[Wizard of Os]

It's always fun to kick around comparisons between eras in sports, particularly baseball. And this site, naturally, has beaucoup d'exchange of opinions on all-time greats.

Here, then, are more fun and games...who makes your all-time favorite players list, those guys that were the most fun to watch? I promise to stick the rules this time and use only players i've actually seen.

P - Jack Morris (if only for Game Seven 1991), Mike Maddux (because he's awesome in the truest sense of the word), Luis Tiant (if only for the unbelievable delivery), Hideo Nomo (ditto).

RP -- Either Sparky Gossage or Goose Lyle. Or both. Like the Yankees in '78.

C -- Thurman "Puff" Munson.

1B -- Yaz, playing here because i was bombarded with late-era Yaz as a citizen of New England.

2B -- Frank White.

SS -- Derek Jeter probably, but both 1980s Ozzies were great.

3B -- Craig Nettles. Damn, what a glove.

OF -- Rickey Henderson (who remembers the 130-steal season? Geez...); Dave Winfield (loved him on the Padres, loved him on the Yankees, loved him on the Jays...); and Kirby.

DH -- Reg-GIE! Reg-GIE! Reg-GIE!

Manager -- Don Baylor, for what he did with the newborn Colorado Rockies.

Can't wait to see the results...

Cheers all.

[ThePundit]

LHP - Ron Guidry- 1978 - I've never seen anything like that.
RHP - Dave Stieb - I used to love watching him lose it in the field when his fielders made errors. He would stare them down. Classic stuff.

LH Closer: SparkyLyle- He had that huge wad of chewing tobacco in his cheek as he devastated batters with his slider.

RH Closer: Goose Gossage - Batters knew what was coming and still couldn't hit it. Bruce Bochty - Mariners hitter once questioned an umpire's call on a Gossage fastball. He said: "That sounded high."

C - Thurman Munson

1B - Don Mattingly - He never touched a steroid. What he did was just amazing. 6 grand slams in one year. Homered in 10 straight games. His bad back ruined his career.

2b - Joe Morgan - loved that little arm click right before he was about to hit. It always reminded me of when kids put their hands in their armpits and click thir arm down to make the sound of a fart.

ss - Derek Jeter - That play in the playoffs against Oakland where he flipped the ball backhanded to Posada might be the best play I've ever seen in baseball.

3b George Brett- The best hitter I've ever watched play and he would get hits in the big game. 3 homers at Yankee Stadium in the '77 playoffs come to mind. In his prime, one team moved an infielder to the outfield. He still got a hit.

lf Pete Rose - No explanation needed. He played the game the right way.

cf Mickey Rivers - He walked like he was crippled and then he would fly around the bases as fast as anyone I've ever seen.

rf Jose Canseco - Okay so he was on Steroids but I never saw anyone with that much power and speed. Plus, you never knew what was goanna happen with Jose. Whether it be a ball bouncing off his head over the fence or dating Madonna.

dh's - Rod Carew & K. Griffey Junior- What a hitter Carew was. He knew how to bunt for a hit as well which is a lost art today. Griffey in his prime was so awsome. One of the top 5 center fielders ever. Plus what a beautiful stroke he had.

[legend]

RHP - Jim Palmer, only man to win a series game in three different decades
LHP - Ron Guidry, two of his three losses were to the awful Blue jays I believe
Reliever- Mariano Rivera, His career ERA is more than 2 runs less than the rest of baseball's during that period
C- Thurman Munson- The absolute best clutch hitter I ever saw play
1st- Don Mattingly, clutch, best fielder I have seen there, power, and a great guy
2nd- Ryne Sandberg, great power and a great glove
3rd- Brooks Robinson, will always be the standard
SS- Mark Belanger, he couldn't hit{except against Boston} but he was not far below Ozzie as a fielder
LF-Carl Yastrzemski- If you knocked him down, he would get up and hit a home run
CF- Paul Blair- The best I ever saw out there, was a good hitter until he got beaned
RF- Dwight Evans- Best arm and a good hitter
These are the guys I saw play. Obviously I loaded up on defense with this team.

[Wizard of Os]

What, Legend, Pundit, no manager...?

[legend]

I could manage that team, but if I need to pick one, then I pick the greatest strategic manager of all time, Billy Martin. Joe McCarthey can be his bench coach.

[DrCool]

P: Randy Johnson. Hard to beat a guy who can decimate a dove with a baseball. Honorable mention to Jamie Moyer.
1B: Alvin Davis - Mr. Mariner
2B: Ryne Sandberg - Gotta go with the hometown boy
3B: Mike Schmidt - Unequaled
SS: Omar Visquel - A witch with the leather
LF: Barry Bonds - Even with the juice allegations he is still one of the best ever
CF: Ken Griffy Jr - Probably my favorite player of all time. Wish he would have stuck with Seattle.
RF: Ichiro Suzuki - An artist with the stick and the leather.
DH: Edgar Martinez - Wish he knees hadn't given out and he could have played the field more.
Manager: Lou Pinella or Earl Weaver - Need some excitement.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

SP: Frank Tanana. Hard Throwing Left hander in his glory years with the Angels
SP: Mark Fydrich. Just plain fun to watch
SP: Tom Seaver. Hate him on the Mets/Loved him on the Reds...
RP: Al Hrobosky. The mad hungarian…what a flake

1B: Dave Kingman- Just to see him play 1B…. I heard one commentator once say…"The ball fell amongst Kingman"…Steve Garvey as the better able back up...

2B: Ryne Sandberg - I like Ryno…power, speed…/Steve Sax as the back up…poor throws to 1st and all…

3B: Pete Rose- Cause I gotta play him some where...

SS: Luis Aparicio - he could steal…/ Freddie Patek …he had a big, big heart

LF: Barry Bonds - How can I not?....

CF: Freddie Lynn- What could have been minus the injuries…/ Minnie Minoso

RF: Ichiro Suzuki - I like one name Superstars

DH: Frank Howard- The Captial Punisher….just because…/ Tony Oliva…/ Shoeless Joe Jackson...

Manager: Ted Turner…Captain Outrageous once stuck himself at Manager…Billy Martin to back him up...

[EmpireWF]

As long as Cal Ripken is on the squad, I'm set. The guy was a pleasure to watch every time in the field.

[Wizard of Os]

Dark Knight,

Hey, i think you covered basically my entire second team. I was considering "The Bird" and "The Mad Hungarian" (or, as they'd say there "Az orult magyar"). Kingman was hilarious; they used to call Ron Blomberg "Dr. Strangeglove," but Kingman must have been his understudy.

Freddie Lynn was brilliant. I used to throw myself around on the grass trying to make his ridiculous leaping catches. And Ichiro was but a few keystrokes away until i decided to put the Padre on the squad.

Excellent choices, though, Batman.

Hey, when did Turner manage the squad and what was the result of the game? Do you know?

Cheers.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Wizard of Os

Dark Knight,

Hey, i think you covered basically my entire second team. I was considering "The Bird" and "The Mad Hungarian" (or, as they'd say there "Az orult magyar"). Kingman was hilarious; they used to call Ron Blomberg "Dr. Strangeglove," but Kingman must have been his understudy.

Freddie Lynn was brilliant. I used to throw myself around on the grass trying to make his ridiculous leaping catches. And Ichiro was but a few keystrokes away until i decided to put the Padre on the squad.

Excellent choices, though, Batman.

Hey, when did Turner manage the squad and what was the result of the game? Do you know?

Cheers.

Turner managed it for a few games circa 1977 or 1978...the commisioner got mad at him cause it went against league rules...I'll try to find the details...

And I am glad there was one more nut out there trying to throw themselves around making Freddie Lynn catches...I had this big red brick wall where we played...and unfortunately I was no Freddie Lynn...the wall won most of the encounters...

[ThePundit]

Manager has to be Earl Weaver. Nothing like him turning his hat backwards and going face to face with the ump. Gotham: Good picks with Fydrich and Hrabosky. Once in the playoffs against the Yankees Hrabosky pulled that act and Reggie Jackson hit the next pitch about 3 miles.

[StigRoarHusby]

Four-man rotation: Vida Blue, Blue Moon Odom, Mark Fidrych and Dock Ellis
Middle relief: Wilbur Wood
Closer: Dennis Eckersley

Catcher: Carlton Fisk

1st base: Keith Hernandez (.300, gold gloves, smarts & a Civil War buff!)

2nd base: toss-up between Joe Morgan and Bobby Grich

Shortstop: Omar Vizquel (I saw Chris Bosio's no-hitter and nearly passed out when OV barehanded the last grounder by Ernie Riles)

3rd base: Dick (not Richie) Allen

Left field: Ricky Henderson

Center field: Jimmy Wynn

Right field: Roberto Clemente

DH: Edgar Martinez

Manager: Earl Weaver