All-Time Yankees Team
Getting back into the swing of things... gonna go with an easy one - the most storied franchise in baseball history - the New York Yankees All-Time Team.
There aren't many positions that you could debate on this list. I went with Dickey because most historians say that he was a better defensive catcher than Berra (or Posada). You could take Nettles over A-Rod because A-Rod took PED's or because he played elsewhere but he's one of the most decorated players in the history of baseball and he's played more games with the Yankees than he has with any other franchise. Lazzeri is a hall of famer and played in NY for 12 seasons. He has the numbers, the hardware and the tenure to back up the nomination. Joe Gordon only played 2B in NY for seven seasons and Cano is still at the onset of his promising career. Willie Randolph is the other name that comes to mind...
C - Bill Dickey
1B - Lou Gehrig
2B - Tony Lazzeri
SS - Derek Jeter
3B - Alex Rodriguez
OF - Babe Ruth
OF - Joe Dimaggio
OF - Mickey Mantle
DH - Roger Maris
SP - Whitey Ford
RP - Mariano Rivera
There aren't many positions that you could debate on this list. I went with Dickey because most historians say that he was a better defensive catcher than Berra (or Posada). You could take Nettles over A-Rod because A-Rod took PED's or because he played elsewhere but he's one of the most decorated players in the history of baseball and he's played more games with the Yankees than he has with any other franchise. Lazzeri is a hall of famer and played in NY for 12 seasons. He has the numbers, the hardware and the tenure to back up the nomination. Joe Gordon only played 2B in NY for seven seasons and Cano is still at the onset of his promising career. Willie Randolph is the other name that comes to mind...
C - Bill Dickey
1B - Lou Gehrig
2B - Tony Lazzeri
SS - Derek Jeter
3B - Alex Rodriguez
OF - Babe Ruth
OF - Joe Dimaggio
OF - Mickey Mantle
DH - Roger Maris
SP - Whitey Ford
RP - Mariano Rivera
Yogi is by far the choice at catcher. It's not even close. That's the only one off the mark. Yogi has 3 MVPs I think, plus something like 10 rings. As sure of a no brainer as Gehrig at first. I'd probably put Munson ahead of Dickey too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Hersh will agree with you and truth is I did put him there to see if I could get a reaction out of the readers but I do think that it's closer than you think. Dickey has 7 rings so he won his fair share of ballgames. Comparing the two, he has a higher career batting average and by many accounts was the better defensive catcher of the two. Neither player ever led the league in batting average - Dickey finished top 10 three times to Berra's two. Berra was an all-star in 15 seasons... Dickey was an all-star 11 times but the first 4 years of his career they didn't have the all-star game. They were 17th and 18th all-time in defensive games as catcher (Dickey played in 9 more games than Yogi). Dickey led the league twice in Caught Stealing % - Berra never did that although he did finish top 10 ten times (to Dickey's 12). Berra's numbers were better but I always try to keep it in context to the era that the player played in (they didn't keep track of Wild Pitches during Dickey's playing days so some of the defensive numbers are skewed). Berra also played a 260 games in the outfield and Dickey only played catcher. In the end, it's hard to argue against 3 MVP awards (tied with Roy Campanella for most MVP's by a catcher, all-time)... so yes, Berra is probably the better pick but I'm giving Dickey some love.
ReplyDeleteI believe Bench has 3 MVPs as catcher too.
ReplyDelete2... and a ROY.
ReplyDeleteI would have to go with Berra. Played in more world series games than anyone. 3 MVP's and hardly ever struckout. Not great defensive catcher, in fact I read where Dickey caught him how to play catcher. They say he turned into a good defensive catcher. I would put Dickey at DH over Maris. If not Dickey, Mattingly.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you would put Dickey over Maris... considered Mattingly but never really thought of putting the loser of the Berra/Dickey argument there. In his prime, Maris was otherworldly but he would be the first guy to come off of my list- Mattingly might be a better option, Bernie Williams, too.
ReplyDeleteI would think that Cano and Teixeira will have the opportunity to make the list... Teixeira as the DH and Cano as a second baseman. Teixeira could win 8 Gold Glove awards with the Yankees, and hit 30-35 HR every season to go along with 100 R and 100 RBI and that would easily earn him a spot.
With the players the Yankees have had over the years, it's tough to crack this team. Maris was a great player, but hit around .270 for his career. Dickey and Mattingly both over .300. It's hard when Bernie can't make the team. And where do you put Reggie Jackson?
ReplyDeleteI would go Dickey over Berra because Dickey has better career offensive numbers and one could argue that 2 of the 3 MVPs Berra won because he was the catcher for the Yankees. In the end I don't think either one hurts this lineup. The interesting thing is making a lineup.
ReplyDeleteJeter
Dimaggio
Ruth
Mantle
Gehrig
AROID
Dickey
Maris
Lazzeri
I would probably put Munson over Maris for DH. Reggie had his most memorable moment with the Yankees but his bet numbers were with the A's so I would say he should be an A.
i hate the yankees i dont care! but my favorite pilot was munson over cory lidle! all seriousness munson was my favorite yankee and first yankee game i went too he played right field!
ReplyDeleteMantle
ReplyDeleteDiMaggio
Ruth
Gehrig
ARod
Maris
Berra
Cano
Jeter