2013-14 Mens' Basketball Big Ten Preview: N & O

This is the third set of team previews for the Big Ten.  Today I'm breaking down N & O.  It's not pretty.

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Head Coach: Tim Miles
Last Season: 15-18 (5-13), tenth in Big Ten
Graduated: G Dylan Talley, C Brandon Ubel, F Andre Almeida
Transfered: None
Left Early: None
New Faces: Tai Webster, Nathan Hawkins, Nick Fuller
2013 recap: Nebraska entered the season with no expectations and they didn't disappoint.  In fact they may actually have brought a tad bit of excitement to some disillusioned fans.  Predicted to finish dead last in the conference, they fought and clawed their way to a tenth place finish.  They even upset Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. Three starters graduated leaving the roster at its youngest since making the switch from the Big 12.
The Starters:

Pos Players Height Wt Year PG Tai Webster 6'4" 194  Fr. G Ray Gallegos 6'2" 182  Sr. G Shavon Shields 6'7" 219  So. F Leslee Smith 6'8" 255 Jr. C Walter Pitchford 6'10" 234 So.

Freshman Tai Webster is the top freshman on the team this season.  He's a recruit from New Zealand and reports say that he's extremely talented on offense. He'll be looked upon to lead the team from the get-go with guard Ray Gallegos suspended.  Gallegos really improved

Gallegos will need to be on the court not
in court to help Nebraska this season.

his numbers as a junior specifically by increasing his scoring by ten points per game.  He's the team's number one option on offense, at least until Webster establishes himself.  Shavon Shields is listed as a guard but is more of an extremely poor man's Toni Kukoc (that is barely a compliment).  If he makes the leap Nebraska may have something here. Leslee Smith is the type of guy you'd like to come off the bench but Nebraska's not quite there yet. He offers good length and can play out of the high post.  Walter Pitchford is a work in progress at the center position. He's a transfer from Florida so he has some talent. He'll need to develop quickly to help the Cornhuskers stay competitive.
The Bench:

F Terran Petteway 6'6" 209 So. C Kyle Kurowski 6'11" 214 Jr. G Nathan Hawkins 6'5" 198 Fr. G Deverell Biggs 6'0" 175 Jr. G Benny Parker 5'9" 166 So. G David Rivers 6'7" 198 Jr. F Nick Fuller 6'6" 199 Fr.

Forward Terran Petteway is my pick for the team's breakout player. Last season as a freshman he was virtually invisible. Now, with a year of experience he should get an opportunity to prove himself. Center Kyle Kurowski will get minutes backing up Pitchford but don't expect him to make much of an impact in the box score.  That's just not his game.  Guards Nathan Hawkins, Benny Parker, Deverell Biggs, and David Rivers will be fighting for playing time amongst themselves.  I'm not sure who the best option is here but expect the winner of this competition to have a prominent role in coach Miles' rotation.  Freshman Nick Fuller may redshirt this season but his size and length are something that have Husker fans intrigued.
2014 Outlook: The two transfers and three freshman recruits are a nice way to get Tim Miles on the right track. These players bring an improved athleticism and overall skill that the previous regime lacked. Plus now Nebraska has a state of the art facility in which to play their games. There will be excitement early but most of it won't be about the team. If things go right they can finish as high as 8th in the conference, I'm just not willing to bet on it.
Projection: 12th in Big Ten

2013-14 Men's Big Ten Basketball Preview: The 3 M's

I'm continuing with the preseason preview for each of the Big Ten schools.  Today's post covers the three schools beginning with the letter M.

Michigan Wolverines
Head Coach: John Beilein
Last Season: 31-8 (12-6), tied for 4th in Big Ten, lost in NCAA championship game to Louisville
Graduated: None
Transfered: None
Left Early: PG Trey Burke, G Tim Hardaway, Jr.
New Faces: Zak Irvine (#24), Derrick Walton (#37), Mark Donnal, Sean Lonergran, Andrew Dakich
2013 recap: Michigan ripped off sixteen straight wins to start the season before falling at Ohio State in January.  They hit a bit of a rough patch in the middle of the conference season but still finished tied for fourth in the conference. A loss at the hands of Wisconsin in the third round of the Big Ten tournament had many wondering if the Wolverines already peaked. Worry not as Trey Burke

Nik Stauskas might be the best three
point shooter in the country this season.

and Co. rounded into form and marched all the way to the NCAA Tournament Championship game by beating Kansas, Florida, and Syracuse to get there.  Louisville proved to be too much, however, and UM had to settle for second place.  During the summer both starting guards Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. were selected in the first round of the NBA draft which proves how talented these individuals were but also left behind some very big shoes to fill for 2013-14.
The Starters:

Pos Player Height Wt Year PG Derrick Walton 6'1" 185 Fr. G Nik Stauskas 6'6" 205 So. F Glenn Robinson III 6'6" 220 So. F Jordan Morgan 6'8" 250 Sr. C Mitch McGary 6'10" 255 So.

.

Freshman Derrick Walton looks like the odds on favorite to start at point guard this season. His decision making will be tested but reports are he's a talent that's way too good to keep on the bench. It looks like he has a well rounded skill set and should be able to fill up the stat sheet each game.  Nike Stauskas was perhaps the least talked about freshman on the team last season but the one that impressed me the most. He's an excellent shooter who cannot be left open at any time (44% from 3 last year). His ability to take care of the ball and make the right pass ensure he'll have an increased role on offense this season too. Plus, he's tall and long making him a great fit for Beilein's 1-3-1 zone ensuring that he'll be on the floor plenty this season.  The team is counting on Glenn Robinson III to step up and become an elite playmaker. There's no questioning he has the potential and with up to four freshmen in the rotation the team would like him to step up his game.  Last year he was an effective player but was playing third or fourth fiddle to the now NBA guys and Mitch McGrary.  He hit 32% of his threes but only 67% from the line.  His mid-range game is impressive but sometimes he lacks the killer instinct to beat his man with a dribble drive. Forward Jordan Morgan is not one to hog the ball.  His most important contributions come on defense where he excels at holding his ground and keeping his man in front of him.  If he's able to cut down on his turnovers and improve his foul shooting this Michigan offense could be nearly unstoppable.  Mitch McGrary could miss the first few games of the season with an injury.  The timetable for his return is uncertain but I remember hearing earlier that his goal was to be back for conference play.
The Bench:

F Jon Horford 6'10" 250 Jr. G Caris LeVert 6'6" 185 So. F Zak Irvin 6'6" 200 Fr. G Spike Albrecht 5'11" 175 So. F Max Biefeldt 6'7" 245 So. G Andrew Dakich 6'2" 185 Fr. F Sean Lonergan 6'5" 195 Fr.

.

Forward Jon Horford may be starting while McGrary is out. He's a solid rebounder and his size enables him to be effective in the block by getting layups and freebies from the charity stripe. He can struggle with turnovers.  Reports out of camp and the early preseason games say LeVert's game has improved by leaps and bounds.  Look for him to get plenty of minutes off the bench.  Zak Irvin is a shooter. He and LeVert could compliment each other quite well with LeVert using his penetration ability to free up Irvin for open shots.  Albrecht is a decent backup point guard who is still working on cutting turnovers.  Max Biefeldt may be counted on for more minutes if the starting bigs get into foul trouble. He has trouble defending the rim and often finds himself out jumped by the man he's guarding.  Freshmen Andrew Dakich and Sean Lonergan will likely see only a few minutes while this looks like a red-shirt year for freshman Mark Donnal.
2014 Outlook: This is another young team with only two upper classmen.  There are some challenging games on the schedule early including Duke, Arizona, and Iowa State.  These games should give a good indication of how ready this team is to compete in the Big Ten. I think they'll be one of the better shooting teams and their defensive scheme often gives teams fits.  Ultimately, McGrary's health will play a big part in how far this team can go in March.  I think an upper have finish in the conference is a lock.
Projection: 3rd in Big Ten, qualify for NCAA Tournament

2013-14 Men's Basketball Big Ten Preview - The Three I's

I started to write all twelve teams at once but felt the overall quality was lacking. Instead I'll break my preview up into groups of three in an attempt to give a better preview for each team.  Today we'll start with the three schools who begin with the letter I.

Illinois Fighting Illini
Head Coach: John Groce
Last Season: 23-13 (8-10), lost in second round of NCAA Tournament to Miami
Graduated: G Brandon Paul, G DJ Richardson, F Tyler Griffey, G Sam McLaurin
Transfered: F Myke Henry
Left Early: None
New Faces: G Kendrick Nunn (#60), F Malcolm Hill (#62), F Austin Colbert (#97), G Rayvonte Rice (transfer), F Jon Eckey (transfer), G Jaylon Tate, C Maverick Morgan
2013 recap: Illinois was coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in school history last year causing coach Bruce Weber to lose his job. Enter John Groce from Ohio University. Taking the same squad (minus Meyers Leonard) Weber left behind, Groce was able to steer his team into the NCAA tournament and almost into the Sweet 16.  The Illini started off hot, winning their first twelve games

Abrams is the unquestioned leader for U of I.
Let's see if the many freshmen can follow.

before falling to Missouri.  Though they finished the conference slate with a losing record they were able to acquire big wins over Ohio State and Indiana. This enabled the Fighting Illini to earn a #7 seed. A win over Colorado matched them up with #2 Miami and they took them to the wire before falling by four. It was a bittersweet end for the seniors on the team - no they didn't reach a Final Four but after 2012's debacle they were able to return to the NCAA's and win a game.
The Starters:

	Player	Height	Wt	Year
PG	Tracy Abrams	6'2"	190	Jr.
G	Kendrick Nunn	6'3"	180	Fr.
G	Joseph Bertrand	6'6"	200	Sr.
F	Jon Ekey	6'7"	225	Sr.
C	Nnanna Egwu	6'11"	235	Jr.

.

Gone is Brandon Paul who posted one of the highest usage rates in the country and second highest in the Big Ten.  Gone is three year starter DJ Richardson and two year starter Tyler Griffey.  Returning is Tracy Abrams who is the unquestioned man at the point.  Last season he struggled as a three point shooter (27%) and his turnovers were a little high.  He'll need to improve in both facets this season if the Illini are going to present any kind of challenge for the Big Ten crown.  With Groce's offense relying heavily on guard play, freshman guard Kendrick Nunn looks to seize a starting spot as a combo guard. A product out of Simeon High School in Chicago, Nunn excels at beating his man off the dribble but his three point shot may be shaky at first which could doom the Illini's attempt to space the floor. Guard Joseph Bertrand also seems to have locked down a starting job.  Last season he led the team in free throw percentage (77%) but he only attempted 44 of them.  He'll need to get to the line more this season and take fewer three point attempts to help improve the efficiency of the offense.  Defensively, Bertrand is underrated. His long arms allow him to reach into passing lanes and poke the ball away.  Jon Eckey seems to have secured the power forward spot with ease. While not physically imposing, Eckey is known for his shot-blocking ability.  He prefers to face the basket as his post-up game is virtually non-existent.  Look for the Illini to rely on him to hit several mid-range jumpers a game in an attempt to clear the lane for their quick guards.  Nnanna Egwu continues to improve but now the Illini are going to need him more than ever.  With an influx of talented centers in the conference Egwu will be tested on a nightly basis.  Hopefully for Illini fans he'll be able to improve on his 6.5 points per game and 5 rebounds per game averages from last season.
The Bench:

G	Rayvonte Rice	6'4"	235	Jr.
G	Mike LaTulip	6'1"	170	So.
G	Malcolm Hill	6'6"	210	Fr.
C	Maverick Morgan	6'10"	250	Fr.
G	Jaylon Tate	6'3"	160	Fr.
F	Austin Colbert	6'9"	210	Fr.
F	Darius Paul	6'8"	220	So.

.

The bench is filled with freshmen who will fight and claw their way in to some form of a pecking order during the non-conference season.  I really don't have much information to add on these players except that Rice and Hill will be leaned on heavily for minutes.  If either or both of these two shows to be a capable three point shooter and solid defender they will find themselves getting a boatload of minutes.  Maverick Morgan has plenty of size and seems to have established himself as Egwu's backup.  Getting exposure in the Big Ten as a freshman can do wonders for his development down the road.  Forwards Darius Paul and Austin Colbert will also find themselves on the floor a lot early on as they look to provide depth.
2014 Outlook: This is a young team that may struggle mightily out of the gate as Groce figures out which players work best together. There don't appear to be any players that will be able to consistently hit three pointers which may cause floor spacing to be an issue.  Groce's teams typically aren't ones to crack down on defense either so offensive efficiency will make or break them on most nights.  There is a lot of talent on hand and the team will improve as the season goes along and may even score a couple of upsets along the way.  It seems unlikely that this team will be able to finish with a winning record in conference play which puts them squarely in the NIT.
Projection: 8th in Big Ten, NIT bid

All Time All Stars - Orioles/Browns Pitchers

The Orioles hitting was a bit of a let down.  The infield combination is really quite impressive with Brooks, Cal, and Eddie Murray all ranking in the top ten and possibly top five at their respective positions. The power and defense each brings to the table may make it a top five unit when it's all said and done. The outfield, however, left much to be desired leaving us looking to the pitching if there is to be any hope of competing with the Yankees and Red Sox.  The franchise has featured several good pitching staffs throughout it's history especially in the late '60s and early '70s when Baltimore was the class of the American League.  Here's the staff from the 1973 game:

• Steve Barber
• Mike Cuellar
• Dave McNally
• Jim Palmer
• Milt Pappas
• Jack Powell
• Urban Shocker
• Dick Hall RP
• Stu Miller RP

It's nice that Palmer, Cuellar, and McNally all made the team considering they were in the middle of their careers in 1973.  Urban Shocker is an excellent choice as well and would probably be the #3 or #4 starter on this team.  Adding Stu Miller was a great choice since he was such a good reliever in a time where relievers were not glorified.  Still, this staff isn't particularly scary and lacks the elite talent of Chicago, Cleveland, and even New York.

Here's the updated staff as I see it:

Original Locks:

• Jim Palmer - The lone Hall of Famer of the bunch.  He won three Cy Young awards, 20 games eight times, and led the league in ERA twice.
• Milt Pappas - Never won 20 games in a season but he was consistently very good and never had a losing season in Baltimore.
• Urban Shocker - The best pitcher in Browns history with a compiled record of 126-80 in seven seasons and an ERA+ of 127.
• Stu Miller - Spent only five of his sixteen year journeyman career in Baltimore but he is arguably the best reliever they've ever had. He led the league in saves twice and even won an ERA title as a swingman in 1958.
• Dave McNally - Spent all but his last season in an Oriole uniform and won 181 games with the club including four straight 20 win seasons and three straight top 5 Cy Young finishes.
• Mike Cuellar - Cuellar also had four 20 win seasons in an Oriole uniform and was part of the famed 1971 rotation that featured four 20 game winners. Won the A.L. Cy Young award in 1969.
• Jack Powell - Won 245 games in his career though we're discarding his first three seasons since they took place prior to 1901.  Once completed 40 games in a season and led the league in saves twice.

Your knuckle-curve is welcome here.

New guys that are locks: 

• Mike Mussina - The second best pitcher in franchise history after Palmer. If he had not left for New York in the middle of his career he would hold numerous franchise records. 
• Mike Flanagan - Flanagan spent 15 years in Baltimore posting a 141-116 record. He ranks 11th in franchise history in pitcher WAR.
• Gregg Olson - Olson is the best closer in franchise history though he had arm troubles throughout his career.  Earned 160 saves in five seasons.

Mussina's addition is paramount to the success as now the team can boast a solid 1-2 combo with Palmer.  That allows Shocker, McNally, and Cuellar to round out the rotation.  Combining Olson with Miller for late inning situations is also an improvement over the Barber-Miller combo in 1973.  The Orioles did well here though there still are a couple of shaky guys once you get past the five starters in Powell and Flanagan.  In conclusion, the Orioles rotation looks good and though it may not have the star firepower some of the other original franchises boast, it's no pushover and will stand up well against other teams as we continue to move along in the All Time All Stars series.

All Time All Stars - Baltimore Orioles/St. Louis Browns

This is part of an on-going series in which I attempt to update the rosters from Sports Illustrated's All Time All Stars board game created in 1973.  My intention is to update the game so I can incorporate modern day stars with the All Time All Stars.

Imagine having these two guys on the left-hand side
of your infield. Best combination ever? 

The Baltimore Orioles rank eighth in wins out of the American League teams.  That might seem pretty good until you consider they are one of the eight original franchises dating back to their days in St. Louis.  Unable to find much success in The Gateway to the West and tired of sharing Sportsman Park with the Cardinals, the franchise packed up and moved east. In Baltimore they've won three championships and fielded many great players.  It's the first 53 years of their history that set them back. The 1973 All Time roster wasn't so bad but it lacked superstar power. Let's go through their greatest players and update their roster.

Again, a reminder of the guidelines for choosing players:

• Each team must be composed of fifteen (15) position players and ten (10) pitchers.
• At least one pitcher must be a relief pitcher
• Each position must have at least two players on the roster who can capably fill it.  Think of this as having a starter and a backup. 
• At least one player chosen to represent a position must have played that position as their primary defensive position.  For instance, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth cannot be chosen as the only two representatives at first base since neither played there for the majority of their career.
• Players must have been active no earlier than 1901.  I chose 1901 since that was the first year of the American League.  We need a cutoff at some point and this seemed logical to me. If a player accumulated stats prior to 1901 (Cy Young for instance) these stats will be disregarded.
• To be eligible for a position a player must have played one full season as a starter there or 10% of his career games.  The same goes for starting and relieving.
• The team a player represents should be the one that makes the most sense for that player. For instance, Alex Rodriguez has played for three teams but he's played 300 more games as a Yankee than a Mariner. He won an MVP as a Yankee and has more career WAR as a Yankee.  Therefore, he's going to be on the Yankee roster.
• Batter handedness should not impact the players chosen.

Here we go...

All Time All Stars - Cleveland Indians Pitchers

This is part of an on-going series in which I attempt to update the rosters from Sports Illustrated's All Time All Stars board game created in 1973.  My intention is to update the game so I can incorporate modern day stars with the All Time All Stars.

Here are the nine guys Sports Illustrated chose for the staff in 1973:

• Stan Coveleski SP
• Bob Feller SP
• Wes Ferrell SP
• Mike Garcia SP/RP
• Mel Harder SP/RP
• Addie Joss SP
• Bob Lemon SP
• Sam McDowell SP
• Early Wynn SP

This staff has a bit of everything.  An evenly divided staff of left-handers and right-handers gives this team supreme flexibility and if we're talking about how each guy pitched, well, you name it and they've got it. There's a spitballer (Coveleski), a junk baller (Ferrell), and a some guys

Those of you who think Nolan Ryan was one
of the greatest pitchers ever might want to
take a hard look at Mr. Feller here.

with serious heat (Feller, Garcia, McDowell).
The Indians pitching staff is a lot like that of the White Sox in that it's very deep.  There aren't as many Hall of Famers in a Cleveland uniform but the great pitchers in franchise history are not from the Dead Ball Era and thus we can relate to their stats much more easily. Still, there has to be room for improvement, right? As I see it seven of these guys are definite locks.  They're listed below.

Original Locks: Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, Wes Ferrell, Stan Coveleski, Addie Joss, Mel Harder

Bob Feller is one of the greatest pitchers of all time.  He won 20 games six times and led the league in strikeouts seven times.  The Nolan Ryan of his generation except better in my opinion.  Early Wynn never had a season that jumps out to make you believe he was one of the greats.  Still, he won 300 games in his career which included five 20 win seasons.  He also led the league in strikeouts twice, and innings pitched three times. Wes Ferrell won 20 games six times including four in a row with the Indians.  He might be the best hitting pitcher of all time as well.  Due to WWII Lemon did not make his MLB debut until he was 25.  He still won 207 games with seven 20 win seasons.  He also made seven all star teams.  Coveleski won 20 games six times and retired with a .602 career winning percentage. He led the league in ERA twice and shutouts twice. Addie Joss didn't pitch long but he retired with the second best ERA of all time. Regarded as one of the smartest pitchers of his era, Joss never posted a losing record and his career WHIP is the best in MLB history.  Harder was a career Indian, winning all 223 of his games in a Cleveland uniform. He ranks first in games and third in pitcher WAR in team history.

New guys that are locks: None

There have been several pitchers who deserve consideration but none that stack up with the incredible talent already at hand. Below are the guys, who in my estimation, are the best of the rest.

Guys to consider:

• Tom Candiotti - The knuckleballer played for some terrible Indian teams but still managed to post a winning record.  Won 151 games in his career.
• Bartolo Colon - Had a .625 winning percentage with the Indians, the big guy just never seemed to take that next step to stardom. Won a Cy Young in 2001.
• Mike Garcia - Helped round out the great Indians staff of the 1940s and '50s that included Feller, Wynn, and Lemon.  He led the league in ERA twice and was a three time all star. 
• Cliff Lee - Struggled with consistency with the Indians but won the Cy Young his last year in town.  A four time all star.
• Sam McDowell - I don't really know how to describe McDowell. It's like he was part Randy Johnson (left handed, threw really hard) and part Mark Langston in that he was never as good as his stuff indicated he should be. Led the league in strikeouts five times and walks five times. Also made six all star teams and won 20 games once.
• Charles Nagy - Spent all but his final two games with Chief Wahoo on his hat.  Was the big game pitcher for the resurgent Indian teams of the 1990s.  A three time all star.
• CC Sabathia - I love Sabathia and that admiration only grew for what he accomplished with Milwaukee after he was traded away from the Indians. Had 20 complete games in a three year stretch and is probably the best bet of all active pitchers to win 300 games. He currently has 202.
• George Uhle - A forgotten man in history.  Won 20 games three times and in 1926 threw 32 complete games out of 36 starts. 

Pick a reliever:
Who is the best relief pitcher in Cleveland's history?  I honestly have no clue. Here's who I've narrowed it down to:

• Doug Jones - I think because he was able to hang around for a long time people forgot how good he was in the first half of his career.  Ranks second in Indians history in saves.
• Jose Mesa - Look what he did in 1995. Incredible. Saved 104 games in basically three seasons.
• Eric Plunk - I always laughed at his name when I was a kid but the man got people out. He was Mesa's primary set-up man in 1995 and was nearly as effective.  He never had the peak Mesa had but had a more consistent career.
• Bob Wickman - Probably not the best candidate but he was in town forever and had a few nice seasons. Franchise leader in saves for a career.

Ok, to recap we've got seven locks with three spots to go.  One must be a reliever and the other two will be out of the starting pitching group. The poll is up so go ahead and vote!

All Time All Stars - Cleveland Indians

This is part of an on-going series in which I attempt to update the rosters from Sports Illustrated's All Time All Stars board game created in 1973.  My intention is to update the game so I can incorporate modern day stars with the All Time All Stars.

The Cleveland Indians, like the other teams I've done thus far,  are one of the original eight American League franchises. In the 1990s they boasted perhaps baseball's best offense with the likes of Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome in the lineup.  Sadly they failed to win a World Series and free agency robbed them of their home grown talent.  Their history is filled with great players yet they've only won two championships and none since 1948. In fact the 1970s and 1980s were so bad the team posted only three seasons with winning records and none was good enough to enable them finish better than fourth.  There's a reason the movie makers picked the Cleveland Indians when making Major League. Still, as I said earlier, there are plenty of great players to choose from in this franchise's history. By my count there are seven Hall of Famers on Sports Illustrated's All Time All Star roster in 1973. Let's see how we can improve the team 40 years later.

Again, a reminder of the guidelines for choosing players:

• Each team must be composed of fifteen (15) position players and ten (10) pitchers.
• At least one pitcher must be a relief pitcher
• Each position must have at least two players on the roster who can capably fill it.  Think of this as having a starter and a backup. 
• At least one player chosen to represent a position must have played that position as their primary defensive position.  For instance, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth cannot be chosen as the only two representatives at first base since neither played there for the majority of their career.
• Players must have been active no earlier than 1901.  I chose 1901 since that was the first year of the American League.  We need a cutoff at some point and this seemed logical to me. If a player accumulated stats prior to 1901 (Cy Young for instance) these stats will be disregarded.
• To be eligible for a position a player must have played one full season as a starter there or 10% of his career games.  The same goes for starting and relieving.
• The team a player represents should be the one that makes the most sense for that player. For instance, Alex Rodriguez has played for three teams but he's played 300 more games as a Yankee than a Mariner. He won an MVP as a Yankee and has more career WAR as a Yankee.  Therefore, he's going to be on the Yankee roster.
• Batter handedness should not impact the players chosen.

Here we go...

All Time All Stars - Chicago White Sox Pitchers

This is part of an on-going series in which I attempt to update the rosters from Sports Illustrated's All Time All Stars board game created in 1973.  My intention is to update the game so I can incorporate modern day stars with the All Time All Stars.


The Yankees All Time All Stars have the greatest offense you can imagine with their star power of Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, and Jeter. The Red Sox have an incredible rotation of Pedro, Clemens, and Cy Young.  The White Sox have neither the intimidating offense nor any of the top ten pitchers of all time. What they do have, however, is an incredible depth of pitching talent to go along with excellent defense up the middle.  One could not script a better pairing. Four Hall of Famers lead the staff while the other five all received recognition as being at or near the top of the list as the league's best pitchers. Below is the pitching staff Sports Illustrated selected for the original All Time All Stars roster in 1973.

• Eddie Cicotte SP
• Dick Donovan SP
• Red Faber SP
• Ted Lyons SP/RP
• Billy Pierce SP
• Ed Walsh SP/RP
• Doc White SP
• Hoyt Wilhelm RP
• Wilbur Wood RP

There are no bones to pick here and even if we weren't adding anyone this would be one of the deepest staffs in all of baseball. Faber, Lyons, Walsh, and Wilhelm are each Hall of Famers.  Cicotte very likely would have been had he not been kicked out of baseball for his role in the 1919 World Series.  Donovan, Pierce, White, and Wood are all very solid pitchers too.  Time to decide who sticks.

Original Locks: Ted Lyons, Ed Walsh, Red Faber, Eddie Cicotte, Billy Pierce, Hoyt Wilhelm, Wilbur Wood

Ted Lyons was an absolute monster and retired with 260 wins and an ERA of 3.67 despite pitching in the offensive rich "Babe Ruth" era.  Ed Walsh is the best pitcher in team history and his 145 career ERA+ ranks ninth all time.  Red Faber was not blamed for throwing the 1919 World Series enabling him to build an impressive career, winning 254 games.  Eddie Cicotte won 29 games threw 30 complete games in his penultimate season.  The knuckleballer was a borderline HOF candidate before he was banned for life. Billy Pierce was one of the best pitchers of the 1950s and made five straight all star teams in the decade.  Hoyt Wilhelm only pitched in Chicago six of his twenty one years but accumulated a 1.92 ERA as a member of the Sox. That's easily good enough to make this squad.  Wilbur Wood should be considered one of the greatest knuckleballers ever. He pitched an otherworldy 320+ innings four years in a row in the 1970s.  Prior to this he led the league in games finished three years in a row.  Never a Cy Young winner, he did finish in the top five three years in a row.

New guys that are locks: Mark Buehrle

As you can see Buehrle's super pumped he made the team. 

Buehrle, oh how I love thee.  He never won 20 games in a season and only struck out more than 150 batters one time. Despite this he was still a four time all star, won four gold gloves, and never failed to reach 200 innings pitched in a season. He just got the job done. Buehrle ranks sixth all time in pitcher WAR for the Sox.


While the Sox don't have the same name recognition as Boston, their staff is deeper and the bullpen is better. Buehrle is the eighth lock and we're carrying ten pitchers per team leaving two spots up for grabs. Here's who I believe the best pitchers are to complete the pitching staff.

Guys on the bubble:

• Tommy John (career: 288-231, 3.34, 111 ERA+ /with Sox: 82-80, 2.95, 117)- Pitched with the Sox before having his famous surgery. Seems like he pitched forever and was able to win 288 games. Led the league in winning percentage twice, shutouts twice, and while in Chicago had an ERA+ of 117.  
• Dick Donovan (122-99, 3.67, 104 / 73-50, 3.41, 113) -  Donovan averaged more than 10 complete games a season in Chicago. He led the league in winning percentage, complete games, shutouts, ERA, and WHIP at various points in his career. He was a three time all star.
• Doc White (189-156, 2.39, 113 / 159-123, 2.30, 114) - Doc White was able to put up some ridiculous ERAs even for the Dead Ball Era.  He led the league in victories in 1907 with 27 and displayed excellent control throughout his career. He ranks in the top 10 in Sox history with 34.7 pitcher WAR.
• Keith Foulke (41-37, 3.33, 140 / 18-19, 2.87, 166) - Keith Foulke saved 100 games for the Sox yet few outside of Chicago acknowledged his dominance.  He had an ERA+ over 200 three times and was the best reliever in the American League not named Mariano Rivera from 1998-2004. 
• Roberto Hernandez (67-71, 3.45, 131 / 29-24, 2.87, 153) - He's probably still pitching in Puerto Rico or somewhere.  As a member of the White Sox was absolutely dominant as a late inning reliever. The Sox used him justly as he led the league in games finished three times and once again in Tampa.  A two time all star, his career numbers take a bit of a hit since he stuck around forever even as his fastball was no longer his best pitch.
• Bobby Thigpen (31-36, 3.43, 119 / 28-33, 3.26, 125) - Thigpen spent eight years in Chicago and twice led the league in games finished. He also set the single season saves record that stood for nearly 30 years. That was truly an exceptional season for him and he had a couple of other decent seasons but was a below average reliever the second half of his career.
• Jack McDowell (127-87, 3.85, 111 / 91-58, 3.50, 117) - Black Jack was an excellent pitcher for a brief time. He won the 1993 Cy Young Award and finished second in 1992.  He also led the league in complete games three times and made three straight all star teams. His post-White Sox career was unimpressive as he struggled with injuries that eventually led to his retirement. He also plays a mean guitar. Rock on, Jack. Rock on.

There's a lot to choose from here and I'll have to think pretty hard about this before I cast my own vote. Please vote for the two pitchers you feel should make the team in the poll located on the upper right-hand side of the homepage.

Update: The two players selected in the poll are Jack McDowell and Tommy John. Two solid picks.

All Time All Stars - Chicago White Sox

This is part of an on-going series in which I attempt to update the rosters from Sports Illustrated's All Time All Stars board game created in 1973.  My intention is to update the game so I can incorporate modern day stars with the All Time All Stars.

The Chicago White Sox are one of the original eight American League franchises yet their history is not necessarily one to make fans proud.  Their World Series drought of 88 years is rivaled only by the Red Sox in American League lore (still better than the Cubs!).  It's sad when a team's most well known moment is dark, nonetheless that's the way it is for Chicago's Southside club. Several franchise greats were on the 1919 squad and eight were banned.  Guilty or not, they are eligible for this team, which is a good thing when you consider the state of the Sox best hitters throughout their history.

Again, a reminder of the guidelines for choosing players:

• Each team must be composed of fifteen (15) position players and ten (10) pitchers.
• At least one pitcher must be a relief pitcher
• Each position must have at least two players on the roster who can capably fill it.  Think of this as having a starter and a backup. 
• At least one player chosen to represent a position must have played that position as their primary defensive position.  For instance, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth cannot be chosen as the only two representatives at first base since neither played there for the majority of their career.
• Players must have been active no earlier than 1901.  I chose 1901 since that was the first year of the American League.  We need a cutoff at some point and this seemed logical to me. If a player accumulated stats prior to 1901 (Cy Young for instance) these stats will be disregarded.
• To be eligible for a position a player must have played one full season as a starter there or 10% of his career games.  The same goes for starting and relieving.
• The team a player represents should be the one that makes the most sense for that player. For instance, Alex Rodriguez has played for three teams but he's played 300 more games as a Yankee than a Mariner. He won an MVP as a Yankee and has more career WAR as a Yankee.  Therefore, he's going to be on the Yankee roster.
• Batter handedness should not impact the players chosen.

Here we go...

All Time All Stars - Red Sox Pitchers

Imagine an All Time All Stars World Series of Boston vs. New York.  The Yankees would trot Ruth, Gehrig, and Mantle out there everyday.  That's some pretty scary stuff and most teams would probably acknowledge that they have little chance in competing with the greatest offensive force ever seen. Well, the Red Sox are one team that would not be intimidated.  Ted Williams didn't take crap from anybody and at first glance the pitching staff seems quite strong.  I can just picture Roger Clemens and Pedro giving the boys in pinstripes the middle finger as they strut to the mound. Those guys were tough sons of guns who didn't shy away in the heat of the moment. Let's take a look at who was on this team when SI published the game in 1973.

Is this the greatest pitcher of all time?

• Ray Culp SP
• Bill Dinneen SP
• Joe Dobson SP
• Ellis Kinder RP
• Dutch Leonard SP
• Carl Mays SP
• Mel Parnell SP
• Joe Wood SP
• Cy Young SP

This was just an okay staff. Cy Young might be the greatest pitcher of all time while Smoky Joe Wood and Dutch Leonard had a few excellent seasons but it pretty much ends there.  Teams are going to have to do better if they want to hang with the Yankees.  Luckily, with Roger Clemens and Pedro coming on board it's about to get scary good in the rotation.

Original Locks: Cy Young, Smoky Joe Wood, Ellis Kinder, Dutch Leonard

Cy Young is a no brainer.  Joe Wood had a great run from 1911-1915 that make him a cinch as well. Leonard was Wood's teammate and may have been even better.  Kinder is the best reliever in team history in my opinion.  In 1949 he led the league in complete game shutouts and two years later led the league in saves while accumulating 5.1 WAR.  

New guys that are locks: Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Luis Tiant, Tim Wakefield,

With the retention of Cy Young, this rotation is now possibly the best in the game. Roger Clemens can also be included in the conversation as greatest pitcher ever and he has the hardware to prove it by putting 7 Cy Young Awards on his mantle.  Pedro Martinez's 1999 and 2000 seasons might be the greatest back to back years ever.  He averaged 20-5 with a 1.90 ERA in the steroid era.  His ERA+ for those two combined seasons is 265!  That's two hundred and sixty five percent better than the league average.  Luis Tiant won 20 games three times and led the league in ERA once.  And Tim Wakefield is the franchise leader in innings pitched and is third in wins.  Gotta have the knuckler in there.

If the Red Sox were to set a rotation I think it'd go Young, Clemens, Martinez, Tiant.  Wow.

Just like with the Yankees we've got eight locks out of ten spots. Below are who I believe are the best candidates for the final two spots.

Guys on the bubble:

• Josh Beckett - The ace on the Sox second championship team, Beckett has had moments of brilliance cuopled with injuries. In 2007 he was fantastic and led the league in wins with 20.
• Joe Dobson - Dobson pitched 1500+ innings in Beantown and won 106 games.  Both rank in the 10 ten in team history.
• Derek Lowe - Lowe bounced from starting and relieving, finding success in each role. He finished third in Cy Young voting in 2002 and his ERA+ was 127 as a member of the Red Sox.
• Carl Mays - Mays played for four different franchises and none of them really scream at me as the obvious choice.  He ranks highly in several categories including having the sixth best career ERA among Red Sox pitchers so I'll put him here. 
• Mel Parnell - Won 20+ games twice including 25 in 1949.  Parnell only pitched ten years but managed to accumulate the 8th most WAR in team history.
• Jonathan Papelbon - Love him or hate him the man was pretty dominant as a closer for the BoSox.  Made four all star teams and saved 322 games in Boston.
• Bob Stanley - Stanley was a multi-inning reliever who pitched really well for nine straight seasons until 1986.  He ranks eighth in wins, second in saves, and first in games pitched in team history.
• Babe Ruth - Ruth's not going to make this team because he's already a Yankee but he would be a candidate otherwise.  

Vote for the two pitchers you feel should make the team in the poll located on the upper right-hand side of the homepage.

Updated poll results: Jonathan Papelbon was the top vote getter with Mel Parnell second. These two will be added to Boston's staff.