bdj610's End of Year MLB All-Star Teams: 1990 Edition

We're finally into the 1990's. By the time I named my 1990 End of the Year All-Star Teams, I was balancing high school homework and working as a lackey in the theater department. I followed baseball a bit more closely over the summer, and watched as the defending NL East champs wrote in their season. But the real All-Star Game was at Wrigley, and while I wasn't at the actual game, my aunt who lives on Addison allowed us to watch the game from her place. And we all know what happened at the game that night, right???

While I am still learning more about the game (I started picking up books about the history of baseball at this time too), when it came to picking teams in the early 90's, all it involved was using the players from the actual All-Star Game, and plugging in the holes as needed to fill out the rest of the positions. So while it was not yet picking the best of the best yet, the players chosen for my 1990 teams deserved to be there. There are 10 pitchers on each team (six starters, four closers), and because the 1991 ASG would be in Toronto, each team included a DH. So the rosters expanded 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 1990 End of Year MLB All-Star Teams (in alphabetical order by position):

(Lots of space here when I added the table. On feeds and on other blog sites like Sculu, it all looks normal, but on Blogger, the space remains...)

American League First Basemen Cecil Fielder, Tigers* Mark McGwire, Athletics Rafael Palmeiro, Rangers Second Basemen Julio Franco, Rangers Steve Sax, Yankees Lou Whitaker, Tigers Third Basemen Wade Boggs, Red Sox Brook Jacoby, Indians* Kelly Gruber, Blue Jays Shortstops Ozzie Guillen, White Sox Cal Ripken, Orioles Alan Trammell, Tigers Outfielders George Bell, Blue Jays Ellis Burks, Red Sox* Ivan Calderon, White Sox* Jose Canseco, Athletics Ken Griffey, Jr., Mariners* Rickey Henderson, Athletics Bo Jackson, Royals Kirby Puckett, Twins Robin Yount, Brewers Catchers Sandy Alomar, Indians* Carlton Fisk, White Sox Lance Parrish, Angels* Designated Hitter: Dave Parker, Brewers* Pitchers Roger Clemens, Red Sox Dennis Eckersley, Athletics Chuck Finley, Angels Randy Johnson, Mariners* Doug Jones, Indians Gregg Olson, Orioles* Bret Saberhagen, Royals Dave Steib, Blue Jays* Bobby Thigpen, White Sox Bob Welch, Athletics* Manager: Jeff Torborg, White Sox The Starters: 1B: McGwire 2B: Sax 3B: Boggs SS: Ripken OF: Canseco OF: Griffey, Jr. OF: Henderson C: Alomar DH: Parker P: Welch *First-Time All-Star

National League First Basemen Will Clark, Giants Mark Grace, Cubs* Eddie Murray, Dodgers* Second Basemen Roberto Alomar, Padres* Tommy Herr, Mets Ryne Sandberg, Cubs Third Basemen Chris Sabo, Reds* Tim Wallach, Expos Matt Williams, Giants* Shortstops Shawon Dunston, Cubs Barry Larkin, Reds Ozzie Smith, Cardinals Outfielders Barry Bonds, Pirates Bobby Bonilla, Pirates Kal Daniels, Dodgers* Andre Dawson, Cubs Lenny Dykstra, Phillies* Tony Gwynn, Padres Kevin Mitchell, Giants Lonnie Smith, Braves* Darryl Strawberry, Mets Catchers Greg Olson, Braves* Benito Santiago, Padres Mike Scioscia, Dodgers Designated Hitter: Ron Gant, Braves* Pitchers Jack Armstrong, Reds* Jeff Brantley, Giants* Rob Dibble, Reds* John Franco, Mets Neal Heaton, Pirates* Dennis Martinez, Expos* Ramon Martinez, Dodgers* Randy Myers, Reds Dave Smith, Astros* Frank Viola, Mets Manager: Jim Leyland, Pirates The Starters: 1B: Clark 2B: Sandberg 3B: Sabo SS: Smith OF: Dawson OF: Dykstra OF: Mitchell C: Scioscia DH: Gant P: Armstrong

Twenty-nine new players are first-time all-stars (12 for the American League, 17 for the Nationals). One-person teams on my 1990 rosters include the Twins (Puckett), Yankees (Sax...this would be unheard of today), Astros (DSmith), Cardinals (OSmith), and Phillies (Dykstra). Both the Athletics and Reds send five representatives on the AL and NL rosters respectively, leading both leagues (figures, since both teams went to the World Series that year). The White Sox, Cubs (Chicago bias rules!!!), Dodgers, Giants, and Mets each send four 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. You know, putting my imagined All-Star Teams to the 'net, and the added fun of simulating games with them, is really rejuvinating. And a whole lot of fun. I'm actually enjoying this.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama