Baseball's mid-summer All-Star game will be held next Tuesday in Anaheim. Readers of this blog know that I'm a die-hard Cardinals fan. So given next week's big event, I've assembled my all-time roster of Cardinals All-Stars. I imposed only one requirement in putting together my team: the player had to represent the Cardinals at the All-Star game at the assigned position (but did not need to see action in the game). So here's my line-up (defensively, rather than in batting order). I've indicated the most recent year that the player was named to the All-Star team at the assigned position.
Outfield: Joe Medwick (1939), Stan Musial (1963), and Lou Brock (1979)
First Base: Johnny Mize (1941)
Second Base: Frankie Frisch (1935)
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith (1996)
Third Base: Albert Pujols (2001)
Catcher: Joe Torre (1970)
Right-handed pitcher: Bob Gibson (1972)
Left-handed pitcher: Steve Carlton (1971)
Reliever: Bruce Sutter (1984)
Manager: Tony LaRussa (2005)
Each member of my roster is in the Hall of Fame, with the exception of Pujols, Torre, and LaRussa (each almost a certain inductee). As the first All-Star game wasn't played until 1933, I could not include Rogers Hornsby (near the end of his brilliant career by then), who didn't play in an All-Star game. Other Hall of Famers who represented the organization at the summer classic, but didn't make my cut, include Enos Slaughter, Dizzy Dean, Red Schoendienst, and Orlando Cepeda.
I think my team stacks up quite well against other line-ups. If your heart belongs to a different team, who is on your dream roster? (Same requirement — must have represented your team, at the designated position, at the All Star game.) You might find this link helpful (modifying the URL by replacing the "stl" with the relevant abbreviation for your team).
Boston Red Sox:
OF Ted Williams, Carl Yaztremski, Manny Ramirez (on the bench: Rice, Lynn)
1B: Kevin Youkilis (on the bench: Jimmy Foxx)
2B: Bobby Doerr (on the bench: Dustin Pedroia)
3B: Wade Boggs
SS: Nomar Garciaparra (on the bench: Luis Aparicio)
C: Carlton Fisk (on the bench: Jason Varitek)
P: Lefty Grove, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling
Manager: Terry Francona
Baltimore Orioles:
OF: Frank Robinson, Paul Blair, Ken Singleton
1B: Eddie Murray
2B: Roberto Alomar
SS: Cal Ripkin, Jr.
3B: Brooks Robinson
C: Gus Triandos
RHP: Jim Palmer
LHP: Dave McNally
Reliever: Hoyt Wilhelm
Manager: Earl Weaver
Boston fan: no Dom DiMaggio?
Eric: was it a tough choice between Palmer and Mussina? Murray over Boog? Can't say I've heard of Triandos (but remember owning an Andy Etchebarren card!).
C: Johnny Bench
1b: Tony Perez
2b: Joe Morgan
ss: Barry Larkin
3b: Pete Rose
lf: George Foster
cf: Ken Griffey Jr.
rf: Ken Griffey Sr.
Note: 6 of these guys played on the same team!
P: Tom Seaver, Jose Rijo, Mario Soto . . . Don Gullet? Doesn't matter. With that line-up, they don't need a four-man rotation. They can go with 3.
Mgr: Sparky Anderson
Sorry, folks, but no one else besides the Yankees comes close.
Hey Mark — query whether Larkin was an easy choice, given Concepcion's talents.
Detroit Tigers:
I shall stick to players from my lifetime, but all world champions:
Catcher: Bill Freehan
3rd Base: Don Wert
Shortstop: Alan Trammel
2nd Base: Sweet Lou Whitaker
1st Base: Stormin' Norman Cash
Left Field: Willie the Wonder Horton
Center Field: Chet Lemon
Right Field: Al "Mr Tiger" Kaline
RHP: Denny McLain (struck out the side in 66 all star game)/Jack Morris
LHP: Mickey Lolich (MVP of 68 series)
RP: Willie Hernandez
Mgr: Mayo Smith (Brilliant move of Mickey Stanley to shortstop to open spot for Kaline in 68 series)and had to manage McLain to 31 wins
Tim: Murray v. Boog was tough. I went with Murray because he played while I lived in B'more. But I can't imagine not picking Palmer.
Triandos was the O's catcher in the late 50s. A solid defensive player, and reputedly the slowest base-runner ever to play in the majors.
My Tiger team:
Catcher – Mickey Cochrane (He's my manager as well)
1st Base – Hank Greenberg
2nd Base – Charlie Gehringer
3rd Base – George Kell
SS – Alan Trammell
Outfield – Ty Cobb (I know – didn't play in an all star game)
Harry Heilmann – (same problem)
Al Kaline
Pitchers: – Hal Newhouser and Jack Morris
Bob Zinnecker
Penfield, NY
Hi Tim — I like Concepcion — I still have my Dave Concepcion model glove from when I was 9 — but Larkin was at another level. Bill James has him as one of the top 10 shortstops of all time.
The Os are the best!
1b Jim Gentile, 1961. 46 HR and 141 rbi (perhaps the best year of any O except for Frank in 66).
Triandos held the AL record for HRs by a catcher for a long time as I recall
Someone has to try a Yankees roster, so here goes:
1B: Lou Gehrig
2B: Joe Gordon
SS: Derek Jeter (close one with Crosetti & Rizzuto)
3B: Alex Rodriguez (I could be nasty and take Wade Boggs from the Red Sox fans)
OF: Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle
C: Bill Dickey (or Yogi, take your pick)
RHP: Allie Reynolds (could choose Clemens! or Red Ruffing)
LHP: Whitey Ford
Relief: Mariano Rivera (or Goose Gossage)
Mgr: Joe McCarthy (or Torre or Stengel)–not sure if he managed an All Star game though.
Seattle Mariners:
1B Tino Martinez (1995) apologies to the great Alvin Davis
2B Bret Boone (2001) apologies to Harold Reynolds
SS Alex Rodriguez (any year)
3B Edgar Martinez (any year)
C Dan Wilson (1996)
OF Ken Griffey, Jr. (any year)
OF Ichiro (any year)
OF Jay Buhner (1996)
RHP: Felix Hernandez (in the interests of modernity)
LHP: Randy Johnson (any year)
Closer: Shigethosi Hasegawaa (if only because Bob Sheppard loved saying his name.)
Middle Relief: Jeff Nelson (a Joe Torre pick after Nelson's exile)
Manager: Louis Victor Piniella (managed 1991 NL Team)