The Giants of Modern Baseball; 1960 to the Present
I pledged to share my Major League All Time All Star team before the end of the current season. The clock is ticking. I experienced a baseball brain freeze this summer as my team, the Chicago White Sox, embarked on a sustained campaign to achieve baseball immortality, the WORST team in history. As of today, they have 36 wins and 120 losses and need only one more defeat to surpass the futility of the 1962 New York Mets. The Mets were an expansion team in its first season and ended up 42-120. The White Sox are 130 years old and therefore needed to make a total commitment to ineptitude to surpass the Mets. To quote Casey Stengel, “Can’t Anyone Here Play This Game?” The Sox’s rapid decline from a 2021 playoff team to the depths of baseball hell has been a depressing exercise or their fans. My MLB App subscription, primarily designed to allow me to follow the Sox from Miami Beach was not a good investment. However, I have now regained my bearings, and after considerable reflection and research, am prepared to announce my All Star Teams. But wait, a preliminary qualification. I, consistent with past sports related postings, will only include players I have actually seen play in person or on television. I won’t rely on the statistics and legends generated by players pre-1960. Therefore, you will not see the names of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dizzy Dean, Hank Greenberg, Carl Hubbell, Cy Young, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Bob Feller or Jackie Robinson on these squads. Instead, these are “contemporary” or “modern” All Star teams, populated by players active from 1960 to 2024. Stars who started their careers in the 50’s but played through the 60’s are legible. There is no inclusion of Negro League stars like Satchel Paige or Josh Gibson. Apologies where required!
There are other self imposed guidelines and parameters re selection criteria. I did not arbitrarily exclude players with steroid era issues, Pete Rose type gambling problems or other off the field considerations. I am not as puritanical Hall of Fame journalist voters. I focus on results and production. My main mantra is “I Know It When I See It” when evaluating athletic excellence. So basically a “gut” or “eyeball” test, but I do default to my own love of statistics when making my judgements. I also give some weight to MLB’s own award process, annual awards or Hall of Fame status based on an outstanding career and body or work. Therefore, I reviewed Hall of Fame selection, MVP awards, Batting Titles, Home Run and RBI totals, Golden Gloves, Stolen Bases, Cy Young Awards, Total Pitching wins and ERA, Wins over Replacement (WAR) data and JAWS, the newest algorithm on high powered performance. I do evaluate active players, but you need to have played more than 5 years to be eligible. Therefore, no Ohtani or Judge. I am probably over inclusive- how modern! I create two full teams. Each has two field position players at each position, 1 designated hitter and an 11 man pitching staff with 8 starters and 3 relief pitchers.
TEAM 1: THE BEST OF THE BEST
Manager: EARL WEAVER
Team Philosophy: Nice Guys Finish Last and Show Me A Good Loser and You Show Me an Idiot - Leo Durocher.
1B: Luis Pujols and Frank Thomas
2B: Joe Morgan and Roberto Alomar
SS: Cal Ripken and Ernie Banks
3B: Mike Schmidt and Alex Rodriquez
C: Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriquez
LF: Barry Bonds and Ricky Henderson
CF: Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle
RF: Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente
DH: Edgar Martinez
Starting Pitchers: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddox and Steve Carlton
Relief Pitchers: Mariano Rivera, Denis Eckersley and Hoyt Wilhelm
TEAM 2: SECOND PLACE IS NO PLACE
Manager: SPARKY ANDERSON
Team Philosophy: Baseball is ninety percent mental - the other fifty percent is physical
1B: Jeff Bagwell and Miquel Cabrera
2B: Rod Carew and Ryne Sandberg
SS: Robin Yount and Ozzie Smith
3B: Eddie Matthews and George Brett
C Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk
LF: Carl Yastermski and Billy Williams
CF: Ken Griffey and Mike Trout
RF: Stan Musial and Frank Robinson
DH: David Ortiz
Starting Pitchers: Warren Spahn, Jim Palmer, Juan Marichal, Phil Niekro, Ferguson Jenkins, Nolan Ryan, Clayton Kershaw and Gaylord Perry
Relief Pitchers: Rich Gossage, Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner
Honorable Mentions; Close But No Cigar; Eddie Murray, Pete Rose, Derek Jeter, Adrian Beltre, Mike Piazza, Al Kaline, Reggie Jackson, Andre Dawson, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Curt Schilling Bruce Sutter and Rollie fingers.
