MLB Franchise Four vote - who's on your team's Mt. Rushmore?

The Game Room
1

MLB has addeda “Franchise Four” vote to the All-Star one, asking fans to pick “the FOUR most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise.” I think we did this once for all of baseball, but not for each team.

I’ll start: Red Sox - Papi, Ted, Cy, Pedro (Yaz and Speaker right behind).

ETA: Not *Stan *Papi.

2

Brewers: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ryan Braun, Bob Uecker*

    • never played for the Brewers, but he’s a Milwaukee native, played for the Braves, has been the Brewers’ radio announcer for 45 years, and is probably as identified with the team as any player.

Honorable mentions to Jim Gantner, Gorman Thomas, and Prince Fielder.

3

Pirates:

Honus Wagner
Roberto Clemente
Willie Stargell
Pie Traynor

I can’t make Arky Vaughan fit on that list even though he’s one of the greatest shortstops of all time. Barry Bonds earned his first two MVP awards with Pittsburgh but had his best years with the Giants. Paul and Lloyd Waner, Ralph Kiner, and Bill Mazeroski miss as well. Lots of Hall of Fame players played for the Pirates, but most of them had their best years elsewhere and Pittsburgh got them at the end of their careers.

4

Dodgers: 3 locks -
Koufax
Kershaw
Jackie Robinson

After that, I get flummoxed. Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Drysdale, Newcombe, Sutton, Campy, Fernando? My favorite Dodger, my hero, was Maury Wills, but even I know he’s not top 4.

5

For the Orioles I voted for: Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken, and Jim Palmer. Deciding between Palmer and Dave McNally was tougher than I thought it would be.

Speaking of Frank Robinson, I wonder how many players will end up in more than one team’s final four.

6

Tigers
Very Easy: Kaline
Hold my nose and vote for the pure ability: Cobb
Admittedly a bit of sentimentality on my part:Trammel
And with the fourth spot: Greenberg
But in about 2 years Cabrera will overtake him almost certainly. And a bit after that he’ll be in third.

7

Forgot Herschiser. Damn, but this list is pitcher-heavy. Honorable mention to Scully, of course.

8

Cleveland Indians

Nap Lajoie
Tris Speaker
Lou Boudreau
Bob Feller

I know the actual selections will be more modern than that – possibly Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar, Kenny Lofton or Omar Vizquel. I’d go with Thome from that bunch, but I’m not sure whom I’d drop – perhaps Speaker.

Rocky Colavito is possible as a sentimental favorite, but he had was nowhere near the impact of the others.

9

Seattle Mariners:

Ken Griffey Jr.
Randy Johnson*
Edgar Martinez
Ichiro Suzuki

*Barring any injuries and/or sudden downturns in production, this spot will be taken by Felix Hernández in a few years.

10

St. Louis Cardinals:

Stan Musial
Ozzie Smith
Bob Gibson

The fourth spot isn’t a universal choice the way the other three are. Worthy contenders include Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, Red Schoendienst, and Willie McGee, among others.

11

Yanks have 4 easy ones:
**Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle **

12

No, only Thome and Omar are on the official ballot. All the other guys you chose are on it.

I voted for:
Bob Feller
Lary Doby
Omar Vizquel
Lou Boudreau

13

I’m not a Sox fan but I have a hard time believing Yaz isn’t in the top 4. Probably at the expense of Pedro (who I love, so I’m not anti-Pedro)?

Giants:
Christy Mathewson
Mel Ott
Willie Mays
Barry Bonds

(I expect Buster Posey to get there eventually)

14

I voted for Cy Young, Ted Williams, Yaz, and Ortiz.

15

Mets fan:

Tom Seaver
Mike Piazza
Dwight Gooden
Keith Hernandez

Seaver and Piazza are no brainers as the two best players in the history of the franchise. Gooden gets the nod here for how absolutely otherworldly he was for about three years in the mid-80s.

If i were being purely objective, I’d put Gary Carter in here instead of Hernandez, but Hernandez is my single favorite player of all time so he’s getting my vote.

16

Reds fan here:
My picks
Johnny Bench
Joe Morgan
Barry Larkin
Pete Rose

17

Yankees

Ruth
Gehrig
Mantle
Berra

Easily the toughest choices of any team. Rivera and DiMaggio would be locks anywhere else.

18

I would think David Wright would be in the no brainer category too. The 4th is tricky as most of the other stars only had a few great years with Mets. My instinct was Strawberry, but you could make the argument for lots of different guys.

19

As Willie McCovey is my all time favorite player, I choose him over Bonds.

20

Athletics

Rickey Henderson
Lefty Grove
Mickey Cochrane
Jimmie Foxx