OOTP 20 Countdown Thread

[actionjackson]

The great (of course he would say the greatest of all-time, but that's Rickey) Rickey Henderson. Rickey had many different numbers, so we'll probably see him again...

[actionjackson]

Bet you didn't know this one. In 1964, He wore #35 for the Houston Colt .45's. "Little Joe" Morgan...Somehow, I think we'll see him again.

[actionjackson]

Seemingly the last of a dying breed, and on the express track for Cooperstown. Justin Verlander...

[actionjackson]

This one's another one for the "betcha didn't know that" file. Tommy John, California Angels...Might see him again too.

[actionjackson]

This one is the ultimate WTF? Eventually his name became synonymous with the number 8, but in 1946 and 1947, he wore the number 35...We'll definitely see Yogi Berra later in this thread wearing his more familiar number, but here's a very young Yogi.

[actionjackson]

He was the NLCS and World Series MVP in 2008. Cole Hamels...

[actionjackson]

He started out as a 3B/2B, and was moved to the mound when he was with the Phillies in 1934. 1934 was the only year he would wear the #35, and he threw a grand total of 7.0 innings that year, but hey, he wore it.

The move turned out to be the right decision, as his sub-par hitting (for a position player [career OPS+ of 69]) would not have allowed him to survive in the big leagues for very long. He would go on to win 198 games, with a 3.30 ERA (and a very good 116 ERA+), 6 All-Star Games, 2 ERA Titles, and a Pitching Triple Crown, which helped him win the NL MVP in 1939 for the Cincinnati Reds. Bucky Walters...

[actionjackson]

Much more famous for his time with the White Sox, where Hoyt Wilhelm taught this lefty a knuckleball. The rest, as they say, is history. Wilbur Wood, Pittsburgh Pirates...

[Germaniac]

Another Hall of Famer,

#34 Rollie Fingers

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

A Cardinal for four days before he was sent to Milwaukee with Ted Simmons and Pete Vuckovich for several players. Too bad he got hurt in 1982. Would have been nice to see him and Sutter duel in that year's World Series. Perhaps the Brewers might have even beaten us then, had he been available. The Brewers had a number of good players then, especially Yount and Molitor. CD out.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by Germaniac

Another Hall of Famer,

#34 Rollie Fingers

I'll bet he's one of your faves.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

Would have been cool too, perhaps, had Sutter and Fingers actually been in the same bullpen. But the Cards didn't need two finishers, I believe, so they shipped off Fingers. Too bad Fingers got hurt, and too bad Sutter couldn't play longer, but time affects all of us unfortunately, you know. A good pitcher mostly before my time, so didn't really have a chance to see him play. CD out.

[Ty Cobb]

Originally Posted by actionjackson

David Andrew Stieb...Nasty, nasty, nasty slider...and the best pitcher of the 1980s bar none.

a guy named Jack who might beg to differ, having won more games in the 80s and having a couple of rings.

Don't get me wrong—Stieb is a great pitcher, one I'd gladly toss onto almost any roster any era. Preference, not reason, dictates my choice.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by Ty Cobb

a guy named Jack who might beg to differ, having won more games in the 80s and having a couple of rings.

Don't get me wrong—Stieb is a great pitcher, one I'd gladly toss onto almost any roster any era. Preference, not reason, dictates my choice.

My top ten from the 1980s (1980-1989) in order:

1. Dave Stieb
2. Roger Clemens
3. Bert Blyleven
4. Dwight Gooden
5. Jack Morris
6. Nolan Ryan
7. Bob Welch
8. Bret Saberhagen
9. Orel Hershiser
10. Fernando Valenzuela

I could flip-flop Blyleven and Gooden, and Hershiser and Valenzuela, but those are my top ten in order. Just an opinion, but what I look for is quality of pitching rather than win/loss record. I try to isolate the pitcher himself and take his team out of it because I'm looking at them individually. I know winning is the entire reason for playing the games, but I consider wins to be more of a team thing than an individual thing. Just my preference.

Morris was a very good pitcher, but I don't think any of the other nine benefited as much from their defense as he did. You must admit Parrish/Whitaker/Trammell/Lemon up the middle was not only as good as it got for the 1980s, but pretty much as good as it got all-time. That's not a knock on Morris because he had to do his job, and he did it very well. 9 righties in a row before my first lefty, but oh what a lefty he was during the 1980s.

[actionjackson]

Blue Jays who wore the #34...The one that started my love affair with baseball, he was the starting pitcher for my favourite team at the first live game I ever attended...Jesse Jefferson.

He had two stints with the Blue Jays, but missed out on the fun in 1992 and 1993...Jim Acker.

The death stare (no picture of it here, but if you ever saw him, you know exactly what I'm talking about)...Enough said...Dave Stewart.

A controversial, tumultuous, but ultimately successful (IMHO - didn't result in postseason, but that was not on him) three year tenure with the Blue Jays...A.J. Burnett.

[actionjackson]

Before he was #51 for the Mariners, he was #34 (in 1993), which is worn by somebody else now who will probably have it retired someday (and might be featured here as well )...Randy Johnson.

[actionjackson]

An extremely long, and successful HoF career. As always, he looks incredibly intimidating in this action shot...Nolan Ryan.

[actionjackson]

He will be featured as we get much closer to release day, but in 1957 he wore the #34...Brooks Robinson.

[actionjackson]

He spent a crappy year with the Chicago White Sox, and wore the #34 at the end of his HoF career...Red Ruffing.

[actionjackson]

This one really hurts... 1) His untimely death, and 2) He's wearing the wrong colours, with all due respect to Phillies fans. You'll see him in a couple of days in his proper uniform...Roy Halladay.