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