Welp here it is, folks. The All-Time team of all All-Time teams. The best of the Bronx Bombers. Murderer's Row. The Empire.
Here's the All-Time roster for the New York Yankees:
Leading off for the Yankees.. the Shortstop.. Derek Jeter
The headliner of this year's Hall of Fame class, Derek Jeter is sixth on the all-time hits list with 3,465. The 14-time All-Star is the Yankees' all-time leader in games played, hits, doubles, and stolen bases. Jeter won five Gold Gloves, five Silver Slugger awards, and five World Series over his 20-year career. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 1996 and World Series MVP in 2000. The Captain played an entire seasons' worth of playoff games and slashed .308/.374/.465 in October(and November), consistent with his regular season slash line of .310/.377/.440.
Batting second for New York.. the Center Fielder.. Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio was an All-Star in every one of his 13 seasons with the Yankees. The three-time AL MVP set a record with hits in 56 consecutive games in 1941. "Joltin' Joe" played in ten World Series, winning nine, and posted a career slash line of .325/.398/.579. DiMaggio led the league in home runs twice, RBI twice, batting average twice, and total bases three times. Like many players of his day, DiMaggio missed three seasons in his prime while serving in the military during World War II.
Batting third.. the Right Fielder.. Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth transformed the game of baseball in the 1920s. Few - if any - athletes in sports history have set the bar so much higher than their predecessors. Ruth hit more home runs than most teams during his incomparable prime years. The all-time leader in slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and offensive WAR is the all-time leader in total WAR (inclusive of his pitching stats). Ruth led the league in home runs twelve times, led the league in slugging and OPS thirteen times, and could have won AL MVP that many times had there not been a rule in place prohibiting repeat winners.
Batting fourth.. the First Baseman.. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig wasn't the showman Babe Ruth was, but he was an equally dangerous hitter. Batting behind the Babe, Gehrig collected 1,995 career RBI - seventh all-time and first in Yankees history. The "Iron Horse" set a seemingly unbreakable record of 2,130 consecutive games played, and set the standard for first basemen with 112.4 career WAR. Gehrig won two AL MVP awards, led the league in RBI and on-base % five times, and posted five seasons of 400+ total bases. He played in seven World Series, winning six, and belted 10 home runs in 34 Fall Classic contests.
Batting fifth.. the Left Fielder.. Mickey Mantle
An icon of the sport and the sports card hobby, Mickey Mantle took the torch from Joe DiMaggio and roamed the spacious center field at Yankee Stadium for 15 seasons. DiMaggio's defense was a bit better and "The Mick" played left field more frequently (mostly in 1965) so he'll move over in this lineup. Mantle's switch-hitting power produced 536 home runs, which was third all-time when he retired in 1969. His home run total remains second to Ruth in Yankees history. The 20-time All-Star won seven World Series, three AL MVP awards, a batting title, a Gold Glove, and a Triple Crown in his legendary career.
Batting sixth.. the Third Baseman.. Alex Rodriguez
The first overall pick in the 1993 draft, Alex Rodriguez began his long and eventful career in Seattle, winning a batting title at age 20 and joining the 40/40 club at age 22. The Mariners desperately needed "A-Rod" as their All-Time Team's shortstop but he played the majority of his career in pinstripes. Rodriguez won three AL MVP awards, ten Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves, and helped the Yankees win their most recent World Series title in 2009. The 14-time All-Star is fourth in history with 696 career home runs and led the league in long balls five times.
Batting seventh.. the Catcher.. Yogi Berra
One of the more colorful personalities in baseball history, Yogi Berra won three MVP awards and ten World Series rings in his Hall of Fame career. The 18-time All-Star hit 20+ home runs in ten consecutive seasons from 1949-1958. Berra slugged 358 home runs - fourth-most all-time among catchers and fifth-most in Yankees history. His 1,430 RBI are also fifth in Yankees history and the most ever for a catcher. Yogi played a little bit of left field late in his career, including the 1960 World Series. He is one of two Hall of Fame baseball players buried in New Jersey.
Batting eighth.. the Designated Hitter.. Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey was an all-time great catcher in his own right. The Yankees retired number 8 for both he and Yogi Berra. An eleven-time All-Star and seven-time World Series champion, Dickey's career slash line of .313/.382/.486 is slightly better than Berra's. He didn't have Yogi's home run power, but Bill walked far more than he struck out. Starting in 1936, Dickey posted four consecutive seasons with 20+ home runs, 100+ RBI, and a .300 or better batting average. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954.
Batting ninth.. the Second Baseman.. Robinson Cano
Robinson Cano is the only active player on the Yankees' All-Time roster. In nine seasons with the team, Cano won five Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves, a World Series, and finished top-5 in MVP voting three times. The eight-time All-Star is eighth in Yankees history with 375 career doubles (more than Mickey Mantle) and his .309 career batting average as a Yankee is ninth-best. Who has the sixth-most RBI, the fourth-most doubles, and the second-most home runs of all second basemen in history? Cano, don't you know.
The Starting Pitcher for the Yankees.. Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford won more games than any pitcher in Yankees history, and his 53.5 career WAR is highest among Yankee starters. The "Chairman of the Board" was named to ten All-Star teams, pitched in eleven World Series, and won six championships over his 16-year Hall of Fame career. Ford led the league in ERA, ERA+, WHIP, and shutouts in 1958 - but teammate Bob Turley won 21 games and the Cy Young award. Whitey won his Cy Young in 1961, after leading the league in wins, innings pitched, games started, and fielding-independent ERA. He finished third in AL MVP voting in 1963 - after another season in which he led the AL in wins, starts, and innings pitched.
Catcher - Jorge Posada
1st Base - Don Mattingly
Infield - Tony Lazzeri
Outfield - Charlie Keller
Outfield - Bernie Williams
The "core four" is present and accounted for, as Posada warranted carrying a third catcher. Mattingly won nine Gold Gloves, a batting title, and AL MVP in 1985 - but not a World Series. Hall of Famer Lazzeri is 12th in Yankees history in hits, doubles, and total bases. Bernie is third in team annals with 449 doubles. Hall of Famer Earle Combs and Tommy Henrich were strongly considered, but Keller's numbers were comparable and this roster needed a natural left fielder.
#2 Starter - Ron Guidry
#3 Starter - Jack Chesbro
#4 Starter - Andy Pettitte
#5 Starter - CC Sabathia
This is an extremely left-handed rotation. Guidry won the Cy Young award and finished second in AL MVP voting in 1978. Chesbro (the only righty in the rotation) posted a 2.58 ERA and a 2.39 FIP over seven seasons for the New York Highlanders. Pettitte pitched in 44 playoff games and struck out more batters than any pitcher in franchise history. CC's Yankees stats rival Hall of Famers Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing; his career accomplishments give him the edge.
LH Reliever - Steve Hamilton
LH Reliever - Sparky Lyle
LH Reliever - Dave Righetti
RH Reliever - David Robertson
RH Reliever - Rich Gossage
RH Reliever - Mariano Rivera
Manager: Casey Stengel
Home: Yankee Stadium
Home: Yankee Stadium
Leading off for the Yankees.. the Shortstop.. Derek Jeter
The headliner of this year's Hall of Fame class, Derek Jeter is sixth on the all-time hits list with 3,465. The 14-time All-Star is the Yankees' all-time leader in games played, hits, doubles, and stolen bases. Jeter won five Gold Gloves, five Silver Slugger awards, and five World Series over his 20-year career. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 1996 and World Series MVP in 2000. The Captain played an entire seasons' worth of playoff games and slashed .308/.374/.465 in October(and November), consistent with his regular season slash line of .310/.377/.440.
Batting second for New York.. the Center Fielder.. Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio was an All-Star in every one of his 13 seasons with the Yankees. The three-time AL MVP set a record with hits in 56 consecutive games in 1941. "Joltin' Joe" played in ten World Series, winning nine, and posted a career slash line of .325/.398/.579. DiMaggio led the league in home runs twice, RBI twice, batting average twice, and total bases three times. Like many players of his day, DiMaggio missed three seasons in his prime while serving in the military during World War II.
Batting third.. the Right Fielder.. Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth transformed the game of baseball in the 1920s. Few - if any - athletes in sports history have set the bar so much higher than their predecessors. Ruth hit more home runs than most teams during his incomparable prime years. The all-time leader in slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and offensive WAR is the all-time leader in total WAR (inclusive of his pitching stats). Ruth led the league in home runs twelve times, led the league in slugging and OPS thirteen times, and could have won AL MVP that many times had there not been a rule in place prohibiting repeat winners.
Batting fourth.. the First Baseman.. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig wasn't the showman Babe Ruth was, but he was an equally dangerous hitter. Batting behind the Babe, Gehrig collected 1,995 career RBI - seventh all-time and first in Yankees history. The "Iron Horse" set a seemingly unbreakable record of 2,130 consecutive games played, and set the standard for first basemen with 112.4 career WAR. Gehrig won two AL MVP awards, led the league in RBI and on-base % five times, and posted five seasons of 400+ total bases. He played in seven World Series, winning six, and belted 10 home runs in 34 Fall Classic contests.
Batting fifth.. the Left Fielder.. Mickey Mantle
An icon of the sport and the sports card hobby, Mickey Mantle took the torch from Joe DiMaggio and roamed the spacious center field at Yankee Stadium for 15 seasons. DiMaggio's defense was a bit better and "The Mick" played left field more frequently (mostly in 1965) so he'll move over in this lineup. Mantle's switch-hitting power produced 536 home runs, which was third all-time when he retired in 1969. His home run total remains second to Ruth in Yankees history. The 20-time All-Star won seven World Series, three AL MVP awards, a batting title, a Gold Glove, and a Triple Crown in his legendary career.
Batting sixth.. the Third Baseman.. Alex Rodriguez
The first overall pick in the 1993 draft, Alex Rodriguez began his long and eventful career in Seattle, winning a batting title at age 20 and joining the 40/40 club at age 22. The Mariners desperately needed "A-Rod" as their All-Time Team's shortstop but he played the majority of his career in pinstripes. Rodriguez won three AL MVP awards, ten Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves, and helped the Yankees win their most recent World Series title in 2009. The 14-time All-Star is fourth in history with 696 career home runs and led the league in long balls five times.
Batting seventh.. the Catcher.. Yogi Berra
One of the more colorful personalities in baseball history, Yogi Berra won three MVP awards and ten World Series rings in his Hall of Fame career. The 18-time All-Star hit 20+ home runs in ten consecutive seasons from 1949-1958. Berra slugged 358 home runs - fourth-most all-time among catchers and fifth-most in Yankees history. His 1,430 RBI are also fifth in Yankees history and the most ever for a catcher. Yogi played a little bit of left field late in his career, including the 1960 World Series. He is one of two Hall of Fame baseball players buried in New Jersey.
Batting eighth.. the Designated Hitter.. Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey was an all-time great catcher in his own right. The Yankees retired number 8 for both he and Yogi Berra. An eleven-time All-Star and seven-time World Series champion, Dickey's career slash line of .313/.382/.486 is slightly better than Berra's. He didn't have Yogi's home run power, but Bill walked far more than he struck out. Starting in 1936, Dickey posted four consecutive seasons with 20+ home runs, 100+ RBI, and a .300 or better batting average. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954.
Batting ninth.. the Second Baseman.. Robinson Cano
Robinson Cano is the only active player on the Yankees' All-Time roster. In nine seasons with the team, Cano won five Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves, a World Series, and finished top-5 in MVP voting three times. The eight-time All-Star is eighth in Yankees history with 375 career doubles (more than Mickey Mantle) and his .309 career batting average as a Yankee is ninth-best. Who has the sixth-most RBI, the fourth-most doubles, and the second-most home runs of all second basemen in history? Cano, don't you know.
The Starting Pitcher for the Yankees.. Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford won more games than any pitcher in Yankees history, and his 53.5 career WAR is highest among Yankee starters. The "Chairman of the Board" was named to ten All-Star teams, pitched in eleven World Series, and won six championships over his 16-year Hall of Fame career. Ford led the league in ERA, ERA+, WHIP, and shutouts in 1958 - but teammate Bob Turley won 21 games and the Cy Young award. Whitey won his Cy Young in 1961, after leading the league in wins, innings pitched, games started, and fielding-independent ERA. He finished third in AL MVP voting in 1963 - after another season in which he led the AL in wins, starts, and innings pitched.
Now let's take a look at the Yankees' bench and bullpen:
Catcher - Jorge Posada
1st Base - Don Mattingly
Infield - Tony Lazzeri
Outfield - Charlie Keller
Outfield - Bernie Williams
The "core four" is present and accounted for, as Posada warranted carrying a third catcher. Mattingly won nine Gold Gloves, a batting title, and AL MVP in 1985 - but not a World Series. Hall of Famer Lazzeri is 12th in Yankees history in hits, doubles, and total bases. Bernie is third in team annals with 449 doubles. Hall of Famer Earle Combs and Tommy Henrich were strongly considered, but Keller's numbers were comparable and this roster needed a natural left fielder.
#2 Starter - Ron Guidry
#3 Starter - Jack Chesbro
#4 Starter - Andy Pettitte
#5 Starter - CC Sabathia
This is an extremely left-handed rotation. Guidry won the Cy Young award and finished second in AL MVP voting in 1978. Chesbro (the only righty in the rotation) posted a 2.58 ERA and a 2.39 FIP over seven seasons for the New York Highlanders. Pettitte pitched in 44 playoff games and struck out more batters than any pitcher in franchise history. CC's Yankees stats rival Hall of Famers Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing; his career accomplishments give him the edge.
LH Reliever - Steve Hamilton
LH Reliever - Sparky Lyle
LH Reliever - Dave Righetti
RH Reliever - David Robertson
RH Reliever - Rich Gossage
RH Reliever - Mariano Rivera
Mike Stanton made the fifth-most appearances in Yankees history, but Hamilton pitched more innings and had better control. Lyle won a Cy Young in 1977 and made three All-Star teams. Righetti is second to Rivera in career appearances and saves for the franchise. Robertson posted a 154 ERA+ over nine seasons in the Bronx. "Goose" made nine All-Star teams in his Hall of Fame career. Rivera is the greatest closer of all-time and a unanimous Hall of Famer. Good luck trying to mount a comeback against this bullpen.
Stay tuned for our next All-Time Team, the Oakland Athletics.
Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!
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Solid choices!
ReplyDeleteYou'd you pick for manager, and why is it John McGraw?
ReplyDeleteI also see that you snubbed Joe McGinnity.
Also you didn't go with Torrens at catcher. Otherwise it's a decent squad :).
DeleteThat's one hell of a lineup. No question that the Yankees have had the best top position players of any franchise, and pretty much the best bullpen too. The starting pitching isn't quite up there, but it's not bad.
ReplyDeleteI definitely would have given A-Rod to the poor Mariners. The Yankees could make do just fine with Craig Nettles.
Pretty good. But Gomez, Ruffing, and Mel Stottlemyre as Yankees deserve to make it over Chesbro, Pettitte, and CC. Joe Gordon was considered such a superior fielder he deserves it over Poosh'em Up Lazzeri, and you should've picked Allie Reynolds, great swing man, over Robertson.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking, what kind of a team you could pick with players not mentioned here? Phil Rizzuto, Elston Howard, Thurman Munson, Hank Bauer, Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, probably a lot more if I took the time to think about it.
DeleteI've actually heard of all but one of the starters. And about 3/4ths of the backups. That's the most so far of any team.
ReplyDeleteHuh, I was actually expecting the bench and reserves to be chock full of Hall of Famers too. Gossage and Rivera is just unfair.
ReplyDeleteI think there are enough great players in Yankee history to make a "B Squad" that would compete with other all-time teams you've put together so far.
ReplyDeleteI actually considered that!
DeleteHere's a run-down of other Yanks I considered(or didn't)
ReplyDeletePitchers - Gomez, Ruffing, possibly Mel Stottlemyre
Allie Reynolds walked way too many hitters. Same for Waite Hoyt.
Catchers - Munson made the Barnstormers (or Barnes-stormers if you prefer ;) ) Elston Howard was a strong candidate, but the Yanks are so deep at catcher!
1st Base - Bill Skowron was strongly considered. Very tough decision there.
Infield - Gordon and Rizzuto got a long look. Gil McDougald and Willie randolph were considered. Tony Kubek and Bobby Richardson were not (low OPS+) Nettles would have been the third baseman if A-Rod was assigned to Seattle.
Outfield - Combs, Henrich, Bobby Murcer, Roy White, and Roger Maris all got a look. Hank Bauer and Brett Gardner were in the mix as well.
I guess that's your B-team (minus a bullpen). Not bad, huh?
How could I forget Randolph? Bullpen - Joe Page, Dellin Betances, Jeff Nelson . . . a lot of guys who pitched for several teams so I'm not sure where they would stand.
DeleteThat batting lineup is just insane! They're so stacked, you gotta figure they'd match up well against any of the all-division teams. Can't wait to see my the roster for my beloved A's.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!
ReplyDelete