Picking up the countdown with #25…..
#25-Pittsburgh Pirates
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
PIT
|
2
|
.487
|
.566
|
.470
|
.488
|
.421
|
.474
|
In the divisional era, the Pirates have basically had 3 periods of success:
· They were at their best in the 1970’s, with their .566 winning percentage (including the 1969 season) placing them 3rd behind the Orioles and the Reds. They made the postseason 6 times, and won the World Series in 1971 and 1979.
· After going 0 for 10 in the 1980’s with mostly losing teams, they opened the 1990’s with 3 consecutive NL East titles, but lost in the NLCS each time (once to the Reds, and twice to the Braves)
· After 20 consecutive losing seasons from 1993-2012, and having the 2nd worst winning percentage in the decade of the 2000’s, they did make the postseason 3 straight years from 2013-2015 as a wild card, but couldn’t get past the NLDS.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Jason Kendall
|
55.2
|
6.00%
|
49.7
|
|
1B
|
Willie Stargell
|
64.8
|
6.00%
|
58.3
|
|
2B
|
Johnny Ray
|
45.1
|
6.00%
|
40.6
|
|
3B
|
Bobby Bonilla
|
49.6
|
6.00%
|
44.6
|
|
SS
|
Jay Bell
|
48.6
|
6.00%
|
43.7
|
|
LF
|
Barry Bonds
|
93.1
|
6.00%
|
83.8
|
|
CF
|
Andrew McCutchen
|
65.2
|
6.00%
|
58.7
|
|
RF
|
Roberto Clemente
|
58.7
|
6.00%
|
52.8
|
|
DH
|
Dave Parker
|
63.4
|
4.75%
|
45.1
|
|
SP1
|
John Candelaria
|
59.2
|
5.25%
|
46.6
|
|
SP2
|
Doug Drabek
|
49.2
|
5.00%
|
36.9
|
|
SP3
|
Rick Rhoden
|
47.6
|
4.75%
|
33.9
|
|
SP4
|
Jim Rooker
|
40.8
|
4.50%
|
27.6
|
|
SP5
|
Dock Ellis
|
36.1
|
3.25%
|
17.6
|
|
RP1
|
Kent Tekulve
|
52.4
|
3.75%
|
29.4
|
|
RP2
|
Mark Melancon
|
64.8
|
2.75%
|
26.7
|
|
P
|
Dave Giusti
|
34.7
|
2.00%
|
10.4
|
|
P
|
Francisco Cordova
|
47.5
|
2.00%
|
14.3
|
|
P
|
Tony Watson
|
49.0
|
2.00%
|
14.7
|
|
Res
|
Manny Sanguillen
|
50.0
|
2.00%
|
15.0
|
|
Res
|
Al Oliver
|
50.2
|
2.00%
|
15.1
|
|
Res
|
Josh Harrison
|
38.6
|
2.00%
|
11.6
|
|
Res
|
Richie Hebner
|
46.8
|
2.00%
|
14.1
|
|
Res
|
Brian Giles
|
68.0
|
2.00%
|
20.4
|
|
Res
|
Andy Van Slyke
|
60.6
|
2.00%
|
18.2
|
|
Mgr
|
Danny Murtaugh
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
829.8
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Jason Kendall
|
Andrew McCutchen
|
John Candelaria
|
Kent Tekulve
|
Manny Sanguillen
|
|
1B
|
Willie Stargell
|
Roberto Clemente
|
Doug Drabek
|
Mark Melancon
|
Al Oliver
|
|
2B
|
Johnny Ray
|
Barry Bonds
|
Rick Rhoden
|
Dave Giusti
|
Josh Harrison
|
|
3B
|
Bobby Bonilla
|
Willie Stargell
|
Jim Rooker
|
Francisco Cordova
|
Richie Hebner
|
|
SS
|
Jay Bell
|
Dave Parker
|
Dock Ellis
|
Tony Watson
|
Brian Giles
|
|
LF
|
Barry Bonds
|
Bobby Bonilla
|
|
|
Andy Van Slyke
|
|
CF
|
Andrew McCutchen
|
Jason Kendall
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Roberto Clemente
|
Johnny Ray
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Dave Parker
|
Jay Bell
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
829.8
|
25
|
|
Offense
|
138.7
|
9
|
|
Defense
|
43.4
|
15
|
|
Speed
|
10.3
|
18
|
|
Infield
|
187.2
|
28
|
|
Outfield
|
195.4
|
5
|
|
Catching
|
64.7
|
13
|
|
Starting 9
|
477.4
|
18
|
|
Bench
|
94.3
|
8
|
|
Staff
|
258.1
|
28
|
|
Rotation
|
162.6
|
30
|
|
4 Starters
|
145.0
|
29
|
|
Bullpen
|
95.5
|
18
|
|
Short Relief
|
66.6
|
18
|
Position/Roster Notes:
The first thing to address is the elephant in the room, that being Roberto Clemente. I went back and forth on whether to include him. Clemente did play 4 seasons in this era before his tragic death: 1969-1972. And, he was a formidable player, even as he was getting up in years (these were his age 34-37 seasons). However, for the established, "original" 16 franchises, I used a guideline of a minimum of 4 years and 600 games for position players. Clemente only had 480.
However, I decided to include Clemente. Even though those were the last 4 seasons of his career, he was just too good in those years: .339/.387/.521, 153 OPS+. He was an All-Star all 4 seasons. He could still field, and he could still throw. Ultimately, I felt like he belonged. However, I did apply a penalty to his score in order to justify including him.
If Clemente had not made the team, Parker would have been the right fielder and Oliver would have been the DH, but since he did, I moved Parker to DH and Oliver to the bench.
I went with Bell at shortstop, with Jack Wilson probably the second best option. I didn’t want two pure shortstops (Bell didn’t really play elsewhere much until he played for Arizona), so I went with Harrison as the team’s super-utility guy, and he can back up at shortstop.
Catcher was a 3-way battle with Kendall, Sanguillen, and Tony Pena. I went with Kendall as the starter and Sanguillen as the backup.
Bonilla split time between 3B and OF, but the team has plenty of outfielders, so he ended up in a battle with Hebner and Bill Madlock at 3B, and I went with Bonilla.
In the bullpen, there was some pretty stiff competition for the closer role. The Pirates had 4 players with 130 of more saves – Kent Tekulve, Mike Williams, Dave Giusti, and Mark Melancon. I went with Tekulve as the closer Melancon as the setup, and Giusti as another bullpen arm. I wanted a lefty arm in the bullpen as well, and I went with Tony Watson.
Missed the Cut:
Jack Wilson could have made the team, but he only played shortstop, and even though that was a need, I went with other options.
Tony Pena was one of 3 pretty equal options at catcher along with Kendall and Sanguillen, but I went with the 2 who had a little longer tenure.
Starling Marte, Jason Bay and Richie Zisk had several good years, but this team was already swimming in outfielders.
Bill Madlock and Phil Garner were both key players on the ’79 championship team who could have made the roster, but I went with others.
Felipe Vazquez, Mike Williams, and Ramon Hernandez were other bullpen arms who were considered.
"Grand" Club:
Willie Stargell, Andrew McCutchen, Dave Parker, Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillen, Jason Kendall, Jack Wilson, Kevin Young, Richie Hebner, Jay Bell, Rennie Stennett, Andy Van Slyke, Barry Bonds
Mount Rushmore Four:
Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Barry Bonds, Dave Parker
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Outfield, depth
Weaknesses: Starting rotation, infield
This team is absolutely swimming in excellent outfielders, starting with Bonds (3-time MVP while with the franchise), a couple of other MVP’s (McCutchen and Parker), an all-time great in Clemente who was at the tail end of his career, and Giles, Oliver (who also played first base), and Van Slyke. It’s more of a high average than a huge home run hitting offense, with several players who were .300 (or near .300) hitters with the franchise.
However, I have them with the lowest ranked starting rotation of all 30 teams. Candelaria was a quality pitcher and Drabek did take home a Cy Young, but overall, in a competition like this, the rotation is relatively weak.
Futures
Bryan Reynolds has been a quality player in his young career. He could eventually make the team, but the team is already so deep in outfielders, he’s got a tough road ahead of him.
Ke’Bryan Hayes had a splashy debut in 2020 (.376 in 24 games), but he hasn’t really shown much hitting prowess since.
#24-Milwaukee Brewers/Seattle Pilots
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
MIL
|
0
|
.483
|
.452
|
.514
|
.480
|
.458
|
.514
|
The Brewers had success in the early 1980’s with the "Harvey Wallbangers" crew let by Robin Yount and Paul Molitor, reaching their lone World Series in 1982, losing to the Cardinals in a tough 7-game battle. They then went on a 25-year hiatus, occasionally posting winning records, but often very much out of the pennant chases. Since 2008, they’ve been doing pretty well, reaching the postseason in 6 of 14 seasons, and are in the Wild Card hunt this year.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Jonathan Lucroy
|
44.8
|
6.00%
|
40.3
|
|
1B
|
George Scott
|
56.4
|
6.00%
|
50.7
|
|
2B
|
Jim Gantner
|
42.4
|
6.00%
|
38.1
|
|
3B
|
Paul Molitor
|
75.2
|
6.00%
|
67.7
|
|
SS
|
Robin Yount
|
79.2
|
6.00%
|
71.2
|
|
LF
|
Ryan Braun
|
65.0
|
6.00%
|
58.5
|
|
CF
|
Carlos Gomez
|
52.6
|
6.00%
|
47.3
|
|
RF
|
Christian Yelich
|
58.7
|
6.00%
|
52.8
|
|
DH
|
Cecil Cooper
|
60.5
|
4.75%
|
43.1
|
|
SP1
|
Teddy Higuera
|
62.4
|
5.25%
|
49.1
|
|
SP2
|
Ben Sheets
|
55.0
|
5.00%
|
41.2
|
|
SP3
|
Chris Bosio
|
47.1
|
4.75%
|
33.6
|
|
SP4
|
Bill Wegman
|
43.8
|
4.50%
|
29.5
|
|
SP5
|
Mike Caldwell
|
43.0
|
3.25%
|
21.0
|
|
RP1
|
Josh Hader
|
71.0
|
3.75%
|
40.0
|
|
RP2
|
Rollie Fingers
|
64.1
|
2.75%
|
26.4
|
|
P
|
Dan Plesac
|
52.8
|
2.00%
|
15.8
|
|
P
|
Ken Sanders
|
58.5
|
2.00%
|
17.5
|
|
P
|
Yovani Gallardo
|
41.2
|
2.00%
|
12.4
|
|
Res
|
B.J. Surhoff
|
36.3
|
2.00%
|
10.9
|
|
Res
|
Prince Fielder
|
39.5
|
2.00%
|
11.9
|
|
Res
|
Jeff Cirillo
|
55.5
|
2.00%
|
16.6
|
|
Res
|
Don Money
|
53.3
|
2.00%
|
16.0
|
|
Res
|
Geoff Jenkins
|
44.2
|
2.00%
|
13.3
|
|
Res
|
Ben Oglivie
|
44.5
|
2.00%
|
13.4
|
|
Mgr
|
Craig Counsell
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
838.3
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Jonathan Lucroy
|
Paul Molitor
|
Teddy Higuera
|
Josh Hader
|
B.J. Surhoff
|
|
1B
|
George Scott
|
Robin Yount
|
Ben Sheets
|
Rollie Fingers
|
Prince Fielder
|
|
2B
|
Jim Gantner
|
Christian Yelich
|
Chris Bosio
|
Dan Plesac
|
Jeff Cirillo
|
|
3B
|
Paul Molitor
|
Ryan Braun
|
Bill Wegman
|
Ken Sanders
|
Don Money
|
|
SS
|
Robin Yount
|
Cecil Cooper
|
Mike Caldwell
|
Yovani Gallardo
|
Geoff Jenkins
|
|
LF
|
Ryan Braun
|
George Scott
|
|
|
Ben Oglivie
|
|
CF
|
Carlos Gomez
|
Jonathan Lucroy
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Christian Yelich
|
Carlos Gomez
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Cecil Cooper
|
Jim Gantner
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
838.3
|
24
|
|
Offense
|
101.1
|
22
|
|
Defense
|
19.9
|
26
|
|
Speed
|
16.1
|
11
|
|
Infield
|
227.8
|
15
|
|
Outfield
|
158.7
|
19
|
|
Catching
|
51.2
|
22
|
|
Starting 9
|
469.8
|
21
|
|
Bench
|
82.0
|
23
|
|
Staff
|
286.5
|
23
|
|
Rotation
|
174.4
|
26
|
|
4 Starters
|
153.4
|
26
|
|
Bullpen
|
112.1
|
5
|
|
Short Relief
|
82.2
|
6
|
Position/Roster Notes:
The Brewers are pretty deep in first base options, with the top 3 being Scott, Cooper, and Fielder. I put all 3 on the roster, and I opted for Scott at first base (he was the best defensive player), Cooper at DH, although in practice I think Cooper and Scott would split a lot of time at first base, and Fielder would get plenty of opportunities at DH.
LuCroy gets the nod at starting catcher, with Surhoff backing him up and also providing cover at 3B, 1B, and OF. Money also offers a lot of position flexibility – he was primarily a third baseman, but also put in a lot of time at 2B, 1B, SS, and OF. Cirillo is another nice player off the bench. The two big stars (Yount and Molitor) also played multiple positions while with the franchise.
Missed the Cut:
I was a big fan of Sixto Lezcano, but I just ran out of space. I also didn’t have room for Gorman Thomas, Jeromy Burnitz, Richie Sexson, or Corey Hart. More on them when I do the team assessment…..
"Grand" Club:
Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Jim Gantner, Ryan Braun, Cecil Cooper, Charlie Moore, Geoff Jenkins, Don Money, Ben Oglivie, Rickie Weeks, Gorman Thomas, B.J. Surhoff
Mount Rushmore Four:
Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ryan Braun, Teddy Higuera
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Bullpen/short relief, speed(?)
Weaknesses: Starting rotation, defense
The team has 3 MVP’s in the lineup: Yount (twice), Braun, and Yelich. I was surprised how high the Brewers ranked in the speed category, because one of the stronger images I have of them (once you get past the obvious icons of Yount and Molitor) is a bunch of sluggers, an endless stream of Gorman Thomas, Prince Fielder, Richie Sexson, Jeromy Burnitz, Corey Hart, Geoff Jenkins, Rob Deer….guys like that. However….Molitor and Gomez were very good baserunners. Yount, Yelich, and Braun were all pretty consistent double-digit base stealers. They score much higher than I thought they would.
The starting rotation ranks pretty low. Higuera and Sheets are solid starters although they both had pretty brief careers, and it goes down pretty quickly after that.
The bullpen ranks pretty high. Hader was an amazing closer for the Brewers, although he’s recently been imploding in late 2022 (albeit that’s largely occurred with the Padres after the big trade). Still, he was so good with the Brewers. Fingers qualifies for the team and brings a Cy Young & MVP to the awards cabinet. Plesac and Sanders were both very effective for the team.
Futures
It was just a tad early for me to include Brandon Woodruff and the 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, but they both could make the team with another good year or two. The same goes for Devin Williams, who’s been awesome out of the bullpen.
#23–Chicago White Sox
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
CHW
|
1
|
.494
|
.464
|
.486
|
.520
|
.529
|
.473
|
The White Sox have had intermittent success in the divisional era. From 1969-1982, they did not make the postseason. In 1983 they broke through with a 99 win season, but lost to Baltimore in the playoffs. They have made the postseason 6 times since then, with the highlight being their 2005 championship team that swept the Astros in the World Series. As you can see from the table above, they were a pretty solid team in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Over the past 3 seasons, they’ve had a very strong team as well, playing at a .550 level (roughly translates to a 90-win per season team).
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Carlton Fisk
|
50.5
|
6.00%
|
45.5
|
|
1B
|
Frank Thomas
|
80.6
|
6.00%
|
72.6
|
|
2B
|
Ray Durham
|
44.4
|
6.00%
|
40.0
|
|
3B
|
Robin Ventura
|
66.4
|
6.00%
|
59.8
|
|
SS
|
Tim Anderson
|
50.5
|
6.00%
|
45.5
|
|
LF
|
Carlos Lee
|
39.9
|
6.00%
|
35.9
|
|
CF
|
Chet Lemon
|
61.1
|
6.00%
|
55.0
|
|
RF
|
Magglio Ordonez
|
53.3
|
6.00%
|
48.0
|
|
DH
|
Harold Baines
|
53.8
|
4.75%
|
38.3
|
|
SP1
|
Mark Buehrle
|
72.5
|
5.25%
|
57.1
|
|
SP2
|
Wilbur Wood
|
70.7
|
5.00%
|
53.0
|
|
SP3
|
Chris Sale
|
69.1
|
4.75%
|
49.2
|
|
SP4
|
Jack McDowell
|
50.1
|
4.50%
|
33.8
|
|
SP5
|
Alex Fernandez
|
48.2
|
3.25%
|
23.5
|
|
RP1
|
Keith Foulke
|
70.3
|
3.75%
|
39.6
|
|
RP2
|
Roberto Hernandez
|
58.8
|
2.75%
|
24.2
|
|
P
|
Bobby Jenks
|
55.4
|
2.00%
|
16.6
|
|
P
|
Jose Quintana
|
54.2
|
2.00%
|
16.3
|
|
P
|
Bobby Thigpen
|
38.1
|
2.00%
|
11.4
|
|
Res
|
A.J. Pierzynski
|
32.7
|
2.00%
|
9.8
|
|
Res
|
José Abreu
|
54.4
|
2.00%
|
16.3
|
|
Res
|
Jose Valentin
|
49.0
|
2.00%
|
14.7
|
|
Res
|
Alexei Ramírez
|
45.7
|
2.00%
|
13.7
|
|
Res
|
Paul Konerko
|
48.9
|
2.00%
|
14.7
|
|
Res
|
Lance Johnson
|
48.1
|
2.00%
|
14.4
|
|
Mgr
|
Ozzie Guillen
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
848.9
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Carlton Fisk
|
Ray Durham
|
Mark Buehrle
|
Keith Foulke
|
A.J. Pierzynski
|
|
1B
|
Frank Thomas
|
Robin Ventura
|
Wilbur Wood
|
Roberto Hernandez
|
José Abreu
|
|
2B
|
Ray Durham
|
Magglio Ordonez
|
Chris Sale
|
Bobby Jenks
|
Jose Valentin
|
|
3B
|
Robin Ventura
|
Frank Thomas
|
Jack McDowell
|
Jose Quintana
|
Alexei Ramírez
|
|
SS
|
Tim Anderson
|
Harold Baines
|
Alex Fernandez
|
Bobby Thigpen
|
Paul Konerko
|
|
LF
|
Carlos Lee
|
Carlos Lee
|
|
|
Lance Johnson
|
|
CF
|
Chet Lemon
|
Carlton Fisk
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Magglio Ordonez
|
Chet Lemon
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Harold Baines
|
Tim Anderson
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
848.9
|
23
|
|
Offense
|
94.1
|
25
|
|
Defense
|
11.7
|
28
|
|
Speed
|
6.5
|
23
|
|
Infield
|
217.8
|
20
|
|
Outfield
|
138.9
|
29
|
|
Catching
|
55.3
|
21
|
|
Starting 9
|
440.5
|
26
|
|
Bench
|
83.6
|
22
|
|
Staff
|
324.8
|
12
|
|
Rotation
|
216.6
|
14
|
|
4 Starters
|
193.2
|
15
|
|
Bullpen
|
108.1
|
8
|
|
Short Relief
|
80.4
|
8
|
Position/Roster Notes:
3 of the biggest names on offense are first basemen: Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko, and Jose Abreu. I put all 3 on the roster, but only Thomas starts (I installed Harold Baines as the primary DH).
Ramirez and Valentin both offer some position flexibility, so that helped their cases in making the roster.
Lots of good candidates for the bullpen. I went with Foulke as the closer as I saw him as the most effective of the primary candidates, but I also went with Hernandez (who’s also the closer for Tampa Bay), Jenks, and Thigpen, who’s the franchise saves leader.
Missed the Cut:
Dick Allen would have been an interesting selection with his amazing 1972 MVP performance (when he came pretty close to a Triple Crown) and then leading the league again a couple of years later in home runs, but he fell well short of the games played threshold (he only had 348).
Speaking of leading the league in home runs, just prior to Allen’s feats, Bill Melton caused quite a stir when he had back-to-back seasons of 33 home runs in 1970 & 1971, the latter leading the league. It marked the first time a White Sox player had hit 30 or more homers in a season, and if memory serves, I believe it was the first time a White Sox player had ever led the league.
Tim Raines was considered – he had 5 pretty good seasons with the White Sox, but he wasn’t near the force he had been with Montreal.
Ozzie Guillen is #6 on the White Sox all-time games played list, carrying on the team’s tradition of strong defensive shortstops (Luis Aparicio, Luke Appling, Chico Carrasquel, and Ron Hansen), but Ozzie was a pretty limited offensive player, so I opted for others like Anderson and Ramirez who had more well-rounded games.
Other starting pitchers who were considered were Jon Garland, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Richard Dotson, and two additional leties – Britt Burns and Wilson Alvarez.
Matt Thornton was a solid lefty reliever for 8 seasons with the White Sox – he’s not a closer, was more of a middle reliever type, but was a consistently good performer.
"Grand" Club:
Paul Konerko, Frank Thomas, Ozzie Guillen, Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk, Robin Ventura, Jose Abreu, Alexei Ramirez, Ray Durham, A.J. Pierzynski, Magglio Ordonez
Mount Rushmore Four:
Frank Thomas, Carlton Fisk, Paul Konerko, Harold Baines
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Left handed starting pitching, bullpen
Weaknesses: Outfield, defense
In the kickoff article, I mentioned how my first exposure to the all-time White Sox franchise team (in the early 1970’s) was that their identifying characteristic was a severe lack of power. They were a speed, defense, and pitching franchise. It was a franchise of Eddie Collins and Luis Aparacio and Minnie Minoso and Luke Appling and Ray Schalk and Johnny Mostil and Willie Kamm and Fielder Jones.
To illustrate that, here are the home run totals for each of the "original" 16 franchises for 1901-1968:
|
Team
|
League
|
HR
|
|
New York Yankees
|
AL
|
7,421
|
|
San Francisco Giants (also New York)
|
NL
|
6,943
|
|
Chicago Cubs
|
NL
|
5,608
|
|
Detroit Tigers
|
AL
|
5,435
|
|
Cleveland Guardians (Indians)
|
AL
|
5,365
|
|
Philadelphia Phillies
|
NL
|
5,295
|
|
Los Angeles Dodgers (also Brooklyn)
|
NL
|
5,259
|
|
Atlanta Braves (Also Bos & Mil)
|
NL
|
5,196
|
|
Boston Red Sox
|
AL
|
5,187
|
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
NL
|
5,185
|
|
Oakland Athletics (Also Phi & KC)
|
AL
|
5,076
|
|
Cincinnati Reds
|
NL
|
4,862
|
|
Baltimore Orioles (Browns)
|
AL
|
4,848
|
|
Pittsburgh Pirates
|
NL
|
4,437
|
|
Minnesota Twins (Senators)
|
AL
|
4,114
|
|
Chicago White Sox
|
AL
|
3,543
|
Yes, the Yankees hit more than twice as many home runs over that time frame as the White Sox did. Through 1968, the all-time White Sox home run leaders were Minnie Minoso (135) and Sherm Lollar (124). They were the only two players with more than 100.
The Yankees, on the other hand, had 19 (!) players with more than 100 home runs. Tom Tresh was #17 on the Yankees’ list with 140. He would have led the White Sox. So would have Hank Bauer, and Bill Skowron, and, well, you get the idea.
Since 1969, however, the White Sox have been transformed. They are 8th in home runs among those 16 franchises since 1969. Minnie Minoso is now down to #13 on their home run list. They’re not at the top of the power hitting teams, but at least they’ve had several players like Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko, Jose Abreu, Harold Baines, Robin Ventura, and Carlos Lee to bolster the lineup. They may not quite be Charles Atlas, but they’re no longer the 98-pound weaklings.
The White Sox rotation has 3 left handers at the top: Buehrle, Wood, and Sale, and Quintana can also spot start. None of them are likely Hall of Famers, but they’re all more than solid. I alluded to the bullpen earlier, and they rank pretty high as well. Overall, it’s a good staff.
Futures
The White Sox already have some good relievers, but Liam Hendricks might make a push for the team if he can continue to perform.
Starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Dylan Cease could eventually merit inclusion as well, but they’re not there yet.
#22-New York Mets
Team Performance by Decade:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
NYM
|
2
|
.498
|
.486
|
.523
|
.486
|
.504
|
.486
|
In contrast to most of the franchises reviewed so far in the countdown, the Mets have been pretty consistent over the decades. They had winning records in both the 1980’s and the 2000’s, and in the other 3 decades they weren’t much under, posting .486 winning percentages each time.
The Mets have made the postseason just 9 times in the Divisional Era, but they have gone pretty deep during those opportunities. They’ve gone to 5 World Series, losing 3 times and winning twice: the 1969 "Amazin’" version, and then again with the monster 108-win 1986 squad. And, they’re currently in first place in 2022, and look to be on track to their first 100-win season since 1988.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Mike Piazza
|
53.0
|
6.00%
|
47.7
|
|
1B
|
Keith Hernandez
|
59.8
|
6.00%
|
53.8
|
|
2B
|
Edgardo Alfonzo
|
57.5
|
6.00%
|
51.8
|
|
3B
|
David Wright
|
69.8
|
6.00%
|
62.8
|
|
SS
|
Jose Reyes
|
50.4
|
6.00%
|
45.3
|
|
LF
|
Kevin McReynolds
|
42.1
|
6.00%
|
37.9
|
|
CF
|
Carlos Beltran
|
70.5
|
6.00%
|
63.4
|
|
RF
|
Darryl Strawberry
|
67.2
|
6.00%
|
60.5
|
|
DH
|
Howard Johnson
|
52.3
|
4.75%
|
37.3
|
|
SP1
|
Tom Seaver
|
83.8
|
5.25%
|
66.0
|
|
SP2
|
Jacob deGrom
|
79.8
|
5.00%
|
59.9
|
|
SP3
|
Dwight Gooden
|
67.3
|
4.75%
|
47.9
|
|
SP4
|
Al Leiter
|
59.3
|
4.50%
|
40.0
|
|
SP5
|
Jerry Koosman
|
59.9
|
3.25%
|
29.2
|
|
RP1
|
Tug McGraw
|
50.1
|
3.75%
|
28.2
|
|
RP2
|
John Franco
|
41.3
|
2.75%
|
17.0
|
|
P
|
Armando Benitez
|
61.2
|
2.00%
|
18.4
|
|
P
|
Sid Fernandez
|
56.0
|
2.00%
|
16.8
|
|
P
|
David Cone
|
48.2
|
2.00%
|
14.5
|
|
Res
|
John Stearns
|
49.3
|
2.00%
|
14.8
|
|
Res
|
Pete Alonso
|
45.8
|
2.00%
|
13.7
|
|
Res
|
Jeff McNeil
|
44.3
|
2.00%
|
13.3
|
|
Res
|
Cleon Jones
|
39.9
|
2.00%
|
12.0
|
|
Res
|
Tommie Agee
|
49.9
|
2.00%
|
15.0
|
|
Res
|
Mookie Wilson
|
44.0
|
2.00%
|
13.2
|
|
Mgr
|
Davey Johnson
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
880.4
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Mike Piazza
|
Edgardo Alfonzo
|
Tom Seaver
|
Tug McGraw
|
John Stearns
|
|
1B
|
Keith Hernandez
|
Keith Hernandez
|
Jacob deGrom
|
John Franco
|
Pete Alonso
|
|
2B
|
Edgardo Alfonzo
|
Carlos Beltran
|
Dwight Gooden
|
Armando Benitez
|
Jeff McNeil
|
|
3B
|
David Wright
|
Darryl Strawberry
|
Jerry Koosman
|
Sid Fernandez
|
Cleon Jones
|
|
SS
|
Jose Reyes
|
Mike Piazza
|
Al Leiter
|
David Cone
|
Tommie Agee
|
|
LF
|
Kevin McReynolds
|
David Wright
|
|
|
Mookie Wilson
|
|
CF
|
Carlos Beltran
|
Howard Johnson
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Darryl Strawberry
|
Kevin McReynolds
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Howard Johnson
|
Jose Reyes
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
880.5
|
22
|
|
Offense
|
130.7
|
12
|
|
Defense
|
19.3
|
26
|
|
Speed
|
14.4
|
12
|
|
Infield
|
213.8
|
21
|
|
Outfield
|
161.8
|
18
|
|
Catching
|
62.5
|
14
|
|
Starting 9
|
460.6
|
24
|
|
Bench
|
81.9
|
24
|
|
Staff
|
338.0
|
6
|
|
Rotation
|
243.1
|
3
|
|
4 Starters
|
214.2
|
3
|
|
Bullpen
|
94.8
|
19
|
|
Short Relief
|
63.6
|
21
|
Position/Roster Notes:
During his time with the Mets, Alfonso was about 50% second base and about 50% third base (with a touch of shortstop), but the team needs him more at second, so that’s where he landed.
I went with Johnson at DH because he’s a little more experienced, but Alonso would get plenty of time there as well. Johnson can be the backup shortstop (he had 273 games there, which was plenty for me).
Missed the Cut:
I think a lot of folks would put Gary Carter on the team, but Stearns had a better score and more time with the franchise, so I opted for him. Jerry Grote was another option at catcher.
Bud Harrelson could have made the team as a backup shortstop, but I decided to let Johnson provide backup duty to Reyes there. Daniel Murphy and Wally Backman had some good moments, but not enough to make the team.
Michael Conforto was in contention for a backup outfield spot, but I went with other options.
Jon Matlack, Johan Santana, and Rick Reed were strongly considered for the pitching staff, but there were better options.
In the bullpen, Jesse Orosco was a tough cut for me, as was Billy Wagner, but I felt McGraw and Franco were better options. Wagner will show up on the Astros.
"Grand" Club:
David Wright, Jose Reyes, Howard Johnson, Mookie Wilson, Darryl Strawberry, Edgardo Alfonso, Ed Kranepool, Bud Harrelson
Mount Rushmore Four:
Tom Seaver, David Wright, Darryl Strawberry, Jacob deGrom
I’m sure many would support Piazza and Hernandez for this honor, but I like the 4 above better. I still think of Piazza as more of a Dodger and Hernandez as more of a Cardinal. Beltran is another one who might have a legitimate claim.
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Starting Pitching, speed
Weaknesses: Defense, depth
When I think of the Mets, I think of big time, hard throwing, dominating right handed pitchers. Seaver (3 Cy Youngs), Gooden (1 Cy Young), and deGrom (2 Cy Youngs) is a pretty dynamic trio when they’re on their games.
If you go by rWAR, the Mets have 4 of the top 25 single-season performances in the Divisional ERA: Gooden 1985 (#1 with 12.2), Seaver 1973 (#9 with 10.6), Seaver 1971 (#14 with 10.2), and deGrom 2018 (#25 with 9.5). Boston has 3 (2 by Pedro Martinez and 1 by Roger Clemens), and no other franchise has more than two. The two lefties (Koosman and Leiter) round out a rotation that ranks right up with the best of them from this era.
There’s also some pretty good speed on the team, more than I thought there would be. Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Strawberry, Johnson, Wilson, and Agee all provide pretty decent speed, and Stearns was one of the better base-stealing catchers you’ll see.
In addition to the strong starting pitching, one thing that is particularly notable about the Mets is the depth of their left-handed hurler options, both starters and relievers. Koosman, Leiter, Fernandez, McGraw, and Franco are the 5 lefties that are on the roster, but in addition to them, there are starters Jon Matlack and Johan Santana (not as good as his Minnesota version, but still pretty good) and Jessie Orosco, Billy Wagner, and Randy Myers in the bullpen.
The lefty options in the bullpen are particularly intriguing to me. The top 15 career saves leaders include Franco (#1), Wagner (#2), Myers (#3), McGraw (#10) and Orosco (#15). All 5 were significant pitchers for the Mets. Ultimately, I went with McGraw and Franco as the ones who fit the team best.
Futures
Alsonso, McNeil, and deGrom are already on the team. Francisco Lindor, who will be Cleveland’s roster, has played two seasons for the Mets and is still only 28 years old. He hasn’t done quite as well for the Mets as he did for Cleveland, but he’s the type of player who could push for a roster spot if he stays with the franchise for a number of years.
Brandon Nimmo could be a future consideration as well, but not sure if he’ll get there. Edwin Diaz had a rough season in his first year as a Met in 2019, but he’s been better since, and could force his way into consideration with a few more seasons.
#21-Seattle Mariners
Team Performance:
|
Team
|
WS Titles
|
Overall W-L %
|
1970's*
|
1980's
|
1990's
|
2000's
|
2010's**
|
|
SEA
|
0
|
.472
|
.386
|
.430
|
.495
|
.517
|
.475
|
The Mariners had their lone winning decade in the 2000’s, highlighted by the 2001 team that tied the 1906 Cubs for the most wins (116) in a single season. The Mariners have only been to the postseason 4 times in their 45 seasons, and all of those were packed into the 7-year stretch of 1995-2001. Most of the rest of their existence has been pretty far removed from contention.
Roster Listing:
|
Pos
|
Player
|
Raw Score
|
Weight
|
Adjusted Score
|
|
C
|
Dan Wilson
|
32.9
|
6.00%
|
29.6
|
|
1B
|
Alvin Davis
|
42.3
|
6.00%
|
38.1
|
|
2B
|
Robinson Canó
|
62.7
|
6.00%
|
56.5
|
|
3B
|
Kyle Seager
|
58.6
|
6.00%
|
52.8
|
|
SS
|
Alex Rodriguez
|
87.8
|
6.00%
|
79.0
|
|
LF
|
Raul Ibanez
|
35.2
|
6.00%
|
31.7
|
|
CF
|
Ken Griffey Jr.
|
88.6
|
6.00%
|
79.8
|
|
RF
|
Ichiro Suzuki
|
72.1
|
6.00%
|
64.9
|
|
DH
|
Edgar Martinez
|
87.6
|
4.75%
|
62.4
|
|
SP1
|
Felix Hernandez
|
72.9
|
5.25%
|
57.4
|
|
SP2
|
Randy Johnson
|
66.9
|
5.00%
|
50.2
|
|
SP3
|
Jamie Moyer
|
60.6
|
4.75%
|
43.2
|
|
SP4
|
Freddy Garcia
|
48.6
|
4.50%
|
32.8
|
|
SP5
|
Mark Langston
|
48.0
|
3.25%
|
23.4
|
|
RP1
|
J.J. Putz
|
56.1
|
3.75%
|
31.6
|
|
RP2
|
Edwin Díaz
|
58.4
|
2.75%
|
24.1
|
|
P
|
Kazuhiro Sasaki
|
35.8
|
2.00%
|
10.8
|
|
P
|
Arthur Rhodes
|
51.3
|
2.00%
|
15.4
|
|
P
|
Hisashi Iwakuma
|
50.2
|
2.00%
|
15.1
|
|
Res
|
Dave Valle
|
28.5
|
2.00%
|
8.5
|
|
Res
|
John Olerud
|
48.1
|
2.00%
|
14.4
|
|
Res
|
Bret Boone
|
48.6
|
2.00%
|
14.6
|
|
Res
|
Adrian Beltre
|
56.9
|
2.00%
|
17.1
|
|
Res
|
Jay Buhner
|
43.7
|
2.00%
|
13.1
|
|
Res
|
Nelson Cruz
|
53.2
|
2.00%
|
16.0
|
|
Mgr
|
Lou Piniella
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
882.3
|
Grid View:
|
Pos
|
Name
|
Batting Order
|
Rotation
|
Bullpen/Spot
|
Reserves
|
|
C
|
Dan Wilson
|
Ichiro Suzuki
|
Felix Hernandez
|
J.J. Putz
|
Dave Valle
|
|
1B
|
Alvin Davis
|
Edgar Martinez
|
Randy Johnson
|
Edwin Díaz
|
John Olerud
|
|
2B
|
Robinson Canó
|
Alex Rodriguez
|
Jamie Moyer
|
Kazuhiro Sasaki
|
Bret Boone
|
|
3B
|
Kyle Seager
|
Ken Griffey Jr.
|
Freddy Garcia
|
Arthur Rhodes
|
Adrian Beltre
|
|
SS
|
Alex Rodriguez
|
Alvin Davis
|
Mark Langston
|
Hisashi Iwakuma
|
Jay Buhner
|
|
LF
|
Raul Ibanez
|
Raul Ibanez
|
|
|
Nelson Cruz
|
|
CF
|
Ken Griffey Jr.
|
Robinson Canó
|
|
|
|
|
RF
|
Ichiro Suzuki
|
Kyle Seager
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Edgar Martinez
|
Dan Wilson
|
|
|
|
Rankings:
|
Category
|
Score
|
Rank
|
|
Team Score
|
882.3
|
21
|
|
Offense
|
116.6
|
17
|
|
Defense
|
31.3
|
22
|
|
Speed
|
2.9
|
29
|
|
Infield
|
226.4
|
16
|
|
Outfield
|
176.4
|
11
|
|
Catching
|
38.2
|
27
|
|
Starting 9
|
494.8
|
16
|
|
Bench
|
83.7
|
21
|
|
Staff
|
303.8
|
18
|
|
Rotation
|
207.0
|
20
|
|
4 Starters
|
183.6
|
19
|
|
Bullpen
|
96.9
|
17
|
|
Short Relief
|
66.4
|
20
|
Position/Roster Notes:
Buhner might have been a better choice over Ibanez in left field, but I felt that would be too much of a stretch to put him there.
Cano vs. Boone was a pretty good battle at second base, but I think Cano is the better of the two. Cano is primarily thought of as a Yankee, of course, but his 5 seasons in Seattle were pretty good as well, fairly comparable in overall value to his New York seasons, maybe a bit below defensively.
I’m not crazy about the backup infielder options, especially at shortstop, so rather than go with someone like Jose Lopez or Omar Vizquel and drop someone like Cruz or Beltre or someone else, I’m going to use Seager as the emergency backup to A-Rod. I considered someone like Mark McLemore, who was such a super-utility player for a few years, but decided there just wasn’t enough there.
The Seattle years weren’t Beltre’s best years, but he was still pretty decent and won a couple of Gold Gloves there, so I have him as a backup to Seager.
Missed the Cut:
Outfielders Mike Cameron and Phil Bradley were pretty good outfielders who would have given the team some much-needed speed, but they got caught in a numbers game as I went for other options.
Julio Cruz, Carlos Guillen, Harold Reynolds, and Omar Vizquel were all considered as options, but they didn’t do enough to make the team.
Ken Phelps, the inspiration for a team of his own, was in contention, but I just didn’t have a slot for him.
Starting pitchers Erik Hanson, Mike Moore, Floyd Bannister and reliever Jeff Nelson were options for the pitching staff.
"Grand" Club:
Edgar Martinez, Ichiro Suzuki, Ken Griffey Jr., Kyle Seager, Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson, Alvin Davis, Harold Reynolds, Raul Ibanez
Mount Rushmore Four:
Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez, Felix Hernandez
Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson could easily have been included, but I felt like the 4 above were more iconic for the franchise. Johnson was terrific for Seattle, especially in the back half of his time with the franchise, but most of his amazingness was realized with Arizona. Similar with A-Rod….he was probably the best player pound for pound, but Griffey Jr., Ichiro, and Martinez all played more than twice as many games with the Mariners, and I think they are more representative of the franchise than A-Rod is. I think I’ve got the right quartet.
Team Assessment:
Strengths: Outfield, Star Power
Weaknesses: Catching, speed
Superstars are abundant on the Mariners. The top 4 in the batting order (Ichiro, Martinez, A-Rod, and Griffey Jr.) is pretty awesome.
Griffey Jr. is either the #1 or #2 centerfielder in this era, depending on how you would rank Mike Trout. Martinez is probably the #1 DH, depending on where you would rank David Ortiz and depending on whether you would consider Frank Thomas to be a DH or not. The Mariners’ version of A-Rod is certainly in the running for the overall #1 shortstop of the era among all teams, although he only was with the Mariners for 7 years, which knocks him below Cal Ripken in the scoring methodology (although they’re very close). And, Suzuki is a bona fide icon as well, collecting over 3,000 MLB hits, taking home 10 straight Gold Gloves, and winning a couple of batting crowns despite not starting his MLB career until age 27.
Johnson was certainly the better pitcher over the course of his entire career, but most of his glory was with the Diamondbacks, and Hernandez had a higher score (Hernandez had about 50% more time than Johnson – 50% more seasons, 50% more innings pitched). They had identical 3.42 ERA’s with the franchise. So, I have King Felix #1, and Big Unit #2, with Moyer completing a solid trio.
The team is kind of good all-around without a bunch of strong strengths or weaknesses outside of catching and overall team speed. They rank in the high teens to the low 20’s in most of the categories.
Futures
Center fielder Julio Rodriguez is already a star at age 21, surpassing 20 HR and 20 stolen bases in his rookie season. We’ll definitely keep an eye on him. J.P. Crawford is a shortstop worth tracking to see if he can merit a backup position. Right fielder Mitch Haniger has had some good moments, and he might work his way onto the roster.
Wrapping it Up
Teams #16 through 20 are next up. As a hint, the next group of 5 franchises will feature one expansion franchise and 4 of the "original" franchises, and together they have won a collective 8 World Series titles in this era, and one of the five actually is in the top 4 in overall winning percentage during this era.
Thank you for reading.
Dan