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Saturday, July 27, 2013

All Time All Stars - Yankees pitchers

In the previous post I went over the All Time All Star roster for the Yankees.  The original lineup had sixteen hitters and nine pitchers. Per the new rules, I'm changing the dynamics a bit for the new rosters so we'll be adding a pitcher this time around. This is what the pitching staff looked like in the original game:
The greatest Yankee hurler of them all.

This is a pretty good bunch but I know more than a couple of these guys will be bumped off since the Yankees have had two mini dynasties in the last forty years. Plus we need to add at least one full time reliever (I wonder who that could be?).  Below I've broken down the pitchers into three distinct groups. 

Original Locks: Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing, Waite Hoyt
All four of these guys are Hall of Famers and all but Hoyt rank in the top four in career wins in a Yankee uniform. Hoyt pitched in 365 games in a Yankee uniform and was a member of six World Series teams.

New guys that are locks: Mariano Rivera (RP), Goose Gossage (RP), Andy Pettitte, Ron Guidry
Rivera is not only the greatest reliever of all time, he's also the greatest Yankee pitcher of all time. Gossage is another HOF reliever and easily makes this team.  Andy Pettitte is third all time in Yankee wins with Guidry fifth. This leaves two spots open.


Guys on the bubble:

  • Sparky Lyle (RP) - Lyle was one of the first great full time relief pitchers. Like Gossage, he was used as a multi-inning reliever and his 35 saves in 1972 were the second most ever recorded in a single season. He also won the 1977 AL Cy Young award.
  • Jack Chesbro - Happy Jack set the single season record for wins as a Yankee (41) in 1904 that still stands today. Went 128-93 as a Yankee with an ERA+ of 109 (9% better than league average).  
  • Allie Reynolds - Superchief excelled as a swingman late in his career. In 1952 he led the league in ERA and shutouts while also earning six saves.  He made five all star teams.
  • Herb Pennock - Pennock was the ace of the Ruth teams in the 1920's. In eleven years he went 162-90 with an ERA+ of 114. He was inducted into the HOF in 1948.
  • Bob Shawkey - Shawkey ranks 7th all time in WAR as a Yankee pitcher. He won 20 games five times and led the league in ERA once. His ERA + in pinstripes is 117.
  • Mel Stottlemyre - I'm surprised Mel didn't make the original team but he was a member of some mediocre Yankee squads. He won 20 games three times but also led the league in losses twice. His ERA+ as a Yankee is 112 and he's 8th in team history in pitcher WAR.

I'll put a poll up on the home page. Pick the two pitchers you feel should make the team.

Updated poll results: Herb Pennock and Jack Chesbro were the top two vote getters thus earning the final two spots on the Yankee pitching staff.

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