Monday, January 11, 2010

bdj610's End of Year MLB All-Star Teams: 1998 Edition

The year 1998 for me personally was a year of change. I left the online shopping service and began working for a specialty foods distribution company. It was an office job, and I was no longer working at the grocery store anymore. But this new environment was exactly what I was learning about when I was in high school, so I adjusted pretty well (as well as a 22-year-old can). I also got married in 1998 to the girl I fell in love with in college. So life was changing pretty fast.

This year saw a lot of changes going on in baseball as well. The Diamondbacks and Devil Rays made their debuts as new expansion teams, with the D-Backs going to the NL, and the D-Rays going to the AL. The Brewers, a long time member of the American League, was now joining the National League. So even though the AL still had 14 teams, the NL now grew to a whopping sixteen-team league. It truly was a great year for baseball. My new wife and I were watching that fateful game on September 8, 1998 when Mark McGwire broke the home run record, and watched as Sammy Sosa, the man chasing him, went to congratulate him. Baseball was back in the minds of everyone, and even non-fans kept watching to see the exploits of the two superstar sluggers. The Cubs even made the post season for the first time since 1989, and they had to play the Giants in a one-game playoff just to get in as the wild card team.

Regarding my All-Star Teams, I still kept track of them, and still continued my childhood traditions. But 1998 also saw me run out of room in the notebook I has been using to keep my All-Star Teams when I was younger. Fortunately, I saved all my loose papers (the ones I used to compile my teams from 1998 to 2006), so I still have a record of who I chose that year to play on both teams. Players who participated in the All-Star Game still showed up on my teams, but going forward, you'll see me rely on that alone less and less.

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 1999 ASG would be in Boston (at Fenway Park), each team included a DH. So the rosters were expanded back to 35 players per team.

Without further ado, for the first time online, I am proud to introduce my 1998 End of Year MLB All-Star Teams (in alphabetical order by position):

(Fill in your own stars here...)



American League

First Basemen

  • Rafael Palmeiro, Orioles
  • Jim Thome, Indians*
  • Mo Vaughn, Red Sox

Second Basemen

  • Roberto Alomar, Orioles
  • Damion Easley, Tigers
  • Chuck Knoblauch, Yankees

Third Basemen

  • Wade Boggs, Devil Rays
  • Dean Palmer, Royals
  • Cal Ripken, Orioles

Shortstops

  • Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox
  • Derek Jeter, Yankees
  • Alex Rodriguez, Mariners*

Outfielders

  • Albert Belle, White Sox
  • Eric Davis, Orioles
  • Juan Gonzalez, Rangers
  • Ken Griffey, Jr., Mariners
  • Rickey Henderson, Athletics
  • Kenny Lofton, Indians
  • Paul O'Neill, Yankees
  • Manny Ramirez, Indians
  • Bernie Williams, Yankees*

Catchers

  • Sandy Alomar, Jr., Indians
  • Ivan Rodriguez, Rangers
  • Terry Steinbach, Twins

Designated Hitter:

  • Shawn Green, Blue Jays*

Pitchers

  • Roger Clemens, Blue Jays
  • David Cone, Yankees
  • Tom Gordon, Red Sox*
  • Rick Helling, Rangers*
  • Mike Jackson, Indians*
  • Pedro Martinez, Red Sox
  • Troy Percival, Angels
  • Aaron Sele, Rangers*
  • David Wells, Yankees*
  • John Wetteland, Rangers

Manager:

  • Art Howe, Athletics

The Starters:

  • 1B: Thome
  • 2B: Knoblauch
  • 3B: Ripken
  • SS: Rodriguez
  • OF: Gonzalez
  • OF: Griffey, Jr.
  • OF: Lofton
  • C: Rodriguez
  • DH: Green
  • P: Clemens

*First-Time All-Star


National League

First Basemen

  • Andres Galarraga, Braves
  • Mark Grace, Cubs
  • Mark McGwire, Cardinals

Second Basemen

  • Craig Biggio, Astros
  • Jeff Kent, Giants
  • Fernando Viña, Brewers*

Third Basemen

  • Vinny Castilla, Rockies
  • Jeff Cirillo, Brewers
  • Chipper Jones, Braves

Shortstops

  • Jay Bell, Diamondbacks
  • Mark Grudzielanek, Dodgers
  • Barry Larkin, Reds

Outfielders

  • Moises Alou, Astros
  • Dante Bichette, Rockies
  • Barry Bonds, Giants
  • Cliff Floyd, Marlins*
  • Vladimir Guerrero, Expos*
  • Sammy Sosa, Cubs
  • Greg Vaughn, Padres
  • Larry Walker, Rockies
  • Devon White, Diamondbacks

Catchers

  • Javy Lopez, Braves
  • Jason Kendall, Pirates
  • Mike Piazza, Mets

Designated Hitter:

  • Tony Gwynn, Padres

Pitchers

  • Rod Beck, Cubs
  • Kevin Brown, Padres
  • Tom Glavine, Braves
  • Trevor Hoffman, Padres
  • Greg Maddux, Braves
  • Robb Nen, Giants
  • Shane Reynolds, Astros
  • Curt Schilling, Phillies
  • Jeff Shaw, Dodgers
  • Kevin Tapani, Cubs*

Manager:

  • Jim Riggleman, Cubs

The Starters:

  • 1B: McGwire
  • 2B: Biggio
  • 3B: Jones
  • SS: Larkin
  • OF: Bonds
  • OF: Sosa
  • OF: Walker
  • C: Piazza
  • DH: Gwynn
  • P: Glavine


Thirteen players are first-time all-stars (9 for the American League, 4 for the Nationals). One-person teams on my 1998 rosters include the Angels (Percival), Athletics (Henderson), Devil Rays (Boggs), Royals (Palmer), Tigers (Easely), Twins (Steinbach), White Sox (Belle), Cardinals (McGwire), Expos (Guerrero), Marlins (Floyd), Mets (Piazza), Phillies (Schilling), Pirates (Kendall), and Reds (Larkin). The Yankees send six representatives to the AL roster, leading both leagues. The Indians, and Rangers 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

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