Wizard of Os
Baseball-reference keeps a leaderboard for their most popular players and teams. In no big surprise Derek Jeter has the most hits with 1.4, while the '98 Yanks have the most hits for a team. The rest of the top five has few shockers...#2 A-Rod, #3 Pujols, #4 Bonds, #5 Ichiro. However, in at #6 (and one spot ahead of Babe Ruth) is Roy Oswalt with 763,298. The highest Brewer is soon to be departed Prince Fielder at #39. Strangely enough the highest ranked Brewers team is the 1982 A.L. Pennant winners at #39!?
Cardinals and Rangers 2011 World Series
Senatorial
The Washington Senators mostly sucked from 1901-1960. Three first place finished (1924,25,33) equaled three pennants and one World Series title. When the team moved to Minnesota in 1961, they were replaced by a new version of the Washington Senators. The final season of the original Sens was in 1960 at 73-81. They started in Minny in 1961 with a respectable 70-90. They picked up two more titles with Kirby Puckett and friends. Meanwhile, the Sens 2.0 opened with four straight 100 plus loss seasons. With just one winning record (86-76 in 1969) they bailed out on D.C. after the 1971 season. By April '72 they were the Texas Rangers and retained their manager...Ted Williams. Two hundred loss seasons followed and years of playoff-less baseball in the Texas heat ensued. The past two years have seen the finest ball ever in Arlington. Below is an all-time Texas team. With a team rich in performance enhancement history I've left out certain players linked with the juice.
C-Jim Sundberg
1b- Michael Young
2b- Ian Kinsler
SS- Toby Harrah
3b- Buddy Bell
LF- Rusty Greer
CF- Josh Hamilton
RF- Ruben Sierra
DH- Julio Franco
LHP- Kenny Rogers
RHP- Nolan Ryan
Closer- John Wetteland
Texas Ranger Notables
Hall of Famers: Nolan Ryan, Fergie Jenkins, Bert Blyleven, Gaylord Perry, Goose Gossage
MVPS: Josh Hamilton (2010), Alex Rodriguez (2003), Ivan Rodriguez (1999), Juan Gonzalez (1996 & 1998), Jeff Burroughs (1974)
30-30 Club: Bobby Bonds CWS/TEX 1978 (31-43)
Alfonso Soriano 2005 (36-30)
Ian Kinsler 2009 (31-30), 2011 (32-30)
Cardinals est. 1882
10,195 wins and counting for the St. Louis Cardinals. Ten World Series titles and a wealth of Hall of Famers. I've concocted an all-time Cardinal team of players from my lifetime. Obviously this is a loaded franchise...Keith Hernandez, Edgar Renteria, Vince Coleman, Lou Brock, Ted Simmons, Lee Smith, Terry Pendelton, John Tudor, Jason Isringhausen to name a few. Enjoy!
C- Yadier Molina
1b- Albert Pujols
2b- Tommy Herr
SS- Ozzie Smith
3b- Scott Rolen
OF- Jim Edmonds
OF- Willie McGee
OF- Ray Lankford
P- Bob Gibson
P- Chris Carpenter
Closer- Bruce Sutter
