What a good idea to comment on the MLB choices for each team’s hometown hero / most outstanding player. I have been casting my votes…here they are, along with some comments. I’ll rank all five for each team. First my favorite, the senior circuit…
Arizona: Randy Johnson’s perfect game and Series championship beats out Gonzalez’s steady career. Williams also starred for the Giants, Bell for the Pirates. Why not Greg Counsell or Curt Schilling?
Braves: (1) Aaron, no question. (2) Spahn is the all-time winningest lefty. (3) Niekro won 300 pitching for horrible teams. (4) Tie! Chipper’s run of 100+ RBI seasons and Smoltz’s 150 wins and saves put them at Cooperstown’s doorstep…but how do you pick them over Maddux or Glavine? Dale Murphy’s back to back MVP seasons also take a back seat, because the selectors must’ve wanted young voters to bleed votes away from Aaron.
Cubs: Five fine choices…Ernie, Billy, the underrated Jenkins, Ryno, and Santo. And I wore Sandberg’s 23 at the fantasy camp. Yes, Sammie got the shaft.
Reds: I’ve been voting for Bench instead of the tainted hit king. Robinson had a great career, but it was so split between the Reds and Orioles. Bench, Rose, Robinson, Morgan, Perez.
Rockies: Not much to pick from here, though Larry Walker was a five tool players before being slowed by injuries. Career Rockie Helton tops, Walker, Coor’s Field stud Vinny, El Cate Grande, and Bichette.
Marlins: With the revolving door swinging after each title, nobody has taken a foothold. Dontrell becomes the Marlins all-time wins leader this year. Then Series hero Beckett, followed by Castillo, Conine, and Nen.
Astros: Tough call…I’ll pick Nolan over Biggio and Bagwell, then the Toy Cannon, and Dierker, who has done everything in the organization. How about Ceasar Cedeno?
Dodgers: Even tougher. Jackie is tops, for all he went through. Koufax’s short, excellent career is second, then Campy, Pee Wee, and Duke.
Brewers: Yount was great at the plate, at short, and center…beating out Molitor and Fingers, both of whom also starred elsewhere. Then the under-rated Cooper and Gantner.
Mets: As a Braves fan, perhaps I should be voting for Strawberry. Surely Tom Terrific is tops. The other guys pale in comparison. (2) Strawberry tore it up while he was a Met. (3) Franco’s long career tops (4) Series hero Tug and (5) Piazza, whose best days were in Dodger blue. What about Dwight Gooden?
Phillies: I’m taking Lefty over Schmidt, then Roberts, Klein (who I don’t recall), and Ashburn.
Pirates: Being old school, Honus barely tops the excellent Clemente. Feared power hitter Stargell then beats Series hero Maz and Kiner. Didn’t Pittsburgh have a skinny outfielder win a few MVP’s in the 90’s?
Cardinals: Again the old school Stan the Man beats out the tough as nails Gibson, whom I still dislike for his stint as the Bravos pitching coach…trying to make Rick Mahler a power pitcher! The Wizard’s illustrious career tops Pujols, whom I love…he could be the player of this decade. Brock is no slouch, but brings up the rear of these five.
Padres: Gwynn spent his entire career in San Diego, and boy could he hit for average…most of the time in pain. That beats the amazing Winfield, whom I’m telling my boys about. Winfield spent many years with other teams. Hoffman has been quietly piling up saves for a mostly average team. Jones pitched a no-hitter, and maybe Giles is the current favorite…what about the shortstop Greene? Or Garry Templeton…or Ozzie?
Giants: Say Hey Willie tops this tough five. Perhaps if Bonds wasn’t so tainted and self-absorbed I would pick him. Third is Mel Ott, who hit his 500 homers in a tougher time than Stretch…who stuck around past his prime to pile up homers. Marichal was quite the competitor.
Expos/Nationals: Whether Tim Raines? Wasn’t his number retired? And Ellis Valentine, or even Warren Cromarte? Carter was not my favorite, but he beats le Grande Orange. Write in time! Soriano’s performance for the Nats this year puts him third, then Raines and Valentine. Don’t the Nats have an above average closer?
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