The Line-up Game

[Jersey Generals]

My friends and I invented a game a few years back based around how many baseball games we saw in person. The purpose of this game is to create the best team that you can build by using players that you have seen play in person, ie: being at the stadium and watching them. Once you pick the players, you then have to put them in a batting order that you think would allow them to play to the best of their abilities and to have the team win. Here are a few rules: the players have to be in positions that they normally play, as in you can't have a first basemen be playing right field just because you like the way he hits. You can, however, use a player that played in a position for the better part of a season or more, such as Chipper Jones in the outfield a few years ago. Secondly, you can't have a player in the lineup more than once; again, using Chipper as an example, you can't have him playing both third and left field, you can only chose one. Finally, all players are either in their primes or when they were playing best, so don't feel constrained by age.

Since I am from Jersey and my favorite team is the Mariners, I predominately used Yankees, Mets, or Mariners, though its a coincidence that they are actually great choices. When I first constructed my team a year ago, I originally had Cal Ripken at third and Arod at short, but I switched things around when Arod admitted to steroids (though none of you have to keep your lineup without known or suspected users, I just did it because that's how I felt).

Line Up (positions by number, ie: 1 being pitcher, 2 catcher, etc.)

1-Greg Maddox
2-Dan Wilson
3-Tino Martinez
4-Roberto Alomar
5-Chipper Jones
6-Cal Ripken
7-Rickey Henderson
8-Ken Griffey Junior
9-Paul O’Neill

DH- Edgar Martinez
Reliever- Arthur Rhodes
Closer- Mariano Rivera

As a coach, I don't really like bad fielding: I would rather have a great fielder that doesn't make many errors instead of a homerun hitter who can't field for his life. As such, I tried to build a team that was a good fielding team, but didn't have to necessarily rely on small ball to win games. Hence I could have someone like Dan Wilson playing catcher instead of Mike Piazza because the other players around him are good enough that I don't need a hitter everywhere. As for the starting pitcher, I chose Greg Maddux because I love the way he pitched, so savvy, plus he himself can field, so it works. For the closer I went with Mo, though I could have easily gone with Hoffman, but I think Mo is a bit better. I could have also used Ichiro in right and moved everyone up a spot and had him batting eighth, but I went with power.

Batting Order

1-Rickey Henderson
2-Roberto Alomar
3-Ken Griffey Junior
4-Edgar Martinez
5-Paul O’Neill
6-Chipper Jones
7-Tino Martinez
8-Cal Ripken Junior
9-Dan Wilson

This was tough. I noticed that their wasn't much speed at the tail end, but I couldn't think of anything to rectify it. Overall, I think Cal being in the 8th spot gives them a good hitter that can sort of propel Dan Wilson to being a better hitter. I debated about having either Paul or Chipper in the fifth spot, but I went with Paul just because I like Chipper being behind him.


You can talk about each other's lineups and what you think of them or debate about why they chose someone, or you can just post your own, but please, when you do post, give a reason for why you chose someone that seems out of the blue.

[trwi7]

1B - Albert Pujols
2B - Jeff Kent
SS - Alex Rodriguez
3B - Chipper Jones
LF - Ryan Braun
CF - Ken Griffey Jr.
RF - Lance Berkman
C - Jorge Posada
SP - Randy Johnson

Lineup:

Ken Griffey Jr.
Jeff Kent
Albert Pujols
Lance Berkman
Alex Rodriguez
Chipper Jones
Ryan Braun
Jorge Posada
Randy Johnson (or Prince Fielder if you want a DH)

[Jersey Generals]

1B - Albert Pujols
2B - Jeff Kent
SS - Alex Rodriguez
3B - Chipper Jones
LF - Ryan Braun
CF - Ken Griffey Jr.
RF - Lance Berkman
C - Jorge Posada
SP - Randy Johnson

Lineup:

Ken Griffey Jr.
Jeff Kent
Albert Pujols
Lance Berkman
Alex Rodriguez
Chipper Jones
Ryan Braun
Jorge Posada
Randy Johnson (or Prince Fielder if you want a DH)

Griffey leading off? Nice. Did you do that by choice or did you not want a proto-typical lead off guy?

[trwi7]

There's really no "prototypical leadoff hitter" in my lineup and Griffey was my favorite as a kid so I just went with him.

[Celtics_Champs]

Awesome game. Here is my dilema though, a few of these guys I put an asterisk next to there name, not because of roids, but because when I saw them, they were a shell of their former self. Does that matter?

OF- Rickey Henderson*
2B- Roberto Alomar
OF- Ken Griffey Jr
OF- Manny Ramirez
DH- Paul Molitor*
3B- Cal Ripken Jr
1B- Fred McGriff*
C- Joe Mauer
SS- Derek Jeter

Starting- Pitcher-Pedro Martinez
Reliever- Dennis Eckersley*
Closer- Mariano Rivera

Interesting picks- went with McGriff over the homer pick which would have been Ortiz. I maybe would have put Delgado over Ortiz too. Screw Posada, I went with Mauer.

[trwi7]

but because when I saw them, they were a shell of their former self. Does that matter?

From the opening post.

Finally, all players are either in their primes or when they were playing best, so don't feel constrained by age.

[craig01]

1b- Harmon Killebrew
2b- Joe Morgan
3b- Mike Schmidt
SS- Ripken
C- Bench
LF- Yasztremski
CF- Paul Blair
RF- Frank Robinson/Al Kaline

SP- Jim Palmer
Sp- Steve Carlton

Closer- Goose Gossage

[Da Schwab]

This is pretty cool actually, and since I've been to a sh*t ton of Marlins games since moving to SoFla, I've got some good guys to choose from.

P - Josh Beckett
C - Javy Lopez
1B - Ryan Howard
2B - Chase Utley
3B - Ryan Zimmerman
SS - Hanley Ramirez
LF - Jeff Conine
CF - Carlos Beltran
RF - Cliff Floyd

Closer - Robb Nen

1. Hanley Ramirez
2. Ryan Zimmerman
3. Chase Utley
4. Ryan Howard
5. Carlos Beltran
6. Cliff Floyd
7. Javy Lopez
8. Jeff Conine
9. Josh Beckett

I like it.

[Jersey Generals]

There's really no "prototypical leadoff hitter" in my lineup and Griffey was my favorite as a kid so I just went with him.

Either way it works.

Awesome game. Here is my dilema though, a few of these guys I put an asterisk next to there name, not because of roids, but because when I saw them, they were a shell of their former self. Does that matter?

Nah, that's half the fun: being able to do this with old timers who saw Mantle and Teddy Ballgame play.

Interesting picks- went with McGriff over the homer pick which would have been Ortiz. I maybe would have put Delgado over Ortiz too. Screw Posada, I went with Mauer.

I like McGriff, he's a great bench pressence, and he himself wasn't too shabby with the bat. I think I would have went with Mauer as well, I love his game.

Closer - Robb Nen.

Robb Nen? Haha, I haven't seen his name in years. Awesome choice. I loved him on the Marlins circa 97 playoffs.

[sunshinekids99]

C- Ivan Rodriguez
1b- Todd Helton
2b- Dustin Pedroia
SS- Derek Jeter
3B- Alex Rodriguez
LF- Barry Bonds
CF- Ken Griffey Jr.
RF- Vladimir Guerrero
DH- David Ortiz

SP- Pedro Martinez
Reliever- Rich Garces
CL- Jonathan Papelbon

Lineup
SS- Derek Jeter
CF- Ken Griffey Jr.
LF- Barry Bonds
3B- Alex Rodriguez
DH- David Ortiz
RF- Vladimir Guerrero
1b- Todd Helton
C- Ivan Rodriguez
2b- Dustin Pedroia

Catcher was a pretty easy pick, runner up would have been Posada.

First base was pretty close as well. Could have went with Ryan Howard or a homer pick in Mo Vaughn. I saw Helton when he was dominate tho and he really was a special hitter.

Second base I'm sure I'm forgetting some guys. But hard to argue against an MVP.

Short stop was close as well. I went with Jeter cause he can lead off. Could have went with Ripken or Garciaparra.

Third base was an easy pick. Hate the guy, but he's amazing. Guess I could have went with Boggs and use him as the lead off guy.

Really had a hard time in left field. Could have went with Rickey Henderson to give me a legit lead off guy, but Barry was a better player with or without roids. Plus of course there was Manny Ramirez as well.

Centerfield would have been harder if we had to use the season that we saw them play in. I saw Griffey with the Reds, so then I would have had to go with somebody like Damon instead. But I'll take a prime Griffey over just about anybody.

Right was pretty easy as well. I saw Vlad first in Montreal, he really was a special player back then.

DH had to go with Big Papi. One of the most clutch and feared hitters in the Red Sox lineup ever.

Starter is pretty easy as well. I've seen Clemens, Schilling, Johnson, etc. And nobody touches a prime Pedro Martinez.

Reliever it is a homer pick. I loved Rich Garces and for one season he was very good set up guy.

Closer I went with Papelbon. I could have went with the Goat in Rivera, but Papelbon is right there. And you can't argue with his postseason success.

[studcrackers]

being a rangers fan and going to a sh*tload of baseball games the offense is stacked, tough thing is the pitching. i cant really remember all the great pitchers ive seen if i was to make a rotation. im pretty sure ive seen randy johnson and know ive seen nolan ryan. maybe ive seen the rocket and after that who knows who's the best (david wells? kenny rogers? well kenny would be my #5) mariano would be the closer though

C - pudge
1st - albert pujols (caught 1 game in st. louis)
2nd - ian kinsler (f*ck brett boone
SS - arod (though he is and always will be a douche)
3rd - george brett (believe saw his and nolan's final game, tough between him and cal)
LF - barry bonds (over manny being manny, saw barry when they had the 1st ever inter league game in arlington)
CF - ken griffey
RF - sammy sosa (sorry juando and bad vlad, though i could be a homer since juan did win 2 mvp's w/us)
DH - frank thomas (favorite player ever)
utility - michael young (another favorite player) josh hamilton (for versatility in the OF)

i really wish i had a better idea of pitchers ive seen

just guessing off the top of my head
1. randy johnson
2. nolan ryan
3. boomer wells
4. cole hamels
5. kenny rogers
left handed heavy but i had to hold 1 spot for a ranger. put a maybe on roger clemens

set up - eric gagne
closer - mariano

so pretty much my lineup >>>> yours

1. george brett
2. arod
3. barry
4. pujols
5. big hurt
6. griffey
7. sammy
8. pudge
9. kinsler

looks at all the roids in that lineup!

[Celtics_Champs]

Reliever- Rich Garces

Oh Man, Rich Garces, lol, I loved him too. Had his red sox shirt jersey, where it just said El Guapo.

frank thomas (favorite player ever)

I liked frank too. I must have held the record for a kid in new england with the highest number of his baseball cards.