25 for 25: Braves
I am actually a St. Louis Cardinals fan, but over the past few months I've been working on a roster for each franchise in the National League, composed of players over the last 25 years. The way this works is that I pick one player from each season and I have to fill out an entire roster (2 catchers, 2 infielders at each position, 6 total outfielders, 5 starting pitchers, 4 relievers). I can't take more than one player for each year, I have to take one player each season even in the bad years, and I can't use the same player for multiple positions. If a player played the majority of his games at one position, I can't use that season for another position even if he's played it before. And I used basically minimums of 60 innings or 250 PA's (prorated for strike seasons).
The interesting part with this are the decisions that have to be made, whether it is, "Dang there are some really nice outfielder seasons to choose from, who gets left out?", or, "Does this team even have two decent catchers in a 25-year span?", or, "This guy had so many great years - which one do I choose?" Sometimes a great year gets left out, sometimes a fluke, partial season gets tabbed for the team.
I actually posted the entire National League East on the SB Nation site Viva El Birdos (I will post the other divisions later), as well as an extended version for the Cardinals from 1910 to 1934 and (eventually) a post just like this at all of the other NL sites. You're welcome to pick apart my choices and make suggestions of your own. I'm looking forward to hearing from everybody.
C – Javy Lopez (1998), Brian McCann (2006)
1B – Bob Horner (1985), Mark Teixeira (2008)
2B – Jeff Treadway (1990), Marcus Giles (2003)
3B – Terry Pendleton (1992), Chipper Jones (2007)
SS – Jeff Blauser (1997), Rafael Furcal (2005)
OF – Dale Murphy (1987), Lonnie Smith (1989), David Justice (1993), Andruw Jones (2000), Garry Sheffield (2002), J.D. Drew (2004)
SP – Tom Glavine (1991), Greg Maddux (1994), John Smoltz (1996), Kevin Millwood (1999), Javier Vazquez (2009)
RP – Gene Garber (1986), Paul Assenmacher (1988), Mark Wohlers (1995), Mike Remlinger (2001)
Notable exceptions: Fred McGriff (1994), Andres Galarraga (1998), Kelly Johnson (2008), Edgar Renteria (2005), Yunel Escobar (2009), Ron Gant (1991), Rick Mahler (1985), Charlie Leibrandt (1990), Denny Neagle (1997), Tim Hudson (2007), Jair Jurrjens (2009), John Rocker (1999)
This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.
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This. And I think Huddy should at least make the noteable exceptions for this year, if not make the team
Carpe Diaz
huddy is on the notable exceptions
by bravesrgonnawinitall on Jul 28, 2010 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Very good work there! /applause
"Tony Gwynn made sacrifices. Cal Ripken made sacrifices. I'm not sure Derek Jeter made sacrifices given the ungodly deep pockets the Yankees have." - Chipper Jones
by MBL1 on Jul 28, 2010 10:30 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
this must have taken a lot of time. impressive
"Baseball is like church. Many attend; few understand." - Leo Durocher
8-10 hrs per team
Mostly depending on how easy it is to sort through the seasons. A couple times it just fell into place pretty easily.
The work that I did for the 1910-1934 Cardinals team (with biographies and pictures) took at least 50 hours (done over 4 weeks) to finish. Check out the link above.
I was reading about how countless species are being pushed toward extinction by man's destruction of forests. Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Calvin, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Watterson
What link?
Oh, love the sig btw. Back in my younger days I was a big Bill Watterson fan. I’m 26 now, and recently uncovered a footlocker full of my Calvin and Hobbes books, which I hadn’t read since 1994-ish. Going back and re-reading the stuff made me realize that I am a very different person than I was 15+ years ago.
by !Vive la Francoeur! on Jul 30, 2010 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
The one for the 1910-1934 Cardinals team
I was reading about how countless species are being pushed toward extinction by man's destruction of forests. Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Calvin, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Watterson
No way that JJ was better than JV last year.
JV turned in one of the best pitching seasons of the last decade in Atlanta.
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jul 29, 2010 5:38 AM EDT up reply actions
REC'd
great work.
Where’s Garrett Anderson from 2009 though? I think you left him off.
when is Frank Wren going to wake his Ass up and see the Braves needs a Batter? This game Against Washington is Showing the team is not hitting. Get some help are philadelphia is going bnack to First? If you can’t see this maybe john scherhous should replace your stupid ass.
by jayball on Jul 27, 2010 5:41 PM MST
He’s there next to Thorman.
I fed a fish to a pelican and Frisco bay and he tried to eat my cell phone he ran away
by TradeAndruw on Jul 29, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
What about Fick?
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jul 29, 2010 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Craig Wilson FTW
We have traded away great players for less than nothing and let Texierra walk away, and much much more so pray that Hayward is sent from God and that his energy can ignite the veterans and cause the younger players to hustle more and play winning baseball...
It is interesting that two of the best seasons were turned in by Mark T and JD Drew…
This guy wants to suck all the cubs dick can he not have an unbias some what partition reguards
by RWH2 on Apr 5, 2010 10:20 AM CDT
by justincredubil02 on Jul 29, 2010 6:52 AM EDT reply actions
Shut your mouth you! We gave away Wainwright, Andrus, Feliz, and a bunch of other stuff and got NOTHING back in return! We got fuckin jipped!
Wait…we got Eil Marrero, you say? OH! Well, hell! Nevermind….
by !Vive la Francoeur! on Jul 30, 2010 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I only have a small quarrel.
as I would include Chipper’s 1999 season over the 2007 season, but that’s splitting hairs. I think he was more valuable then (despite the slightly lower WAR).
Also, lol @ Jeff Treadway. I assume you did that cause you needed a 1990 player, but without that I would go with KJ’s 2008 season off the top of my head. Anyways, nice work!
Chipper's defense
I think the two keys wrt picking ‘07 over ’99 were PA’s and defense. Chipper’s WAR was slightly higher in 2007 even while getting 100 fewer plate appearances. Also his defense was atrocious in 1999: FRAA was -26, FRAR was -7 (2007 was 10 & -2, respectively).
If you really wanted to grab the other season, then you would end up picking Tim Hudson over Kevin Milwood, with no other moves necessary.
I was reading about how countless species are being pushed toward extinction by man's destruction of forests. Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Calvin, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Watterson
reply fail
dang!
I was reading about how countless species are being pushed toward extinction by man's destruction of forests. Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Calvin, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Watterson
Hmm, perhaps you're right.
I think the ‘99 Millwood + ’07 Chipper > ’99 Chipper + ’07 Huddy. Cause man, I didn’t realize how good Millwood was that year. And you’re probably right about Chip’s ‘07 season being better, I just remember him singlehandedly (probably not the case) devastating the Mets that year and getting us to the playoffs, so I’ve got some sentimental hooks on that one.
by soup du jour on Jul 29, 2010 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions
This is GREAT!
And just to be clear to some of you who are making suggestions…
remember that every time you make a change (like Chipper 1999 over Chipper 2007)…
then you have to change EVERYTHING because you now can NOT use any other player’s 1999 season.
This would remove Millwood’s great year from the rotation…
which would force him to find another starter…
which would come from another year…
which would lead to MORE changes!!
GREAT POST.
Solanus
Is your avatar the guy from Full Throttle?
I never could get passed that damn dog in the Landfill in that game. good times.
Yeah, Ben
It wasn’t a particularly great game, but it stuck with me. Especially the opening song by The Gone Jackals.
I was reading about how countless species are being pushed toward extinction by man's destruction of forests. Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us. - Calvin, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink", Watterson

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