Choosing 16 MLB's positional players since 1970

[saturdaysarebetter]

With current 26-man rosters, if you had to choose 16 positional players since 1970 as we're going with a 10-man pitching staff that's so good you don't need more than 10.

You have to have two catchers: Bench and Rodriquez. So now you're down to 14 position players to select.

1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Joe Morgan
SS: Derek Jeter (argue about it later)
3B; Mike Schmidt

There are your infield starters so now you're down to 10 position players to select.

Infield back-ups: Miguel Cabrera, Rod Carew, Cal Ripken, George Brett and Wade Boggs so now you're down to five outfielders to select.

OF: Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki

Are you putting ARod on the team? Who comes off if you do? Will one of those be your DH or do you add Big Papi? If so, who gets replaced?

Arguments for anyone that I didn't list and who gets replaced?

 

[molsaniceman]

C-FISK
1B-PUJOLS
2B-MORGAN
3B-SCHMIDT
SS-RIPKEN
LF-BONDS
CF-TROUT
RF-WALKER
DH-THOMAS

SP-CLEMENS
MADDUX
JOHNSON
RYAN
PEDRO
BP
RIVERA
GOSSAGE
HOFFMAN
FINGER
LEE SMITH
ECKERSLEY

BENCH
HENDERSON
BOGGS
GRIFFEY JR
OZZIE SMITH
AROD

 

[Clayton]

Peak or career?

 

[Cedrique]

With current 26-man rosters, if you had to choose 16 positional players since 1970 as we're going with a 10-man pitching staff that's so good you don't need more than 10.

You have to have two catchers: Bench and Rodriquez. So now you're down to 14 position players to select.

1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Joe Morgan
SS: Derek Jeter (argue about it later)
3B; Mike Schmidt

There are your infield starters so now you're down to 10 position players to select.

Infield back-ups: Miguel Cabrera, Rod Carew, Cal Ripken, George Brett and Wade Boggs so now you're down to five outfielders to select.

OF: Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Jr., Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki

Are you putting ARod on the team? Who comes off if you do? Will one of those be your DH or do you add Big Papi? If so, who gets replaced?

Arguments for anyone that I didn't list and who gets replaced?

At first glance that's a pretty good list. Not much I would change. But there is no Jeter argument necessary. A Rod is the starting shortstop. I'm not sure who I'd leave off though. That's a pretty solid list. Probably Jeter or Carew even though they are both great players.

 

[Cedrique]

Also, I'd prolly leave Ichiro off and add Trout. Maybe as a DH he would be less injury prone.

 

[broncosmitty]

ARod at short. Easy decision.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Peak or career?

Career

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

At first glance that's a pretty good list. Not much I would change. But there is no Jeter argument necessary. A Rod is the starting shortstop. I'm not sure who I'd leave off though. That's a pretty solid list. Probably Jeter or Carew even though they are both great players.

You'd leave off the player with the SIXTH MOST HITS ALL-TIME or a SEVEN-TIME batting champion??

 

[Old Sweater]

You'd leave off the player with the SIXTH MOST HITS ALL-TIME or a SEVEN-TIME batting champion??

Myself I’d use the player with the most WAA at each position. Wins are more important than hits or awards

 

[navamind]

You'd leave off the player with the SIXTH MOST HITS ALL-TIME or a SEVEN-TIME batting champion??

Jeter: .310/.377/.440, 115 OPS+
A-Rod: .295/.380/.550, 140 OPS+

real hard decision. Bigger question is A-Rod versus Honus Wagner.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Myself I’d use the player with the most WAA at each position. Wins are more important than hits or awards

What's WAA? Warm Air Avection? Wide Area Augmentation?

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Jeter: .310/.377/.440, 115 OPS+
A-Rod: .295/.380/.550, 140 OPS+

real hard decision. Bigger question is A-Rod versus Honus Wagner.

A-Rod roided. Honus did not and were his years in the dead ball era?

 

[Cedrique]

You'd leave off the player with the SIXTH MOST HITS ALL-TIME or a SEVEN-TIME batting champion??

You'd leave off a shortstop with almost 700 home runs? There's a lot of tough choices to make

 

[broncosmitty]

I might go ahead and start Rickey at DH.

He’s a weapon off the bench, but might as well start the best lead off hitter ever.

1. Rickey DH
2. Morgan 2nd
3. Bonds LF
4. Pujols 1st
5. Griffey CF
6. Schmidt 3rd
7. Bench C
8. Trout RF
9. ARod SS

 

[Cedrique]

Jeter: .310/.377/.440, 115 OPS+
A-Rod: .295/.380/.550, 140 OPS+

real hard decision. Bigger question is A-Rod versus Honus Wagner.

I think Honus was dead by 1970

 

[navamind]

I think Honus was dead by 1970

I ilitirit

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

You'd leave off a shortstop with almost 700 home runs? There's a lot of tough choices to make

How many of those were roid free?

 

[Cedrique]

How many of those were roid free?

No idea. How many of Bonds's were roid free? He's on your list.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

No idea. How many of Bonds's were roid free? He's on your list.

Yes he is, but he was also a three-time MVP as a Pirate before he became the Incredible Bulk.

 

[Clayton]

I might go ahead and start Rickey at DH.

He’s a weapon off the bench, but might as well start the best lead off hitter ever.

1. Rickey DH
2. Morgan 2nd
3. Bonds LF
4. Pujols 1st
5. Griffey CF
6. Schmidt 3rd
7. Bench C
8. Trout RF
9. ARod SS

I'd honestly be tempted to put Bonds at 1 when the whole lineup can be called a power hitter. Frank Thomas as a DH