Best Cubs Team Ever!

[Suspectdevice1]

Best cubs team of all time, and only with players who have spent the majority of their career with the cubs (or for the current players, ones who will more than likely spend the rest of their career with the cubies):

25 Man Roster:
C Gabby Hartnett
C Michael Barret
1B Derek Lee (I know there are other hall of fame first baseman who namely played for the cubbies, but if D. Lee continues what he is doing, he will be in the HALL!)
1B Cap Anson
2B Ryne Sandberg
2B Billy Herman
SS Ernie Banks
SS Joe Tinker
3B Ron Santo
3B Aramis Ramirez (tough call over Stan Hack)
LF Billy Williams
CF Hack Wilson
RF King Kelly
RF Sammy Sosa
CF Kiki Cuyler
STARTERS:
1. Fergie Jenkins
2. Mordacai “Three Fingered” Brown
3. Hippo Vaughn
4. Clark Griffith
5. Charlie Root
RELIEF PITCHERS
SU: Lee Smith
SU: Bruce Sutter
MRP Rick Sutcliffe
MRP Mark Prior
CP: Carlos Zambrano

[Suspectdevice1]

...And the lineup would probably look something like this:
1. CF: Kiki Cuyler
2. LF: Billy Williams
3. 1B: Derek Lee
4. RF: Hack Wilson (moved from CF to RF)
5. SS: Ernie Banks
6. 3B Ron Santo
7. 2B: Ryne Sandberg
8. C Gabby Harnett
9. SP: Three Fingered Brown

[workthecount]

where's Hawk?

[Slightly Sarcastic]

I like Zambrano as much as anybody, but making him the closer over Big Lee is just not right.

[moebarguy]

How can you put Prior and Zambrano as relievers when they're not...

[The Big C]

It's a fantasy team, it doesn't matter where he puts them.

[moebarguy]

So can you put Sammy Sosa at 2b?

[The Big C]

If you want to.

But I think we both realize that the difference between RF and 2B is much greater than the difference between SP and RP/SU/CP

[moebarguy]

But the point of formulating a All-Cubs or any team is to put people in positions they actually played.

[workthecount]

But the point of formulating a All-Cubs or any team is to put people in positions they actually played.

agreed, or else why not make an arbitrary list of the best Cubs' players, without positions?

that way you could include Hawk and Lee Smith, who, oh yeah, is the all-time saves leader, but it's good to see Big Z's there instead.

[The Big C]

There aren't a whole lot of great middle relievers. If they aren't good enough to be a starter or a closer, they probably aren't going to be making any all-time team lists. So in this instance it is almost a necessity to list second tier starters as relievers. Making Zambrano a closer over Lee Smith is a little strange, but it is the poster's perogative. But making a starter into a reliever has been done in baseball for a long, long time, and I am suprised that anybody would have any qualms about it.

[romanos72]

I like your all-Cubs team, but it's too early to put Barrett among these other greats. He currently has the worst throw-out rate in the National League and his numers seem to hover around 15 HR-65 RBI-.275 AVG. I'd put Randy Hundley in there instead. How many years must they have played for the Cubs to qualify 'cause Dawson's 7 years with the club deserve recognition. Otherwise, good list. :clapping

[Hammerin Hank]

Here's how we've voted upon this in our forum in the past:

Catcher
Gabby Hartnett (22) - 81.5%
Randy Hundley (2) - 7.4%
Jody Davis (2) - 7.4%

First Base
Cap Anson (14) - 45.2%
Mark Grace (12) - 38.7%
Bill Buckner (2) - 6.5%
Frank Chance (2) - 6.5%
Joe Pepitone (1) - 3.2%

Second Base
Ryne Sandberg (30) - 93.8%
Glenn Beckert (1) - 3.1%
Billy Herman (1) - 3.1%

Third Base
Ron Santo (21) - 100%

Shortstop
Ernie Banks (26) - 86.7%
Shawon Dunston (2) - 6.7%
Don Kessinger (1) - 3.3%
Joe Tinker (1) - 3.3%

Right Field
Sammy Sosa (19) - 79.2%
Andre Dawson (3) - 12.5%
King Kelly (2) - 8.3%

Center Field
Hack Wilson (18) - 85.7%
Andy Pafko (2) - 9.2%

Left Field
Billy Williams (20) - 100%

Starters
Fergie Jenkins (28) - 90.3%
Three Finger Brown (25) - 80.7%
Greg Maddux (20) - 64.2%
Hippo Vaughn (13) - 41.9%
Rick Sutcliffe (12) - 38.7%
Pete Alexander (11) - 35.5%
Ed Reulbach (10) - 32.3%
Charlie Root (6) - 19.4%
Kerry Wood (3) - 9.7%
Rick Reuschel (2) - 6.5%
Lou Warneke (2)- 6.5%
Bill Lee (2) - 6.5%
Sheriff Blake (1) - 3.2%
Larry Corcoran (1) - 3.2%
Dick Ellsworth (1) - 3.2%
Clark Griffith (1) - 3.2%
Claude Passeau (1) - 3.2%
Bob Rush (1) - 3.2%
Jack Pfiester (1) - 3.2%

Closer
Bruce Sutter (11) - 47.8%
Lee Smith (10) - 43.4%
Randy Myers (1) - 4.4%
Mitch Williams (1) - 4.4%

Manager
Cap Anson (8) - 44.4%
Frank Chance (8) - 44.4%
Leo Durocher (1) - 5.6%
Don Zimmer (1) - 5.6%

You can find the thread here (http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=23565).

[Suspectdevice1]

A couple things: yes, I realize for example that Zambrano is not a closer and that Lee Smith was and that he was one of the most successful closers of all time, keep in mind i kept him it the SU role and that while Carlos is not a reliefer, its a fantasy team, and I think big Z would be a great closer given the opportunity, probably even better than Smith. Maybe? And as for Hawk, he comes close, but still not as good as the other outfielders, although I would prefer him personally over Sammy only cuz hes a cheat--but still, the stats say otherwise. And as for Barret, I realize also that Hundley is a much better defensive catcher and all, but offensively, Barret is the second best cubs catcher ever (or at least to play more than just a season or two with them) really...which actually is kind of sad.