Random Debut League 1901-??

[Highlander]

With all of the different ways I’ve played OOTP, I’ve never done a full history (from 1901) replay using random debut. Well, it’s time for that to end and I thought I’d share the results here along the way. I kept most everything on the default settings, but I did switch over to the development engine for how players progress…..so we should get a few surprises along the way with how different players come out. I kept it to players from 1901 on and I am not controlling any teams….I’m just along for the ride to watch and see what happens.

I’ll start off by introducing each team and which players from throughout history will be joining us for this inaugural season. First up will be the Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore Orioles

With these team introductions, I’ll start with the pitching staff and then move on to the regular lineup, followed by the bench guys. The numbers in parentheses are their “age of import”.

SP1- Mike Caldwell (22)- Mike was a 4th round pick and imports in his rookie year. His career was in the 70’s and 80’s and his best season came in 1978 at 29 years old, going 22-9 with a 2.36 ERA for Milwaukee. He may struggle as a #1 pitcher.

SP2- Juan Pena (21)- Another really young pitcher, Pena was a 9th round pick and also imports as a rookie. His career amounted to 2 starts and 13 innings for the Red Sox in 1999. He was really good in those starts, though, so anything could happen here. Apparently, he was set to be the 5th starter for the Red Sox in 2000, but took a line drive off of his elbow in Spring Training that tore his MCL and he was never able to make it back to the majors. Here’s hoping he gets a good shot at a second chance here!

SP3- Eric Erickson (24)- A round 5 pick, Erickson is pretty close to his playing days. He pitched from 1914-1922. His later career wasn’t much, but his early seasons showed some promise, so maybe he develops.

SP4- Freddy Peralta (27)- Freddy was picked in the 7th round and is the veteran of this group. A modern day guy who has pitched his whole career for the Brewers and has been pretty successful. We’ll see how he does in 1901.

MR- Ken Rowe (31)- Ken was a 12th rounder who had a pretty limited career in the 1960’s, although he did pitch some on the great 1963 World Champion Dodgers team.

MR- Curt Lyons (21)- Curt was drafted very late in the 30th round. He continues the trend of young pitchers for this Baltimore team. His career amounted to 3 pretty pedestrian starts with the Reds back in 1996.

Reserve- Bill Cristall (25), Anthony Misiewicz (27), Brandon Morrow (29), Pedro Payano (24), Bob Ross (22…word is he has a nasty pitch he calls the “paintball”), Daniel Wright (25)

C- Duane Josephson (27)- An 8th round pick, Duane played from 1965-1972 with both the White and Red Sox. Not a great hitter or catcher at first glance, but could surprise.

1B- Beau Bell (29)- Beau was the 2nd pick for Baltimore and looks like a real star. He played from 1935-1941 and was a bit of a late bloomer. His first two full seasons for the Browns were fantastic and that is what his ratings here are based on it seems. We’ll see if he can keep it up longer than he did his first time around.

2B- Sonny Jackson (23)- A 15th round pick, Sonny played from 1963-1974 and had some success with the Astros and Braves.

3B- Jim Gantner (31)- Jim was a 14th round pick and is generally better at 2B, but the Orioles are moving him to 3rd. He played from 1976-1992, all with the Brewers. Lots of former Brewers on this team!

SS- Johnny Burnett (27)- A 10th round pick who is also playing at his worst position. He could be a better 2B or 3B, but is being used at SS. Weaker pitching and defense doesn’t seem to bode well for this team. Johnny played from 1927-1935, mostly with Cleveland. He only played a couple of seasons with over 400 AB, but they were actually pretty solid.

LF- Corbin Carroll (23)- The 3rd player taken by Baltimore, Corbin is a current player who has good potential. Not sure he is a star in the making the way he was imported, but he’s got a lot of solid tools for sure.

CF- Felix Mantilla (26)- A 6th round pick, Felix’s best position is LF, but he’s pretty solid in CF as well. He can also play multiple IF positions, although not very well. He played from 1956-1966 with a number of teams. He didn’t play consistently through his career, but did have one season where he hit 30 HR, so we’ll see how he develops.

RF- Fred Snodgrass (22)- The #1 pick of the Orioles, Fred imported REALLY well compared to what his numbers look like. He played from 1908-1916, but was no more than just a decent player. We’ll see which Fred Snodgrass we get!

Bench
C/1B- Eliezer Alfonzo (27)...Round 19…. 2006-2011
1B- Randall Simon (28)....Round 16…. 1997-2006
2B/3B- Juan Bonilla (25)....Round 22….1981-1987
IF- Luke Boone (25)....Round 21….1913-1918
2B/3B- Ken Boswell (30)....Round 18….1967-1977
IF/LF- Larry Raines (27)....Round 23….1957-1958
IF/LF- Ildemaro Vargas (25)....Round 17….2017-present
2B/3B- Doug Strange (31)....Round 24….1989-1998
LF- Gene Roof (25)....Round 25….1981-1983
OF- Matt Angle (25)....Round 27….2011
IF/OF- Chick Fewster (22)....Round 20….1917-1927

Reserve- Eury Perez (23), Tommy Irwin (25), Jose Valdivielso (25), Ryan Minor (27), Fred Andrews (24), Walter Barbare (23), Roy Grover (27), Buzzy Wares (27), Steve Korcheck (22),

[Highlander]

Boston Americans


SP1- Curt Simmons (20)- Boston focused on pitching with Simmons as their #1 pick. He had a really long career from 1947-1967 and had some pretty solid years. He seemed to import even better than he was at this point in his career so we’ll see how he turns out.

SP2- Mario Soto (26)- Boston continued their pitching focus by taking Soto with their 2nd round pick. He was a lifelong Cincinnati Red from 1977-1988. A great strikeout pitcher, it will be interesting to see how that translates to the 1901 era.

SP3- Ed Whitson (35)- A 9th rounder, Ed put up a great season for the Padres in his age 35 season back in 1990. It was his last full season however, so the Americans may not get much bang for their buck here.

SP4- Miguel Batista (35)- Miguel was a 26th round pick. I guess that’s what happens when your first two picks are pitchers….you have to wait a while for some of your other pitchers! Miguel played from 1992-2012 and was 41 when he retired so he may last a little longer….but not be very good while he does.

MR- Jeff Nelson (27)- Jeff was a 5th round pick…pretty early for a reliever in this era, but Jeff was a good one. He played from 1992-2006, including being a big part of some great Yankees teams.

LR- Matt Garza (33)- Matt was a 27th round pick and did have some success earlier in his career. However, by this point he struggled and hopefully won’t need to pitch much for this team or they will be in trouble. He played from 2006-2017….lots of more modern guys on this staff.

Reserve- Phil Ortega (29), Cecil Ferguson (26), Al Fitzmorris (29), Andy Hansen (26), Al Tedrow (22), Paul Thormodsgard (25), Hank Wyse (32)

C- Bob Kearney (27)- Bob was an 18th round pick who played his career from 1982-1987. He was more of a backup when he played and doesn’t hit much, but he has a solid arm and good framing skills…although I don’t think that will help much in 1901.

1B- Felipe Crespo (28)- A 19th round pick was used to get Felipe, who can play all over the field but will spend the most time at 1st base. He played pretty sparingly from 1996-2001 and it will be a surprise if he isn’t one of the worst 1B in the league.

2B- Pedro Florimon (28)- Another starter who was taken very late in the draft, Pedro wasn’t selected until round 29. He played from 2011-2018, but only had one season over 150 AB and it wasn’t very good. Also, he only has skills at SS, so will be learning 2B to start the season. It does seem he will be better there than SS, though.

3B- Jeff King (29)- Finally a guy who might actually hit for this team, Jeff was still only an 11th round player. He would be best suited at 1B, but should hold his own at 3rd. He had a solid career from 1989-1999 and has some good power.

SS- Luis Aparicio (33)- Our first HOF player in this league, Luis was drafted in the 6th round. This 33 year old version of Luis is unfortunately not a great one…even as a fielder. His career went from 1956-1973, but it seems like Boston won’t really get the HOF version here.

LF- Alejandro De Aza (27)- A 4th round pick, Alejandro had a career from 2007-2017. There were a lot of ups and downs through his career, but he imports at a perfect time here, so we might see a more consistent version. He may translate pretty well to this era.

CF- Tony Scott (27)- Tony’s career is all about speed and defense. He was only a 20th round pick, but may be better suited to 1901 than the 1973-1984 career he had.

RF- Dave Martinez (31)- Dave played from 1986-2001 and was imported here at a time when he was pretty solid. He was a 7th round pick, so he will be counted on for some pretty good offense.

Bench
C- Ben Huffman (22)....Round 15….1937
1B/OF- Dick Smith (24)....Round 21….1963-1965
2B/SS- Ed Abbaticchio (26)....Round 17….1897-1910
3B- Steve Mesner (23)....Round 30….1938-1945
OF- Roger Bernadina (24)....Round 24….2008-2014
OF- Bob Brower (29)....Round 12….1986-1989
OF- Kerry Robinson (29)....Round 25….1998-2006
OF- Buddy Bradford (28)....Round 13….1966-1976
OF- Brett Butler (25)....Round 3….1981-1997….Yes, that is right. Butler is not a starter, but is set to play a lot in both LF and CF. Strange to have your 3rd pick on the bench though!
OF- Chick Fullis (30)....Round 8….1928-1936…..Another pretty solid guy on the bench. I am seeing a few trades in this team’s future!
OF- Earl McNeely (26)....Round 14….1924-1931

Reserve- Bill Ludwig (25), Alex Hernandez (23), Al Baird (21), Skeeter Kell (22), Dan Costello (23), Anse Moore (28), Dante Powell (27), Michael Reed (22)

[Highlander]

Boston Beaneaters


SP1- Charles Nagy (22)- Nagy imported in his rookie year as a 5th rounder. He pitched from 1990-2003 and had some good seasons, but also some subpar ones. Not sure about him as a #1 starter.

SP2- Buck O’Brien (28)- Buck only pitched from 1911-1913, but was very good when he was in there. Boston took him with their 4th pick, so they must think he will pan out. One caveat is that he profiles as “fragile” so injuries could be an issue.

SP3- DJ Herz (23)- An 8th rounder, DJ is the 3rd guy the Beaneaters took for their rotation in their top 10 picks. DJ is a bit of an unknown, as 2024 was his first season in the majors. There is some decent potential here, so he may be a sneaky pick.

SP4- Russ Kemmerer (24)- Russ pitched from 1954-1963, but wasn’t very good as a starter. He was a 14th round pick, but hopefully Boston isn’t looking for too much from him.

MR- Russ Meyer (33)- A 16th round pick, Russ played from 1946-1959. He had some good years in there, but by this age, he was pretty much done.

MR- Joe Barlow (27)- Joe played from 2021-2023 and was a closer for the Rangers for some of that time. He was picked in the 11th round, so Boston is hoping he can be a solid bullpen guy for them. He was effective at times, so maybe?

LR- Bert Cunningham (35)- Bert is an interesting addition to the league, as he played from 1887-1901. His last year was our first….and it looks like he doesn’t have much left. Boston took him in the 26th round and he’s on the active roster so they must see something?

LR- Bill Stoneman (23)- Taken in the 10th round, Bill is the unprecedented (so far) 4th reliever on this team. No other team so far has more than 2. He pitched from 1967-1974 and had some very good years. He may develop into another solid starter with some luck.

Reserve- AJ Griffin (28), Crese Heismann (22), Don hendrickson (31), Ed McNichol (25), Joe Saunders (25), Clay Smith (23), Carl Yowell (21)

C- Frank Chance (25)- Better known as a 1B, Chance is our 2nd HOF player in the league. He was the 1st pick for the Beaneaters and the 2nd overall pick in the draft. It’s likely he switches back to 1st base at some point as he is much better there and will let his bat stay in the lineup more, but for now, he will be a really good hitting catcher…..if not a very good catcher. His speed and OBP potential could lead to some huge SB numbers.

1B- It looks like Boston is using a platoon at 1B for now, although both guys hit from the right side of the plate. The strong side of the platoon will see Xavier Nady (29) get the majority of the time. He was a 6th round pick and played from 2000-2014. He definitely had some good seasons, but I’m not sure how he will do in 1901. On the week side, it will be Rusty Ryal (26). He was a 12th round pick who played from 2009-2010. He can play a lot of positions and may be a sleeper for a good season.

2B- Neifi Perez (25)- Perez was a 7th round pick who played from 1996-2007. He should be in the running for a Gold Glove at 2B and could be pretty good at SS as well. Hitting may be so-so, however.

3B- Chelsor Cuthbert (22)- Chelsor had a career from 2015-2020. He was a 15th round pick. He might be solid at 3rd, but based on his limited career, I wouldn’t expect too much from him.

SS- Greg Gagne (26)- Gagne and Perez should be one of the best “middle of the infield” in the league. They are both very good fielders. Gagne played from 1983-1997. He was a 9th round pick for Boston and seems like a good deal at that pick.

LF- Another platoon situation here with two pretty solid players. The lefty is Elmer Smith (23). He was their 2nd round pick and when he’s done developing, he could be really good…he should be at least pretty good as he is. He played from 1914-1925 and was a very up and down player so his development is up in the air. The other side of the platoon is Jo-Jo Moore (21) who was a 13th rounder. He’s got a lot of development potential left as well. His career went from 1930-1941 and if he meets his potential, he’ll be a very solid player. This is definitely a platoon to watch.

CF- Sam Langford (25)- Sam had a very short career from 1926-1928 and was a 23rd round pick here. I’d guess one of the LF platoon guys may overtake him in the next season or two, but maybe Sam Holds his own.

RF- Brandon Moss (29) was a 3rd round pick and played from 2007-2017. His game is all about power, which may not translate real well to this era. He is a good fielder with a strong arm and can get on base, so he should produce, but his 30-HR power may only translate to 10 at best in 1901.

Bench
C/1B/OF- John Russell (27)....Round 21….1984-1993
1B- Will Craig (26)....Round 22….2020-2021
IF- Wilson Delgado (23)....Round 27….1996-2004
IF/RF- Scott Moore (24)....Round 18….2006-2012
OF- Steve Pegues (26)....Round 25….1994-1995
CF- Felix Mackiewicz (25)....Round 24….1941-1947
1B/OF- Gary Hancock (24)....Round 20….1978-1984

Reserve- Luis Rosado (24), John Mercer (19), Mickey Klutts (21), Dave Oliver (26), Matt Tuiasosopo (29), Ted Schreiber (24), Don Rader (27), Larry Chappell (26), Kerry Dineen (23)

[Highlander]

Brooklyn Superbas


SP1- Slim Harriss (27)- A 4th round pick who played from 1920-1928, Slim really only had one real good season, but it seems like that’s where his import came from, so he could be a solid guy for them.

SP2- James McDonald (23)- Surprisingly, they took James in the 5th round as his career from 2008-2013 wasn’t all that impressive, but his import coming into his rookie year wasn’t that bad. He’ll be an interesting one to watch to see how he comes out.

SP3- Ed Reulbach (33)- Ed played from 1905-1917 and was a beast in his first number of years. By age 33, he still had some good results, but for a 9th round pick, you might want a guy who wasn’t so close to where he retired. Maybe he’ll squeak out a few extra years though.

SP4- Ervin Santana (26)- Brooklyn really invested in their starting pitching as they took Ervin in the 8th round for their 4th starter. He played from 2005-2021 and had a few solid seasons. His import doesn’t look great, but you never know.

MR- Tom Cheney (24)- Tom went in the 11th round and was a player from 1957-1966. Control is a major issue for Tom, but if he gets that “under control” in his development the next couple of years, he could be pretty solid.

LR- Bob Smith (35)- I’m not sure how many Bob Smiths have played in the majors, but this one played from 1925-1937. He was a 13th rounder who didn’t pitch his first game until age 30, so he may have some time left.

LR- Jacob Lopez (25)- Jacob’s career so far has just been 2023-2024. Brooklyn took him in the 10th round and he does seem to have some potential. Not a bad dart throw.

Reserve- John Bogart (19), Lefty Clarke (25), Chris Ellis (26), Brandon Finnegan (24), Eli Grba (27), Phil Huffman (20), Rick Krivda (26), John McMakin (24), Red Nelson (23), Jay Pettibone (25)

C- Duke Sims (26)- Duke was the #1 pick for Brooklyn, which is interesting since he was mostly a backup in his career from 1964-1974. He isn’t a very good catcher and while he imported with a lot of power and a great eye, he’s not much of a hitter otherwise. Seems like a stretch for a #1 pick, but maybe he will surprise.

1B- Vinny Castilla (30)- A round 3 pick, Vinny had some great years with the Rockies during his 1991-2006 career. His import comes right in the middle of that, but it is unclear how much his power will help in this era. He is unrated at the moment at 1st base, but as a solid 3B and so-so SS, he should do well at 1st.

2B- Alex McCarthy (24)- Alex’s career from 1910-1917 didn’t amount to much, but he was imported at the best time for him. As a 16th rounder, they can’t be looking for too much, but he is a very good defender at 2nd, 3rd and SS.

3B- David Bell (29)- Bell was a 6th round pick who played from 1995-2006. He’s got a solid bat and a great glove. He can also play 2nd very well, so if they ever want to move Castilla to 3rd, Bell could still stick in the lineup.

SS- Todd Cruz (22)- Cruz showed a little power at times, but not much else at the plate in his career that went from 1978-1984. However, he has incredible range at both 3rd and SS. He’ll make some errors, but gets to so many balls, it should make up for it. If he keeps the errors low enough, a Gold Glove could be in his future. Not bad for an 18th rounder!

LF- Al Bumbry (36)- Strangely, they have Al playing LF against righties and CF against lefties…..with another player doing the opposite. Why the change? I guess we will never know! It’s a shame Al is 36 in this import, as he was a very solid player in his career from 1972-1985. He was only a 15th round pick, though, so he’s probably worth that.

CF- Ken Griffey (24)- This is the senior version, but he was a pretty darn good player in the early part of his 1973-1991 career (and he wasn’t too bad the rest of the way!). Brooklyn spent a 2nd round pick on him and he seems a lot better than Sims as the 1st round guy. He will alternate CF and LF with Bumbry. It would be cool if Griffey Jr. gets imported soon and they can either play together or against each other!

RF- George Staller (27)- A 12th round pick who only played for 21 games in 1943, he will get a chance to be a full time player here.

Bench
C- Larry Woodall (33)....Round 30….1920-1929
1B/3B- Rance Pless (30)....Round 21….1956
IF- Tyler Saladino (28)....Round 27….2015-2019
2B/SS- Al Weis (26)....Round 17….1962-1971
IF- Pedro Ciriaco (25)- Round 14….2010-2015…shaky on defense, but great speed and imported as a very good hitter (sans power, but it’s 1901!)
IF- Dave Hansen (26)....Round 7….1990-2005….isn’t set up to get much PT for a 7th rounder and he looks pretty solid
OF- Danny Clyburn (24)....Round 31….1997-1999
OF- Mike Baxter (30)....Round 29….2010-2015
1B/OF- John Bowker (24)....Round 20….2008-2011

Reserve- Mike Costanzo (28), Tim Nordbrook (26), Archie Wilson (27), Hal Anderson (28), Bob DiPietro (23)

[Highlander]

Chicago White Sox


SP1- Brandon Beachy (26)- Saying Beachy is fragile is an understatement, as his 2010-1015 career was marred by multiple injuries. However, as his 4th round draft pick hints at, when he is healthy, he can be really good. The White Sox took a chance here, but it may pay off.

SP2- Ian Anderson (21)- A 6th round pick, Ian looked like a star in the making at the start of his short 2020-2022 career, but despite multiple opportunities, he hasn’t made it back to the majors since then. This will be his 2nd chance to shine….albeit in a much different era.

SP3- Hisashi Iwakuma (35)- Hisashi was an 8th rounder and likely would have been much higher if he was imported from near the start of his 2012-2017 career instead of the end. He may have a couple more good seasons in him, but things ended pretty quickly for him by age 36.

SP4- Roy Lee Jackson (23)- Taken in the 10th round, Roy Lee was a decent reliever most of his career, but will get a chance to start as he did for a few games at the beginning of his 1977-1986 career. He’s got a lot of development that needs to happen, however.

LR- Tim Leary (34)- The White Sox must have great confidence in their pitching, as they only have Leary in a relief role. Tim had some good years earlier in his 1981-1994 career, but a 34 year old Tim Leary will have some major struggles, as shown by his 38th round selection.

Reserve- Raleigh Aitchison (23), Joe Brown (26), Reid Detmers (24), Harry Gaspar (26), Whitey Guese (29), George Hesselbacher (21), Dennis Powell (26), Greg Reynolds (27), Walter Silva (32), Steve Swetonic (27), Allan Winans (27),

C- Johnny Romano (29)- Johnny was a 2nd round pick and is similar to what we saw with Duke Sims on an earlier team. Great power and a great eye, but not much else at the plate. He’s actually a better catcher than Sims so it will be interesting to see which of them does better….and if either comes close to earning their high draft pick.

1B- Butch Huskey (26)- Butch can also play some 3rd and OF, but is best suited at 1B. He’s got a solid bat with some power and should do well for a 9th round pick. His career went from 1993-2000 when he just fell off a cliff at age 29, so hopefully he can last a little longer here.

2B- Wayne Tolleson (28)- Only a 20th round pick, Wayne’s career went from 1981-1990 and was based a lot on speed and defense. He was imported for probably his best offensive year, so we’ll see where he goes.

3B- Jim Davenport (26)- Jim played from 1958-1970 and while he didn’t have a lot of power, he was a good, solid 3B for his career. As a 7th round pick, he should do the same for the Sox.

SS- Jamey Carroll (29)- Drafted in the 12th round, Jamey is stuck playing his worst position. He would be much better suited at 2nd or 3rd, so there will be a little pressure on him to step up. Despite not making his MLB debut until age 28, he still had a pretty long career from 2002-2013 and should be a decent bat….if his fielding doesn’t hurt the team.

LF- Tracy Jones (25)- Tracy was a 3rd round pick and is a bit of a mixed bag. His defense is average at best, and his speed isn’t great. However, he has great base stealing and running instincts so he could steal a lot. His power and eye are pretty low, but he can really hit. His career only went from 1986-1991 and had a lot of ups and downs without much regular playing time. Chicago took him high enough that it seems like he will get a real shot to produce.

CF- Ryan Sweeney (22)- Only an 11th round pick, Ryan doesn’t look too much different than Jones. He doesn’t have the base running skills and is slightly less of a hitter, but his defense at all OF spots is terrific….Gold Glove level for sure. If he develops, since he is 3 years younger than Jones, he could turn out to be the better player.

RF- Cy Williams (33)- We finally get to the 1st round pick of the White Sox and other than his age, he could be worth it. Cy played from 1912-1930, but actually had some of his best years late in his career. As almost the Barry Bonds of his era (without the….well, you know!), he hit a career high 41 HR at age 36 and then hit 30 at age 40. He had an OPS over 900 every year from age 35-39. Playing in an even earlier era, the power may not get a chance to really play, but he will be fun to follow.

Bench
C/1B- Robinson Cancel (31)....Round 22….1999-2011…kind of misleading, as after his 1999 debut, he didn’t play again until 2008!
IF- Munenori Kawasaki (33)....Round 24….2012-2016
2B/SS- Fred Stanley (24)....Round 25….1969-1982
IF- Ron Washington (28)....Round 23…..1977-1989
3B/SS- Mark Christman (24)....Round 19….1938-1949
IF/OF- Howie Clark (30)....Round 17….2002-2008
SS- Erne Smith (30)....Round 34….1930
OF- Chad Allen (29)....Round 30….1999-2005
OF- Ben Gamel (26)....Round 14….2016-present
OF- John Moses (33)....Round 27….1982-1992
OF- Roy Johnson (24)....Round 32….1982-1985
OF- Kirk Gibson (22)....Round 5….1979-1995….Gibson is set up to get quite a bit of time in LF over Jones. He’s young in this import, so will have time to develop as well. I’m sure his time will increase as time goes on.

Reserve- Travis Blankenhorn (26), John Sipin (22), Don White (30), Walter Morris (28), Bobby Moore (25), Adolis Garcia (25)

[pholmer]

Are your Orioles going to move to New York in 1903 and become the Highlanders? If so, you might want to acquire pitcher Jack Chesbro. In 1904 he won 41 games for the Highlanders.

[David Watts]

Really enjoying this.

[Highlander]

Originally Posted by pholmer

Are your Orioles going to move to New York in 1903 and become the Highlanders? If so, you might want to acquire pitcher Jack Chesbro. In 1904 he won 41 games for the Highlanders.

This is random debut and I'm not controlling anything. The Orioles will turn into the Highlanders when appropriate, but they could end up with Randy Johnson or Sandy Koufax for all I know!

[Highlander]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Really enjoying this.

Glad you are following along....I know random debut is a favorite of yours! Not sure I'll give this much detail the whole way, but I wanted to get a good feel for how the league is starting out, so I thought this would help. The next team is coming right up...they might be the best overall team so far....at least for this first season, but you never know.

[Highlander]

Chicago Orphans

SP1- Smokey Joe Wood (19)- We start right out with the #1 pick for the Orphans in Wood. He played from 1908-1920 as a pitcher and extended that to 1922 as a hitter. He seems like he could be a very good two-way player, but for now, he is only listed as a pitcher…..and a very good one at that.

SP2- Dutch Leonard (41)- A 5th round pick seems high for a 41 year old, but this team seems to be going for it in this first year. Leonard’s career went from 1933-1953 and pitched until age 44, so he may have some left in the tank.

SP3- Kyle Bradish (27)- Kyle was a 4th round pick and seems like he will be a good one. His career has been from 2022-present and he imported really well. This rotation is looking tough.

SP4- Eddie Watt (31)- Eddie played from 1966-1975 and was mostly a reliever, but he will get a chance in the rotation here and could be pretty good. He definitely seems worth his 12th round pick.

LR- Al Orth (36)- Al was drafted in the 20th round but looks like he will be the first official two-way player in the league. His hitting is in much better shape than his pitching at this stage in his career, so we’ll see how long he stays on the mound. His career went from 1895-1909, so he is very used to this era.

LR- Al Demaree (34)- This Al was a 28th round pick and is pretty much at the point where he called it quits on his 1912-1919 career, but he was fairly effective right to the end.

Reserve- Jack Kralick (27), James Durham (20), John Ericks (29), Hideki Irabu (32), Hank Olmsted (26), Gil Torres (24), John Whitehead (30)

C- Ted Easterly (24)- Ted was a 4th round pick and looks like a very good hitter who can also play a little OF. He continues the trend of having a lot of players on this team from the era in which they are starting this league, as he played from 1909-1913.

1B- It’s going to be a platoon at 1st for the Orphans. The strong side will see Al Orth (36) get the majority of time. He looks like he can have a pretty solid season and seems like a good deal as a 20th rounder even at an older age. The other side of the platoon will be Steve Boros (24). Steve was a10th round pick and his 1957-1964 career doesn’t seem that great, but he imported pretty well.

2B- Johnny Evers (29)- Here’s the 2nd round pick for Chicago and they took one of their own. Johnny is another HOFer in the inaugural season of this league and joins his famous teammate, Frank Chance in the league. Maybe Tinker will show up soon! Evers played from 1902-1922 and this import puts him right near the middle of that career, so while his longevity won’t be there like it was, he could be good for a while.

3B- Jose Hernandez (33)- Jose was picked in the 9th round and played from 1991-2006. He’s an excellent defender at all the IF positions, has some power and is another indication that this team wants to win now….and they just might!

SS- Brendan Ryan (32)- Brendan was a 19th round pick and looks like he may be the worst hitter on the team. However, his defense at both SS and 2B is fantastic. A Gold Glove candidate for sure. He played from 2007-2016.

LF- This is another platoon situation for Chicago. From the left side is a guy who platooned a lot in his 2009-2021 career, in Josh Reddick (30). Josh was picked in the 11th and has always been a solid guy against RHP. He will actually play against lefties as well but will be in RF. The weak side of the platoon will be Alex Call (28). He was a 21st rounder who has played from 2022-present.

CF- Mike Lum (24)- Mike was taken in the 6th round and can really play in all OF positions. He played from 1967-1981 and while he was never a great hitter, he had a couple of good seasons and imported pretty well here.

RF- Other than Josh Reddick, the other RF guy who will be on the strong side of the platoon….really with Alex Call….is Cozy Dolan (32). Cozy was picked in the 7th round and played from 1909-1915. He is actually a RH batter, but hits righties way better than lefties.

Bench
C/1B/OF- JP Arencibia (28)....Round 18….2010-2015
IF/OF- George Stovall (35)....Round 17….1904-1913
2B- Daniel Joseph Garcia (24)....Round 22….2003-2004
2B- Freddie Maguire (28)....Round 25….1922-1931….missed all the seasons from 1924-1927, though
SS- Zach Neto (22)....Round 13….2023-present
1B/OF- Todd Benzinger (25)....Round 14….1987-1995
OF- Jose Constanza (27)....Round 23….2011-2014
LF- Rob Richie (23)....Round 24….1989
LF- Rene Tosoni (24)....Round 30….2011
1B/OF- Johnny Watwood (25)....Round 16….1929-1933…plus a couple of games in 1939!

Reserve- Mike Brumley (27), Jocko Conlon (25)...technically a HOFer as well, but as an umpire!, Taylor Motter (28), Charlie Shoemaker (24), Glen Stewart (30), Wayne Graham (27), Jim McGuire (26), Gary Johnson (27)

[Highlander]

Cincinnati Reds

SP1- Michael Soroka (21)- A 3rd round pick whose career has been from 2018-present, Soroka looked like a star at the beginning of his career, but has really struggled since, including missing the 2 seasons of 2021 and 2022. Somehow he is considered “Durable”, so maybe he will finally live up to his promise here.

SP2- Masahiro Tanaka (30)- Selected in the 6th round, Tanaka will be closer to the end of his 2014-2020 career than the start. He came over from Japan as a pretty hyped pitcher and he really did well overall. We’ll see what he has left in the tank at this point, though.

SP3- Dave Ferriss (23)- Dave was a 7th round pick and will also be used some as a hitter, although he doesn’t really have another position with experience. His career was only from 1945-1950, but his 1st 2 years were really good, so if he can maintain his skills better, he could be really good.

SP4- Barney Wolfe (29)- Barney played from 1903-1906 and while his record was pretty bad most years, his skills were solid. He was a 13th round pick and should be solid as a 4th starter.

MR- Gary Wayne (31)- A 10th round pick, Gary looks like a solid RP. He played from 1989-1994 and imported in his best season.

LR- Jose Lima (30)- Jose had 2 really good years in his age 26 and 27 seasons, but could never find that magic again through his whole 1994-2006 career. As only a 30th round pick, there aren’t many expectations….which is a good thing.

Reserve- Jonathan Heasley (24), Manny Muniz (23), Jack Reis (19), Mike Rowland (28), Bob Trice (27), Tyler Wilson (25), Jimmy Yacabonis (29),

C- Charlie O’Brien (37)- Mostly a back-up in his long 1985-2000 career, Charlie is still probably one of the better defensive catchers in the league so far. He was only an 18th round pick, so he should be worth it for however long he continues to play.

1B- There is a bit of a confusing platoon situation involving multiple positions for the Reds. The strong side of the 1B platoon will be Ron Jones (24). He will also play LF against lefties, so he’ll really be a fulltime player and as a 2nd round pick, that is as it should be. Ron isn’t rated at 1B, so there may be a learning curve for him. He played very little over his 1988-1991 career, but is taking advantage of an import that came due to a hot start to his career over his first 33 games. The other side of the 1B platoon will be Harry Spratt (23). He will also play 3B against righties! The strange thing is that he isn’t rated at either position….he’s a 2B/SS! He only played part time from 1911-1912, but is coming in with a lot of power and speed so he cost a 4th round pick. The learning curve to pick up 2 new positions will definitely be something to follow.

2B- Dickie Thon (32)- Thon broke in at age 21 and played from 1979-1993, so this is near the end of his career. He was a 9th round pick and still has great defense, good speed and a decent bat, so he should be good for a few more years.

3B- We already learned about Harry Spratt, who will play 3B against RHP. The weak side of this 3rd base platoon will be Ivy Olson (31). He was a 14th round pick who played from 1911-1924 and was a mediocre player at best. He does have a solid glove at multiple IF positions, though.

SS- Jose Valentin (32)- Another really good defender at multiple positions, Jose was drafted in the 5th and played from 1992-2007. He became a very good power hitter during this portion of his career, so between that and his defense, he should be a solid SS for a few years….just don’t expect much of an average from him.

LF- We already know Ron Jones will be manning LF when a lefty is on the mound, but the strong side LF guy will be Frank Shugart (34). He is another older player on this team and is right at the end of what was his 1890-1901 career. He actually missed all of 1898-1900 and then came back for one final season in 1901. We’ll see how much farther he goes in this league. He was just a 17th round pick.

CF- Lyman Bostock (26)- The top pick for the Reds, Lyman is always one of the most tragic stories in baseball. He was off to a terrific start to his career from 1975-1978. In 1977, he hit .336 with 36 doubles, 12 triples and 14 HR and looked to be one of the bigger stars in the game. His 1978 season saw him drop off a little, but still was hitting .296 with a .740 OPS. Then on September 24th of 1978, after a game with the White Sox, Lyman and his uncle drove to visit a woman who Bostock had tutored as a teenager and had not seen in many years. After the visit, they agreed to take the woman and her sister to their cousin’s house. Unbeknownst to any of them, the sister’s husband saw them all get in the car and assumed his wife was being unfaithful to him with Lyman. He followed them and at a red light, he pulled up next to the car and fired a shotgun into the back seat, intending to kill his wife. Tragically, Lyman Bostock was killed by that shot in the prime of both his career and his life.

RF- Earl Robinson (25)- Earl played sporadically and missed a few seasons between 1958-1964. However, for a 12th round pick, he imported pretty well. He could be a solid guy for them.

Bench
C/1B- Mike Rivera (30)....11th Round….2001-2011
1B/LF- Tyler Moore (26)....20th Round….2012-2017
2B/SS- Jack Lopez (31)....27th Round….2021 and 2024…not sure if he’s in the majors this year
IF/OF- Hector Luna (32)....22nd Round….2004-2012
CI/OF- Russell Branyan (22)....8th Round….1998-2011
IF- Jonah Bride (27)....19th Round….2022-present
IF- Red Rollings (24)....24th Round….1927-1930
IF- Larry Wolfe (27)....16th Round….1977-1980
OF- Jack Gilbert (28)....28th Round….1898 and 1904
1B/LF- Scott Thorman (24)....21st Round….2006-2007

Reserve- Danny Mahoney (22), JJ Furmaniak (27), David Hensley (27), Chris Truby (27), Joe Bean (28), Hal Quick (21), Darren Ford (25), Scott Heineman (26), Danny Morejon (27)

[Highlander]

Cleveland Blues

SP1- Reggie Cleveland (21)- While Reggie is aptly named for the team he ended up on, his 1969-1981 career doesn’t really profile as a #1 pitcher. He did have a few good seasons, but again….nothing to suggest he can be a #1 guy. The Blues spent a 4th round pick on him, which is one of the lower SP1 picks I’ve seen, so hopefully their offense will be able to score enough to help what may be a rough staff.

SP2- Shawn Estes (24)- Shawn was a 5th round pick and had a career that ran from 1995-2008. He actually seems like he’d be a better #1 guy, although his control is a little iffy. His season that this import is based on was very good, but he seemed to get worse as his career went on, so we’ll see how he does here.

SP3- Dave Koslo (34)- Dave pitched from 1941-1955 and had some very good years earlier in his career. This import is right at the end, however, so we’ll see if the 9th round pick to get him was worth it. His fragile health status may not help with that.

SP4- Marco Gonzales (28)- Marco has pitched from 2014-present and was an 8th round pick. It ends up that Cleveland did use a top 10 pick on all of their starters, but I still don’t have a good feeling about them. Marco does have good control and doesn’t rely on a lot of Ks, so he could fare well in this era.

MR- Sam Militello (22)- Same was a 23rd round pick whose career ran from 1992-1993. He imports pretty well other than his control, so if he can harness that, he could be much better than that pick. His BABIP is one of the highest I’ve ever seen, so maybe that will help him out.

LR- Jerad Eickhoff (24)- Jerad was an 11th round pick and does have some potential to do well, but based on his 2015-2022 career, it’s not that likely. Lots of question marks on this staff for sure.

LR- Anthony Desclafani (30)- Probably a good idea to carry a 3rd guy with the questions on this staff. Desclafani was a 10th round pick which seems high based on how he was imported. His 2014-2023 career has had ups and downs, so which version we get remains to be seen.

Reserve- Glenn Abbott (30), Dave Bakenhaster (19), Mike Brown (24), Juan Castillo (23), Mark Clear (33), Walt Herrell (22), Bob Malloy (22), Adalberto Mendez (28), Bill Perrin (23), Shawn Sedlacek (24), Eric Skoglund (24), Floyd Stromme (22)

C- Clay Dalrymple (23)- Clay had a career from 1960-1971 and was a 6th round pick. A solid catcher with a good arm and some potential at the plate, he should be a good catcher for a number of years.

1B- Tony Horton (23)- A 3rd round pick, Horton played from 1964-1970. He was only 26 in his final season when he removed himself in the middle of a game and due to the stresses of the game ended up never playing again. His story is not to the level of Lyman Bostock, but definitely another guy you would root for to do well.

2B- It will be a platoon for Cleveland at 2B. From the left side, it will be Sherry Robertson (24) who played from 1940-1952. He was only a 15th round pick, but imported with really good power and a strong eye even though he doesn’t look like much of a power hitter. He can also play 3rd and OF. From the right side, it will be Tony Abreu (28). He is actually a switch hitter who played from 2007-2014. He’s not much of a defender and has no eye at all, but maybe he will live up to his 13th round pick….or maybe not.

3B- John McGraw (30)- The 1st round pick for the Blues, McGraw played from 1891-1907 and is one of the best “on-base” guys ever to play….especially for a guy who didn’t hit HR. The HOFer had a career .465 OBP. He and Honus Wagner are two of the guys who almost made me start this league a little earlier so they could come in younger. Oh yeah, he ended up being a 2500+ win manager too!

SS- Cody Ransom (31)- Cody played from 2001-2013 but only had a couple of seasons where he had more than 100 AB. He was somehow a 12th round pick, though. His defense isn’t great at SS, so he and the 2B duo may struggle for this team up the middle. He did import with good power and a good eye, but his other hitting skills are not great.

LF- Richie Zisk (28)- Zisk had a solid career from 1971-1983 and it’s a bit surprising he was only a 7th round pick. He was a good hitter and solid OFer with good power. He should be a good run producer for this team, especially with McGraw getting on base so much.

CF- Dale Mitchell (25)- A 2nd round pick, Dale played from 1946-1956 and had a really good start to his career. He fell off pretty quickly, though, so hopefully that won’t happen to him here. He probably has a shot at a batting title and makes a strong pair with McGraw at the top of the order.

RF- Damian Rolls (23)- Only a player from 2000-2004, Rolls was a bit of an afterthought on this team as a 27th round pick. He’s a pretty good OFer and can play multiple positions, but his bat may not do much.

Bench
C/1B- Jett Bandy (27)....Round 22….2015-2018
IF/OF- Heinie Mueller (25)....Round 20….1938-1941
IF- Don Zimmer (26)....Round 19….1954-1965
C/3B- Junior Caminero (19)....Round 21….2023-present
3B/SS- Bobby Stevens (24)....Round 24….1931
OF- Larry Bigbie (26)....Round 18….2001-2006
OF- Trayvon Robinson (24)....Round 29….2011-2012
IF/OF- Chris Burke (27)....Round 17….2004-2009
OF- Ray Demmitt (33)....Round 14….1909-1919

Reserve- Paul Powell (27), Monty Fariss (24), Craig Stansberry (26), Pete Elko (25), Emmett McCann (18), Chuck Ward (23), Sherman Obando (27)

[Highlander]

Detroit Tigers

SP1- Bob Welch (28)- The #2 pick for Detroit, Bob seems worthy of the SP1 slot. His career was from 1978-1994 and he had a lot of very good seasons. A good start here for the Tigers.

SP2- Dutch McCall (27)- A 5th round pick, Dutch looks more like a big armed RP of today than a starter. He’s got big stuff but not a lot else and his career only amounted to a 1948 season where he struck out 89 but walked 85. Good thing they have Bob Welch!

SP3- Slow Joe Doyle (28)- Joe’s career was from 1906-1910 and his first 4 years were very good, albeit in not a ton of innings overall. He was an 8th round pick here and might not be bad.

SP4- Jason Jennings (22)- A 22nd round pick, Jennings pitched from 2001-2009. He actually may be a better hitter than pitcher….the result of playing mostly in Colorado.

MR- Rusty Gerhardt (23)- Rusty was a 10th round pick and pitched only in 1974. His numbers were pretty awful, but his import wasn’t bad…other than a 1 for BABIP. That should be interesting!

MR- Yariel Rodriguez (27)- His first year was just in 2024, so it’s hard to know what he will do. His 15th round selection is middle of the road, so that seems about right.

MR-Eric Show (30)- The guy who gave up Pete Rose’s record breaking hit was a 9th round pick here, which looks right for his import. He may end up starting some games if a guy like Jennings is as bad as it seems he might be. Show had a solid career overall from 1981-1991.

LR- Wayne Simpson (24)- I think this is the first team with 4 relievers, but I may be wrong. Wayne was a 23 rounder who pitched from 1970-1977. His rookie year was solid, but then things went south from there. This import is not his rookie year, so take that for what you will.

Reserve- Art Ceccarelli (26), Ben DeMott (22), Kid Durbin (22), Roy Johnson (22), Nick Margevicius (23), Luis Ortiz (23)....the one on the Indians this year, Harley Parker (28), Farmer Ray (23)

C- A platoon will be in place and Adam Melhuse (31) is covering the strong side. He was drafted in the 11th round and played from 2000-2008. He’s not a very good catcher, but can hit some. The other side of the platoon is Martin Maldonado (30) who is a pretty good pitcher, but doesn’t hit well. He was a 28th round pick and has a career from 2011-present.

1B- Chuck Hinton (27)- A number 2 pick for Detroit, Hinton played from 1961-1971. He can hit for average, power and steal bases….not bad for a 1B. He can play OF too. Not a great fielder anywhere, but still seems worth the 2nd rounder.

2B- George Grantham (24)- George was only a 4th round pick. I say “only” because that seems low for him as there isn’t much he can’t do. His career was from 1922-1934 and it was a very good one. Seems like a great leadoff guy for this team.

3B- Ken Oberkfell (20)- Ken was a 6th round pick and played from 1977-1992. He doesn’t hit for power but is solid in the field and can really hit. He should be at 3rd for Detroit for a long time.

SS- Another platoon situation for Detroit. The strong side will be Ian Desmond (29), who is much better at 1B or OF. He will actually play LF against lefties. His bat will definitely play, but his glove will hurt them when he’s at SS. He played from 2009-2019. On the other side of the SS platoon will be Ezequiel Duran (23). He was a 14th round pick and has a good bat and can play all over the field….probably the worst at SS though! His career has been from 2022-present.

LF- Other than Desmond, the other LF will be Tyrone Taylor (27). He was a 13th round pick and has played 2019-present. A solid bat and glove, but nothing special.

CF- Paul Blair (21)- Here’s the #1 pick for Detroit. He’s one of the better fielding CFers you will see and he has a very good bat. He imported well and has time to get even better. His career was from 1964-1980.

RF- Larry Stahl (30)- A 12th round pick, Larry has a very good glove in the OF but an average at best bat. He played from 1964-1973, but was mostly a back-up.

Bench
C- Miguel Ojeda (30)....Round 19….2003-2006
IF/OF- Jolbert Cabrera (27)....Round 18….1998-2008
IF- Junior Noboa (24)....Round 34….1984-1994
OF- Joe Benson (23)....Round 29….2011
1B/OF- JJ Matjevic (26)....Round 21….2022
OF- Darryl Hamilton (23)....Round 16….1988-2001
OF- Delmon Young (21)....Round 20….2006-2015

Reserve- Edwards Guzman (22), Frankie Pack (21), Travis Dawkins (20), Frank Manush (24), Brian Simmons (27), Ed Bruyette (26), Billy Ott (21)

[Highlander]

Milwaukee Brewers

SP1- Pedro Martinez (26)- Starting right out with the 1st round pick for Milwaukee and the 3rd pick overall. There’s no doubt Pedro is worth it. His HOF career went from 1992-2009 and was packed full of tremendous seasons. The Brewers could easily get 10+ great years out of him.

SP2- Danny Salazar (27)- The Brewers weren’t messing around with pitching, as Danny is their 2nd round pick. His short 2013-2019 career had promise early, but he fell apart after just a few years. For Milwaukee’s sake, hopefully he can last a few more years here.

SP3- Logan Gilbert (25)- You guessed it….the Brewers took Logan with their 3rd pick. His career has run from 2021-present and he has become one of the best pitchers in the game the past couple of years. His import looks solid, other than HR allowed, which shouldn’t hurt much in 1901.

SP4- Jaime Garcia (21)- It was almost a clean sweep, but the Brewers took Garcia with their 5th pick. I guess they realized they needed someone to hit the ball! Garcia pitched from 2008-2018 and was a solid pitcher for the earlier years. This should be the best staff in the league at this point, but will they have enough offense with how much draft capital they spent on pitching?

MR- Jason Johnson (32)- A 20th round pick, Johnson played from 1997-2008. He was a starter through the vast majority of that time but not a very good one.

LR- Tom Fisher (23)- Tom was an 18th round pick and will be a 2-way player for Milwaukee. His career amounted to one season in 1904 and he’s not a very good pitcher or hitter, but maybe with both together he can scrape out some value.

LR- Mel Parnell (32)- Mel was a 24th round pick and pitched from 1947-1956. He had a few really good years, but by this time in his career, he was pretty much done. We’ll see if he can get a few solid relief appearances before he’s done completely.

LR- David Nied (25)- David was supposed to be a big pitcher for the Rockies over his 1992-1996 career, but we all know how pitchers usually fare in Colorado. He actually has a decent import and was a 15th round pick. He may be the best of the relievers for this team.

Reserve- Dick Baney (22), Ray Chadwick (23), Dick Conger (22), Wayland Dean (24), Caleb Kilian (24), Don Liddle (29), Herman Pillette (27), Dick Stone (33), Jeff Tabaka (34), Will Warren (24)

C- Manny Pina (34)- Manny played from 2011-2023 and is a solid catcher with some pop. He’s not much of a hitter otherwise, though. He was an 11th round pick and may struggle to reach that level.

1B- Joe Kelley (33)- Despite being a little older, Joe was that 4th rounder that they finally spent on a hitter after drafting 3 straight pitchers. He’s a very good hitter and will play 1st against righties and LF against lefties. His career went from 1891-1908. I think he makes Milawaukee the only team (so far) with 2 HOF players. In his prime he was fantastic, but we are catching him near the end of his career here, so we;ll see what he does. The other 1B will be Angel Echevarria (29). He played from 1996-2002 and has some promise in this role. He was taken in the 8th round, so Milwaukee thinks so too.

2B- Jordan Diaz (21)- A 21st round pick, Jordan played only from 2022-2023. He’s an OK fielder with no speed and not much of a bat….this is what I was worried about with this team drafting so many pitchers early on.

3B- Jake Lamb (26)- A 6th round pick, Jake has some good power and a strong eye. He is a better 1B but can play 3B pretty well. He played from 2014-2023 and he really only had 2 good seasons, but this import is right in that time so he could be pretty good here.

SS- Tom Downey (25)- Tom only played from 1909-1912, but he wasn’t too bad so he ended up a 9th round pick. He’s a solid SS, but will make some errors. His bat should play and he has good speed. On this team, he will be one of the better non-pitchers.

LF- We know Joe Kelley will be here when the team faces a LHP, but on the strong side of the platoon will be Thad Bosley (28). He played from 1977-1990 and was a 7th round pick. He was mostly a backup/pinch hitter, but was usually a very good hitter in those roles. He should get a bigger chance to play here.

CF- Kenny Lofton (33)- A younger Lofton would have needed to be a top 2 draft pick in most cases, but this older version was taken in the 10th. He can still hit and run and plays a solid CF, so if he can last as long as he did in his 1991-2007 career, he will still be a good value.

RF- Another platoon will be in effect here, with the strong side manned by Al Schweitzer (25). Al was a 13th round pick and played from 1908-1911. His rookie year was his best (in limited AB) and that is what his import was based on, so he could be a solid option. The other side of the platoon will be Tom Fisher…the pitcher we talked about above. Not sure he will last in this role, as other than power, his bat is pretty subpar.

Bench
C/1B/OF- John Roskos (23)....Round 29….1998-2000
IF/OF- Lenny Harris (38)....Round 17….1988-2005
IF- Sheldon Neuse (24)....Round 22….2019-2022
2B- Joe Strain (25)....Round 32….1979-1981
1B/3B- Emmanuel Rivera (25)....Round 14….2021-present
C/3B/RF- Ozzie Virgil (24)....Round 25….1956-1969
OF- Charlie See (24)....Round 27….1919-1921
OF- Swat McCabe (27)....Round 28….1909-1910

Reserve- Doc Bass (19), Matt Howard (28), Joe Schepner (23), Lyle Luttrell (26), Dick Spalding (33)

[Highlander]

New York Giants

SP1- Darren Oliver (40)- You don’t usually see a 40-year old as a #1 starter, but here we are with Oliver. He was a 4th round pick, so you can tell he’s talented….but for how long. His career ran from 1993-2013 and by this time he was a reliever, but he will start here and it will all be about when he falls off the cliff.

SP2- Jesus Luzardo (25)- Jesus has played from 2019 to present and was a 5th round pick. I’m not sure he’ll be good enough to take over for Oliver as a #1, but he should be solid.

SP3- Jack Morris (38)- A recent HOF inductee, we don’t have the best of Morris in this import, as he is near the end of his career. The import was better than I would have thought, but like Oliver…how long can he keep it up. He was a 9th round pick.

SP4- Tavo Alvarez (24)- Tavo played only a couple of years, 1995 and 1996. He was a 13th round pick, but his career says he won’t even be worth that.

MR- Tom Gorman (28)- Tom played from 1952-1959 and looks like one of the better relievers in the league. He was mostly a reliever in his career as well, so he won’t be a guy to fill in as a starter. The Giants saw the promise in him, though, as he was a 7th rounder.

MR- Joe Oeschger (25)- A 14th rounder, Joe seems like he could be a decent starter as well. His career went from 1914-1925 and he had some good skills, so he may develop more.

LR- Jack Dunleavy (24)- Jack played from 1903-1905 and may spend some time as a two-way player. The Giants took him in the 23rd round, so they don’t seem to be expecting a lot.

Reserve- Bob Galasso (25), Jason Grimsley (22), Dakota Hudson (28), Tim Melville (27), Marty O’Toole (25), WIlliams Perez (23), Mike Proly (30)

C- Wilson Ramos (25)- Ramos played from 2010-2021 and had some years where he hit really well. He’s a decent catcher as well, so he should be well worth his 10th round pick.

1B- Joe Morgan (40)- Another HOFer for this team who is a little past his prime, Joe was still a 6th round pick. His career went from 1963-1984 and he was productive to the end, so the Giants are hoping he’s got a good year or two left. He will be playing 1st against righties and 2nd against lefties. The weak side of the 1st base platoon will be Lew Fonseca (30). A 3rd round pick, it seems like Lew will be a good hitter, but it’s a little strange to have your 3rd round pick as a weak side platoon guy. His career went from 1921-1933 and he imported right along with his best season.

2B- When Joe Morgan is at 1st, the keystone sack will be manned by Lenn Sakata (30). He played from 1977-1987 and was a 20th round pick. He’s not much of a hitter but does have some speed and a decent glove at 2nd.

3B- Spider Jorgenson (28)- Only playing from 1947-1951, Spider did have a pretty solid rookie year at 28, so his import is solid. He was only an 11th round pick which seems like a good bargain based on what I see.

SS- Joe Cronin (35)- The number 1 pick of the Giants is yet another HOF player who is very late in his career. His career went from 1926-1945 and based on that, he may have a few years left….but you never know. His import was fantastic though. This team is reminding me of the old “Wheeze Kids”- the 1983 Phillies that were full of older future HOFers, including Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Tony Pena, Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton.

LF- Geoff Jenkins (30)- A very consistent power hitter during his 1998-2008 career, Geoff was an 8th round pick. He’s a solid OFer and can do pretty well at the plate other than his power, so he should be a good player for them.

CF- Jarren Duran (25)- Duran is a current player who has been in the league since 2021. He’s an up and coming star and was a 2nd round pick here so he will likely be a pretty big star in this league as well. As mentioned earlier, this Giants team can use a younger future star with all the “old guys” in the dugout.

RF- Greg Allen (28) will cover the strong side of the RF platoon and was a 19th round pick . He’s not been a great hitter over his 2017-2023 career, but has terrific speed and is a good OFer. The other side will be Johan Rojas (23), who is currently only rated at CF but should be a good RF as well. He also has very good speed and could be a solid hitter as well. He has played from 2023-present and was a 22nd draft pick..

Bench
C/1B- Humberto Cota (26)....Round 29….2001-2007
C/1B- Dioner Navarro (25)....Round 18….2004-2016
1B- Travis Lee (28)....Round 12….1998-2006
IF- Brent Butler (24)....Round 21….2001-2003
2B- John Donaldson (22)...Round 24….1966-1974
2B/LF- Pedro Gonzalez (25)....Round 25….1963-1967
OF- Jonny DeLuca (25)....Round 27….2023-present
OF- Lloyd Waner (38)....Round 17….1927-1945….Another old HOFer for the Wheeze Kids part 2!

Reserve- Hal Marnie (23), Andy Burns (25), Mike Humphreys (25), Russ Mitchell (26), Joe Cassidy (22), Harry Daubert (22), Joe Stanley (25), Lou Jackson (28)

[Highlander]

Philadelphia Athletics

SP1- Bobby Madritsch (28)- Arm injuries limited Bobby’s career to just 2004-2005, but his rookie season was pretty good. He was a 2nd round pick here based on the import of that rookie season, so hopefully he can stay healthy here.

SP2- Dave Danforth (29)- Dave played from 1911-1925 and is a 6th round selection by Philly. He had a pretty solid career over most of his seasons, but also lost a lot of time to injury, so he has a pretty fragile reputation. Lots of injury risk on these first two pitchers.

SP3- Mike LaCoss (28)- A 10th round pick, Mike played from 1978-1991. He was a pretty middle-of-the-road starter, but should be OK as a #3 guy here.

SP4- Joe Haynes (24)- Joe played from 1939-1952 and was kind of a combo starter/reliever. He was an 11th round pick here and if his skills continue to develop to his potential he could be pretty solid. There’s some work to do, however.

ST- Dietrich Enns (29)- Enns played in 2 different seasons…2017 and 2021. This import is from the 2021 season when he was a pretty good reliever over minimal innings. He has a fragile reputation as far as injuries, as well, so he seems to fit in on this team. If healthy, he could be a very good RP. The Athletics hope that is true as they spent a 4th round pick on him.

MR- Julio Machado (25)- Pretty much an all or nothing pitcher with huge stuff and terrible control, Julio’s career went from 1989-1991. He was a 27th rounder, so Philly isn’t expecting much.

LR- Bill Hoffer (30)- Bill’s career was from 1895-1901, so he just squeaked into this league. His first couple of years were huge, but he fell off quite a bit by the end. H was an 18th round pick and even that seems too high.

Reserve- Al Autry (24), Ed Correa (20), Bill Koski (19), Sam Narron (22), Adam Oller (28), Bronswell Patrick (27), Brad Pennington (25), Bill Travers (22)

C- Tom Turner (26)- Tom was pretty much a back up from 1940-1944 and his 17th round pick here shows he should have been one now, as well. He’s not a great catcher and doesn’t hit much….not a great combination.

1B- DJ LeMahieu (35)- A younger DJ would have been a great player to have, but by this point in his 2011-present career he’s been a shell of his former self at the plate. He is still a great fielder at 1st and pretty solid at 2nd and 3rd, but you’d like more from an 8th round pick.

2B- Jordy Mercer (30)- Jordy’s 2012-2021 career was pretty mediocre. He wasn’t a bad player but never really had a big season. His glove will be helpful at 2nd and he should hit just enough to be worth his 14th round pick.

3B- Ke’Bryan Hayes (25) should be the prohibitive favorite to win the Gold Glove at 3rd. He is amazing there. He’s not a bad hitter and has a little speed, so a good all around player for the 5 pick of the Athletics.

SS- Jose Pagan (36)- Jose played from 1959-1973, but never really stood out in any season. His glove is probably best suited at other positions and his age shows he is getting close to the end of his career. Not sure what they saw in him for a 12 round pick, but I don’t think they will get it.

LF- Joe Riggert (32)- Joe played in 1911, 1914 and 1919. His 1919 numbers were pretty strong in limited time and that is what this import is based on, so he could surprise with the bat. His glove is solid and he’s got speed as well….not bad for a 9th round pick.

CF- Melky Cabrera (29)- The 3rd round pick, Melky is not really suited to CF. He would be OK in the corner OF spots, but center is a stretch. His career was from 2005-2019 and while he didn’t have much power, he could definitely hit. Not an ideal 3rd rounder to me, but he should be productive.

RF- Christian Yelich (23)- This early version of Yelich hasn’t developed his power yet, but if he does….watch out. His career has gone from 2013-present and once he developed fully, he was a star. Philly spent their first pick on him, so they are hoping the development happens and those injury issues of the past few years don’t rear their head.

Bench
C- Bobby Hughes (28)....Round 22….1998-1999
C- Dewey Williams (28)....Round 30….1944-1948
C/1B- John Ellis (31)....Round 16….1969-1981
2B/3B- Todd Haney (28)....Round 29….1992-1998
2B/3B/LF- David Schneider (24)....Round 7….2023-present
3B/SS/RF- Hubie Brooks (26)....Round 15….1980-1994
IF- Jose Tena (22)....Round 24….2023-present
OF- Rod Myers (24)....Round 19….1996-1997
RF- Paul Meloan (22)....Round 21….1910-1911
OF- Jeff Salazar (28)....Round 28….2006-2009

Reserve- Earle Mack (24), Yurendell de Caster (26), Kid Butler (19), Gus Gil (29), Charlie Letchas (23), Whitey Whitelmann (23), Ed Boland (36), Bris Lord (23)

[Highlander]

Philadelphia Phillies

SP1- Joe Magrane (22)- Joe is a 4th round pick for Philly who played from 1987-1996. He imported in his rookie year and his first 4-5 seasons or so were very good, so he should be a solid #1 guy. Hopefully, for him, he can sustain a little longer in this league.

SP2- Shawn Hill (28)- Shawn was a 6th round pick, but I’m not sure why. He is considered fragile and his 2004-2012 was nothing great….and he really didn’t pitch a whole lot over those years. Maybe he will surprise us, but he seems like a big overreach.

SP3- Chuck Stobbs (25)- Chuck was picked in the 9th round and had a career that went from 1947-1961. His career was a mix of starting and relieving, but he didn’t have many good years. He actually looks better than Hill though!

SP4- Mike McCormick (26)- Mike played from 1956-1971 and was a 12th round pick. He had a couple of really good years but his import year is based on a little more mediocre season. He still may be OK, though.

MR- Al Olmstead (23)- Al was a 26th round pick so it seems like Philly isn’t expecting much from him. He only pitched during one season, in 1980. He had a good ERA, but also had the same number of Ks and BBs….which isn’t great.

MR- Vive Lindaman (28)- A 22nd round pick, Vive pitched from 1906-1909. His results didn’t look bad until you check his control. Ouch.

MR- George Wynn (24)- Another guy in this bullpen who the Phillies took pretty late, Wynn went in the 28th round. He pitched from 1919-1923. His career amounted to about 40 innings, though, and they weren’t good ones.

Reserve- Pep Deininger (24), Wish Egan (23), Mark Lee (27), Albie Lopez (26), Tom McCarthy (23), Mike Thompson (25), Mule Watson (27)

C- Todd Zeile (28)- Todd was drafted in the 7th and can also play 1st and 3rd. He had a solid career from 1989-2004. He’s not the best catcher, but has some power, is a solid hitter and gets on base, so he should be a good player.

1B- Fernando Tatis (24)- Fernando can also play 3rd and LF, but is best suited at 1st. He is a really good hitter for a 5th round pick, as he seems to have imported with his best season. His career was from 1997-2010. His son could potentially join him in this league at some point….or he may show up in 100 years! Fernando is best known for hitting 2 grand slams in the same inning…..even more amazingly, against the same pitcher.

2B- Robby Thompson (26)- This 3rd round pick for the Phillies played from 1986-1996. He’s a good 2B with some speed and a very good bat. This offense is look strong so far….which it needs to be with the pitching this team has.

3B- Robin Ventura (23)- Robin is the 3rd round pick for Philadelphia and played from 1989-2004. He wasn’t a HOFer, but had a very good career both in the field and at the plate. He should be a very good player for the Phillies for a long time….as long as Nolan Ryan doesn’t show up and have to teach him another lesson!

SS- Rene Gonzales (23)- Rene is a defensive specialist who can play every infield position really well. He only had a couple of “near full seasons” in his 1984-1997 career, but will get a chance to be a starting SS here. With the offense they seem to have, a light hitting/good fielding SS may fit in well.

LF- Stuart Fairchild (25)- For only a 14th round pick, Stuart looks pretty solid. He’s got a good glove and has some speed and a decent bat. His career has gone from 2021-present and he hasn’t gotten a huge chance up until now, so maybe this is it.

CF- Ben Chapman (22)- Ben is the #1 pick for the Phillies and he looks worth it. He’s a great OFer at all three spots. He’s got very good speed/base stealing skills and can really hit….plus he’s only 22. A pretty complete package. Ben’s 1930-1946 career was solid, but his first few years were his best so we’ll see if he can stay at that higher level a little longer here.

RF- Al Pilarcik (25)- Al completes what is a very young offensive team full of very good potential. He was taken in the 16th round, but looks much better than that. ANother very good fielder, he can run a bit and seems to have a very good bat. Not sure how he didn’t go higher.His career was from 1956-1961.

Bench
C Ron Hodges (23).....Round 18…..1973-1984
1B- Matt Hague (26)....Round 25….2012-2015
1B/3B- Eddie Bockman (26)....Round 27…..1946-1949
3B/SS- Foster Castleman (25)....Round 30….1954-1958
SS- Khalil Greene (27)....Round 13…..2003-2009
OF- Jake Cave (25)....Round 10…..2018-present
1B/OF- Mike Diaz (27).....Round 8….1983-1988
OF- Jonny Gomes (23)....Round 11….2003-2015
CI/OF- Russ Nagelson (23)....Round 21….1968-1970

Reserve- Dave Adlesh (20), George Hinshaw (22), Billy Maharg (31), Jose Nieves (24), Pat Rooney (23), Keith Smith (26), Barry Wesson (25), Eddie Morgan (22)

[Highlander]

Pittsburgh Pirates

SP1- Charlie Smith (26)- A round 4 pick, Smith played from 1902-1914. Based on his numbers, he should be a pretty successful pitcher for the Pirates as one of the few from the era we are starting in.

SP2- Domingo German (26)- A career that has run from 2017-present, although I don’t think he’s pitched anywhere in the majors this year….at least not much. He was a 7th round pick and should give back a decent return on that. His overall career hasn’t been that great, but his import seems pretty decent.

SP3- Milt Pappas (25)- Milt had a long career from 1957-1973 and was a very good pitcher. He imported with great control, but the rest of his skills don’t seem great even though his seasons around his import look very good. We’ll see where this 6th round pick finishes.

SP4- Biff Schlitzer (24)- Only pitching in 1908 and 1909, Biff was an 11th rounder. His import is not great but maybe he can surprise. There has to be a Back to the Future reference here with the name Biff, but I was on a field trip with a poorly behaved group of 4th graders today and it’s not coming to me….did I mention it was Friday the 13th?

MR- Brooks Kieschnick (28)- Brooks only pitched from 2003-2004, but was used as an OF a few years before that. I don’t see him listed in the batters section of the team, but I have to believe he may get a few extra ABs at some point as he can handle the bat pretty well. Pitching-wise, he has fantastic control but the rest of his skills are pretty rough. He was drafted in the 9th round, so I think his hitting must have been a factor.

MR- Jerry Bell (24)- More of a reliever in his 1971-1974 career, but he did have one season where he started. Super low K numbers for him, but the rest of his skills could play. He was only a 24th rounder, so whatever he gives will be helpful.

LR- Phil Collins (27)- When not drumming for Genesis or singing about Sussudio, Phil was a pitcher from 1923-1935….he actually came up in 1923 but then didn’t get back to the majors until 1929. There wasn’t a lot of success in his career so even a 21st round pick may be a stretch. He was particularly good at staying warm between innings, though, so No Jacket was Required.

Reserve- Cy Barger (26), Ted Breitenstein (31), Larry Carter (26), Davy Dunkle (30), Seth Johnson (25), Jim Lyle (24), James Marvel (25), Johnny Podgajny (21), Henry Schmidt (29)

C- Duffy Dyer (30)- A very good catcher with a good eye, Duffy was only a 16th round pick. His defense and on base ability should make that pick very worth it. His career went from 1968-1980 and much of it was as a backup, so he will get a chance to do more here.

1B- Billy Goodman (24)- The 2nd round pick for Pittsburgh, Billy should be in major contention for a batting title. He can play 2nd and 3rd as well and was a very good hitter (without power) through his 1947-1962 career.

2B- Shane Halter (28)- Shane is an interesting player. He is a little old to develop much skill-wise, but he still has a good amount of untapped potential. And that is actually what he did in his 1997-2004 career, as he was a rookie in his age 28 season and improved quite a bit by the time he was 31-32. He can play any IF position pretty well, but does make quite a few errors in spite of his strong range. He was drafted in the 13th round.

3B- Casey Schmitt (24)- Casey was a 28th round pick and other than being a solid fielder, his batting skills don’t portend much success. He has played from 2023-present but hasn’t done anything very notable yet.

SS- Robin Yount (34)- We’ve been on a bit of a HOF drought on these rosters, but Yount will break it. Another HOFer, though, who is on the wrong side of 30 in their import. He is still a very good player, but just doesn't have a lot of years of success left. His 8th round pick value will depend on how long he can last. His career went from 1974-1993.

LF- Les Mann (30)- Les was picked in the 3rd inning and is both a very good OFer and a very good hitter, so he should live up to that pick. The caveat is that by this time in his 1913-1928 career, he was more of a part time player. Another guy getting a chance to be a fulltime player who wasn’t in that role much in his 1st go-round.

CF- Milton Bradley (26)- Milton played from 2000-2011 and had some really good years. He was a 5th round pick and is part of a very good outfield here. He is a better corner outfielder than CF, but he should still be solid.

RF- Roger Bresnahan (24)- The Duke of Tralee was not only the first pick for the Pirates, he was the first overall pick in the draft. A HOF player known more as a catcher, he is also rated in CF, but will play RF for Pittsburgh. It makes sense, as he has an absolute gun for an arm. His hitting is top notch across the board and he should be in contention for the batting title, along with his teammate Billy Goodman. His career went from 1897-1915 so he is pretty familiar with this 1901 season.

Bench
C/1B- Max Stassi (29)….Round 18….2013-2022
1B- Earl Sheely (36)….Round 14….1921-1931
IF- Sparky Adams (32)….Round 20….1922-1934
IF- Glenn Beckert (34)….Round 26….1965-1975
2B/3B- Ruben Gotay (22)....Round 22….2004-2008
2B/3B- Cotton Tierney (31)....Round 17….1920-1925
3B- Jimmy Mathison (23)....Round 30….1902
1B/OF- Lucas Duda (32)....Round 12….2010-2019
OF- Pete Milne (24)....Round 31….1948-1950
OF- Ramon Laureano (29)....Round 10…..2018-present

Reserve- Jeff Mathis (22), Luis Alvarado (23), Ray Oyler (32), John Fishel (25), Erv Dusak (21), Mike Hart (26)


Only 2 more of these roster reports. They are really helping me get a feel for the league, but I know they are taking a lot of time. The 1st season shouldn't be too much longer, though!

[Highlander]

St. Louis Cardinals

SP1- Roy Halladay (28)- The #1 pick of the Cardinals is this HOF pitcher who played from 1998-2013. This import is right in the middle of his career and should lead to a number of good seasons. It would be cool to see Roy become a longterm coach/manager, etc in the league after he retires instead of what happened to him in real life. So sad.

SP2- Allen Sothoron (27)- Allen pitched from 1914-1926 and was a very good pitcher for some of those seasons. He was a little more up and down as his career progressed, but based on this import and his 4th round selection, he should be a solid guy here.

SP3- Juan Marichal (22)- Without looking back, this may be the only team with 2 HOF pitchers, but I know a couple of other teams did have multiple HOFers. At any rate, I am not sure there will be a better pair in the league than Halladay and Marichal….if Juan is able to finish his development in a positive way. As we see here, Juan is only a #3 starter, but was the 2nd pick by the Cards. Juan’s great career went from 1960-1975 and this import is his rookie season, so while he should be good right away, he has the potential to be great down the line….especially if his control fully develops to its potential

SP4- Bob Muncrief (29)- Bob pitched from 1937-1951 and was more of a swing man. He had some very good seasons, including the one for his import here. He was a 6th round pick, so the Cardinals really invested in their pitching and it seems to have paid off. A couple of other teams have very good pitching as well…I know I really liked another staff earlier in these reports, but this staff seems really tough.

MR- Gil Meche (31)- Gil pitched from 1999-2010 and had some success here and there, but not so much in the year of this import. With Gil as the only member of the bullpen for now, this may be the weak link for this Cardinal pitching staff. He was only a 23rd round pick as well, so they aren’t expecting him to do much. I am guessing a few of the reserve pitchers will be needed before long.

Reserve- Steve Gerkin (32), Rick Grapenthin (25), Roberto H Hernandez (28), Spencer Howard (26), Jose Paniagua (28), Wily Peralta (31), Mike Remlinger (30), Aaron Sanchez (26), Ike Van Zandt (25), Rob Whalen (23)


C- Ozzie Virgil (32)- Ozzie played from 1980-1990 and was somehow a 5th round pick. He’s not a great catcher and while he has some very good power, the rest of his hitting isn’t very good. Plus, at 32, he is near the end of his playing days from his original career. Maybe he’s got a few more in him here, but he really falls short as a 5th rounder for me.

1B- Raul Ibanez (26)- Raul played from 1996-2014 and imports here near the beginning of his playing days. He was a bit of a late bloomer, so he still has plenty of potential development. If he can reach it, he will be a huge value as a 13th rounder. He can also play some OF.

2B- Andrew Young (26)- A 10th round pick, Andrew played just in 2020 and 2021 without much success. I’m not sure what was seen in him for even a 10th rounder, as he’s pretty below average in most everything except gap power and power. Even his defense is pretty subpar.

3B- David Freese (27)- Freese was active from 1999-2009 and spent some of his best years as a Cardinal. He was a 3rd round pick and should be a good player….not a star, but very solid.

SS- Luke Appling (23)- Talk about potential! Luke is the 3rd HOFer on this team and he is starting out at the beginning of his 1930-1950 career. He’s not that great yet, but has some huge potential as a hitter and should be a solid if unspectacular SS. I still remember seeing him hit a HR over the fence in an old timers game on TV at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. It was a small stadium, so the ball only went about 320 feet, but Luke was 75 years old!

LF- Kevin McReynolds (24)- Kevin is another good potential guy. He should be solid right away, as his 1983-1994 career was pretty good right from the start, but he can get even better. He was a 7th round pick and could be a bargain.

CF- Sam Jethroe (35)- Sam only played from 1950-1954 because of the color barrier. He was a great player and was able to show that in his 1st three seasons in the majors. He may not play long in this league, but he should do well as a 12th round pick.

RF- Nemo Leibold (27)- Nemo played from 1913-1925 and while he was never a true full time player, he did get a lot of time as a very good OFer at all 3 spots. He could hit and is very good at getting on base in this import. He was taken in the 15th round and is another guy on this team that could be a bargain.


Bench
C- Hank Conger (22).....Round 18…..2010-2016
1B- Lance NIekro (26)....Round 17…..2003-2007
2B/SS- Ken Hamlin (24)....Round 28…..1957-1966
2B/3B- Tommy Watkins (26)....Round 32….2007
2B/SS- John Dowd (21)....Round 37….1912
OF- Chuck Essegian (28)....Round 9…..1958-1963
OF- Charlie James (24)....Round 19….1960-1965
OF- Dave Marshall (24)....Round 21….1967-1973
OF- Dave Nicholson (27)....Round 16….1960-1967
OF- Jason Repko (29)....Round 27…..2005-2012
OF- Sal Frelick (23)....Round 22….2023-present
OF- Pat McNulty (27)....Round 20….1922-1927

Reserve- Chris Herrmann (31), Ray Cosey (24), Guy Lacy (28), Packy Rogers (24), Socrates Brito (26)

[Highlander]

Washington Senators

SP1- Patrick Corbin (27)- Over his 2012-present career, Corbin has both looked like one of the best pitchers in baseball and one of the worst. This import seems to be somewhere in the middle with room to improve potential-wise. He was a 3rd round pick, so Washington is clearly hoping he develops into an even better pitcher and stays that way.

SP2- Glenn Leibhardt (24)- Glenn was a 5th round pick who played from 1906-1909. Despite such a short career, he was very good over that time. I looked him up to see why his career was so short, but the only info I could find was that his son was also a pitcher in the 1930’s, so we’ll see when he shows up!

SP3- Butch Wensloff (31)- A 7th round pick, Butch pitched in 1943, 1947 and 1948. He missed a number of seasons after a great rookie year due to WWII. He remained in the military even after the war was over and then wasn’t able to recapture his early success.

SP4- Jerry Kutzler (25)- Jerry had one poor season in 1990, so even as a 12th round pick, I don’t think much can be expected from him. Not a guy you want in your rotation for long, but maybe he will surprise us.

MR- Reiver Sanmartin (25)- A short 2021-2023 career saw Martin struggle in the majority of his time in the majors. As a 14th round pick he still may disappoint.

LR- Michael Lorenzen (24)- Michael has done some starting and some relieving over his 2015-present career. As a 13th rounder, he should be better than Sanmartin, but it’s hard to tell how good. This pitching staff is a bit of a concern overall.

Reserve- Harry Boyles (27), Mark Clark (26), Josh Fogg (28), Clem Hausman (25), Dick Joyce (21), Mike Neu (25), Rodrigo Rosario (25), Anthony Swarzak (27)....some of these guys look better than who is on the staff!


C- Earl Averill (28)- This is not the “good” Earl. This Earl is the son of the HOFer and was a player from 1956-1963. He’s got some good power and a great eye and can play 3rd and LF as well. However, as a 6th round pick, I’m not sure he will live up. This team seems to need a good offense and defense to offset the pitching and this isn’t a great start.

1B- Gil Hodges (28)- Here we go with some better offense, as Hodges is a recent HOF inductee from his 1943-1963 career. A big power hitter, Gil can also get on base and should have a solid BA. All of this led to him being the top pick of the Senators.

2B- Asdrubal Cabrera (23)- Cabrera was a good player over his 2007-2021 career with some power, and very good defense at 2B as well as SS and 3B. His import is pretty strong, so he should live up to his 4th round pick status.

3B- Paul Serna (22)- Paul only player from 1981-1982 and didn’t do much in his time. He has a few positives, but his being picked in the 19th round seems to speak well to what can be expected overall.

SS- Rafael Furcal (34)- There’s no way Washington would have gotten Furcal at his 10th round cost if he were a few years younger, but this version is still good despite being near the end of his 2000-2014 career.

LF- Von Joshua (21)- Von had some success in his 1969-1980 career and this import comes right at the beginning, so we’ll see how he develops. As only a 22nd rounder, it won’t take much to make him worth it.

CF- Lorenzo Cain (28)- Lorenzo can hit for average, run and plays great OF defense so he should be worth his 2nd round pick. However, if his hit skills drop off too soon, he doesn't have much power or and eye to make up for it. He played from 2010-2022.

RF- Joe Connolly (28)- Joe looks like one of the better hitters on this team despite his being just a 9th round pick. His defense isn’t bad and he can be a sneaky base stealer. He played very sparingly from 1921-1924, but his import comes from the one partial (very partial) season that was pretty good.


Bench
C/LF- Sammy Taylor (29)....Round 18….1958-1963
2B/SS- Freddie Benevides (28)....Round 30….1991-1994
2B/3B- Jack Brohamer (22)....Round 16….1972-1980
2B/SS- Mike Tyson (23)....Round 25….1972-1981
3B- Gene Robertson (29)....Round 17….1919-1930
OF- Gus Felix (27)....Round 23….1923-1927
OF- Johnny Field (26)....Round 24….2018
OF- Chet Morgan (27)....Round 27….1935 and 1938
OF- Lyle Mouton (29)....Round 21….1995-2001
C/CF- Leonys Martin (24)....Round 20….2011-2019
RF- George Washington (27)....Round 15….1935-1936

Reserve- Roy Jarvis (17), Al Cihocki (20), Hector Olivera (31), Bobby Mattick (26), Stefen Romero (26), Al Humphrey (25), Bob Raudman (24)

All right....that does it! There's all the teams and players we will have to start this league off. Let's see where this goes!