The All-Time Cubs Team

[dwj21792]

Here's my 25 man roster based overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) on their contributions as Cubs ... names listed chronologically:

C - Johnny Kling (mostly because I wanted 2 catchers on the roster ... but I think Kling is the weakest link here)
C - Gabby Hartnett

1B - Cap Anson (not someone I'd want to have over to dinner, but he was a superstar in his day)
1B - Mark Grace

2B - Johnny Evers
2B - Rogers Hornsby (not the most loveable, but he has the numbers) [see "Edit" below]
2B - Ryne Sandberg

SS - Ernie Banks

3B - Stan Hack
3B - Ron Santo

LF - Jimmy Sheckard
LF - Billy Williams

CF - Jimmy Ryan
CF - Hack Wilson

RF - Sammy Sosa (I know his numbers are tainted ... but they're too big to ignore)

SP - Mordecai Brown
SP - Ed Reulbach
SP - Orval Overall (always sounded like a cartoon name to me, but that's not why he's here)
SP - Hippo Vaughn
SP - Fergie Jenkins

RP - Charlie Root
RP - Claude Passeau
RP - Bruce Sutter
RP - Lee Smith
RP - Greg Maddux

Reserves include Joe Tinker [see "Edit" below], Kiki Cuyler, John Clarkson, and Bill Hands

Manager / coaching staff - Frank Selee, Frank Chance, Joe McCarthy, Charlie Grimm, Buck O'Neil, and Leo Durocher ... hell, might as well make it a true Cubs staff and make it a rotating "college of coaches" for the managerial spot

[Edit: Put Joe Tinker in as a SS and remove Rogers Hornsby from the roster. As someone mentioned, his service with the Cubs was too limited to include him on the All-Time Cubs team. I thought (correctly) that he had been with the team for 4 years ... but his playing time in that period only amounted to about a year and a half at best, so I disqualified him. Suit up, Joe!]

I agree generally about longevity playing a factor in picking these teams. But all Hornsby did in that one year was set a franchise record for single season BA and help them win the pennant. If you are going to include one year wonders on an all-time team (I have to laugh at calling Hornsby that.) Hornsby wouldn't be a bad choice.
That said, the Cubs have three other 2nd basemen in the HOF. There's probably no need to include Hornsby.

[Sunny Jim]

Here's mine:

LF Billy Williams
Riggs Stephenson

CF. Hack Wilson
Andy Pafko

RF. Kiki Cutler
Hank Sauer

3rd. Ron Santo
Stan Hack

SS. Ernie Banks
Woody English

2nd. Ryne Sandberg
Billy Herman

1st Cap Anson
Mark Grace

C. Gabby Hartnet
Johnny Kling

SP Mordecai Brown
Fergie Jenkins
Hippo Vaughn
Charlie Root
Bill Hutchinson
Ken Holtzman

RP Bruce Sutter
Lee Smith

Anson is the Payer Manager. (He was a jerk but we're going to put him in the Star Trek Atavachron and prepare him for time travel into the future.)

Honorable Mention to Phil Caveretta, King Kelly and Claude Passeau. (And maybe Bill Madlock?)
Sammy Sosa is a drug enhanced, corked bat cheater. (Trade him to the South Side and let him play for Comiskey and the Black Sox. Maybe we can get another LHP.)
Maddox had his best years with the Braves.
Hornsby is a Cardinal
"Pete" Alexander is a Phillie.
Andre Dawson is an Expo.

Jim

[dwj21792]

LF: Babe Ruth
CF: Mickey Mantle
RF: Reggie Jackson
1B: Lou Gehrig
2B: Tony Lazzeri
3B: Alex Rodriguez, or if you want to because of playing time Graig Nettles
SS: Derek Jeter
C: Yogi Berra
P: Whitey Ford
P: David Cone
P: Roger Clemens
P: Lefty Gomez
P: Herb Pennock
P: Red Ruffing
P: Mariano Riviera
P: Dave Righetti

And I don't even want to think of their subs. . . Mattingly, Dimaggio, Williams, Posada, Rizzuto, Winfield, Meusel, . . .


Yeah it would be close

I would take both Lyle and Gossage over Rags. Other than that I like that team.