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