C Yogi Berra Much more consistent than Roy Campanella, who was an every other year player to the extreme
1B Gil Hodges You could make a case for Ted Kluszewski as well
2B Nellie Fox I hate to leave out Jackie Robinson, but he was done after '54
3B Eddie Mathews
SS Ernie Banks
OF Willie Mays
OF Mickey Mantle
OF Duke Snider Hate leaving out Ted Williams
U Stan Musial Stan the Man was an outfielder during the first half of the decade, then moved over to first base full time
RHP Robin Roberts Edges out Early Wynn
LHP Warren Spahn Over Whitey Ford
Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. The 3 best center fielders in baseball, and they all played in NY.
ReplyDeleteWas there ever a better era in Baseball? Will there ver be?
Great if you're from New York, terrible otherwise.
DeleteIt's been a while since I read about Campanella, his tendency to have off years may have been related to injuries. Campanella himself noted that his career was not consistent and he was aware of the every other year thing.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound familiar from what I read in "Bums, an Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers." I think it was in '56 or '57 that he actually had a severed nerve in his pinky finger and endured tremendous pain. I also remember that he blew out a hamstring during the '51 playoff series against the Giants.
ReplyDeletePretty good list, J. Robinson should be the 2b.
ReplyDeleteYou really should have the outfield LF, CF and RF. So that should be Musial, Mantle and Aaron.
Roberts and Spahn as starting pitchers, not even close. Billy Pierce was better in the 1950's than Whitey Ford.
Great list!! Some of the best players of all time. Agree about Fox over Robinson.
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