16 All Time MLB Teams

 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.