Best All-Time 25 man roster

I won't bore you with the details, but a sportswriter published his greatest ever 25 man roster, and to me there are some glaring mistakes - I assume he's not too versed on some of the players that starred in the league prior to 1980. My first thought: where's Mantle? where's Koufax? As a minimum, I'd have those two as starters on a greatest ever team. Also, Pete Rose as a bench player that can play every position makes lot of sense. Where's Sutter? What about the greatest RP ever - Dale Murray???

STARTERS
C: Johnny Bench
1B: Lou Gehrig
2B: Rogers Hornsby
SS: Honus Wagner
3B: Mike Schmidt
LF: Barry Bonds
CF: Willie Mays
RF: Babe Ruth
DH: Ted Williams

BENCH
Albert Pujols (1B)
Eddie Collins (IF)
Alex Rodriguez (IF)
Ty Cobb (CF)
Hank Aaron (OF)
Gary Carter (C)

STARTING ROTATION
Walter Johnson (R)
Greg Maddux (R)
Randy Johnson (L)
Pedro Martinez (R)
Clayton Kershaw (L)

BULLPEN
Mariano Rivera (CL)
Craig Kimbrel (R)
Goose Gossage (R)
Hoyt Wilhelm (R)
Lefty Grove (L)


http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/24 ... ruth-bonds

"What about the greatest RP ever - Dale Murray???"

ha ha ha!!

That's the problem with a 'best ever' list of anything-people always complain. You would have Mantle but then you omit Cobb or Mays and people will be saying "How can he leave out Mays?" Put in Koufax and people will say "Where's Maddux?" (or whoever you omit from his starting 5). Only 3 of his starting 9 hitters played after 1980, only 3 of his 6 bench hitters and that includes Bench when his best years were clearly prior to 1980 yet you say he's not too versed on some of the players that starred in the league prior to 1980.

These lists are sometimes good discussion material for bar rooms but will never get complete agreement.

Mays vs. Mantle is one of the great debates since they were contemporaries. Mantle had a couple of years that Mays simply couldn't match, but Mays had about a dozen seasons that were better than Mantle's 6th best year (by fWAR) and 4 seasons that were as good or better than Mantle's 3rd best. Plus Willie played 591 more games, due in large part to Mantle's osteomyelitis problems and alcohol issues. Same issue with Koufax vs. almost any HOF starting pitcher you care to name.

Quick numbers, about $220 million in salary cap on that roster ...

ok so this is not a bad list but how about berra or campanella over carter. And although it is a bit of stretch but since Gherig doesn't really need a back up anyway how about mantle or musial at 1st base over albert.

I would prefer Speaker over Cobb and Mantle in CF. Grove should be in the top starter list rather than Johnson or Maddux. Only Pedro and Clayton have comparable lifetime ERA+. Koufax and Mantle would deserve to be included if the criteria was peak performance, but it's not. Pedro gets included despite barely winning 200+ games, just because he was so dominant... and for much longer than Koufax. I'd rather have Mathewson than Koufax, Maddux or Johnson. Not real keen on Eddie Collins, would probably prefer Morgan, but Collins does have the longevity and consistency... Don't think that much of Carter, I'd rather have Piazza's bat. Would definitely have Bonds and Ruth in the OF corners. Hard to argue with Williams as a dh. or Aaron as Babe's caddy in RF. Don't think Sutter deserves in, he was the best in his era but today's closers are just a cut above.

I would prefer Speaker over Cobb and Mantle in CF. Grove should be in the top starter list rather than Johnson or Maddux. Only Pedro and Clayton have comparable lifetime ERA+. Koufax and Mantle would deserve to be included if the criteria was peak performance, but it's not. Pedro gets included despite barely winning 200+ games, just because he was so dominant... and for much longer than Koufax. I'd rather have Mathewson than Koufax, Maddux or Johnson. Not real keen on Eddie Collins, would probably prefer Morgan, but Collins does have the longevity and consistency... Don't think that much of Carter, I'd rather have Piazza's bat. Would definitely have Bonds and Ruth in the OF corners. Hard to argue with Williams as a dh. or Aaron as Babe's caddy in RF. Don't think Sutter deserves in, he was the best in his era but today's closers are just a cut above.

In defense of Sutter he wasn't a 1 inning and out cheap save guy. The list of players with 30+ and 40+ save seasons is full of bums. "Closers" are dime a dozen now.

Set up an ATG league where this all-time roster (Gagne substituted for Kimbrel) can be challenged. Besides the normal Strat credits for winning or losing the championship, one additional credit may be given one random team. See league rules for details.

League is The Best All-Time 25 Man Roster Challenge League. $999 million, 5% FA all season, DH, Waivers, random division assignments.

Thanks.

Edit: Decided that since Gagne was not on the roster in the article (and Kimbrel is not available) that after the draft Gagne will be dropped so as to be available to all other teams during waivers. "Best Team" will play with a 24 man roster.

C- Josh Gibson
1B- Jeff Bagwell
2B- Rogers Hornsby
3B- George Brett
SS- Honus Wagner
LF- Barry Bonds
CF- Willie Mays
RF- Babe Ruth
DH- Ted Williams

C- I. Rodriguez
IF- R. Carew
IF- J. Morgan
UT- R. Yount
OF- H. Aaron
OF- Ty Cobb

SP- G. Maddux
SP- P. Martinez
SP- C. Kershaw
SP- B. Gibson
SP- S. Paige

RP- M. Rivera
RP- L. Grove
RP- B. Sutter
RP- G. Gagne
RP- T. Hoffman