The numbers in parenthesis are the number of appearances, their win-loss record, their winning percentage & the last time they won a World Series Title.

Note: All of the comments come from Wikipedia.

10 – Atlanta Braves (9, 3-6, .333, 1995)

1–1 as Boston Braves (1912-1952); 1–1 as Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965). Prior to 1912, the Boston team had several unofficial nicknames: “Red Stockings” and “Red Caps” in the 1870s and 1880s; “Beaneaters” in the 1890s and early 1900s; “Doves” (when the Dovey family owned the franchise, 1907-1910) and “Rustlers” (when William Russell owned the franchise, 1911). Following the 1935 season, after enduring bankruptcy and a series of poor seasons, new owner Bob Quinn asked a team of sportswriters to choose a new nickname, to change the team’s luck. The sportswriters chose “Bees”, which was adopted in 1936, though it never really caught on, with Quinn even refusing to use it, although their home uniforms in this interval were changed to feature a large block letter B (“bee”). The team dropped the nickname in 1941, using only the official name “Braves” from 1941 on.

9 – Cincinnati Reds (9, 5-4, .556, 1990)

Last National League team to win consecutive World Series (1975-76). The Reds have enjoyed sporadic success over their 125-plus years. They won the AA’s inaugural season in 1882, and did not win another championship until the Black Sox scandal ridden World Series of 1919. After struggling throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the Reds made it back to the World Series in 1939, and won it in 1940. They returned to the bottom half of the standings from 1941-1960, except for a third-place finish in 1956, until winning the National League pennant in 1961. After losing to the Yankees in the 1961 World Series, the Reds were unable to piece together any consistent pennant contending teams until the “Big Red Machine” teams of the 1970s. They won 6 National League West Division titles and four National League pennants from 1970-1979, including consecutive World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Their most recent World Series championship was in 1990, and most recent playoff appearance was in 1995.

8 – Chicago Cubs (10, 2-8, .200, 1908)

The Chicago Cubs hold the record for the longest World Series drought (still active through 2009), with their last title coming in 1908 (101 years). In fact, they also hold the longest drought without a World Series appearance, not having won the NL pennant since 1945. Even had they won the 1945 World Series, they would still hold the longest active World Series championship drought, the second longest being since 1948 by the Cleveland Indians.

7 – Detroit Tigers (10, 4-6, .400, 1984)

First American League team to appear in three consecutive World Series (1907-09). With the end of World War II and the timely return of Hank Greenberg and others from the military, the Tigers took the 1945 American League pennant. With Virgil Trucks, Hal Newhouser and Dizzy Trout on the mound and Greenberg leading the Tiger bats, Detroit responded in a Game 7 for the first time, staking Newhouser to a 5–0 lead before he threw a pitch en route to a 9–3 victory over the Cubs. Because many baseball stars had not yet returned from the military, some baseball scholars have deemed the ‘45 Series to be among the worst-played contests in Series history. For example, prior to the Series, Chicago sportswriter Warren Brown was asked who he liked, and he answered, “I don’t think either one of them can win it!” (The Chicago Cubs, by Warren Brown, 1946) But the Cubs had no answer to Greenberg, and the Series went Detroit’s way.

6 – Boston Red Sox (11, 7-4, .636, 2007)

Won the first World Series in 1903. Ended 86-year title drought with World Series win in 2004. The club was founded in 1901, as one of the American League’s eight charter franchises. They were a dominant team in the new league—defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903. They won four more championships by 1918, and then went into one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, which ended in 2004, when the team won their sixth World Series Championship. Since 2003, the Red Sox have competed in four ALCS, have won two World Series, and have emerged as arguably the most successful MLB team of the last decade.

5 – Oakland Athletics aka A’s (14, 9-5, .642, 1989)

5–3 as Philadelphia Athletics. After a decade-plus of interleague play, the A’s hold a 38-30 edge against the Giants head-to-head through June 29, 2008[4] — including a 16-8 record against the Giants during the 2005-08 seasons[5]. In addition, the A’s have played in six World Series (winning four of them) since moving to Oakland in 1968, while the Giants have only been to three World Series (losing all three) since moving to San Francisco in 1958. When factoring in the World Series matchups between the two franchises (dating back to 1905), the A’s hold the all-time edge over the Giants in head-to-head play, winning 51 games and losing 37 times—the Giants won the 1905 World Series four games to one, while the A’s won the 1911 World Series (4-2), the 1913 World Series (4-1) and the 1989 World Series (4-0).

4 – San Francisco Giants (17, 5-12, .294, 1954)

5–9 as New York Giants. The New York Giants’ four World Series appearances from 1921 to 1924 are the most consecutive appearances for any National League franchise. In game one of the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds, Willie Mays made “The Catch”—a dramatic over-the-shoulder catch off a fly ball by Vic Wertz to deep center field. At the time the game had been tied 2–2 in the eighth inning. With men on first and second and nobody out, an extra-base hit could have blown the game wide open, and given the Cleveland Indians the momentum to win not only Game One, but perhaps the World Series itself. Instead, Mays caught the ball 450 feet from the plate, whirled and threw the ball to the infield, keeping the lead runner, Larry Doby, from scoring.

The underdog Giants went on to sweep the series in four straight, despite the Cleveland Indians having won a then-American League record 111 games that year. This was the last World Series victory for the Giants, subsequently losing in 1962, 1989, and 2002. It would be their last appearance as the New York Giants, as the team moved to San Francisco prior to 1958 season.

3 – St. Louis Cardinals (17, 10-7, .588, 2006)

Comments: Most World Series titles in the National League, second in Major League Baseball behind the New York Yankees, but trail them by more than double their win total. The Cardinals were founded in 1882 as a member of the American Association called the St. Louis Brown Stockings. The club quickly achieved success, winning four AA pennants in a row, 1885-1888. Following these titles, St. Louis played in an early version of the World Series, the first two times against the National League’s Chicago White Stockings, now named the Chicago Cubs. The 1885 series ended in dispute, but St. Louis won the 1886 series outright, beginning a St. Louis-Chicago rivalry that continues today.[3] The American Association went bankrupt in 1892, and the Browns moved to the National League, leaving much of their success behind for the next three decades. The club changed its name to the “Perfectos” in 1899, before adopting the “Cardinals” name in 1900.

2 – Los Angeles Dodgers (18, 6-12, .333, 1988)

Most National League pennants. 1–8 as Brooklyn Dodgers. The 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers are the last team to win a World Series after losing the first two games on the road. The recent tendency of a team winning the first two games at home and then winning the Series suggests the theoretical advantage to gaining home-field advantage (and the first two games at home) by winning the All-Star Game.

1 – New York Yankees (40, 27-13, .675, 2009)

Most titles of any major-sports franchises in North America. Most World Series losses. They do not hold the best winning percentage of teams with at least 3 World Series appearances. The Yankees’ number of World Series losses, 13, leads in Major League Baseball. The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers are second in total World Series appearances with eighteen; eleven of those eighteen appearances have been against the Yankees, where the Dodgers have gone 3-8 against them.[33] Among North American major sports, the Yankees’ success is only approached by the 24 Stanley Cup championships of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. They have played in the World Series against every National League pennant winner except the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies, a feat that no other team is even close to matching.

Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh Pirates (7, 5-2, .714, 1979)

They have the best winning percentage of teams with at least 3 World Series appearances. The Pittsburgh Pirates have won all five of their World Series championships in seven games.



My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

I am also affiliated with a great cause, a children’s book with a great message called, “A Glove of Their Own”. Everyone who purchases a copy of this great book using the promotional code PIF 129, a $3.00 donation will be made when purchased through the Franklin Mason Press website for Pitch In For Baseball at checkout. You can purchase a copy by following the link at their website http://www.agloveoftheirown.com

The World Series is in full swing this week with a match up between two of baseball’s oldest teams. While seeing those games in person is a hard ticket to get, there are many other baseball-related spots you can visit that have just as much significance as host sites for championships.

No other sport can claim as much history and nostalgia—baseball is a game that spans, yet connects, generations, and calls many a fan to make pilgrimages to its numerous hallowed places. In honor of the Fall Classic, we’ve put together a line up of nine of these sacred places. This is not your typical stadium tour, but instead includes locales that have helped shape the history and character of the game, as well as the love fans have for it.

To quote the Voice referenced in spot #6, “If you build it, they will come.” We built this list, so go see these iconic baseball locations, leading off with Beantown and rounding the bases of our country (and beyond) before heading back home to where it started.

1. Atop the Green Monster – Boston, Mass.

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It is among the most cherished stadiums anywhere, and watching a game atop the green monstrosity looming in left field is like hitting a ball with the sweet spot of a bat. The 37-foot-tall wall was part of the original 1912 construction and has several unconventional in-play features, such as an exposed ladder and manual scoreboard that wreak havoc on outfielders and turn ordinary home runs into singles. While there is a decades-long dispute over its exact distance from home plate, the 274 fans perched in the Monster Seats don’t care, as they’re enjoying one of the most unique views in the game.

2. Ebbets Field Apartments – Brooklyn, NY

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One of the saddest moments in baseball occurred in 1957, when the Dodgers left Brooklyn for the West Coast, leaving behind the iconic Ebbets Field. Its legacy included the annual “Wait ‘till next year” cries due to the futility of “Dem bums,” who, over a 15-year period, lost six World Series to the hated cross-town rivals, the New York [bleeping] Yankees. The two most defining moments it hosted were Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier and in 1955, when the Boys of Summer finally wrangled a championship from the Yankees. Two years later, it was abandoned then demolished altogether in 1960. Today, Ebbets Field Apartments stands atop that hallowed ground, yet many a tough-luck Brooklynite and diehard fans of the game still make the pilgrimage to pay their respects.

3. Baseball Hall of Fame – Cooperstown, NY

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There’s a reason why the National Baseball Hall of Museum is in the three-spot of this line up, the most important slot. Because when it comes to all-around baseball sites, it’s got the best of swings. While the claim that the birthplace of baseball is Cooperstown has been disputed by historians, there’s no lessening its significance, with countless artifacts and exhibits of the game, its teams, players, stakeholders, and influence on the world. There’s also Doubleday Field, where numerous old timers’ and exhibition games are held. It is a fan’s dream to walk among these enshrined icons and their achievements, and a place where shared memories and experiences cross multi-generational lines.

4. Louisville Slugger Museum – Louisville, Ky.

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The crack of the bat is one of the most distinct sounds in sports. And the place to best learn all about what makes that happen is where baseball’s bats are born. Legend has it the first bat ever made by the company that would become Louisville Slugger was a hand-crafted, custom-made work that broke the local major league team’s star out of a fierce slump, producing three hits in the first game it was used, way back in 1884. Its popularity soared form there, making Louisville Slugger the bat of choice among major leaguers. Its museum focuses on the craft of hitting, giving insights into how bats are made and the hitters that have swung them, and even gives you the chance to face down a 90-mph fastball with one of their pieces of art. It’s also home to the world’s biggest bat, making it the obvious choice for batting clean-up in this line up.

5. Waveland Avenue outside Wrigley Field – Chicago, Ill.

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There’s never been a more popular place outside of a stadium to still experience “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Ball hawks line Waveland Avenue and ready themselves with each crack of the bat in the hopes of scoring a home run ball that clears not just the ivy-covered fences, but the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field altogether—a trend that went ballistic during Sammy Sosa’s big-swinging days. Additionally, seats atop the buildings across the street from the stadium offer a festive atmosphere to view the game and wish away the Curse of the Billy Goat for the hopeless Cubbies.

6. The Field of Dreams – Dyersville, Iowa

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“Is this heaven?”

“No. It’s Iowa.”

And one place every baseball fan must see. The movie’s themes of second chances, faith, and relationships all neatly wrapped around baseball resonated with both the hardcore and casual fan alike—heck, even non-sports people. The corn rows where Ray Kinsella first heard the Voice and built his magical baseball field on which ghost players of the past continue practicing their beloved trade is located on a farm owned by the Lansing family. Twenty years later, fans still hear the Voice and go the distance to witness the setting in person, an attraction that draws thousands annually and serves as a playing field for pick-up games. Baseball heaven? No. But close. Very close.

7. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – Kansas City, Mo.

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Some of the game’s greatest talents never stepped between the foul lines of a major league diamond. The reason? Because the tone of their skin didn’t match the color of the ball. While hundreds of African American players missed opportunities to shine on the biggest baseball stage, millions of fans missed out as well, never having the opportunity to appreciate their skills until Jackie Robinson integrated the national pastime. A few managed to follow Robinson’s footsteps, but sadly, the great majority did not. In an effort to recognize the achievements of players from the numerous Negro Leagues that were in existence in the early half of the 20th century, and the impact they had on the game that’s still felt to this day, the Negro League Baseball Museum opened its doors and has scored a huge hit with fans.

8. Parque Central’s Esquina Caliente – Havana, Cuba

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It may be America’s national pastime, but it’s the national passion in Cuba. See this in action at the section of Havana’s Parque Central known as Esquina Caliente. The “Hot Corner” earned its nickname by being more than a reference to slang for third base, thanks to the daily heated debates that have so much emotion, unfamiliar witnesses might expect them to come to blows (it’s an unwritten rule that they never do). Topics range from local team performances to defecting nationals who’ve made it to the big leagues, as well as strategy, Major League standings, and even some politics. There are travel restrictions to Cuba, but anyone who calls themselves a fan of the game needs to mira what real fanaticism for the sport really means.

9. Hank Aaron’s 715 Spot – Atlanta, Ga.

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Back before juiced baseballs and juiced players were associated with home runs, there was a number that stood for nearly 50 years. It was 714, and many thought it would never be broken. Atlanta Braves outfielder Henry “Hank” Aaron never hit more than 47 in a single season, but he was incredibly consistent with his long-ball stroke. On April 8, 1974, Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s home run record amid intense pressure from baseball purists, racists, and pitchers hurling 90 mph fastballs. The spot where his record homer cleared the fence at Fulton County Stadium is now a parking lot for Turner Field, the current home of the Braves, but it has been memorialized. If you call yourself a fan, come marvel at this feat (and not accept homer totals from people whose name rhymes with Larry Ponds).

OK, I’m no Yankees fan. By any means. But no matter how much you loathe the franchise (admit it, we’re all really just jealous), it’s impossible to exclude the impact they’ve had on the game, and neglecting a visit to old Yankee Stadium as part of a hardball pilgrimage is like a Catholic skipping the Vatican City when in Rome. So we’ll round third, and head back home to the Northeast where this trip started by making this an American League line up with 10 starters and add old Yankee Stadium to the DH spot on this list—an obvious choice since New York is where the World Series is taking place…

10. The House That Ruth Built – New York, NY

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It’s where the Bambino reigned as baseball king, Lou Gehrig gave his heartbreaking speech, Don Larsen tossed his World Series perfect game, and Reggie Jackson launched three dingers in a single, title-clinching evening. It also is where legends like Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Derek Jeter, Hideki Irabu, and Mickey Mantle roamed the field. Host to 37 World Series and 26 championships, the Bronx Bombers may have moved to fancier digs next door, but all the great ghosts of the game reside here. Plus, it was regularly featured on Seinfeld. Visit it before it’s razed and turned into parkland—hopefully, they won’t build apartments on this sacred ground too… though that would be sweet, poetic justice in the eyes of those who have ever worn Brooklyn Dodger blue.

Have you visited these places? What are your cherished baseball sites and the stories behind them?

This story was originally published HERE at vacation.com. We thank them for sharing this with us!

Since failing to realize his dream of playing centerfield in the big leagues (it was obvious in college this wasn’t going to happen), Matt’s been writing about places, people, and things at Vacations.com. He enjoys journeys down hiking trails, bike paths, and two-lane highways with his wife and kids to wherever they might lead, and has never met a road trip he didn’t like (except maybe that overnight jaunt to Pangburn, Ark.). Raised and well-traveled in the Southeast, he’s anxiously awaiting the day the Dolphins win another Super Bowl, Ric Flair runs for office, and good Cuban food comes to North Georgia.

Warning: most of this ballot is going to surprise you. How do I know, because it surprised me! You see, I didn’t just use my eyes or even the traditional method/statistics to make up this ballot.

I used 11 statistical categories including defensive metrics & added some objective weight to some of them (multiplied them by either 10, 100 or 1000) in order to make them more relevant and useful. For example, I multiplied Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) and Range Factor per Game (RF/G) by 10; Walk to Strikeout Ratio (BB/K) by 100; and Batting Average (AVE), On Base Percentage (OBP) and Fielding Percentage (FP) by 1000. Add to these were the counting stats such as Runs (R), Homeruns (HR), Runs Batted In (RBI), Stolen Bases (SB) and Runs Created (RC) based upon weighted On Base Average (wOBA) or simply wRC as found on Fangraphs.com.

So as you can see, I didn’t exactly set this up to provide a traditional selection of players and in fact, some of these guys wouldn’t even have made my top 15!

10 ) Franklin Gutierrez CF Seattle Mariners…1 point

What gets Gutierrez on this list is his ungodly UZR of 28.5 which was almost 10 points higher than the next rated player. In fact, I read somewhere that his power numbers were even down this year!

9 ) Kevin Youkilis 1B/3B Boston Red Sox…2 points

Forget about the fact that he played significant time at both first and third base (78 and 63), but he also played two games in LF, too. But none of this factored into this listing! The stats that got him onto this list were his RF/G of 7.9, his FP of .998, OBP of .413 and his runs scored of 99 and 94 RBI on 27 HR and 111.7 runs created.

8 ) Chone Figgins 3B Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim…3 points

A UZR of 14.5, .395 OBP with 42 SB and 114 runs scored with 105.1 runs created contributed to Chone’s listing here. I would not have added Figgins even to my top 20.

7 ) Carl Crawford LF Tampa Bay Rays…4 points

60 SB with 96 runs scored 101.6 runs created combined with a .988 FP and a UZR of 17.1 are what got Crawford here.

6 ) Evan Longoria 3B Tampa Bay Rays…5 points

Tampa Bay scored the most players on this list with Evan “The Beast” Longoria stuck here in the middle. In only his second season he has impressive numbers starting off with the second highest UZR with 18.9, 108.7 runs created with 100 runs scored, 33 HR and 113 RBIs.

5 ) Derek Jeter SS New York Yankees…6 points

With a FP of .986, runs created of 122.4 (for third on this list of the top 10) with 107 runs scored to go with a .406 OBP and 30 SB lead the Yankees captain onto this list.

4 ) Miguel Cabrera 1B Detroit Tigers…7 points

Believe it or not, Cabrera’s defense has a significant part to play in his being 4th on this list with a .995 FP and an 8.6 RF/G. Then add to that his 96 runs scored, 123.5 runs created, an AVE of .324, OBP of .396 to go along with 34 HR and 103 RBI.

3 ) Dustin Pedroia 2B Boston Red Sox…8 points

Here’s another player who I wouldn’t have even thought about for this list with his diminished numbers compared to last year and I’m a big Pedroia fan! But his numbers tell a different story with a UZR of 10.2 and a FP of .991 to go along with his runs created of 103.9 to go with his actual runs scored of 115. Add to that a great BB/K ratio of 1.64 (tops on this list and second in the Majors to only Pujols’ 1.80), .371 OBP and 20 SB do make quite a statement overall.

2 ) Ben Zobrist 2B/RF Tampa Bay Rays…9 points

Probably the most surprising name on an MVP listing is Zobrist, but this is not the only list I’m seen him towards the top of recently. His versatility should also be considered, but doesn’t factor in here as he can also play other positions than these two. His UZR is 15.6, a FP of .989 to go along with his career year offensively with 111.1 runs created, 27 HR, 91 RBI and runs scored with a .405 OBP.

1 ) Joe Mauer C/DH Minnesota Twins…14 points

Talk about increased power numbers, Mauer hit a career high 28 HRs! His previos high was 13 back in 2006. As a reminder, the catcher’s position doesn’t get a UZR score so he was at a disadvantage over the other position players on this list and I did not remember to factor that in with a league average! His other numbers are as follows…6.9 RF/G, .996 FP with offensive numbers such as 127.5 runs created, 94 runs scored, 96 RBI and his incredible .365 AVE .444 OBP and 1.21 BB/K ratio (second best on this list). Editor’s note: I stand corrected, as I now see Mauer as the best all around catcher in the game today! I have done my research since an earlier post on The Dugout Doctors. He was my choice no matter how I did this, but I am glad that this analysis proved that idea.

Honorable Mentions in order of appearance…

In my opinion, both of these players would have made my ballot if I had not gone to this much detail or even included defensive statistics. Both had over 30 HR and 100 RBI, a AVE of over .290 and OBP over .355 to go along with runs created over 100, FP over .990 and RF/G over 8.

Mark Teixeira 1B New York Yankees

Kendry Morales 1B Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

Here’s a top 10 list of a different kind. This one, like most lists of opinion, is very subjective. Some mascots are just there while others have become a part of the game and even others are barely even noticeable. So with that in mind, off we go to the races…

BUT, before we do that, here’s a list of the 4 teams who do not have mascots according to my sources. They are the Cubs (maybe a goat would be nice), the Angels (how about a cheribim), the Dodgers (they do have Manny) and the Yankees (how about a World Series trophy seeing they have so many). What do you all think?

If anyone has a fun childhood or adulthood memory to share about your experience with a mascot whether they are on this list or not!

10 ) Dinger –

Mascot of the Colorado Rockies. One of the best looking and most creative mascot designs and owner of a great name for baseball.









9 ) Southpaw –

Mascot of the Chicago White Sox. Not very creative, but seems like he would be fun for the fans.








8 ) Raymond –

Mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays. One of the best looking and most creative mascot design.









7 ) The Mariner Moose –

Mascot of the Seattle Mariners. He once ran over (more like clipped) former Red Sox CF Coco Crisp with the cart he was driving.








6 ) Billy The Marlin –

Mascot of the Florida Marlins. He is also in a few top 5 lists that I have seen.









5 ) Bernie Brewer –

Mascot of the Milwaukee Brewers who has his own house in the ballpark where he slides down a slide to celebrate every Brewer HR. I am told he has become a fan favorite in Milwaukee. He is also in a few top 5 lists that I have seen.







4 ) Wally The Green Monster –

Mascot of the Boston Red Sox. Who’s going to argue with a 37 foot high Green Monster. He is also in a few top 5 lists that I have seen.










3 ) Mr. Met –

Mascot of the New York Mets. In a few top 5 lists that I have seen tells of how engaging of a figure Mr. Met was in old Shea Stadium.










2 ) Slider –

Mascot of the Cleveland Indians who was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2008. This fact alone is enough to place second on this list.










1b ) The Phillie Phanatic –

Mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies who was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005. The Phanatic is probably the most widely know “official” MLB mascot. What makes him unique is his personality and how engaging and enduring of a figure he is to both kids and adults alike.








1a ) The Famous San Diego Chicken –

Mascot of San Diego who was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005. Although he appeared in more than 520 Padres games in a row at one point (which given a home schedule of 81 games/year comes to over 6 straight seasons), he was NEVER the “official” mascot of the San Diego Padres. Not only is he probably the most widely known mascot, but he also starred next to Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench from 1982 – 1985 on The Baseball Bunch. He made being a mascot famously popular in the late 70’s and 80’s which is why I have him listed as 1a. If he was an official MLB mascot for the Padres he’d be # 1 all by himself. What sets The Chicken apart from the rest is his creativeness and ability to incorporate players, umpires, fans and managers while role playing, etc.

You will see why he is the best in the following few videos…

The Famous San Diego Chicken has a dance off with a purple dinosaur. Music: Too Legit Too Quit by MC Hammer. November 16, 2006.

A highlight collection of The Famous San Diego Chicken and his antics. Part 1

A highlight collection of The Famous San Diego Chicken and his antics. Part 2

A highlight collection of The Famous San Diego Chicken and his antics. Part 3

A highlight collection of The Famous San Diego Chicken and his antics. Part 4

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

After the popularity of our story on Michael Jordan’s brief professional baseball career (yes, minor league baseball is considered professional level) in the MiLB with the Barons we were inspired to bring you this list.

Editor’s note: Every player on this list has played professional Baseball (MLB or MiLB) and another professional sport.

8 – Michael Jordan: Birmingham Baron (AA) at age 31 (for one year) after his first retirement (he retired three times) and NBA Hall of Famer. He hit only .202 with 3 HRs 51 RBIs and 18 SB. His fielding wasn’t much betterin theOF as his fielding percentage was .952

7 – Nathaniel Clifton – Minor League 1B in the Cleveland organization before moving onto the NBA for 8 seasons. As a 1B he hit .307 and 23 HRs

6 – Chuck Connors: Chicago Cubs 1B for 66 games, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B for one game and Boston Celtics as a F/C for 53 games before becoming an actor most famous for his role as “The Rifleman”. He hit only .238 with 2 HRs, 18 RBIs and 2 SBs

5 – Danny Ainge: Toronto Blue Jays and NBA player, coach and GM. While Ainge couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag, he was playing in the major league. He played 211 games over three seasons in Toronto and hit 2 HRs, 37 RBIs, 12 SBs while hitting .220. He played mainly 2B and 3B, but also saw time at SS (6 games), LF (6 games), RF (2 games), DH (4 games) and CF (25 games).

4 – Jim Thorpe: NY Giants, Reds and Boston Braves OF from 1913 to 1919 and NFL All Decade RB/DB in the 1920’s. In those 6 seasons in the OF he hit .258 with 7 HRs, 82 RBIs and 29 SBs

3 – Deion Sanders: In 9 seasons in the OF for the Yankees, Braves, Reds and Giants he averaged .263 with 39 HRs, 168 RBIs,  43 triples (he led the NL with 14 in 1992) and 186 SBs. He was a CB for Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins and Ravens.

2 – Bo Jackson: 8 seasons with the Royals, White Sox and Angels as an OF/DH. He hit for only a .250 BA, but had 141 HRs, 415 RBIs and 82 SBs. Bo Knew Baseball, but he also knew the NFL as a RB until his hip injury. He played both sports from age 25 to 28.

1 – Brian Jordan: 15 seasons mostly as an OF for the Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers and Rangers. His career BA was .282 with a .333 OBP and 184 HRs, 821 RBIs and 119 SBs. He was also a Safety with the Atlanta Falcons for 36 games.

Although Bo & Deion were the most famous of these former MLB baseball players, it’s hard to argue with Brian Jordan’s 15 years, .282 BA and other numbers. Although Bo would have surpassed him in HRs and possibly some other categories if he was able to play longer.

Both Danny Ainge & Chuck Connors beat out Jordan and Clifton only because they played on the Major League teams while Jordan and Clifton only played in the minors!

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

The list that follows is a listing of players I would build a team around if all MLB players were available to choose from. Because this list is for players to build a team around, anyone over the age of 34 will not be included on this list…sorry Mariano Rivera fans, but I’m building this team for the future and he’s pushing 40.

For this list I will include one player per everyday position with five starting pitchers, one set up man and one utility player. Their current age will be in parenthesis.

C – Yadier Molina (27):

In my opinion Yadier is the best all around catcher in the game right now and he’s only 27! Just read the August ESPN Magazine article on him which can be found here.

Honorable Mention:

Joe Mauer – he’s found his power stroke the first part of the year, but he just can’t touch Yadier behind the dish. Who can?

1B – Albert Pujols (29):

Do I really have to defend this one? The numbers speak for themselves.

Honorable Mention:

Adrian Gonzalez – on a better team & he might give Pujols a run for this slot.

2B – Chase Utley (30, turns 31 on 12/17):

His power at this position (30 + HR when healthy) and his age are what gets him onto this list. He’s not too shabby in the field either.

Honorable Mention:

Dustin Pedroia – he’s younger.

3B – Evan Longoria (23, turns 24 on 10/7):

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s just a beast! He’s also one of the youngest guys on this list. He plays both sides of the ball extremely well and is calm, cool and collective on the field. His numbers are up across the board, this guy doesn’t know the phrase, sophomore slump. His BA is up 10 points from last year and his OBP, BB and RBI are up more than 20 and he’s even hit more HRs. The only negative I can find is that he has struck out more this season.

Honorable Mention:

David Wright – If his power didn’t disappear this year, I might have given him some more thought.

SS – Hanley Ramirez (25, turns 26 on 12/23):

His defense has improved, but he’s still no Omar Visquel, but he has also head and shoulders above the rest as his BA, RBI have gone up this year as he is also striking out less than he did a year ago which shows more patience (and that’s with moving to the # 3 hole in the line up). However, his SBs and HRs are down.

Honorable Mention:

Troy Tulowitzki – he’s much better on defense, has hit more HRs this year, but his average is almost 70 points lower and with 20 fewer RBIs, too.

LF – Ryan Braun (25, turns 26 on 11/17):

100 HRs, over 300 RBIs to go along with 45 SBs while hitting for a .305 BA with an OBP of .361 and he has walked more this year, and all in his first three seasons and this one’s not over yet. Who has better numbers than these?

Honorable Mention:

Carl Crawford – He has proven this year that 2008 was an off year and he is still a terror on the bases which is why he’s even mentioned next to Braun.

CF – Jacoby Ellsbury (26):

Currently at 66 SBs while hitting .303 with an OBP of .354 and he has learned how to be a legitimate leadoff hitter in only his second full season. He’s not too shabby in CF either.

Honorable Mention:

Grady Sizemore – When healthy, his 30/30 prowess is quite impressive.

RF – Justin Upton (22):

I’m probably missing someone here, but on top of Justin’s solid defense, he is much improved in his second full season in Arizona. So far he has 10 more HRs while doubling his RBI total, will probably reach 20 SBs and raised his BA more than 50 points and his OBP by almost 20.

Honorable Mention:

Nick Markakis – His numbers are down again from his 2007 season or he would be in the running. Maybe on a better team and he’d be more in contention.

UTIL – Ty Wiggington (31, turn 32 on 10/11):

He has some pop in his bat and is a gritty player who can play any position except up the middle (C, P and CF). His versatility is what gets him this spot on my list and the fact that he averages 20+ HRs, 76 RBIs, with a .271 BA. What more do you want in a utility player?

Honorable Mention:

Ben Zobrist – Aside from this year, he just hasn’t played enough to be considered, but his ability to play every position except P, C and 1B is impressive!

SP1 – Roy Halladay (32):

A former Cy Youn Award winner with 3 other top 5 finishes beyond that! Doc has 24 complete games in the past three years with 6 of those being shutouts and he threw no less than 225 innings in those years. In that same time he has 52 wins and over 540 strikeouts after his complete game shutout tonight. The doctor is in my house and he makes house calls!

SP2 – Zack Grienke (25, turns 26 on 10/21):

Over the past two years Grienke has pitched well for a bad team! He has pitched over 200 innings with an ERA of 3.67 and under with over 400 strikeouts and he’s only 25. Just think of how good he would be on a contender!

SP3 – CC Sabathia (29):

A former Cy Young Award winner who can hit and do so with power. Just in case my team is playing in the NL, you’ll need a pitcher that can hit. By the way, he can pitch, too. Since that award winning year he has compiled 12 complete games in 516 innings pitched and 54 wins with 646 strikeouts in those three years.

SP4 – Felix Hernandez (23):

Another good pitcher on a bad team who has gone 190 innings plus over the past 4 years with 7 complete games with 3 of those being shutouts and over 700 strikeouts in that span. And remember, he’s still only 23!

SP5 – Tim Lincecum (25):

Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner who will earn his 40th win in his career (3 seasons) with his next win. In 6 complete games half of those were shutouts in over 584 innings and 662 strikeouts. Just think of what he could do on a team with a better offense.

Honorable Mentions:

Justin Verlander – This 26 year old was the 2006 Rookie of the Year and has only 1 year without 17 or more wins since then. In 6 complete games half of those were shutouts in over 813 innings with over 720 strikeouts.

Closer – Jonathan Papelbon (28, turns 29 on 11/23):

Papelbon has been an all star since 2006 when he came in second in Rookie of the Year voting. In that time he has compiled 150 saves in 261 innings with 310 strikeouts

Honorable Mention:

Jose Valverde – He has 115 saves over the past three seasons in 187 innings with 207 strikeouts and that’s with missing some time this year.

If any of you have a bone to pick with this list, please make this an opportunity to do one of two things:

1. Make your own list & post it in the comments section
2. Tell us of your additions or subtractions to this list, with your reasons why, it in the comments section

We always welcome a good debate and we very well might have missed someone. Heck, I missed Tommy Lasorda on my previous list.

My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

The Houston Astros have fired manager Cecil Cooper. It isn’t hard to figure out why. In fact, the reasons are so obviously and plentiful that we’ve put together the following

Top Ten Reasons Cecil Cooper Got Fired by the Houston Astros

10. Foolishly relying upon Roy Oswalt. Surely Cooper could have had the foresight to see that Oswalt is a paper-tiger. Sure, the first eight seasons of his career were amazing, but Cooper should have seen through Oswalt’s decade of dominance and realized that he was on course for a return to earth in 2009.

9. Bringing Mike Hampton in for a Reunion Tour. What was Cooper thinking here? Hampton was ten years removed from his Cy Young runner-up season with the Astros in 1999 and five years removed from the last time he pitched over 100 innings in a season, and he gave Hampton a spot in the starting rotation.

8. Playing Miguel Tejada at Shortstop. Surely Cooper should have realized that Tejada has lied about his age, lied about using performance enhancing drugs, and was never that good of a defender even in his prime. Why did Cooper sign Tejada and put him at shortstop?

7. Failure to Develop Minor League Talent. Cooper failed where his predecessors did not – he never could develop young talent into legitimate major league players, relying instead upon cast-offs and failed prospects from other organizations. The Astros next manager really needs to develop talent throughout the system better.

6. Letting Lance Berkman Get Off to a Bad Start. Somehow, someway, Lance Berkman has never had any trouble succeeding in the early months of the season until this year. Last year, Lance was one of the elite hitters in the National League. This year, he was so-so. Shame on you, Cecil Cooper.

5. Signing an Aging and Inadequate Catcher to Play Full-time in the National League. There was a time when Ivan Rodriguez was an elite defensive catcher who called games very well and could hit a bit. He is no longer any of those things, and Cooper should have known it.

4. Putting Together the Oldest Lineup in the National League.

How are the Astros supposed to succeed when Cecil Cooper sent out a lineup everyday with an average age of 31.7 years old, the worst in the league? Plus, some of their oldest players were at key defensive positions. I would have expected Cooper to manage the roster better.

3. Allowing Russ Ortiz and Felipe Paulino to Start a Combined 28 Games. These guys went 5-16 with an ERA over 5.75 and a WHIP over 1.60. How did Cooper not make sure he had better pitchers in camp before starting the season with these guys.

2. Stocking the Bench with Jeff Keppinger, Chris Coste, Humberto Quintero, Jason Michaels, and Darin Erstad. If I had the oldest starting lineup in baseball, I sure would hope to have some solid bats on my bench. But between these five reserves, the only ones with 100 or more plate appearances after the starters, the Astros have a batting average under .250, an on-base percentage under .300, and an OPS well under the league average. I hope Cooper plans to have more depth at his next stop.

1. Playing in the NL’s Toughest Division with the NL’s Thinnest Roster. Facts are facts, people: the NL Central has six teams, which is more than any other division. So, to compete in the NL Central, a team needs to be better than five teams, not just four or three. And when three of those teams are the young up-and-coming Milwaukee Brewers, the cash-flush Chicago Cubs, and the ingeniously-run St. Louis Cardinals, you gotta come to the field with more than just Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada. You have to have guys who can pinch-hit, who can get on base, who can field the ball, and who can pitch six innings a game without giving the game away. The Astros didn’t have that this year.

And hey, when the organization fails to put together a competitive roster and the aging players on the field don’t put up the numbers they once did, there can be only one person to blame.

Cecil Cooper, we hardly knew ya.

Asher B. Chancey also writes for Baseball Evolution and you can read his work there by following this link.

These top 10 managers, for one reason or another, have intrigued me to the point of inclusion to this list. They have either had great tenures at a given team(s), been influential, charismatic, etc.

If you happen to have anyone else in mind that I may have missed, please feel free to let us know in the comments section of this list.

10. Ralph Houk – With over 1600 wins and a winning percentage of .514 over a 19 year managerial career after a seven year career as a player. He’s a manager I have respected as he has managed in three decades for the Yankees, Tigers  and Red Sox. He won two World Series as a manager in 1961 and 1962 (his first two years managing) with the Yankees and another in 1987 in the front office of the Twins. He was also a noted “player’s manager”.

9. Earl Weaver – Former manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1968-1982, and 1985-1986. He won a World Series in 1970 & was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996. Weaver was one of the most boistrous managers of his time who was never shy about telling the umpires what he thought of their calls and they usually responded to his kind criticism of their work by ejecting him. He holds the Major League record for being ejected 97 times! During one of those ejections, this is what wikipedia claims was said (screamed), “I’m going to check the rule-book on that” to which the umpire replied, “Here, use mine.” Weaver shot back, “That’s no good – I can’t read Braille.” Also from wikipedia, Weaver was well known for kicking dirt on umpires. He was also known to turn his cap backwards whenever he sparred with umpires in order to get as close to them as possible without touching them.

8. Jim Leyland – Although Leyland has only one World Series victory from 1997 with the Florida Marlins, he was named the manager of the year in both leagues. Twice in the NL with Barry Bonds’ Pirates in 1990 and 1992, then again in 2006 in his first year managing the Tigers. Although he is still managing the Tigers, Leyland still hold true to his old school roots unless I am mistaken. Tigers fans, please let me know if I’m wrong here. He’s currently managing the Tigers and may be in the playoffs with them again this season!

7. Bobby Cox – Cox is 4th on the all time wins list with 2404. Like Leyland, he also has won one World Series (in 1995 with the Braves) and manager of the year awards in both leagues. He won one in the AL with the Blue Jays in his last year there and three times in the NL with the Braves in 1991, 2004 and 2005.

6. Terry Francona – Although in only his 10th year of managing in the big leagues, being a part of bringing 2 World Series Championships to Boston after an 86 year drought makes this list in my book, but I admit I’m a Red Sox fan. In fact, his hiring was influential in the Red Sox signing the bloody sock pitcher Curt Schilling. Although Francona was not very successful in Philadelphia, he has had better toys to play with in Boston since his arrival and is exceptionally well in protecting his players from the media and is also known as a player’s manager. He’s currently managing the Red Sox and will be in the playoffs with them again this season!

5. Tony LaRussa – LaRussa, who is currently third on the all time wins list with 2546 has also won two World Series Championships. One with the A’s in 1989 and more rrecently in 2006 with the Cardinals. Like Cox, he has won the manager of the year award four times, but in reverse order. Just one time in the NL with the Cardinals in 2002 and three times in the AL, once with the White Sox in 1983 and twice with the A’s in 1988 and 1992. He is the father of the one inning save and the lefty specialist. Both of those, in my opinion, have had detrimental effects to the game, but you just can’t argue with over 2500 wins…can you? He’s currently managing the Cardinals and will be in the playoffs with them again this season!

4. Whitey Herzog – Herzog is on this list for his 1281 wins and his influence on the game. He was the father of Whiteyball, which was a style of play that was based upon strategy to win games rather on the all powerful HR. Herzog’s teams relied on pitching, speed and defense to win games. His teams usually had at least one or more base-stealing threat at the top of the lineup, with a power threat such as George Brett or Jack Clark hitting third or fourth, protected by one or two hitters with lesser power, followed by more base stealers (taken from wikipedia).

3. Billy Martin – probably one of the most carismatic managers on this list, but Billy did win one World Series in 1977 with the Yankees, whom he managed five times in his career. It is said that he was preparring to manage them a sixth time (for the 1990 season) and even had most if not all of his coaching staff selected, but his death on Christmas Day, 1989 unfortunately ended that notion. Billy was born to coach the Yankees! His ejections and infighting with other coaches and his players were always taking center stage in his managerial career, but he was also a great strategist. Here’s a quote from sportswriter Thomas Boswell as found on wikipedia regarding Billy’s strategic genius.

Billy Martin proved what a powerful strategic tool paranoia is. He believed that everyone was against him. And so he spent every waking moment figuring out how imaginary enemies could be defeated in their nefarious plots. And sometimes he not only created strategies to defend against things that would never be done against him, but he realized that those attacks were in themselves novel and he would then try those attacks that he had already dreamed up a defense for. That’s why he was so wonderful at suicide bunts and double steals and any way that you could humiliate or psychologically defeat the other team, he was sure that’s how the world reacted to him. He was sure the world hated him. And so he turned that really raw, frightened paranoia into wonderful strategic intelligence.

2. Sparky Anderson – One of the most well respected managers of my lifetime, Sparky is 6th on the all time wins list with 2194. Sparky was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000 by the veterans commitee after a 25 year career as a manager for just two teams. Sparky managed the Reds from 1970-1978 where he won two World Series Championships in 1975 and 1976. The World Series in 1975 against the Red Sox is still regarded as one of the best ever! From 1979-1995, Sparky managed the Tigers where he won his third Worl Series in 1984. While managing the Tigers, Sparky won two manager of the year awards in 1984 and 1987.

1. Joe Torre – Torre (aka Joe Cool) deserves to be on top of this list for the 12 years he managed the Yankees alone as he won four World Series Championships in the span of five years between 1996 and 2000 obviously including a remarkable three in a row between 1998 and 2000. He is another manager I have a lot of respect for. He is a class act and has shown that he can handle the stress of managing under George Steinbrenner (which isn’t easy!) and in media central (NY) and still seem like he had everything under control at all times. On a player’s note, he won a Gold Glove at catcher in 1965 while playing for the Braves! He also won the AL manager of the year award with the Yankees in 1996 and 1998. He’s currently managing the Dodgers and will be in the playoffs with them again this season!

Special Editor’s Note: of these top 10 managers, three of them were catchers and it is this writers opinion that former catchers make some of the best strategic managers.

Honorable Mentions:

Dick Williams – He won back to back World Series Championships with the A’s in 1972-1973 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.

Mike Scioscia – Another former catcher, Sciocia is another great strategist who won a World Series Title with the Angels as a manager in 2002 and previously as a player with the Dodgers in both 1981 and 1988. He also won the AL manager of the year in 2002. He’s currently managing the Angels and will be in the playoffs with them again this season!

I am Peter Schiller, the owner of Baseball Reflections and I am also a writer there, too. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!

Here is a top 10 list of the All Time Greatest Defensive Shortstops in baseball.

The players on this list are ranked by the number of Gold Gloves that were awarded to them in their careers.

I understand that this sort of award is voted on by the BBWAA and is prone to errors so please voice your opinions as to who should and shouldn’t be on this list.

Feel free to add your own top 10 list of defensive shortstops in the comments section of this post.

1. Ozzie Smith (13 in 19 seasons) 15 All Star Games and actuall 1 Silver Slugger (only 3 other players have more Gold Gloves than the Wizard of Oz…Brooks Robinson (3B) and Jim Kaat (P) both have 16 and Greg Maddux (P) has 18.
2. Omar Vizquel (11 and currently in his 21st seasons) 3 All Star Games
3. Luis Aparicio (9 in 18 seasons) 10 All Star Games and Rookie of the Year in 1956
4. Mark Belanger (8 in 18 seasons) 1 All Star Game
5. Dave Concepcion (5 in 19 seasons) 9 All Star Games and 2 Silver Sluggers
6. Tony Fernandez (4 in 17 seasons) 5 All Star Games
7. Alan Trammell (4 in 20 seasons) 6 All Star Games and 3 Silver Sluggers
8. Derek Jeter (3 and currently in his 15^th season) 10 All Star Games, Rookie of the Year in 1996 and 3 Silver Sluggers
9. Barry Larkin (3 in 19 seasons) 12 All Star Games, 9 Silver Sluggers and an MVP in 1995
10. Roy McMillan (3 in 16 seasons) 2 All Star Games

Honorable Mention

11. Rey Ordonez (3 in 9 seasons)

Here is a listing of the Top 10 Closers. These are not the top 10 all time saves leaders as I hold more weight for the pitchers who threw more than one inning in order to get a save in the modern closer (pre-Eckersley/LaRussa) era.

A a point of clarification, the number to the left of each player is their ranking on the all time saves list while the number in parenthesis is their current saves total as of this writing (this only affects Hoffman and Rivera).

1. Trevor Hoffman (583) – Almost 600 saves (should make it in 2010 is he stays healthy and doesn’t retire), even if most of them are just 1 inning long, is impressive. He’s also the younger brother of former Red Sox SS Glenn Hoffman.

2. Mariano Rivera (520) – One of the classiest closers our this generation and one of only two players to reach the 500 save mark.

3. Lee Smith (478) – Great character and one of only 3 players to reach the 400 save mark.

5. Dennis Eckersley (390) – Anyone who can be a starter for his first 12 seasons, have a 20 win season and still save 390 games deserves a top 10 listing, plus he’s a Hall of Famer.

7. Jeff Reardon (367) – Only the top 21 All Time Saves Leaders have reached the 300 save mark and Reardon is currently number 7 all time.

10. Rollie Fingers (341) – Hall of Fame closer who pitched multiple innings to record his saves and great mustache…enough said.

18. Goose Gossage (310) – Who ever looked forward to facing Gossage late in a game. He was downright scary to face and one of the few Hall of Fame closers, too.

21. Bruce Sutter (300) – May not be in the top 20, but he is a Hall of Fame closer (the first) and he pitched before the era of the one inning closer.

29. Sparky Lyle (238) – 6 season over 100 IP as a RP , 8 seasons over 90 IP as a RP.

31. Hoyt Wilhelm (227) – A Hall of Famer who had 8 seasons of over 100 IP as a RP, 10 seasons over 90 IP as a RP. Closers just don’t do that anymore!

Honorable mentions

51. Tug McGraw (180) – 5 season over 100 IP as a RP , 8 seasons over 90 IP as a RP. Closers just don’t do that anymore!

91. Dick Radatz (122) – in 7 seasons (1962-1969) & 4 of those years pitched in over 100 innings!

Who should be on this list who isn’t and who, in your opinion, doesn’t deserve to be on this list at all? Please let us know!