At some point, it'll be time to do another baseball tournament, I took my positional rankings, did a snake draft for 16 26 man teams. No attempt to place teammates together or otherwise rejigger the rosters, save for a little swapping for platoon purposes.
Team 1
C J.Bench
1B J.Votto L/H.Greenberg R
2B R.Hornsby
SS E.Banks
3B M.Schmidt
LF S.Magee R/J.Cruz L
CF W.Mays
RF D.Winfield R/B. Abreu L
DH D.White L/B.Zobrist S
C E.Lombardi
SS PW Reese
OF K.Lofton
Rotation
1. C.Kershaw L
2. J.Smoltz R
3. L.Tiant R
4. B.Saberhagen R
5. B.Adams R
Bullpen
M.Rivera R
C.Mays R
D.Leonard R
W.Hoyt R
M.Bumgarner L
-That's a lineup. Mays and Horsnby and Bench and Schmidt. In truth, it's likely Votto/Greenberg play most of the time, splitting 1B and DH. Rivera waits in the back of the pen.
Team 2
C G.Carter
1B E.Murray
2B E.Collins
SS J.Cronin
3B E.Mathews
LF C.Keller L/D.Medwick R
CF T.Cobb
RF G.Sheffield R/E.Flick L
DH W.McCovey
C R.Bresnahan
2B F.Dunlap
SS J.Glasscock
3B B.Elliott
OF M.Cameron
Rotation
1. P.Martinez R
2. K.Nichols R
3. T.John L
4. J.DeGrom R
5. F.Tanana L
Bullpen
D.Eckersley R
C.Griffth R
D.Martinez R
M.Langston L
G.Cole R
-lacks the the platoon advantages in Team 1, Cobb and Collins getting on base and looking for Murray and Mathews and McCovey (3M willing to pay for a sponsorship? naming rights for the field) -DeGrom and Cole on the same staff, both active obviously.
Team 3
C I.Rodriguez
1B R.Palmeiro L/M.McGwire R
2B N.Lajoie
SS W.Wells
3B W.Boggs
LF J.Burkett L/B.Johnson R
CF T.Speaker
RF H.Heilmann R/B.Harper L
DH D.Jeter
C J.Sundberg
2B R.Schoendienst
3B M.Machado
OF C.Cedeno
Rotation
1. W.Spahn L
2. C.Schilling R
3. O.Hershiser R
4. S.Koufax L
5. F.Hernandez R
Bullpen
C.Kimbrel R
W.Ferrell R
J.Whitney R
J.Moyer L
B.Rogan R
-Two Negro Leaguers here, Wells and Rogan, Rogan's likely to get some at bats at DH in addition to coming out of the pen. Similar to team 2, the lineup strength is guys getting on base, Lajoie/Boggs/Speaker. Strong rotation, the Dodgers, Hershiser and Koufax, right in the middle.
Team 4
C Y.Berra
1B K.Hernandez L/P.Goldschmidt R
2B J.Morgan
SS L.Boudreau
3B G.Brett
LF G.Goslin L/J. O'Rourke R
CF M.Mantle
RF M.Betts
DH S.Crawford
C J.Posada
2B H.Richardson
SS J.Tinker
3B J.Donaldson
OF B.Butler
Rotation
1. M.Mussina R
2. S.Carlton L
3. P.Galvin R
4. D.Wells L
5. M.Brown R
Pen
J.Papelbon R
R.Guidry L
U.Shocker R
T.Mullane R
P.Derringer R
Tablesetters - Morgan/Brett/Crawford with Mantle and Betts in the middle of the order. Largely, this team uses very similarl lineups every day; we'll find out if Mussina is really an ace for one of the 16 all time MLB teams.
Team 5
C C.Fisk
1B W.Stargell
2B C.Gehringer
SS B.Wallace R/T. Fernandez S
3B P.Molitor R/J.Wilson L
LF A.Simmons
CF M.Trout
RF L.Walker L/Bo. Bonds R
DH D.Ortiz
C B.McCann
2B D.Pedroia
OF Z.Wheat
OF W.Davis
Rotation
1. J.Verlander R
2. M. Scherzer R
3. H.Newhouser L
4. W.Ford L
5. C.Bender R
Pen
G.Gossage R
R.Faber R
D.Price L
J.Powell R
T.Bond R
-Teammates Verlander/Scherzer are 1-2 with team 5. There's some real bop with this group - Trout/Simmons/Stargell/Ortiz.
Team 6
C B.Dickey
1B J.Olerud
2B B.Grich
SS B.Larkin R/J. Sewell L
3B C.Jones
LF L.Berkman S/G. Foster R
CF J.DiMaggio
RF D.Evans R/E. Slaughter L
DH J.Thome
C B.Freehan
2B C.Childs
3B D.Wright
OF F.Lynn
Rotation
1. B.Gibson R
2. G.Perry R
3. E.Walsh R
4. J.Marichal R
5. C.Lee L
Pen
K.Jansen R
T.Hudson R
F.Viola L
B.Walters R
B.Newsom R
Strong rotation, former teammates Marichal and Perry with the strikeout kings, Gibson and Walsh. Larkin/Chipper/Grich all getting on base - and then the Yankees, DiMaggio and Dickey, looking to drive them home. Old teammates, Evans/Lynn here together.
Team 7
C J.Gibson
1B M.Cabrera
2B R.Carew
SS A.Trammell R/JH Lloyd L
3B A.Beltre
LF J.Jackson
CF K.Griffey
RF T.Gwynn L/ V.Guerrero R
DH B.Terry L/A. Belle R
C D.Porter
2B J.Kent
3B H.Groh
OF B.Williams
Rotation
1. B.Blyleven R
2. E.Plank L
3. D.Drysdale R
4. C.Hamels L
5. D.Gooden R
Pen
R.Fingers R
A.Rusie R
V.Willis R
A.Orth R
C.Simmons L
Bats up and down the lineup; pretty relentless 1-9.
Team 8
C G.Hartnett
1B J.Mize
2B L.Whitaker L/T.Lazzeri R
SS O.Smith
3B M.Minoso R/J.McGraw L
LF F.Clarke L/S.Sosa R
CF O.Charleston L/ J.Wynn R
RF P.Waner
DH E.Martinez R/W.Clark L
C B.Downing
SS N.Garciaparra
Rotation
1. L.Grove L
2. N.Ryan R
3. S.Paige R
4. C.Finley L
5. J.Bunning R
Pen
T.Henke R
D.Steib R
B.Grimes R
K. Rogers L
J.Vazquez R
-There's some moving parts here; Edgar was drafted as the starting third baseman, but that doesn't really make sense, he should DH - fortunately, there's Minoso, who is the backup left fielder, so he slides to the platoon at third with McGraw -- that means Sosa moves from a backup RF to a platoon in left. Ton of platoons here and Nomar could get some of those shortstop ABs against LH. Big armed top of the rotation. And the two Jays at the back of the pen.
Team 9
C M.Piazza
1B F.Thomas R
2B F.Frisch
SS D'.Dahlen
3B R.Santo
LF T.Raines
CF C.Beltran S/L.Dykstra L
RF R.Jackson
DH T.Helton L/ J.Clark R
C W.Schang
2B B.McPhee
SS V.Stephens
3B N.Arenado
OF R.Braun
Rotation
1. T.Seaver R
2. Z.Greinke R
3. T.Keefe R
4. M.Buehrle L
5. E.Cicotte R
Pen
B.Wagner L
K.Appier R
D.Trout R
H.Vaughn L
L.Warneke R
Raines up top, then Frank/Reggie/Piazza banging away; there's likely some mixing/matching - maybe Arenado plays 3rd and Santo is your DH against LH. You wish you had a platoon to exploit at short, but both guys are RH. Does Greinke give you enough out of that #2 spot in the rotation? Team 9 will find out.
Team 10
C Y.Molina
1B J.Bagwell R/F.Freeman L
2B R.Alomar
SS L.Appling
3B S.Rolen R/R.Ventura L
LF M.Ramirez R/Bi.Williams L
CF B.Hamilton L/A.Dawson R
RF A.Kaline
DH I.Suzuki L/T.Tulowtizki R
C R.Martin
2B I.Kinsler
Rotation
1. G.Maddux R
2. T.Glavine L
3. J.Clarkson R
4. J.Morris R
5. A.Wanwright R
Pen
T.Hoffman R
M.Loilich L
J.McGinnity R
W.Cooper L
B.Lemon R
It's the platoon team, Alomar and Kaline likely always play, everything else is flexible, Bagwell likely gets DH at bats against some lefties.
Team 11
C L.Parrish
1B R.Connor
2B R.Sandberg
SS R.Yount
3B B.Robinson
LF E.Delahanty R/L.Gonzalez L
CF D.Snider
RF R.Clemente
DH W.Keeler L/B.Ewing R
1B J.Beckley
2B T.Phillips
SS L.Aparicio
3B E.Longoria
OF C.Lemon
Rotation
1. C.Mathewson R
2. P.Niekro R
3. D.Cone R
4. R.Waddell L
5. D.Vance R
Pen
J.Nathan R
T.Bridges R
E.Rixey L
L.Jackson R
D.White L
Ewing's the catcher for this team, but maybe makes more sense away from the dish to start. The bench players feel like depth only, maybe including Gonzalez. Yount can also platoon in center with the Duke to get Aparicio's glove in the lineup. The rotation leans heavily on Mathewson.
Team 12
C B.Posey
1B C.Anson R/F.McGriff L
2B W.Randolph R/J.Evers L
SS A.Vaughan L/M.Tejada R
3B F.Baker L/J.Collins R
LF P.Rose
CF J.Edmonds L/M.Carey S
RF F.Robinson
DH R.Campanella R/S.Thompson L
OF J.Sheckard
Rotation
1. R.Johnson L
2. R.Roberts R
3. D.Sutton R
4. B.Feller R
5. H.Radbourn R
Pen
H.Wilhelm R
D.Dean R
B.Pierce L
V.Blue L
S.Rogers R
No reason not to employ a strict platoon. Rose and Robinson play every day, other than that, everyone else can be mixed and matched. There's some gas on the staff - Dean in the pen, Feller and the Unit in the rotation.
Team 13
C M.Cochrane
1B D.Brouthers L/T.Perez R
2B J.Gordon
SS G.Davis
3B B.Bell R/G.Nettles L
LF C.Yastrzemski
CF C.Torriente L/A.McCutchen R
RF M.Ott
DH K.Cuyler
C C.Bennett
2B B.Herman
SS R.Peckinpaugh
OF R.Kiner
Rotation
1. P.Alexander R
2. F.Jenkins R
3. C.Hubbell L
4. J.Lester L
5. S.Coveleski R
Pen
F.Rodriguez R
J.Williams R
C.Passeau R
C.Buffinton R
J.Tannehill L
Probably missing a LH DH bat, there's not really an ideal move for any of them to be a DH, maybe Kiner plays some RF, Yaz DH'ing against some RH.
Team 14
C T.Munson R/T.Simmons S
1B J.Foxx
2B J.Robinson
SS C.Ripken
3B D.Allen
LF R.Henderson
CF R.Smith S/L.Doby L
RF S.Musial
DH J.Giambi L/G.Stanton R
Rotation
1. C.Young R
2. A.Pettitte L
3. CC Sabathia L
4. R.Reuschel R
5. M.Brown R
Pen
L.Smith R
E.Wynn R
G.Uhle R
J.Kaat L
D.Luque R
Look out, it's Rickey and Musial. It's Jackie and Jimmie Foxx. Couple of Yankees, Pettitte and Sabathia, in the rotation.
Team 15
C J.Torre
1B A.Pujols
2B R.Cano L/C.Biggio R
SS A.Rodriguez
3B D.Evans L/H.Killebrew R
LF T.Williams
CF R.Ashburn L/K.Puckett R
RF H.Aaron
DH N.Cash L/J.Rice R
C G.Tenace
SS J.Rollins
OF D.Strawberry
Staff
1.W.Johnson R
2. K.Brown R
3. R.Ruffing R
4. J.Santana L
5. J.Key L
Pen
T.Gordon R
R.Oswalt R
J.McCormick R
M.Welch R
J.Hiller L
Hank Aaron. Ted Williams. Walter Johnson. Oh, and Pujols and A-Rod.
Team 16
C J.Mauer R/K.Kelly L
1B L.Gehrig
2B C.Utley L/J.Altuve R
SS H.Wagner
3B S.Hack L/K.Boyer R
LF B.Bonds
CF T.Stearnes L/A.Jones R
RF B.Ruth
DH N.Cruz
1B F.Chance
SS D.Bancroft
OF J.Kelley
Staff
1. R.Clemens R
2. J.Palmer R
3. R.Halladay R
4. T.Lyons R
5. C.Sale L
Pen
D.Jones R
J.Koosman L
J.Quinn R
B.Colon R
A.Chapman L
It's clear that the snake draft really favored the teams at the ends, 'cause look what happened here. Babe. Bonds. Gehrig. Wagner. Clemens.