What
Arguably the least talented World Series winning MLB club of the past quarter century (ok, the 2006 Cardinals were pretty rank as well), this team needs to be relapsed with current day ballplayers so the kids (the kids!!!) can see how mediocre this squad was on paper.
Components
Mike Scioscia
Steve Sax
Alfredo Griffin
Kirk Gibson
Mike Marshall
Mickey Hatcher
Orel Hershiser
Tim Leary
Tim Belcher
John Tudor
Jay Howell
Replacement Parts
Mike Scioscia => Yadier Molina
I never understand what it means when announcers say, “He calls a good game.” I guess it’s about pitch selection but if you’ve got a Livan Hernandez-type on the mound, you’re pretty much screwed regardless of how well you know the arsenal. Both these guys “call a good game”, have “soft hands” and contribute little with the bat aside from a decent average. Notice how I dropped the air quotes on that last part.
Steve Sax => Brian Roberts
Roberts has more power than Sax ever had but otherwise, they’re both fast, kind of erratic fielders and popular with the ladies. I’ll be frank—I’d feel better about this comparison if Roberts were righthanded.
Also considered: Freddy Sanchez, Howie Kendrick
Alfredo Griffin => Cesar Izturis
A slightly racist parallel: fast talkin’, fleet-footed Latinos who were ace fielders, OK hitters for a time who quickly tapered off into next to nothingness. Solid. Nice people. But not World Series calibre.
Also considered: Erick Aybar
Kirk Gibson => Torii Hunter
Gibby’s homerun in the ’88 Series remained the stuff of legends but at most, he was a good (at times very good) player. But not really a superstar. Much like Hunter. Both brought intangibles to the plate (Gibson: ruggedness, Hunter: unmistakable likability) and probably brought more to their teams than the stat sheet would ever indicate.
Mike Marshall => Garrett Jones
Solid, unspectacular outfielders with decent power, OK batting averages and non-descript fielding. These guys neither hurt you nor helped you in the big picture. Infinitely replaceable, as Marshall was a season and a half later by Juan Samuel.
Mickey Hatcher => Melky Cabrera
This is tough because Hatcher came up huge replacing a hobbled Gibson in the ‘88 Series but was effectively a role player for the bulk of his 12 season. He had no power or speed but was always good for a strong average and trotting his wacky oversized glove out for baseball card photo shoots (check http://www.hardballtimes.com/images/uploads/Hatcher.jpg for a sample; this was sheer hilarity by late-Eighties standards). There really isn’t a modern equivalent to Hatcher as I don’t think such a beast would survive in modern day MLB. The perpetually mundane Melky is as good as any.
Orel Hershiser => Roy Halladay
Two classy Caucasian hurlers with pinpoint control and bulldog attitudes. Also, a pair of dorks.
Tim Leary => Carl Pavano
Leary was the proverbial “one season wonder”. Pavano wasn’t and isn’t… but is also insanely inconsistent and injury prone. Not an ideal comparison. Hoping somebody can come up with something better.
Tim Belcher => John Lackey
I like this trade-off. Big, hard throwing hurlers. Solid #3 starters who struck out a bunch of hitters and occasionally flirted with #1 or #2. Um, yeah.
Also considered: Josh Beckett, Kevin Millwood
John Tudor => Chris Carpenter
I have a total “man crush” on John Tudor, one of the most dominant pitchers of the Eighties… when healthy. It’s a lofty comparison to a former Cy Young winner like Carpenter and yet they were both “good good double good” when not battling arm ailments. Check out Tudor’s 1985 season for the Cardinals: 21 wins, 1.93 ERA, 14 complete games, 10 shutouts. Easily one of the Top 5 starting pitcher seasons of his decade.
Jay Howell => Huston Street
Two atypical closers who didn’t rely on menacing beards or overpowering stuff to baffle hitters. If Keith Foulke were still active, he’d sooooo be getting the call, man. In lieu, let’s go with the Rockies’ stopper.
Also considered: Brandon Lyon
Reset Rating: 6.5/10
Confession: This team doesn’t look too, too bad on paper. The line-up would be a travesty but the pitching staff could be one that Brian Wilson might refer to as “delicious”, especially considering the bullpen would also feature modern day equivalents of fine middle relievers such as Jesse Orosco and Alejandro Pena. I’m not loving the Sax, Hatcher or Leary comps so taking this ladder down a few rungs.
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