Wednesday, December 23, 2009

bdj610's End of Year MLB All-Star Teams: 1996 Edition

In 1996, I started a new job with a company that was just starting to use this newfangled concept called the Internet and allow its customers to buy groceries online and have them delivered too. Let me first say that this was probably one of the best periods of my life. I got to hang out at a grocery store without actually working FOR the grocery store, and get paid for it. And the people I worked with were great. I was still in college, but my focus had changed a bit, with good reason. Even with everything that was happening in my life, I was still knee deep in the hobby. And thanks to Baseball Weekly (although at this time, I think they started the change to Sports Weekly to coincide with the addition of football coverage), I still had time to name my End of the Year All-Star Teams. Baseball still took a backseat with everything else going on at this time, I mean, both the Cubs and the White Sox weren't going anywhere in 1996. And although I chose most of the players for these two teams on my own, a majority of them participated in the midsummer classic in Philadelphia in July.

This year's teams include 10 pitchers on each team (six starters, four closers), and the usual 3 players per position (1b, 2b, 3b, ss, c, 9 of), and because the 1997 ASG would be in Cleveland (at the two-year-old Jacobs Field), each team included a DH. So the rosters were expanded back to 35 players per team.

Let's cut to the chase. Without further ado, for the first time online, I am proud to introduce my 1996 End of Year MLB All-Star Teams (in alphabetical order by position):

(Too much space...)











American League
First Basemen
  • Mark McGwire, Athletics
  • Frank Thomas, White Sox
  • Mo Vaughn, Red Sox
Second Basemen
  • Roberto Alomar, Orioles
  • Chuck Knoblauch, Twins
  • Mark McLemore, Rangers*
Third Basemen
  • Wade Boggs, Yankees
  • Jeff Cirillo, Brewers*
  • Travis Fryman, Tigers
Shortstops
  • Kevin Elster, Rangers*
  • Derek Jeter, Yankees*
  • Cal Ripken, Orioles
Outfielders
  • Brady Anderson, Orioles
  • Albert Belle, Indians
  • Jay Buhner, Mariners
  • Joe Carter, Blue Jays
  • Juan Gonzalez, Rangers
  • Tom Goodwin, Royals*
  • Ken Griffey, Jr., Mariners
  • Kenny Lofton, Indians
  • Tim Salmon, Angels
Catchers
  • Ivan Rodriguez, Rangers
  • Terry Steinbach, Athletics
  • Dan Wilson, Mariners*
Designated Hitter:
  • Paul Molitor, Twins
Pitchers
  • Alex Fernandez, White Sox*
  • Pat Hentgen, Blue Jays
  • Roberto Hernandez, White Sox*
  • Ken Hill, Rangers
  • Jose Mesa, Indians
  • Mike Mussina, Orioles
  • Charles Nagy, Indians
  • Troy Percival, Angels*
  • Andy Pettitte, Yankees*
  • John Wetteland, Yankees
Manager:
  • Joe Torre, Yankees
The Starters:
  • 1B: McGwire
  • 2B: Alomar
  • 3B: Boggs
  • SS: Ripken
  • OF: Belle
  • OF: Griffey, Jr.
  • OF: Lofton
  • C: Rodriguez
  • DH: Molitor
  • P: Pettitte
*First-Time All-Star


National League
First Basemen
  • Jeff Bagwell, Astros
  • Andres Galarraga, Rockies
  • Fred McGriff, Braves
Second Basemen
  • Craig Biggio, Astros
  • Mickey Morandini, Phillies
  • Eric Young, Rockies*
Third Basemen
  • Ken Caminiti, Padres
  • Vinny Castilla, Rockies
  • Chipper Jones, Braves
Shortstops
  • Jay Bell, Pirates
  • Mark Grudzielanek, Expos*
  • Barry Larkin, Reds
Outfielders
  • Dante Bichette, Rockies
  • Barry Bonds, Giants
  • Ellis Burks, Rockies
  • Marquis Grissom, Braves
  • Tony Gwynn, Padres
  • Lance Johnson, Mets*
  • Henry Rodriguez, Expos*
  • Gary Sheffield, Marlins
  • Sammy Sosa, Cubs
Catchers
  • Todd Hundley, Mets
  • Jason Kendall, Pirates*
  • Mike Piazza, Dodgers
Designated Hitter:
  • Mark Grace, Cubs
Pitchers
  • Andy Benes, Cardinals
  • Jeff Brantley, Reds
  • Kevin Brown, Marlins
  • Tom Glavine, Braves
  • Trevor Hoffman, Padres*
  • Al Leiter, Marlins*
  • Shane Reynolds, Astros*
  • John Smoltz, Braves
  • Mark Wohlers, Braves*
  • Todd Worrell, Dodgers
Manager:
  • Bruce Bochy, Padres
The Starters:
  • 1B: McGriff
  • 2B: Biggio
  • 3B: Jones
  • SS: Larkin
  • OF: Bonds
  • OF: Johnson
  • OF: Gwynn
  • C: Piazza
  • DH: Grace
  • P: Glavine



Nineteen players are first-time all-stars (10 for the American League, 9 for the Nationals). One-person teams on my 1994 rosters include the Brewers (Cirillo), Red Sox (Vaughn), Royals (Goodwin), Tigers (Fryman), Cardinals (Benes), Giants (Bonds), and Phillies (Morandini). The Braves send six representatives to the NL roster, leading both leagues (no Chicago bias this year). The Rangers and Rockies each send five players to their respective squads.

As always, seven regular games (10,000 simulations each, six with the same starting pitchers, one where lineups and starting pitchers change), and one All-Star Game will be simulated during the course of the week. I hope to have the results of all the games by the end of the week.

Now it's time for me to create the .DAT files before getting the games set. Game results coming next week.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

No comments: