WGN All-Time All Chicago Team

[clyons]

WGN Channel 9 has started an online vote for the "All-Time All Chicago" Baseball Team, with the winning line up to be revealed on a special to air on Saturday, September 27th at 4:00 p.m.

 

You can find the ballot here:

 

http://baseball.wgn.com/pages/vote_c

 

Let's make sure the White Sox are well represented. I'll hurl if I have to see Shammy, Shawon, Soriano, Santo and other assorted Cubbies exclude more well-deserving Sox.

 

My picks:

 

Frank Thomas 1B

Nellie Fox 2B

Luke Appling SS

Robin Ventura 3B

Joe Jackson LF

Jim Rivera CF

Harold Baines RF

Ted Lyons RSp

Billy Pierce LSp

Hoyt Wilhelm Rp

Carlton Fisk C

Frank Thomas DH

Ozzie Guillen Mgr

 

 

An honest, less-partisan ballot would probably include Maddux as RSp and Sutter as Rp, and so long as I could vote Frank at DH, Banks as 1st.

 

What say you?

 

 

[Texsox]

There are some tough calls all around. I'd also have to think about getting Ryno in there as well.

[knightni]

Aparicio's better than Appling, I think.

[Chisoxfn]

Ya, Ernie Banks would have to be the SS.

[BearSox]

I'd have Mark Grace at first and Thomas at DH, with Ernie at short and Big Ed Walsh as my starter.

Edited September 8, 2008 by BearSox

[maggsmaggs]

My team would go as follows:

 

C-Carlton Fisk

1b-Mark Grace

2b-Ryne Sandburg

SS-Ernie Banks

3B-Ron Santo

DH-Frank Thomas

OF-Shoeless Joe

OF-Hack Wilson

OF-Billy Williams

 

SP-Fergie Jenkins

SP-Ed Walsh

Cl-Lee Smith (bobby jenks one day)

Edited September 8, 2008 by maggsmaggs

[knightni]

Mark Grace is overrated.

 

I'd rather have Konerko there.

[clyons]

Aparicio's better than Appling, I think.

 

Luke's lifetime average was .310; Louie's was .262.

[Texsox]

My team would go as follows:

 

C-Carlton Fisk

1b-Mark Grace

2b-Ryne Sandburg

SS-Ernie Banks

3B-Ron Santo

DH-Frank Thomas

OF-Shoeless Joe

OF-Hack Wilson

OF-Billy Williams

 

SP-Fergie Jenkins

SP-Ed Walsh

Cl-Lee Smith (bobby jenks one day)

 

Hard to argue with this lineup, but thematically, there is no one from the team that actually won a world series in the past 100 years. I'm not certain where anyone would play, but that seems odd.

 

And knowing how these polls go, there will be a few who played the past 5 years. Current always trumps in a few spots.

[clyons]

If Mark Grace is the best first baseman in the history of Chicago baseball, that fact goes a long way towards explaining why the city has one championship in forever. I know he had a great glove, but being a great defensive first basemen is two cuts above being tallest midget. First base is and always will be a power, offensive position, and the man never hit 20 homers or drove in 100 runs.

 

Overall, Derek Lee is a better firstbaseman than Mark Grace. So are Paulie, Big Frank, Dick Allen, Rafael Palmeiro and Ernie Banks, who was a SS by trade.

 

Nevertheless, I fully expect "Gracie" to win this poll in a landslide. Cubbie love and the recency of his tenure will be hard to overcome.

[knightni]

Luke's lifetime average was .310; Louie's was .262.

Yeah, but Aparicio was a an excellent defender and base stealer.

[clyons]

Yeah, but Aparicio was a an excellent defender and base stealer.

 

I know, but that's the problem with these "all-time" lists; you really can't compare defense or other intangibles without having watched guys play, and both these guys were well before our time. I went with Appling not only because of his much higher career average (he also bests Luis with a .399 to .311 career OBP), but also because he played his entire 20-year career in Chicago. Of course, you can't go wrong either way, and if you approach it as if you were putting a true team together instead of a "best of" list, you'd definitely want a burner like Aparicio on there.

[YASNY]

I'm going by memory here on who I picked in this poll a few days ago, with my reasoning.

 

Catcher - I picked Carlton Fisk because, well, he was Pudge.

 

First Base - I went with Dick Allen because he was a force. Correction, FORCE. I remember Banks as an old, slow 1B with good hands and supple wrists that allowed him the longevity to reach 512 dingers. In retrospect, I probably should have given the nod to Konerko.

 

Second Base - Fox won an MVP, as did Sandburg. Fox made it to a World Series, Ryno didn't. Fox was a magician with bat while Ryno had power he was just very good. Defensively, I don't remember Fox. Ryno was great at making the routine plays, and that has value, but I went with Nellie.

 

Shortstop - I'm not old enough to remember Banks as a SS, but he did get two MVP's I believe. Appling never even crossed my mind, my bad. I went with Little Looie because I know what he brought to a game with his defense and speed. I probably should've went with Banks based on the MVP awards, but was partial toward Aparicio. He was one of my favorites a child, so I won't apologize.

 

Third Base - Ron Santo. To me, this is no contest.

 

Left Field - Minnie Minoso. Not much to back this pick up with, so I'm open to discussion.

 

Center Field - I went with Jim Landis, but it could have been Jim Rivera or even Ken Berry as far as I'm concerned. Lance Johnson even crossed my mind. I'm sure I'm forgetting about the obvois choice here. Griffey doesn't qualify, imo.

 

Right Field - Billy Williams. He had a Griffey-esque swing (in Jr's prime) against a much less diluted collective MLB pitching staff.

 

RHP starter - I went with Fergie Jenkins. He won 20 or more for 5 years in a row. Don't make this a forum for aguing wins is a lousy measure a pitcher. Maddux twirled most of his magic in Altanta. If you are going pick based on Chicago, you might as well give the nod to Lamar Hoyt.

 

LHP starter - Billy Pierce. Compare his numbers to a HOF lefty from his era, Whitey Ford.

 

RP - I went with Big Bad Bobby Jenks. Gossage did his stuff elsewhere for the most part. I haven't checked the details, but Sutter was in Chicago about as long as Jenks has been, I think. Jenks played a major role in bringing a championship to Chicago. Sutter, eh ... didn't.

 

DH - Frank. Nuff said.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Hard to argue with this lineup, but thematically, there is no one from the team that actually won a world series in the past 100 years. I'm not certain where anyone would play, but that seems odd.

 

Shoeless Joe did.

[Felix]

Hard to argue with this lineup, but thematically, there is no one from the team that actually won a world series in the past 100 years. I'm not certain where anyone would play, but that seems odd.

Frank Thomas has a ring from 2005.

[greg775]

Catcher: Pudge.

1b - Ernie Banks (he played in Chicago longer than Dick Allen).

2b - Fox, Sandberg tie.

ss- Aparacio (Kessinger, Alan Bannister runnersup, joke on Alan).

3b - Santo (I loved Bill Melton and Robin).

LF - Shoeless Joe.

CF- Hack Wilson

RF - Billy Williams.

Righty: Ferguson Jenkins.

LP - Buehrle, Kenny Holtzman second.

RP - Sutter, Jenks tie.

DH - Big Hurt.

 

Apologies to Minnie, Ozzie, Paulie, Dye, Beckert, et. all.