Updated Featured Page

[GloveCrazy]

OK, so it's been a while, but I've finally updated the Featured page on my website (www.glovecrazy.com). Check out the newbies, and thanks to those of you who have made some fun trades with me. By the way, check out my all-time baseball lineup at the bottom of the homepage. Feel free to debate my selections here. Ricky you got anything to say?

[Rickybulldog]

Nice update RM. I always seem to have something to say.

I'd go:
My man Rickey in left (too bad his arm is toast, but l'd take him anyday).
Ty Cobb in center
Ruth in right
George Brett at 3rd
Cal Ripken Jr. at SS
Jackie Robinson at 2nd
Gehrig at 1B
Josh Gibson at catcher
DH Paul Molitor (true DH)

I think my team would take the pennant. Although I think we would implode due to Cobb and the colored players.

My mascot would be Chico Escuela.

Apparently my other seamless Wilson didn't cut the mustard. Can't get any better than Mint. Right, Frank?

[GloveCrazy]

What are you going to single me to death? I like the Josh Gibson pull, and Jackie Robinson is certainly there with Morgan, but by all objective measurements you'll be mercy-ruled. I say go boy with your innovative slow left-handed right fielder who may not be able to throw to third base (regardless of needing to pirouette on a ball to the gap). Of all the historical power hitters you picked Paul Moiltor as your DH (who by the way was only a DH later in his career). With your singles-are-beautiful approach why not Ichiro or was he too quick?

To recap, mine was Henderson (LF), Morgan (2B), A-Rod (SS), Bonds (DH), McGwire or Gehrig (1B), Mays (CF), Schmidt (3B), Bench (C), and Clemente (RF). I feel bad not having Aaron or Hornsby but that's just how it goes. If no DH then Ruth is my LH pitcher.

[vintagebrett]

I'll take Koufax in his prime on the mound and put in a bunch of second stringers and beat you guys 1 to 0.

[GloveCrazy]

Not so fast, Mr. Koufax in his prime (good choice, though). Several people by the names of Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens, etc. believe they have something to add to the discussion. By the way, who were the so-called second stringers you are taking?

[Rickybulldog]

Funny Knock at PM, but I thought we were going by position/who has done it before. I'm sure he ranks up there for those who have DH'd in the American League. Although I must admit that my team would probably have to wait 50 games for your girls to show up to the dance because some failed the urine test. Pitching wise my lefty would be Hubbell and my righty would be Cy young (come on they have an award named after him).

Brett, I'd love to take on Koufax and the JV squad.

[GloveCrazy]

Ricky, I thought your team was the JV squad (if that). I agree, though, that a couple of my players may have used a substance or two but only to "aid in their injury recovery to get back faster to their teammates." Are we sure that none of your guys ever did anything outside the rules or societal norms? Don't make me name names.

But yes, positionally, we are going by who has excelled in that position, except for DH which is a modern phenomena and I doubt much of a stretch for any of the historical power hitters (Aaron, Reggie, Ruth?). I'm surprised we haven't heard from National league fans trying to ban the DH because of how fun it is to watch the pitchers bat.

[Number9]

Rob, did you win the Stall & Dean 0949 Tris Speaker on ebay a couple weeks back? I had that glove on my watch list. Saw the stubby fingers and thought maybe it was a Cobb. Great glove, and from what I recall, great price.

I'll throw my squad out there. I don't think I've repeated any names from the other lists.

P. Walter Johnson
P. Pud Galvin - who needs a lefty? I've got the first juicer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pud_Galvin
C. Carlton Fisk
1B. Jimmie Foxx
2B. Napoleon Lajoie
3B. Brooks Robinson
SS. Ozzie Smith
LF. Ted Williams
CF. James Cool Papa Bell
RF. Frank Robinson

[GloveCrazy]

Yes, was pretty committed on those two ebay Stall & Dean full webs -- sorry a little for the S&D greed lately but I've been trying to fill some holes in the run. It's funny because I kind of kicked myself for going deep on the stubby finger one, but the glove was much better than the pictures suggested (helps make up for some of the other cat-pee and stiff-as-a-board ones (need to dust off the terms) I've "won" recently). The endorsement is really faint, but the model number's pretty clear which is just fine for my collection.

Ah, our first non DH roster ... dang strategic-talking, pitching-around-number-eight-inept-hitting National league. Give me a big slow-moving swinging-from-his-heels burley guy anyday.

Interesting selections, though. Certainly a good combination of defense and power. I really liked the Pud Galvin pull ... now there's a little history I hadn't heard before. I was a Frank Robinson fan but not until later in his career ... was he a good right fielder in his prime? What is your batting order (I assume you weren't leading off with your pitcher and then the speedy Pudge)? Speaking of Pudge, Ivan Rodriguez received an invite to the sandlot (must have been accidentally sent to Paul Molitor).

It's sort of interesting that we've had our third center fielder and still no switch-hitting Mickey Mantle in CF. I'm not the biggest Mickey Mantle guy in terms of best ever, but having switch-hiitters in these sandlot rosters are a definite balance bonus, and the Mick was pretty quick in his prime. Eddie Murray also comes to mind as a good switch-hitting 1B or DH candidate.

For the rest of you, you don't have to make unique selections ... just take the guy you would most like to have at each position. But you need to balance team speed, defense, power, and have some combination of righty/lefties in your batting order. List the names in their batting order. We are talking about players in their prime, but no flash-in-the-pan Mark Fidrych type primes. Hello Ken Griffey Jr. Let's see 'em!

[Number9]

You must have also won the Hall & Dean model. That glove looked pretty dusty but solid, no? Hope that wasn't the cat pee glove.

I listed them in order of their position number. Never set a batting order. If overlap was expected, I'd have chosen Clemente for RF and Cobb for CF. I'm pretty happy with the rest of the lineup. Would have loved it if The Wizard had a bat on his resume, but I'll take a hit up the middle being scored as an automatic out.

I'm an AL fan, but, I'm neither here nor there with regards to the DH. I understand the argument, and it's a good one. It's certainly more fun to watch a big bat over a strike out, but it feels like backyard rules to me. If I had to pick one, I'm going with a juiced up David Ortiz. I don't think anyone has ever done it better. Until now, when everyone is doing it better.

As it stands, here's how I'd line em up.

1. Cool Papa
2. Lajoie
3. Williams
4. Foxx
5. F. Robinson
6. Fisk
7. B. Robinson
8. Smith
9. Johnson

With DH and my top picks for the OF positions.

1. Cobb
2. Lajoie
3. Williams
4. Foxx
5. Ortiz
6. Fisk
7. Clemente
8. B. Robinson
9. Smith

Pretty good when you can have Roberto Clemente in the seven slot.

[Rickybulldog]

Number 9, thanks for posting. I was thinking Cool Papa as well.
I loved one of his memorable quotes:
On scouts: "They used to say, 'If we find a good black player, we'll sign him.' They was lying."
and on his speed:
"Once he hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit his a#$ sliding into second." - Satchel Paige


Rob Mucha, I admire your Earl Weaver approach to the game with the "Big Inning", but always remember the "Casey syndrome."
I happened to drive by Gold's Gym and saw Benito Santiago and Jason Giambi and they said they wanted to join your squad. I also noticed that you failed to list your righty pitcher. Clemens? No, wait I know it's Jose Canseco right?

While surfing the net I found some BP tops for your squad. Too bad they weren't muscle shirts.




If you like the shirts , they can be purchased from this site (I think they're hilarious):
http://thesteroidera.blogspot.com/2006/08/list-of-steroid-hgh-users-in-baseball.html

[vintagebrett]

Ok, with Koufax on the mound, here's the lineup going out behind him.

1 - Eddie Collins, 2B
2 - Roberto Clemente - OF
3 - Ted Williams - OF
4 - Hank Greenberg - 1B
5 - Hank Aaron - OF
6 - Roy Campanella - C
7 - George Brett - 3B
8 - Honus Wagner - SS
9 - Sandy Koufax - P

If we have a DH, it would be:

1 - Eddie Collins, 2B
2 - Roberto Clemente - OF
3 - Ted Williams - OF
4 - Jimmie Foxx - DH
5 - Hank Aaron - OF
6 - Hank Greenberg - 1B
7 - George Brett - 3B
8 - Roy Campanella - C
9 - Honus Wagner - SS

[Rickybulldog]

Nice line up Brett. Campy was a good choice.

Rob M,
I bumped into Rafael Palmeiro and he said that he was trying to get a hold of you. He said, "The shipment is in." He said you would know what he's talking about.

1..,2..,3..,4..,5..,6.., 7...,....8...

[GloveCrazy]

Two words, Mr. Anderson ... mercy-ruled! That's fine that you are a modern player hater, but it's certainly at the peril of your lineup (and I suspect viewing enjoyment). I do find it a little interesting that you think Ricky Henderson was the only one on that A's linebacker-looking lineup that wasn't using. The dude has the record for most home runs as a lead off hitter and is cut, but ...

Anyway, I hear you on the cheating is sometimes bad, non banned performance enhancers are sometimes bad arguments. For what it's worth, though, I believe my guys were Players before they enhanced (McGwire for one had 49 homers as a rookie). There are lots of debates about this but one could make a strong argument that with most people of all positions and sizes doing it (by many reputable accounts) it was more of a standard operating procedure than a cheating thing. Debate on, but I'm appreciative and a supporter of some of the guys from this era (but not so much on Clemens and Palmeiro).

Love the variety of lineups. I don't remember Hammerin' Hank playing much in center, which is considered a challenging defensive position, but that's probably splitting hairs a little. I'm a big fan of Ted Williams, too, and wonder what his amazing numbers would have been like without the many years of military service in the middle of his prime.

Speaking of left fielders, that's sort of the fun thing about the sandlot positional debate ... if there were so many good left fielders to choose from, then that position is not likely going to be selected early after we do the bat handle thing to see who selects first. If not chosen early then are they really in the debate for best ever? Hmm.

Another Brett over Schmidt taker, too, maybe I need to take a closer look at that one. More please.

[GloveCrazy]

By the way, Mr. Bulldog, the Palmeiro shipment were the winning trophies. The organizers saw your lineup and decided to send them to me in advance.

9-10-yer out!