Post by Captain America on Sept 15, 2015 17:07:43 GMT -5
About 2 months ago during the real life 2015 MLB All-Star Game festivities, each team's "Franchise Four" was revealed before the All-Star Game itself. Earlier in the season, fans were asked to vote for the 4 best players in each team's franchise history out of 8 nominees. This inspired me and got me thinking...what would each BBSBL team's Franchise Four look like at this point?
Thus, I went through the site and CATO extensively to search through every team's history and see who their 4 best players were that had the biggest impact on the given team for a long period of time. I'll then show what they did for their team(s) to show what kind of impact they had. Players can be eligible for multiple teams as long as they played for 3 full seasons, but if they spent a significant portion of their careers with 1 team, I will try to not consider them as part of another team as well. Longevity with the same team will be valued quite a bit here. I'll also provide 4 additional players per team as honorable mention nominees to make it look like an 8-nominee fan ballot like it was in reality.
Next up are the NL Midwest teams!
Chicago Cubs
SS Hanley Ramirez (2011-2017)
- Won 2014 and 2016 NL MVP Awards with Cubs, plus the 2014 in-game NL MVP Award
- Cubs career leader in doubles, home runs and RBI
- As a Cub, led NL in slugging twice, OPS twice, hits twice, doubles twice, home runs once, RBI once, and runs 3 times
- Made 4 All-Star teams as a Cub from 2012-2014 and 2016
- Won 2 NL Gold Glove Awards at shortstop with Cubs in 2012 and 2015
- Helped lead the Cubs to 7 consecutive postseason appearances between 2011-2017, including a World Series championship in 2014
SP Chris Sale (2011-present)
- Has won 2 NL Cy Young Awards in 2014 and 2017
- Has led NL twice in ERA, once in WHIP, once in strikeouts and twice in shutouts
- Threw a no-hitter in 2017
- Has been a 6x All-Star (2012, 2014-2018)
- Has led the Cubs to 7 consecutive postseason appearances, including a World Series championship in 2014
SP Johan Santana (1998-present)
- Has won 4 NL Cy Young Awards in 1999, 2011, 2013 and 2015, plus two in-game NL Cy Young Awards in 2011 and 2013
- Cubs career leader in wins, games started, strikeouts, complete games and shutouts
- Has led NL in ERA 4 times, WHIP 3 times, wins once, complete games 6 times and shutouts 3 times
- Had 19 consecutive seasons (1998-2016) with an ERA under 3.00
- Has thrown 3 no-hitters and 1 perfect game in his career, all between the 2010-2011 seasons
- Is a 12x All-Star (1999, 2001-2006, 2010-2011, 2013-2015)
- Led the Cubs to 16 postseason appearances, along with 4 NL pennants and 2 World Series championships in 2005 and 2014
SP Kerry Wood (1997-2007)
- Won 2 NL MVP Awards in 2004 and 2006
- Won 4 NL Cy Young Awards in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007
- Cubs career leader in ERA
- Led NL as a Cub in ERA 4 times, WHIP 3 times, wins once, strikeouts once, complete games once and shutouts 4 times
- Was a 7x All-Star with the Cubs (2000, 2002-2007)
- Led the Cubs to 9 consecutive postseason appearances between 1999-2007, including 3 pennants and a World Series championship in 2005
Honorable Mentions: Edwin Bellorin, Endy A Chavez, Rafael Furcal, Paul Goldschmidt
Chicago White Sox
2B Ray Durham (1995-2006)
- White Sox career leader in runs, hits, triples and stolen bases
- Among White Sox career top 3 in average, slugging, OPS, doubles, home runs, RBI and walks
- Led AL in triples 3 times, home runs once and runs twice
- Was a 6x All-Star with White Sox (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005)
- Helped lead White Sox to 7 consecutive AL Central division titles between 1998-2004, including an AL pennant in 1998
SP Alex Fernandez (1991-2005)
- Won 3 consecutive AL Cy Young Awards between 2001-2003
- White Sox career leader in wins, games started, strikeouts, complete games and shutouts; also 3rd in team history in ERA
- Led AL 3 times in WHIP, 3 times in wins, once in complete games and once in shutouts
- Was a 6x All-Star with White Sox (1998, 1999, 2001-2004)
- Led White Sox to 7 consecutive AL Central division titles between 1998-2004, including an AL pennant in 1998
- Member of BBSBL Hall of Fame as White Sox
LF Reggie Jefferson (2000-2008)
- Among top 5 in White Sox career leaders in average, OBP, slugging, OPS, runs, hits, doubles and RBI
- Won AL batting title in 1996; also led AL in hits twice and doubles once
- Made 3 trips to All-Star Game with White Sox (2000, 2004, 2005)
- Helped lead White Sox to 5 consecutive AL Central division titles between 2000-2004
- Member of BBSBL Hall of Fame as White Sox
1B Frank Thomas (1990-2006)
- Won 2 AL MVP Awards in 1997 and 1999
- White Sox career leader in OBP, slugging, OPS, home runs, RBI and walks
- Led AL in OPS once, home runs once, RBI twice and runs once
- Was a 4x All-Star (1997, 1999-2001)
- Led White Sox to 7 consecutive AL Central division titles between 1998-2004, including an AL pennant in 1998
- Member of BBSBL Hall of Fame as White Sox
Honorable Mentions: Chad Bradford, Prince Fielder, Magglio Ordonez, Kirk Rueter
Cincinnati Reds
SP Josh Beckett (2003-2010, 2016-2017)
- Reds career leader in ERA, wins, games started, strikeouts and shutouts
- As a Red, led NL in WHIP once and strikeouts once
- Made 3 All-Star Game appearances with Reds in 2006, 2008 and 2009
- Won NL Gold Glove Award in 2003
- Led Reds to an NL Central division title in 2008
C Rob Bowen (2004-present)
- Reds career leader in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and walks
- Has been a 3x All-Star (2013, 2014, 2016)
- Won 2010 NL Gold Glove Award at catcher
- Helped lead the Reds to an NL Central division title in 2008 and an NL Wild Card berth in 2015
RF Greg Dobbs (2004-2013)
- Among Reds top 5 in career average, slugging, OPS, runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI
- Won 4 consecutive NL Gold Glove Awards in right field between 2007-2010 with the Reds
- Helped lead the Reds to an NL Central division title in 2008
1B Corey Myers (2008-2017)
- Reds career leader in average and triples
- Among Reds top 5 in career OBP, OPS, hits and doubles
- Led NL with 227 hits in 2013
- Made consecutive trips to the All-Star Game in 2012 and 2013
Honorable Mentions: Lance Berkman, Keith Foulke, Josh McKinley, Pat Watkins
Cleveland Indians
SP Grant Balfour (2000-2014, 2017)
- Indians career leader in wins, games started and strikeouts
- Among Indians top 5 in career ERA, complete games and shutouts
- Was a 4x All-Star with Indians in 2003, 2008, 2010 and 2011
- Helped lead the Indians to 4 consecutive AL Central division titles between 2008-2011, plus 2 AL pennants in 2008 and 2010
- Member of BBSBL Hall of Fame as an Indian
LF/DH Adam Dunn (2002-2014, 2016-present)
- Won 2008 AL MVP Award
- Indians career leader in runs, hits, home runs, RBI and walks
- Led AL in OBP once, slugging once, OPS twice, home runs once and walks twice; also led NL in walks once
- Has been a 3x All-Star (2008, 2010, 2011)
- Led the Indians to 4 consecutive AL Central division titles between 2008-2011, plus 2 AL pennants in 2008 and 2010
1B Todd Helton (2000-2006)
- Won consecutive AL MVP Awards with Indians in 2002 and 2003
- Indians career leader in average, OBP, slugging and OPS
- As an Indian, won AL batting title in 2002 and led AL in OBP once, slugging once, OPS twice, and runs once
- Made 5 All-Star Game appearances with Indians between 2000-2001 and 2003-2005
- Member of BBSBL Hall of Fame as an Indian
SP Todd Noel (2003-2013)
- Indians career leader in complete games
- Among Indians top 3 in career ERA, wins, games started, strikeouts and shutouts
- Led AL in wins once and complete games twice
- Was a 4x All-Star with Indians between 2008-2010 and in 2013
- Helped lead the Indians to 4 consecutive AL Central division titles between 2008-2011, plus 2 AL pennants in 2008 and 2010
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Blevins, Kosuke Fukudome, Travis Harper, Victor Martinez
St. Louis Cardinals
LF Pat Burrell (2001-2012)
- Cardinals career leader in walks
- Among Cardinals top 5 in career average, OBP, slugging, OPS, runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI
- Made consecutive All-Star Game appearances in 2002 and 2003
SP Braden Looper (1999-2006)
- Cardinals career leader in wins and games started
- Went to the 2001 All-Star Game
- Had his best season with Cardinals in 2000, with 13 wins and a 2.49 ERA
2B Michael Young (1999-2012)
- Cardinals career leader in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs and RBI
- Made consecutive All-Star Game appearances in 2006 and 2007
- Won 2 NL Gold Glove Awards at second base in 2000 and 2007
SP Carlos Zambrano (2004-2010)
- Cardinals career leader in ERA, complete games and shutouts
- Represented Cardinals at the 2007 All-Star Game
- Had his best season with Cardinals in 2007 with 17 wins and a 2.13 ERA
Honorable Mentions: Matt Adams, Matt Morris, Carlos Santana, Andres Torres
NL Pacific coming up next!
