MLB Hometown Heroes

[Paladin Cecil]

A couple of seasons ago, Major League Baseball did a program where people could vote on who they thought was the franchise player for each team.

 

Of the players that were nominated for each team, which do you agree with all of the nominations for and which teams do you think should've had different nominee? And if you could replace nominees you disagree with with other nominees, who would you replace?

 

The nominees for each team were:

*indicates winner

Baltimore Orioles:

Eddie Murray

Jim Palmer

Cal Ripken, Jr.*

Brooks Robinson

Frank Robinson

 

Boston Red Sox:

Roger Clemens

Jim Rice

Ted Williams*

Carl Yaztrzemski

Cy Young

 

Chicago White Sox:

Luke Appling

Harold Baines

Nellie Fox

Minnie Minoso

Frank Thomas*

 

Cleveland Indians:

Earl Averill

Larry Doby

Bob Feller*

Nap Lajoie

Tris Speaker

 

Detroit Tigers:

Ty Cobb*

Charlie Gehringer

Hank Greenberg

Al Kaline

Alan Trammell

 

Kansas City Royals:

George Brett*

Amos Otis

Brett Saberhagen

Mike Sweeney

Frank White

 

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

Jim Abbott

Don Baylor

Rod Carew*

Chuck Finley

Tim Salmon

 

Minnesota Twins:

Rod Carew

Kent Hrbek

Harmon Killebrew

Tony Oliva

Kirby Puckett*

 

New York Yankees:

Yogi Berra

Joe DiMaggio

Lou Gehrig

Mickey Mantle

Babe Ruth*

 

Oakland Athletics:

Dennis Eckersley

Lefty Grove

Rickey Henderson

Catfish Hunter

Reggie Jackson*

 

Seattle Mariners:

Jay Buhner

Ken Griffey, Jr.*

Ichiro

Edgar Martinez

Jamie Moyer

 

Tampa Bay Rays:

Wade Boggs*

Carl Crawford

Roberto Hernandez

Aubrey Huff

Fred McGriff

 

Texas Rangers:

Rusty Greer

Ivan Rodriguez

Nolan Ryan*

Jim Sundberg

Mark Teixiera

 

Toronto Blue Jays:

Roberto Alomar

Joe Carter*

Tony Hernandez

Pat Hentgen

Dave Steib

 

Arizona Diamondbacks:

Jay Ball

Luis Gonzalez

Randy Johnson*

Todd Stottlemyre

Matt Williams

 

Atlanta Braves:

Hank Aaron*

Chipper Jones

Phil Niekro

John Smoltz

Warren Spahn

 

Chicago Cubs:

Ernie Banks*

Ferguson Jenkins

Ryne Sandberg

Ron Santo

Billy Williams

 

Cincinnati Reds:

Johnny Bench

Joe Morgan

Tony Perez

Frank Robinson

Pete Rose*

 

Colorado Rockies:

Dante Bichette

Vinny Castilla

Andres Galarragga

Todd Helton

Larry Walker*

 

Florida Marlins:

Josh Beckett

Luis Castillo

Jeff Conine

Robb Nen

Dontrelle Willis*

 

Houston Astros:

Jeff Bagwell

Craig Biggio

Larry Dierker

Nolan Ryan*

Jimmy Wynn

 

Los Angeles Dodgers:

Roy Campanella

Sandy Koufax

Pee Wee Reese

Jackie Robinson*

Duke Snider

 

Milwaukee Brewers:

Cecil Cooper

Rollie Fingers

Jim Gantner

Paul Molitor

Robin Yount*

 

New York Mets:

John Franco

Tug McGraw

Mike Piazza

Tom Seaver*

Darryl Strawberry

 

Philadelphia Phillies:

Richie Ashburn

Steve Carlton

Chuck Klein

Robin Roberts

Mike Schmidt*

 

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Roberto Clemente*

Ralph Kiner

Bill Mazeroski

Willie Stargell

Honus Wagner

 

St. Louis Cardinals:

Lou Brock

Bob Gibson

Stan Musial*

Albert Pujols

Ozzie Smith

 

San Diego Padres:

Brian Giles

Tony Gwynn*

Trevor Hoffman

Randy Jones

Dave Winfield

 

San Francisco Giants:

Barry Bonds

Juan Marichal

Willie Mays*

Willie McCovey

Mel Ott

 

Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos:

Gary Carter*

Livan Hernandez

Brian Schneider

Rusty Staub

Jose Vidro

 

The nominees that I disagree with and would replace are:

Orioles: None

Red Sox: Jim Rice with Tris Speaker

White Sox: Harold Baines and Minnie Minoso with Eddie Collins and Ted Lyons

Indians: None

Tigers: None

Royals: Amos Otis and Mike Sweeney with Bo Jackson and Dan Quisenberry

Angels: Chuck Finley with Nolan Ryan

Twins: Kent Hrbek with Jim Kaat

Yankees: None

Athletics: Dennis Eckersley, Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter with Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons and Eddie Plank

Mariners: Either Jamie Moyer or Jay Buhner with Randy Johnson

Rays: None

Rangers: Rusty Greer, Nolan Ryan and Mark Teixiera with Juan Gonzalez, Jeff Burrougs and Charlie Hough

Blue Jays: Pat Hentgen with Tom Henke

Diamondbacks: Todd Stottlemyre with Curt Schilling

Braves: Chipper Jones and John Smoltz with Eddie Mathews and Lew Burdette

Cubs: None

Reds: Maybe Frank Robinson with Ernie Lombardi

Rockies: None

Marlins: Robb Nen with Miguel Cabrera

Astros: None

Dodgers: None

Brewers: Jim Gantner with Gorman Thomas

Mets: None

Phillies: Chuck Klein with Grover Alexander

Pirates: None

Cardinals: Albert Pujols with Rogers Hornsby

Padres: Brian Giles with Benito Santiago

Giants: Barry Bonds with Christy Mathewson

Nationals/Expos: Livan Hernandez, Brian Schneider and Jose Vidro with Tim Raines, Jeff Reardon and either Andre Dawson or Vladimir Guerrero

 

Of the players nominated for each team, which do you agree with and which would you replace?

[Clem Fandango]

The nominees that I disagree with and would replace are:

Red Sox: Jim Rice

 

I don't think you realize just how feared of a hitter Jim Rich was.

 

And this is probably one of the most random topics I've seen posted here, considering the oldness of the actual vote.

 

Welcome to the boards, btw.

[Paladin Cecil]

The nominees that I disagree with and would replace are:

Red Sox: Jim Rice

 

I don't think you realize just how feared of a hitter Jim Rich was.

 

I've seen his career stats and he did put up some great numbers, and for a lot of teams, I'd agree with him being nominated, but with the long and storied history the Red Sox have had, he just seems out of place mentioned with names like Ted Williams and Cy Young.

 

And this is probably one of the most random topics I've seen posted here, considering the oldness of the actual vote.

 

Welcome to the boards, btw.

 

Thanks. :)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

For the Cubs, I'd replace either Fergie or Billy with Sosa. But I'm pretty sure I argued for that at the time of the ballot.

 

On the Rangers ballot, Greer should have been replaced with Juan Gonzalez.

 

Arod should have been on the Mariners ballot somewhere.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Chicago White Sox:

Luke Appling

Harold Baines

Nellie Fox

Minnie Minoso

Frank Thomas*

 

Pete Rose gets consideration, but not Shoeless Joe? Hardly fair.

 

Tampa Bay Rays:

Wade Boggs*

Carl Crawford

Roberto Hernandez

Aubrey Huff

Fred McGriff

 

Hmmm, 2 guys who joined the team well past their prime, 1 guy who had one good season, 1 guy who willbail on the team as soon as possible, and Roberto Hernandez. And They wonder why they've never finished above 4th.

[OleMissCub]

Red Sox: Jim Rice with Tris Speaker

Yes definitely.

 

White Sox: Harold Baines and Minnie Minoso with Eddie Collins and Ted Lyons

Not sure about Lyons, but definitely Collins needs to be in there.

 

Athletics: Dennis Eckersley, Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter with Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons and Eddie Plank

Jimmie Foxx should beat Reggie Jackson and I'd replace Catfish with Gettysburg Eddie. But I'd leave Eckersley.

 

Diamondbacks: Todd Stottlemyre with Curt Schilling

Absolutely. Where the hell did Stottlemyre ever get them?

 

Braves: Chipper Jones and John Smoltz with Eddie Mathews and Lew Burdette

Replace Chipper with Mathews (as of now), but I'd leave Smoltz.

 

Reds: Maybe Frank Robinson with Ernie Lombardi

Hell no.

 

Phillies: Chuck Klein with Grover Alexander

I'd leave Klein but replace Roberts with Alexander.

 

Cardinals: Albert Pujols with Rogers Hornsby

Leave Pujols, but I'd replace Brock with Hornsby. (How was Rogers not on there in the first place, wth?)

 

Giants: Barry Bonds with Christy Mathewson

Naw, but the fact that Mathewson isn't already on there is ludicrous. I'd replace Ott with Mathewson. Mel was a good player but benefited greatly from a right field fence that was 257 feet away...literally.