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I'm going to try something here. What I want is nominees for the best possible set of starters (five pitchers and one closer included) for players who 1) played no more than 20 games in MLB and 2) played no more than 100 games in the US Negro Leagues. Castro-era Cubans are definitely eligible, as are Japanese players, and others from the Caribbean or Mexico who meet these requirements.
My first effort isn't going to be definitive, but if I'm going to start such a thread, I've got to get the ball rolling:
catcher--Katsuya Nomura an extremely durable catcher with power. I liken him to Gary Carter.
First base--Sadaharu Oh Think Willie McCovey with several hundred more walks to his credit and you've got it. An awesome talent, and probably the best of this team.
Second base--Antonio Pacheco over Silvio Garcia and Shigeru Chiba Chiba is the Japanese candidate and I'm not sure if a righty who hit to right field is good enough to make this team. He could field, and if his hitting style worked, he'd have been a competent leadoff type, though not a serious HOF-caliber talent. Pacheco is the Castro-era Cuban candidate, and he also had a fine fielding reputation. I wish I could peg his hitting skill better, which is why I hesitated to pull the trigger and pick him. Garcia was more a shortstop in the Negro League years, but he loses that spot and could be moved here. He probably would give you a long-term competent bat to go with good glovework. Tough call here, but I'll go with the guy who actually played second I'm most sold on, and that's Pacheco.
Third base--Shigeo Nagashima versus Omar Linares I like both of these players with broad-based talents. I'd like to have a DH and put the loser in that spot. It's very hard to compare these two, but I don't think you'd be sorry choosing either one. I guess I'll go with Nagashima's superior longevity, and make Linares the DH.
Shortstop--Perucho Cepeda Father of major leaguer Orlando Cepeda, and said to be an even better player. He may well have been, from the records we do have. The elder Cepeda was a far superior fielder, being able to play good quality shortstop--and he still hit quite well. He's probably in the league of Barry Larkin in quality, which to me is high praise.
Center field--Victor Mesa versus Yutaka Fukumoto Both men are speedy glove men who could steal a base. Fukumoto had plate discipline to be sure, but so did Mesa. Mesa could well have had more power, which would push me in his direction. I just don't have a good enough feel for Cuban ball in the Castro era to be sure he's the better choice.
Left field--Isao Harimoto a hitting machine. The only Japanese player to reach 3000 hits there, and, with the longer MLB seasons, I think he would have done it in the majors as well. He had some power to go along with .300 averages and good plate discipline.
Right field--Koji Yamamoto versus Orestes Kindelan and Lazaro Junco Yamamoto was really a RF, and a good one with many Japanese Gold Gloves to his credit. I don't think he was quite a HOF-caliber talent, but I may be wrong about that. Kindelan and Junco are power hitters from Cuba, and I don't think either of them were defensive standouts. Again, I wish I had a better feel for how Castro-era Cubans compare to make this choice. I think I can eliminate Junco in the comparison to Kindelan, but it still leaves a tough choice between Yamamoto and Kindelan.
closer--Yutaka Enatsu versus Pedro L. Lazo both of these guys started but had significant time as relievers. Enatsu probably was a HOF caliber talent, and Lazo may well have been as well.
starter--Masaichi Kaneda The best pitcher in Japanese baseball history, and he deserves a spot here.
starter--Kazuhisa Inao A superb Japanese pitcher who pitched well for a decade under a crushing load. He helped his team to several championships, but his arm went after a spectacular ten year run. I think that used more sparingly, as he would have in the majors, he would have had an even better career.
last three starters--Victor Starffin versus Akira Bessho versus Masaaki Koyama versus Braudilio Vinent versus Rogelio Garcia versus Jorge L. Valdes The last three are my picks for the top three Castro-era Cuban starting pitchers, Starffin is a Russian who starred in pre-1945 Japanese ball, Bessho was a Japanese star of the late 40's through the mid to late 50's, and Koyama starred in the 60's in Japan. There's so many issues to sort them all out.
Honorable mention Diomedes Olivo from the Dominican is a pitcher who intrigues me, but I simply don't know enough about to support here. I would be surprised if I haven't omitted at least a name or two I shouldn't have, but this should provide a start.
My first effort isn't going to be definitive, but if I'm going to start such a thread, I've got to get the ball rolling:
catcher--Katsuya Nomura an extremely durable catcher with power. I liken him to Gary Carter.
First base--Sadaharu Oh Think Willie McCovey with several hundred more walks to his credit and you've got it. An awesome talent, and probably the best of this team.
Second base--Antonio Pacheco over Silvio Garcia and Shigeru Chiba Chiba is the Japanese candidate and I'm not sure if a righty who hit to right field is good enough to make this team. He could field, and if his hitting style worked, he'd have been a competent leadoff type, though not a serious HOF-caliber talent. Pacheco is the Castro-era Cuban candidate, and he also had a fine fielding reputation. I wish I could peg his hitting skill better, which is why I hesitated to pull the trigger and pick him. Garcia was more a shortstop in the Negro League years, but he loses that spot and could be moved here. He probably would give you a long-term competent bat to go with good glovework. Tough call here, but I'll go with the guy who actually played second I'm most sold on, and that's Pacheco.
Third base--Shigeo Nagashima versus Omar Linares I like both of these players with broad-based talents. I'd like to have a DH and put the loser in that spot. It's very hard to compare these two, but I don't think you'd be sorry choosing either one. I guess I'll go with Nagashima's superior longevity, and make Linares the DH.
Shortstop--Perucho Cepeda Father of major leaguer Orlando Cepeda, and said to be an even better player. He may well have been, from the records we do have. The elder Cepeda was a far superior fielder, being able to play good quality shortstop--and he still hit quite well. He's probably in the league of Barry Larkin in quality, which to me is high praise.
Center field--Victor Mesa versus Yutaka Fukumoto Both men are speedy glove men who could steal a base. Fukumoto had plate discipline to be sure, but so did Mesa. Mesa could well have had more power, which would push me in his direction. I just don't have a good enough feel for Cuban ball in the Castro era to be sure he's the better choice.
Left field--Isao Harimoto a hitting machine. The only Japanese player to reach 3000 hits there, and, with the longer MLB seasons, I think he would have done it in the majors as well. He had some power to go along with .300 averages and good plate discipline.
Right field--Koji Yamamoto versus Orestes Kindelan and Lazaro Junco Yamamoto was really a RF, and a good one with many Japanese Gold Gloves to his credit. I don't think he was quite a HOF-caliber talent, but I may be wrong about that. Kindelan and Junco are power hitters from Cuba, and I don't think either of them were defensive standouts. Again, I wish I had a better feel for how Castro-era Cubans compare to make this choice. I think I can eliminate Junco in the comparison to Kindelan, but it still leaves a tough choice between Yamamoto and Kindelan.
closer--Yutaka Enatsu versus Pedro L. Lazo both of these guys started but had significant time as relievers. Enatsu probably was a HOF caliber talent, and Lazo may well have been as well.
starter--Masaichi Kaneda The best pitcher in Japanese baseball history, and he deserves a spot here.
starter--Kazuhisa Inao A superb Japanese pitcher who pitched well for a decade under a crushing load. He helped his team to several championships, but his arm went after a spectacular ten year run. I think that used more sparingly, as he would have in the majors, he would have had an even better career.
last three starters--Victor Starffin versus Akira Bessho versus Masaaki Koyama versus Braudilio Vinent versus Rogelio Garcia versus Jorge L. Valdes The last three are my picks for the top three Castro-era Cuban starting pitchers, Starffin is a Russian who starred in pre-1945 Japanese ball, Bessho was a Japanese star of the late 40's through the mid to late 50's, and Koyama starred in the 60's in Japan. There's so many issues to sort them all out.
Honorable mention Diomedes Olivo from the Dominican is a pitcher who intrigues me, but I simply don't know enough about to support here. I would be surprised if I haven't omitted at least a name or two I shouldn't have, but this should provide a start.
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