25 for 25: Expos/Nationals

by Solanus on Jul 27, 2010 10:44 PM EDT

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 – Darrin Fletcher (1995), Brian Schneider (2003)

1B – Andres Galarraga (1988), Nick Johnson (2005)

2B – Delino DeShields (1993), Jose Vidro (2000)

3B – Tim Wallach (1990), Ryan Zimmerman (2009)

SS – Wil Cordero (1994), Christian Guzman (2008)

OF – Tim Raines (1985), Mitch Webster (1986), Larry Walker (1992), Vladimir Guerrero (2002), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Ryan Church (2007)

SP – Mark Langston (1989), Dennis Martinez (1991), Pedro Martinez (1997), Javier Vazquez (2001), Livan Hernandez (2004)

RP – Tim Burke (1987), Mel Rojas (1996), Ugueth Urbina (1998), Steve Kline (1999)

Notable exceptions: Vance Law (1985), Mike Lansing (1997), Hubie Brooks (1986), Orlando Cabrera (2001), Ivan Calderon (1991), Marquis Grissom (1994), Moises Alou (1994), Rondell White (1997), Bryn Smith (1989), Butch Henry (1994), Ken Hill (1994), Jeff Fassero (1996), Dustin Hermanson (1998), John Wetteland (1993), Luis Ayala (2004)

Tweet Comment 9 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Ryan Church in 2007...

…my gosh. I’d have to look at the year, but Ryan Church on any best of list has got to be evaluated. Also, no love for Chad Cordero The Chief in 2005. I don’t know is we have an option for any other years for Nick Johnson at 1B or other 1Bs if you swap him out. Where’s Andre Dawson? I don’t know who you have to remove from the outfield list and the years to add him in.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.

by souldrummer on Jul 28, 2010 4:07 AM EDT reply actions

Who else are you going to pick in '07?

Zimmerman has better options, Kearns isn’t any better than Church, Saul Rivera might be an option but probably got crowded out … That’s the tricky part with these exercises, that you have to make do with someone less deserving because it was just a bad year and somebody had to be chosen. Or you’ve already ruled out all the legitimate seasons and have to make do with the eighth-best year by a 2nd baseman.
As for Dawson, he was only with the Expos for two seasons in this era. In 1985, he was clearly inferior to Tim Raines; in 1986, Dawson posted a WARP1 of 2.2 while Webster was at 5.0 (the main difference was defense). If I’d gone further back, Hawk would certainly be on the team, but I couldn’t logically justify putting him on over better options.

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

by Solanus on Jul 28, 2010 7:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Dmitri Young at 1B

Move Dmitri Young to 1B for 2007 in place of Nick Johnson. That was the year he was Comeback Player of the Year if I recall and had an .869OPS. Sure he must have given half the runs he earned back on defense but Dmitri was an effective fan favorite for the most part that season. Really he was one of the few reason to watch that team. That opens up a slot for Cordero in 2005. Push out one of the other relievers, maybe Mel Rojas.

And then I’m about done with the jigsaw problem. I can see how much time that this must have taken you, though. One switch mandates a whole chain of problems that’s starts to leave out important people. Dmitri Young’s Comeback Player of the Year season in 2007 and Chad Cordero’s 2005 season should at least be worthy of “Notable Exceptions” status.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park.

by souldrummer on Jul 28, 2010 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

I was definitely thinking Young too.

He had a great season and just was sparkling that year.

Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise.

by ajk9hy on Jul 28, 2010 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

If you want to put those players on the team

Then you could probably pick F.P. Santangelo from 1996. He put up pretty decent numbers and played all over the place. And wouldn’t be a worse selection than Church.

by Solanus on Jul 28, 2010 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting exercise.

Fun way to push into a team’s history and see the interaction among the inevitable rise/fall, hot/cold of the players’ careers. I admit I cringed to see The Immobile Jose Vidro at 2B, but I forgot that he wasn’t always the 2006 Jose “Past a Diving” Vidro we remember from his last Nats season.

"And everybody lived happily ever after. Except the Phillies and the Mets. The End." --Sasskuash
Friend of Dukes and Desmond #3

by Doghouse on Jul 28, 2010 8:47 AM EDT reply actions

Gary Carter?

by RoscoeNats on Jul 28, 2010 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Looks like fun, I'll try

Starting Lineup
1. CF Marquis Grissom (1993)
2. 2B Jose Vidro (2000)
3. RF Vladimir Guerrero (1999)
4. LF Alfonso Soriano (2006)
5. 3B Tim Wallach (1987)
6. 1B Andres Galaragga (1988)
7. SS Orlando Cabrera (2003)
8. C Darrin Fletcher (1995)
9. SP Bryn Smith (1985)

Bench – OF Larry Walker (1993), Tim Raines (1986), Moises Alou (1994); 1B/OF – Brad Wilkerson (2004), Adam Dunn (2009); IF – Mark Grudzielanek (1996), Ryan Zimmeraman (2007)

Pitchers – SP: Dennis Martinez (1991), Pedro Martinez (1997), Javier Vazquez (2001), Bartolo Colon (2002); RP: Tim Burke (1989), Bill Sampen (1990), Ugueth Urbina (1998), Chad Cordero (2005), Jon Rauch (2008)

1985 – SP Bryn Smith (18-5, 2.91 ERA, 222.1 IP, 3.1 K/BB)
1986 – LF Tim Raines (.334 BA, .413 OBP, .476 SLG, 91 R, 70 SB)
1987 – 3B Tim Wallach (.298 BA, .343 OBP, .514 SLG, 26 HR, 123 RBI)
1988 – 1B Andres Galaragga (.302 BA, .352 OBP, .540 SLG, 29 HR, 92 RBI)
1989 – RP Tim Burke (2.55 ERA, 28 SV, 9 W, 68 G)
1990 – RP Bill Sampen (90.1 IP, 2.99 ERA, 12 W)
1991 – SP Dennis Martinez (14-11, 2.31 ERA, 9 CG, 5 SO, 222 IP)
1992 – RF Larry Walker (.301 BA, .353 OBP, .506 SLG, 23 HR, 93 RBI, 16 OFA)
1993 – CF Marquis Grissom (.298 BA, .351 OBP, .438 SLG, 19 HR, 95 RBI, 104 R, 48 SB)
1994 – LF Moises Alou (.339 BA, .397 OBP, .592 SLG, 22 HR, 78 RBI, 81 R)
1995 – C Darrin Fletcher (.286, .351 OBP, .446 SLG, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 30% CS)
1996 – SS Mark Grudzielanek (.306 BA, .340 OBP, .397 SLG, 99 R, 201 H)
1997 – SP Pedro Martinez (17-8, 1.90 ERA, 13 CG, 4 SO, 305 K, 4.55 K/BB, 11.4 K/9)
1998 – CP Ugueth Urbina (1.30 ERA, 34 SV, 6 W, 12.2 K/9)
1999 – RF Vladimir Guerrero (.314 BA, .378 OBP, .600 SLG, 42 HR, 131 RBI, 102 R)
2000 – 2B Jose Vidro (.330 BA, .379 OBP, .540 SLG, 24 HR, 97 RBI, 101 R, 200 H)
2001 – SP Javier Vazquez (16-11, 3.42 ERA, 5 CG, 3 SO, 208 K, 4.73 K/BB)
2002 – SP Bartolo Colon (10-4, 3.31 ERA, 4 CG, 117 IP, 17 GS)
2003 – SS Orlando Cabrera (.297 BA, .347 OBP, .460 SLG, 17 HR, 80 RBI, 24 SB, 95 R)
2004 – 1B/OF Brad Wilkerson (.255 BA, .374 OBP, .498 SLG, 32 HR, 67 RBI, 112 R, 105 BB)
2005 – CP Chad Cordero (1.82 ERA, 47 SV, 3.59 K/BB, 74 G)
2006 – LF Alfonso Soriano (.277 BA, .351 OBP, .560 SLG, 46 HR, 95 RBI, 119 R, 41 SB)
2007 – 3B Ryan Zimmerman (.266 BA, .330 OBP, .458 SLG, 24 HR, 91 RBI, 99 R)
2008 – RP Jon Rauch (2.98 ERA, 17 SV, 6.29 K/BB, 48 G)
2009 – 1B/OF Adam Dunn (.267 BA, .398 OBP, .529 SLG, 38 HR, 105 RBI, 116 BB)

That’s the best shot I could give coming up with 25 in 25. I only picked one catcher since 1985 was the first season, also the reason Andre Dawson narrowly misses the list. I almost went with FP Santangelo over Mark G, but G’s 201 hits was the deciding factor (although FP could’ve played C in a pinch).

I will gladly eat crow if Brandon Jones does well for the 49ers in 2010.

by Andrew Davidson on Jul 29, 2010 4:41 AM EDT reply actions

Good Work

You mentioned the lack of a reserve catcher (which, to be honest, you guys are really hurting for catchers with the absence of Gary Carter), but you also shorted yourself a third infielder for the bench. Not a big deal, this whole process is just for fun anyway.
Now if you really want to take this thing to interesting levels, try coming up with a team from 1969-1984. (You’ll need to pick two guys from nine different seasons to make it work.) It gives you a chance to see some of the history of the franchise and allows you to grab Dawson, Carter & company. I know I had fun with it for the Cardinals (see the link above for the 1910-1934 team).

by Solanus on Jul 29, 2010 6:40 AM EDT up reply actions