Theme Teams

Monday, October 18, 2010

All-Time Giants/Phillies Team

Given that both these franchises date back to 1883, it will come as no surprise that there have been literally hundreds of players who have worn both uniforms. Here are the best of them, fashioned, for your convenience, into one nifty imaginary squad. The Giants played their first couple of seasons as the Gothams. The Phillies changed from the Quakers in 1890 and briefly called themselves the Blue Jays 1943-44.

1b - Dan Brouthers*

2b - DICK GROAT

3b - Roger Conner*

SS - Dave Bancroft*

C - BENITO SANTIAGO

LF - LEFTY O’DOUL

CF - WALLY BERGER

RF - Hack Wilson*

DH - AL OLIVER

PH - (r) Pat Burrell

PH - (l) J. R. Phillips

PH - (b) TOM HERR

PR - George Burns

Pitching

RH - Tim Keefe*

RH - KIRBY HIGBE

RH - Red Ames

RH - Jack Taylor

RH - ROBERTO HERNANDEZ

LH - STEVE CARLTON*

LH - TERRY MULHOLLAND

LH - AL SMITH

LH - Dennis Cook

RP - STU MILLER

RP - STEVE BEDROSIAN

RP - MARK DAVIS
RP - Michael Jackson

Closer - JOSE MESA

Mgr - Jack Dunn

Coaches - ALVIN DARK, Kid Gleason, CASEY STENGEL*, Art Fletcher

Announcers - MIKE KRUKOW, JEFF BRANTLEY

League President - BILL WHITE

Reserves

DICK BARTELL
JACKIE BRANDT

Jose Cardenal

VINCE DiMAGGIO
Charlie Hayes

AL HOLLAND

Ivan de Jesus
HARVEY KUENN

Garry Maddox

GARY MATTHEWS
Irish Meusel

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Thursday, October 14, 2010

All-Time Willie Mac Team

The Willie Mac Award is named in honor of Giants Hall of Fame slugger Willie McCovey and is awarded annually to the San Francisco Giants player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership shown by McCovey throughout his career. No serious consideration has even been given to re-naming it the Anti-Bonds Award.

1b - JACK CLARK (1980)

2b - JOE MORGAN* (1982)

3b - DARRELL EVANS (1983)

SS - SHAWON DUNSTON (1996)

C - BENITO SANTIAGO (2001)

LF - Larry Herndon (1981)

CF - MARQUIS GRISSON (2003)

RF - ELLIS BURKS (2000)

DH - JEFF KENT (1998)

PH - (r) ROBBY THOMPSON (1991)

PH - (l) J. T. Snow (1997, 2004)

PH - (b) Jose Uribe (1988)

PR - OMAR VIZQUEL (2006)

Pitching

RH - MATT CAIN (2009)

RH - STEVE BEDROSIAN (1990)

RH - Mark Leiter (1995)

RH - Mark Gardner (2001)

LH - DAVE DRAVECKY (1989)

Mgr - BOB BRENLY (1984)

Announcer - MIKE KRUKOW (1985, 86)

Reserves

David Bell (2002)

Marvin Benard (1999)

Mark Carreon (1995)

Mike Felder (1992)

Kirt Manwaring (1993)

Mike Matheny (2005)

Bengie Molina (2007, 08)

CHRIS SPEIER (1987)

Andres Torres (2010)

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

~Bruce

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

All-Time Halloween Team

I had to dip into the minor leagues to fill out this roster. As you might expect, there is probably too much candy. Suggestions welcome.

1b - Trick McSorley

2b - Creepy Crespi

3b - Candy Taylor

SS - Spook Jacobs

C - Matt Batts

LF - Jo-Jo “The Gause Ghost” Moore

CF - Tricky Nichols

RF - George Owl

DH - Boss Moanaroa

PH - (r) Snake Wiltse

PH - (l) Spider Jorgensen

PH - (b) Harry Maskrey

PR - Bug Holliday

Pitching

RH - BRANDON WEBB

RH - Candy Cummings*

RH - Bump Hadley

RH - Skelton Napier

LH - BOO FERRISS

LH - Moko Moanaroa

Mgr - Dan Howley

Mascot - Screech, Washington Nationals

Broadcaster - Candy Maldonado

Reserves

Creakbaum

Tony Witchousky

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Underlined = Negro Leagues (Taylor)

Friday, October 1, 2010

All-Time Cal Team

The full name is the University of California at Berkeley (my father’s alma mater). They announced on Tuesday that they would be discontinuing their baseball program. To make the squad below, you have to be an alumnus thereof.

1b - SAM CHAPMAN

2b - JEFF KENT

3b - Geoff Blum

SS - Lance Blankenship

C - Bob Melvin

LF - Taylor Douthit

CF - Darren Lewis

RF - JACKIE JENSEN

DH - Kevin Maas

PH - (r) Conor Jackson

PH - (l) Mike Epstein

PH - (b) Chris Clapinski