MLB Hometown Heroes: National League
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by user Timothy Moreland(Bball3345)
Major League Baseball has opened up voting to determine the "most outstanding player in each club's history." It is like an All-Star roster, where each team is represented only once. So, here are my selections for the Hometown Heroes roster in the National League.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson (1999-2004) Arizona's first year as a franchise was in 1998, which means there are not a wealth of players to choose from. Still, Johnson has over 270 career wins and appears headed to the Hall of Fame. In 2001, the duo of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson led the Diamondbacks to the World Series. Johnson won the regular season MVP, while Schilling finished second. The Big Unit also won the World Series MVP, but shared this honor with Schilling. The Cy Young was awarded to Johnson a total of four times in his six years in Arizona.
Atlanta Braves: Hank Aaron (1966-1974) Well, Hammerin' Hank hit 335 of his 755 home runs for the Atlanta Braves and all but 22 for the Braves franchise. Any 21 time All-Star probably deserves to be the face of the franchise.
Chicago Cubs: Ernie Banks (1953-1971) Slammin' Sammy was on the way toward this honor, but things went south for him at the end. This leaves no doubt that Mr. Cub should be voted as the Hometown Hero. Banks spent his entire career in Chicago, winning back-to-back MVPs, a Gold Glove, and eleven trips to the Midsummer Classic.
Cincinnati Reds: Joe Morgan (1972-1979) Say what you want about his broadcasting or personality, this man could play ball. While only with the Reds for eight of his twenty-two seasons, Morgan made the All-Star team in all of those years. Morgan also put five Gold Gloves and two MVPs into his trophy case while with the Reds. Cincinnati finished in fifth place the year before Morgan arrived and finished third the year he left. While Morgan was there, they never finished worse than second place, winning two World Series.
Colorado Rockies: Larry Walker (1995-2004) Walker could do anything for the Rockies. Speed: He was top ten in the league in stolen bases with 33 in 1997. Power: Walker finished second in home runs with 36 in 1995 and led the league with 49 home runs in 1997. Fielding: He won five Gold Gloves in the outfield for the Rockies. Walker was the 1997 MVP.
Florida Marlins: Gary Sheffield (1993-1998) Sheffield is the franchise leader in OPS (.970) and at bats per home run (15.3). He was their best player in 1997, the World Championship season. Dontrelle Willis or Miguel Cabrera could end up more deserving than Sheffield if they stick around long enough.
Houston Astros: Jeff Bagwell (1991-2005) It seems as if this man has won every award possible. One could find a Rookie of the Year trophy, an MVP, a Gold Glove, three Silver Sluggers, and a Major League Player of the Year award in his trophy case. Bagwell owns five of the top ten best seasons for the franchise in OPS, four of the top ten in runs, six in home runs, and six of the ten best RBI seasons. In addition, Bagwell holds the franchise home run record by a gap of 189 homers.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Jackie Robinson (1947-1956) What is often forgotten among the tremendous impact Robinson had on the color barrier in professional baseball is that Jackie Robinson was an outstanding player. Unfortunately, the racism in baseball did not permit Robinson to begin his MLB career until he turned 28-years-old. It did not, however, stop him from winning the Rookie of the Year award, an MVP, and making six All-Star teams. He could be counted on for fifteen home runs, twenty steals, and a .400 OBP year after year.
Milwaukee Brewers: Robin Yount (1974-1993) Paul Molitor, another candidate for the Brewers, ranks as the most similar batter to Robin Yount, according to Baseball Reference's Similarity Scores. Yount, however, spent his entire career with the Brewers, while Molitor left toward the twilight of his. As well, Yount was a two-time MVP and holds the franchise lead in virtually every counting stat.
New York Mets: Tom Seaver (1967-1977, 1983) Seaver won three Cy Young awards while with the Mets. He was also the ace of the staff in their 1969 "Miracle Mets" season. Seaver went 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA that year, not so surprisingly winning the Cy Young award.
Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt (1972-1989) This one is a no-brainer. If Ernie Banks is Mr. Cub, then Schmidt more than deserves the nickname Mr. Phillie. His entire eighteen-year career was spent in a Phillies uniform. In those years, ten Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, twelve All-Star appearances, three NL MVPs, and a World Series MVP were awarded to the Hall-of-Fame thirdbaseman. In 1980, Philadelphia beat the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the World Series. Schmidt hit .381 with two homeruns and seven RBIs in the series.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Honus Wagner (1900-1917) In Wagner's career, the Pirates won the National League four times, once ending in a World Series victory. Pittsburgh defeated Detroit in seven games, with Wagner hitting .333. The MVP award did not exist until 1911, which Wagner finished third, second, and eighth in from 1911-1913. Had the MVP been created earlier, he certainly would have been a multiple winner. At shortstop, Wagner was also a tremendous fielder, who probably would have won his fair share of Gold Gloves. Currently, The Flying Dutchman holds the title as the "Greatest Shortstop of All-Time."
St. Louis: Stan Musial (1941-1963) Stan the Man spent twenty-two seasons with the Cardinals. Amazingly, Musial made the All-Star game in all but two of those seasons. Musial was a large part of a fantastic run in Cardinals' history. From 1942-1946, St. Louis made the World Series four times, winning three rings. Musial's best World Series was in 1944 when the Cardinals beat the St. Louis Browns in six games. Musial hit .304 with a home run. The NL MVP was awarded to Musial, a career .331 hitter, three times.
San Diego: Tony Gwynn (1982-2001) Gwynn is the Padres. The top nine single-season batting averages in Padres' history are all owned by Gwynn. Tony Gwynn won eight batting titles, five Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, and attended the All-Star game fifteen times in twenty years.
San Francisco Giants: Barry Bonds (1993-2005) Although he won two MVPs as a Pirate, Bonds managed to win five more as a Giant. Bonds, one of the best fielding leftfielders in history, has won eight Gold Gloves. Seven times, Bonds has made the playoffs; however, his team has only made it out of the first round once. The Giants had a run to the World Series in 2002. They beat Atlanta in five games the first round, with Bonds hitting three home runs. St. Louis fell to San Francisco in five games in the NLCS, where Bonds pitched in another home run. Then, Bonds exploded with four home runs and a 1.294 SLG(no, not OPS) in a seven game loss to the Wild Card Anaheim Angels. San Francisco blew a 5-0 lead in the top of the seventh, by allowing three runs in the bottom of the seventh and three more in the bottom of the eighth to lose 6-5. Anaheim went on to a 4-1 win in game seven.
Washington Nationals: Tim Raines (1979-1990, 2001) In Raines' twelve and a half seasons for Montreal, Raines stole a franchise record 635 bases. Raines had a six-year stretch from 1981-1986 in which he stole at least seventy bases, stealing 90 in 1983.
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Date
Mon 07/24/06, 3:34 am EST
