Best Player By Franchise?

[DoubleX]

Who is each team's all-time best player? Here's the kicker though, the player had to have spent their entire career with the team (meaning, for example, no Babe Ruth for the Yankees, no Willie Mays for the Giants, and no Hank Aaron for Braves).

[Edgartohof]

New York Yankees - you could go either way with Mantle or Gherig, take your pick.
Seattle Mariners - Edgar Martinez, although some might say Ichiro, if you don't count his time in Japan as playing for another team.
Boston Red Sox - easy - Ted Williams
Chicago Cubs - Billy Williams ended his career with Oakland, so he's out, you might get a few votes for Mr. Santo, but it has to go to Mr. Cub himself - Ernie Banks

[abacab]

Pirates - Clemente
Cardinals - Musial
Indians - Feller
Twins/Senators - WJohnson
"real" Twins - Puckett
Astros - Biggio
Braves - Smoltz?
Dodgers - JRobinson or Koufax
Phillies - Schimdt
Giants - Ott
Reds - Bench
Royals - Brett
Brewers - Yount
Orioles - Ripken
Padres - Gwynn
Red Sox - TWilliams
White Sox - Appling
Tigers - Kaline
Cubs - Banks
A's - ????

[DoubleX]

Here's some I thought of (this was more difficult than I thought it would be):

Yankees: Lou Gehrig (I can see arguments for Mantle, but I prefer Gehrig)
Red Sox: Ted Williams
Blue Jays: No clue (I was going to say Dave Stieb, but he pitched 4 games with the White Sox in '93).
Orioles: Cal Ripken Jr.
Devil Rays: Carl Crawford?
White Sox: Luke Appling
Indians: Earl Averill (Larry Doby or Lou Boudreau would work here too)
Twins: Kirby Puckett
Tigers: Al Kaline (Charlie Gehringer would work too)
Royals: George Brett
Angels: Tim Salmon
Athletics: Eric Chavez? For all the great players that have played for the A's, they all seemed to have spent some time on other teams.
Rangers: Rusty Greer?
Mariners: Edgar Martinez

Braves: Chipper Jones
Phillies: Mike Schmidt
Marlins: Miguel Cabrera?
Mets: Ed Kranepool (Seriously, I can't think of anyone else)
Nationals: No clue (Judging by these lists, one might think I have something against Canadian teams)
Cardinals: Stan Musial
Astros: Jeff Bagwell
Brewers: Robin Yount
Cubs: Ernie Banks
Pirates: Roberto Clemente
Reds: Johnny Bench
Padres: Tony Gwynn
Giants: Mel Ott
Dodgers: Jackie Robinson (Roy Campanella is a good choice as well)
Diamondbacks: No clue.
Rockies: Todd Helton

Going through this, it's really amazing how few first-tier, bonafied Hall of Famers played their entire careers with only one team.

[DoubleX]

Chicago Cubs - Billy Williams ended his career with Oakland, so he's out, you might get a few votes for Mr. Santo, but it has to go to Mr. Cub himself - Ernie Banks

Santo crossed my mind, but he spent a year with the White Sox.

[538280]

For the Pirates Honus Wagner would obviously be a better choice than Clemente, if you're including Louisville as the Pirates because it was the same franchise.

Ernie Banks is Mr.Cub, but I think it really should be Cap Anson. Ron Santo played one year with the cross town White Sox at the end of his career and is out.

[abacab]

For the Pirates Honus Wagner would obviously be a better choice than Clemente, if you're including Louisville as the Pirates because it was the same franchise.

It wasn't the same franchise. Barney Dreyfuss owned Louisville in 1899. Then he brought Pittsburgh and moved his best players to the Pirates, while Louisville was contracted. So he essentially merged the teams, but Louisville was a separate franchise from Pittsburgh.

[Edgartohof]

Santo crossed my mind, but he spent a year with the White Sox.

I totally forgot that, thanks for reminding me.

[Edgartohof]

Ernie Banks is Mr.Cub, but I think it really should be Cap Anson. Ron Santo played one year with the cross town White Sox at the end of his career and is out.

I'd personally still go with Banks over Anson, but Anson might not even be in the running if you also include his NA playing.

[yanks0714]

[QUOTE=DoubleX]

Here's some I thought of (this was more difficult than I thought it would be):

Indians: Earl Averill (Larry Doby or Lou Boudreau would work here too)

Sorry, but Averill ended his career playing out the string with Detroit and Boston. Larry Doby played for the White Sox at the end.

[DoubleX]

[QUOTE=yanks0714]

Sorry, but Averill ended his career playing out the string with Detroit and Boston. Larry Doby played for the White Sox at the end.

Good catch. Even Boudrea spent two years with Boston. Hmm..Al Rosen for Cleveland? I suppose I could go with Bob Feller if I was considering pitchers.

[baseballPAP]

You could add Barry Larkin to the Reds' list....not quite as good as Bench, but a great player with one franchise too. Maybe the Reds win the boobie prize for having 2?

[ElHalo]

Good catch. Even Boudrea spent two years with Boston. Hmm..Al Rosen for Cleveland? I suppose I could go with Bob Feller if I was considering pitchers.

Anybody want to hazard a guess as to who the Indians' all time leader in games played is? I'll bet you weren't thinking this guy.

As to the Mets... forget the rules of this little game; who's the best position player in Mets history, period? Piazza is more of a Dodger. Who's next? Daryll? Howard Johnson?

[DoubleX]

You could add Barry Larkin to the Reds' list....not quite as good as Bench, but a great player with one franchise too. Maybe the Reds win the boobie prize for having 2?

I think if there is a booby prize to be won, it's probably going to go to the Yankees (Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Dickey).

[christian gentleman]

franchise players

what about yogi berra for the yanks?