Greatest Yankees by Position Pt 3 Backups

by mordred0831 on Sep 30, 2011 11:54 AM EDT

So far here is the list of players we have debated.

Catcher - Yogi Berra (very close with Dickey)

First Base - Lou Gehrig

Second Base - Tony Lazzeri

Short Stop - Derek Jeter

Third Base - Alex Rodriguez (I do not agree but you guys won completely out voted)

Outfield - Babe Ruth

Outfield - Joe Dimaggio

Outfield - Mickey Mantle

Starting Rotation

Whitey Ford

Ron Guidry

Red Ruffing

Mel Stottlemyre

Bob Shawkey

Bull Pen

Sparky Lyle

Goose Gossage

Mariano Rivera

That is 16 Player we need 8 more backuos for the position players and 1 Designated Hitter to come up with a 25 man roster. We had big debates over catcher, third base, and starters, but not too much on the other positions.Now is really where the debates are going to be. I figure we can use the best hitter left that does not make the cut for backup as our DH.

My Initial Backups

Catcher - Bill Dickey

First Base - Don Mattingly

Second Base - Joe Gordon

Short Stop - Phil Rizzuto

Third Base - Red Rolfe

For Outfield I used the top 15 highest AB totals besides Ruth, Dimaggio, and Mantle.

Outfield - Charlie Keller

Outfield - Earle Combs

Outfield - Paul O'Neill

The stats I used to compare the Outfielders were AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS

Let the debates begin. Once we decide who are the backups we will come up with a DH.

Tweet Comment 18 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

NUNEZ TIME TO SHINE!

by Briceratops on Sep 30, 2011 2:23 PM EDT reply actions

Hard to believe Rodriguezhas only walked 100 AB in only one season.

Mantle who was always dealing with some kind of injury, walked over
100 AB seven different seasons.

Finally, Granderson struck out 169 times this season. Is that a Yankee record?

No beat writer or have I seen any blog mentioning this stat.

by frankiec on Sep 30, 2011 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I think Granderson's

strikeout total broke Soriano’s record from 2002 (157)

"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"

by david d on Oct 1, 2011 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

A few suggestions

I’d put Bernie on ahead of O’Neill. And Randolph ahead of Gordon. Finally Nettles was definitely better than Rolfe.

by stusviews on Oct 1, 2011 8:27 AM EDT reply actions

Yes, Bernie over O’Neill.

"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"

by david d on Oct 1, 2011 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Gordon, O'Neill, Rolfe

1. Going though my stats it seems that Robinson Cano is # 6 all time AB for Yankee 2nd Basemen. He becomes clear cut #2 to Tony Lazzeri. Did not realize he had that many AB. But comparing him to Lazzeri as of now still beats him out. But it is clear Cano should backup Lazzeri, not Gordon. Ranking them based on AVG OBP SLG OPS Randolph and Stirnweiss are tied for 4th behind Gordon and believe it or not Gil McDougald.

2. Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill are very close but when I ranked all the top 15 Yankee outfielders by ABs to get my initial list besides Ruth, Mantle, and Domaggio, O’Neill ranked just above him. Not by much.

3. What to do about 3rd base. As far as I am concerned A-ROID should be kept off the list because of steroids and Rolfe would start and Nettles would be backup. Rolfe stats dwarfs Nettles in AVG OBP and OPS and Nettles just bearly beats Nettles in SLG. But alas the people who condone cheating on this sight have made their vote loud and clear so Nettles is bumped because of A-ROID.

by mordred0831 on Oct 2, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

Rolfe stats dwarfs Nettles in AVG OBP and OPS and Nettles just bearly beats ~~Nettles~~ Rolfe in SLG.

by mordred0831 on Oct 2, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Wins Above Replacement (WAR)

Randolph over Gordon 49 to 36 (as a Yankee)
Nettles over Rolfe 40 to 26 (as a Yankee)
Bernie over O’Neill 47 to 25 (as a Yankee)

WAR isn’t a perfect stat but differences like this are pretty clear.

by stusviews on Oct 2, 2011 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Randolph or Grdon do not make the cut see above post. Cano is the clear cut backup. He has over 3000AB which surprised me.

Bernie actually makes the team as the best all around hitter not yet on the team as the starting DH. He is the 25th man.

Nettles and Rolfe as far as I am concerned should both be on the team. A-Roid is as far as I am concerned banned from this list. But like I said I was out voted in Part #1 by a longshot.

by mordred0831 on Oct 2, 2011 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Yankee backups

Bob Meusel as an outfielder? Allie Reynolds or Vic Raschi as a starter? Tommy Henrich in the outfield? If you need a pure PH/DH, Johnny Mize comes to mind although he came to the Yanks late in his career. Similarly, Johnny Sain was tough out of the bullpen late. Gil McDougald would be an outstanding utility infielder, and Bobby Richardson was a perennial All-Star at 2nd base. It’s one thing to construct a team by pure statistics; I suppose that I am counting grit and clutch performance as well as sheer ability. By that measure Hank Bauer would merit some thought too.

by logiet on Oct 3, 2011 2:59 PM EDT reply actions

bullpen

If you could capture the 1977 Sparky Lyle, he would be a lefty from the bullpen (probably better than Luis Arroyo, although both have merit). I never saw Joe Paige even on film although I think he had some good years pitching extended outings.

by logiet on Oct 3, 2011 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

Yankee record for strikeouts in a season is held by Soriano. With all due respect

to Bobby Richardson, I think Willie Randolph could also be the backup. Rolfe over Nettles is wrong in my opinion. In fact, I’m not sure I’d take A-Rod over Nettles (Yes, I don’t like cheaters). DH is a tough one cause the Yanks rarely had a player who DH’ed so exclusively, like Edgar Martinez. Ah!! From 83-85 Baylor was almost always the DH and he averaged 24 homers, 85 RBI, 75 runs per year. His BA wasn’t great, but he led the team in doubles in 83 with 33. It’s a no brainer. Best Yankee DH of all-time is Don Baylor.

by chambliss76 on Oct 4, 2011 2:13 PM EDT reply actions

But Ron Blomberg was the 1st DH ever! No love for Ron? I know, he wasn’t great, but that’s gotta count for something.

"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"

by david d on Oct 5, 2011 2:37 AM EDT up reply actions

The special achievement of being the first DH ever is a question of cirumstance and the fact that Blomberg

was a TERRIBLE fielder who actually refused to work hard to become a better fielder (that’s why he was a DH). He got hurt in 1975 and was never the same, but his numbers in 73 and 74, the years he was the primary DH, don’t stack up with Baylor’s even though Ron rarely played vs. lefties. As far as sheer hitting potential, Blomberg should have been every bit the hitter Baylor was and more. He had that much hitting talent. There ‘s no way the honor of being the first ever to do something that’s incidental should get you on a list of best ever at that position for the team you played for.

by chambliss76 on Oct 5, 2011 7:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Correct. I wasn’t quite serious and should have used the sarcasm font.

"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"

by david d on Oct 5, 2011 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Thank you

I was beginning to think I was the only one who felt that way about A-Rod. I think on my final List it will be Nettles and Rolfe and not A-Rod.

by mordred0831 on Oct 6, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Note on the DH

What I did was take who we have left that had at least 3000 ABs as a Yankee and didn’t make our list.I ranked them based on AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, I did not care what positioned they played only 3000 AB was the cut off.

Bernie and Meusel was almost even but Bernie just edged him out as the DH.

by mordred0831 on Oct 6, 2011 4:30 PM EDT reply actions

Also:

I thought that was a fare way to go because so many great players and even some HOF in this team’s history have been left off. This way I gave them a equal last chance of making the team.

by mordred0831 on Oct 6, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions