Fans pick state’s best
Giants’ Kapler, Dodgers’ Roberts to set lineups for epic simulation
It is one of life’s simple pleasures for a baseball manager: filling out a lineup card for the game that day. The blessed task has been put on indefinite hold for Gabe Kapler, the Giants’ new manager, and at times he must find the wait interminable.
In a bit of refreshing news for Kapler, as well as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, both will be presented lineup cards on Tuesday morning. But they won’t be listing such names as Posey, Bellinger, Crawford or Kershaw.
More like Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Barry Bonds and George Brett.
In a marvelous development for “Golden Greats: The I5
Series,” Kapler and Roberts have agreed to pick the starting lineups for the alltime Northern California and Southern California teams, respectively. They’ll do so in a Zoom webinar at 10:30 a.m., and fans are invited to watch.
Kapler and Roberts each has a 34man roster from which to choose, based on voting from fans throughout the state. The teams will square off in a bestofseven simulated series on May 26.
The public’s response was far greater than we could have imagined: more than 100,000 votes. Scanning lists of candidates dating to the turn of the 20th century, voters did an ad
mirable job, acknowledging modern times (Aaron Judge, Christian Yelich, Nolan Arenado) as well as eras from the distant past (Walter Johnson, Lefty O’Doul, Harry Heilmann) and everything in between, from Ralph Kiner and Duke Snider to Rickey Henderson and Ozzie Smith.
Notable omissions were inevitable, and they included Vada Pinson, Jackie Jensen, Frank Crosetti, Dick Bartell, Joe Rudi, Dave Stieb, Jim Maloney and Jim Fregosi from Northern California, joined by a formidable list from the south: Darryl Strawberry, Reggie Smith, Graig Nettles, Alan Trammell, Kevin Mitchell, Jack Clark, Andy Messersmith and Dan Quisenberry, among others. It would be surprising, though, to hear insiders or historians question the authenticity of the fans’ selections.
If there’s an unexpected name, it’s Stephen Vogt, making the Northern California team at catcher from his 2015 season with the A’s. Oaklandraised Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi is a clearcut starter at that position, but the talent behind him drops off sharply.
The series will be played entirely on May 26. APBA will stage the simulated games online, and although we lose the diceroll factor that way (there’s an art to such things, as any serious gambler can attest), The Chronicle and Los Angeles Times will manage the games with all of the necessary options: pitching changes, pinch hitters, defensive substitutions, whatever seems appropriate.
The simulation will draw from each player’s best season (say, Williams’ .406 or Bonds’ 73 homers), so everyone’s at his peak. Also important to note: Rosters were based on where the players grew up, learned the game or went to high school — ideally all of those — not strictly on the state of birth. Designated hitters for each team will be selected among players who were not picked for the starting lineup.
The rosters (in order of voting totals):
Northern California
Outfield: Joe DiMaggio, 1939 Yankees; Rickey Henderson, 1990 A’s; Barry Bonds, 2001 Giants; Frank Robinson, 1966 Orioles; Lefty O’Doul, 1929 Phillies; Willie McGee, 1985 Cardinals; Aaron Judge, 2017 Yankees; Curt Flood, 1967 Cardinals; Harry Heilmann, 1923 Tigers
Breakdown: This series will be played with a DH to maximize the star power, and it really comes in handy here, allowing DiMaggio, Henderson, Bonds and Robinson to get into the lineup together. Off the bench: Heilmann batting .403, O’Doul at .398 and Judge belting 52 homers. Solid East Bay recognition with McGee and Flood making the club, and seasoned fans will be glad to know that Dom DiMaggio, Wally Berger and Chick Hafey at least got some mention.
First base: Willie Stargell, 1973 Pirates; Keith Hernandez, 1979 Cardinals; Bill Buckner, 1980 Cubs
Breakdown: Best of all worlds here. Stargell ranks with history’s great power hitters and had a thirst for the big moment. Buckner defines “pure hitter,” and few played first base as comprehensively as Hernandez, who will grab a seat at his locker, fire up a cigarette and enlighten the assembled media after each game. (APBA is a feast for the imagination.) Power guys settling for the nostalgia bin: Dolph Camilli, Jim Gentile and Dick Stuart.
Second base: Joe Morgan, 1976 Reds;
Tony Lazzeri, 1929 Yankees; Dustin Pedroia, 2008 Red Sox
Breakdown: What a matchup of raw talent, willpower and unshakable confidence at this position: Morgan against Southern California’s Jackie Robinson. Lazzeri was a slugging mainstay on the Babe RuthLou Gehrig Yankee teams, and Pedroia was MVP in the year represented (2008). There wasn’t room for Steve Sax, D J LeMahieu or Billy Martin, a true “money” player in the World Series.
Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki, 2010 Rockies; Jimmy Rollins, 2007 Phillies; Joe Cronin, 1930 Senators
Breakdown: Giants sentiment weighed heavily here as Brandon Crawford soared past Fregosi, Crosetti, Chris Speier, Larry Bowa and the A’s Marcus Semien into the fourth voting slot. Kapler is likely to start Tulowitzki, a monstrous talent before injuries took him down, and Rollins gets his just due. Cronin, the pride of San Francisco’s Sacred Heart High, defined shortstop play in his day.
Third base: Carney Lansford, 1981 Red Sox; Ken Caminiti, 1996 Padres; Stan Hack, 1938 Cubs
Breakdown: This is Lansford at his very best, winning the batting title at .336 in his first year with Boston. We’re not making steroidrelated judgments in this project, letting only the numbers be relevant, but ethics have to be involved with Caminiti, who publicly laid bare his grim relationship with PEDs. (Caminiti died in 2004, at 41.) It’s a shame Alameda’s Dick Bartell fell short, but another oldtimer, Sacramento’s Hack, gets a uniform.
Catcher: Ernie Lombardi, 1938 Reds; Stephen Vogt, 2015 A’s; Joe Ferguson, 1979 Dodgers
Breakdown: What kind of player was Lombardi? He might have been the slowest runner in the history of great hitters, and it didn’t matter; he hit the ball entirely too hard to be denied. Clubhouse relations don’t figure in APBA’s scheme, but you can imagine Vogt’s value here, keeping things light and assuring bigname Northern California bench guys that they will get their chance. As for Ferguson, he’s perhaps best remembered for a rocketlike throw — from right field — in the 1974 World Series against Oakland.
Pitcher: Randy Johnson, 2002 Diamondbacks; Tom Seaver, 1971 Mets; Dennis Eckersley, 1992 A’s; Dave Stewart, 1990 A’s; Lefty Gomez, 1934 Yankees;
Dave Righetti, 1986 Yankees; CC Sabathia, 2007 Indians; Tug McGraw, 1972 Mets; Mike Norris, 1980 A’s; John Wetteland, 1993 Expos
Breakdown: There was some anger in the Southland over Seaver, who starred at USC, making the Northern California team — but his hometown of Fresno marks the geographical cutoff point. A’s fans will claim there’s never been a better openercloser combination than Stewart and Eckersley; who’s arguing? Meanwhile, a lot of folks would pay big money to watch the leftyonlefty matchup of Johnson and Ted Williams.
Southern California
Outfield: Ted Williams, 1941 Red Sox; Tony Gwynn, 1994 Padres; Duke Snider, 1954 Dodgers; Christian Yelich, 2019 Brewers; Fred Lynn, 1979 Red Sox; Ralph Kiner, 1949 Pirates; Dusty Baker, 1980 Dodgers; George Foster, 1977 Reds; Bobby Bonds, 1973 Giants
Breakdown: In the imaginary pregame, Williams sits down to talk hitting with Gwynn — and their words go straight to Cooperstown. All that and Duke Snider, too? That’s unless Roberts decides to start Yelich, Lynn, Foster (52 homers), Bobby Bonds or Baker, who many felt deserved the MVP in 1980. Meanwhile, Kiner points out he was the National League’s premier power hitter from 1946 to 1952. Too bad there’s no room for Willie Davis, just to watch him fly from first to third.
First base: Eddie Murray, 1982 Orioles; Mark McGwire, 1998 Cardinals; Wes Parker, 1970 Dodgers
Breakdown: No more than four seasons into his career, Murray was a Hall of Famer in most everyone’s mind. Then there’s McGwire; some fans might prefer his biggest years in Oakland, but he has to be represented by his 70 homers. Parker, a stylish and gifted first baseman with the Dodgers, made a surprising run to surpass Cecil Fielder (51 homers) into the third and final spot, with Bay Area favorites Jason Giambi and J.T. Snow farther down the list.
Second base: Jackie Robinson, 1949 Dodgers; Jeff Kent, 2000 Giants; Chase Utley, 2006 Phillies
Breakdown: At some point, in the quest to give everyone a shot, Kent will get a start ahead of Robinson. What better time to state his Hall of Fame case? Utley brings his own version of hardnosed ball into the picture, and he had to beat out Bobby Grich, Red Sox great Bobby Doerr, Bret Boone (crazy numbers in 2001) and a Mets standout last season, Jeff McNeil.
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith, 1987 Cardinals; Nomar Garciaparra, 2000 Red Sox; Robin Yount, 1982 Brewers
Breakdown: Simply astounding talent here, exemplified by the fact that Smith may not start ahead of Garciaparra (.372) or Yount in an MVP year. Not making the cut: ultrasolid Alan Trammell, spectacular Garry Templeton and two greats of the past, Arky Vaughan (.385) and Vern Stephens. Many other standouts, such as Rick Burleson and Michael Young, didn’t stand a chance.
Third base: George Brett, 1980 Royals; Eddie Mathews, 1953 Braves; Nolan Arenado, 2017 Rockies
Breakdown: If you saw Mathews play, you’d have a difficult time starting anyone ahead of him. But how do you ignore Brett’s .390 season? We’ll find out how Roberts feels about that one — not to mention his own guy, Justin Turner, finishing fourth in a relatively close race with Arenado. You’d love to see Matt Chapman or the great Graig Nettles get some lateinning work, but like Troy Glaus, Doug DeCinces, Evan Longoria (in vintage form with Tampa Bay) and Mike Moustakas, they couldn’t crack a magnificent field.
Catcher: Gary Carter, 1984 Expos; Lance Parrish, 1982 Tigers; Bob Boone, 1977 Phillies
Breakdown: Steve Henson, the L.A. Times’ baseball editor and a driving force in this project, pointed out that Mike Lieberthal, the longtime Phillies standout, had the best offensive stats. But this isn’t the Northern California group, in which Charlie Silvera and Gus Triandos get consideration. Carter, Parrish and Boone were icons at this position, with longevity and tremendous respect. Del Crandall and Earl Battey weren’t too bad, either.
Pitcher: Don Drysdale, 1964 Dodgers; Walter Johnson, 1913 Senators; Jim Palmer, 1972 Orioles; Rollie Fingers, 1981 Brewers; Trevor Hoffman, 1998 Padres; Bret Saberhagen, 1989 Royals; Stephen Strasburg, 2017 Nationals; Bert Blyleven, 1973 Twins; Gerrit Cole, 2019 Astros; Bob Lemon, 1952 Indians
Breakdown: Here we have the two most debatable choices on the geographical front. Johnson grew up on a farm in Kansas, moved to Orange County when he was 14 and starred at Fullerton High. Palmer, born in New York, played youth ball in Los Angeles before heading to high school in Arizona. My call, in setting the list of candidates, was to include them both here. The rotation would have been fine, anyway; it’s so deep that Andy Messersmith, Randy Jones, Mike Scott, Mike Krukow, Larry Dierker, Scott McGregor and Mike Garcia fell short.
Mr. Kapler and Mr. Roberts, you have the floor.