All Decade Teams (1990's) (Post 53 with official team)

[Jeffy25]

This will be a large series where each decade I and others will create a roster of the best players of that decade

This is a discussion thread for each decade. I will create a roster and I invite everyone else to do the same. We can discuss and come down with a final team. Then we will have a tournament series of these best decade teams against each other and vote.


Here are the rules:

8 position players (no DH's since teams prior to the 70's didn't have them)
1 bench player can play any position
5 starters
1 reliever/closer

For a player to be selected to a position, he must have spent the majority of his games at that position over the decade (i.e. Robin Yount is a shortstop for the 80's, 5650 innings at shortstop, 5395 CF). The years will go from 2000-2009 for example, 1990-1999, 1980-1989. So make sure if you are looking up numbers that you look at the right series of years.

So without further explanation. I'll make my roster, I invite everyone to do the same. Depending on the discussion, we'll decide what the final roster for each decade needs to be, and then we will move the thread into the MLB Comps section.

In order to cast your vote, please lay out a lineup or list.



My team

C - Mike Piazza
He edges out Pudge, but Pudge is much closer than people might realize.

1B - Jeff Bagwell
You can go either way for Thomas and Bagwell. Bagwell is a better all around first basemen, so Thomas will take my bench spot

2B - Craig Biggio
Roberto Alomar and Chuck Knoblauch aren't far off, but Biggio takes this, and played 10,000 innings at second.

3B - Robin Ventura
Note - Edgar Martinez does not qualify as a third basemen. He would have to get the Bench spot in order to make the roster. He DH'd more than he played third by a good amount. Otherwise he would qualify here.

SS - Barry Larkin
Cal Ripken isn't far off here, and he played more than Larkin and was better defensively, but Larkin was just too much offensively.

LF - Barry Bonds
Two decades, same player, same position.
Easy choice

CF - Ken Griffey Jr
Pretty easy choice. Kenny Lofton is pretty far behind and in second.

RF - Larry Walker
Sosa is second, but a good measure behind Walker

Bench - Frank Thomas
I gave Thomas the edge here over Edgar, but it's difficult. Both belong on this roster.


Rotation
1. Roger Clemens
2. Greg Maddux
3. R. Johnson
4. D. Cone
5. J. Smoltz

Honorable Mentions:
Pedro Martinez, K. Appier, K. Brown, M. Mussina, T. Glavine

Closer/Reliever
Dennis Eckersley
Trevor Hoffman is a close second.

Official team posted below

The Official 90's team is:

C - Piazza
1B - Bagwell
2B - Alomar
3B - Ventura
SS - Larkin
LF - Bonds
CF - Griffey
RF - Walker
Bench - Thomas

Rotation
1. Clemens
2. Maddux
3. Johnson
4. Glavine
5. Cone

Closer - Hoffman

[mtf]

C - Mike Piazza
1B - Jeff Bagwell
2B - Roberto Alomar
3B - Robin Ventura
SS - Barry Larkin
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Ken Griffey Jr
RF - Larry Walker

UTIL - Frank Thomas

SP - Greg Maddux
SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Randy Johnson
SP - Tom Glavine
SP - David Cone

RP - Trevor Hoffman
CL - John Wetteland

[Twitchy]

2B Craig Biggio
CF Ken Griffey Jr
1B Frank Thomas
LF Barry Bonds
C Mike Piazza
RF Larry Walker
SS Barry Larkin
3B Robin Ventura

Greg Maddux
Roger Clemens
Randy Johnson
Pedro Martinez <-- I know he has a low innings total but he was so dominant I think he should be here.
John Smoltz

Trevor Hoffman

And for the bench I'll say Bagwell.

[Miltstar]

C - Pat Borders
1B - John Olerud
2B - Robbie Alomar
SS - Tony Fernandez
3B - Kelly Gruber
LF - Dave Winfield
CF - Devon White
RF - Joe Carter
UTIL - Paul Molitor

Bench -Ed Sprague, Candy Maldanado, Ricky Henderson

SP - Jack Morris
SP - Jimmy Key
SP - Dave Stewart
SP - David Cone
SP - Juan Guzman

RP - Duane Ward
CP - Tom Henke

[nirvana235]

C - Pat Borders
1B - John Olerud
2B - Robbie Alomar
SS - Tony Fernandez
3B - Kelly Gruber
LF - Dave Winfield
CF - Devon White
RF - Joe Carter
UTIL - Paul Molitor

Bench -Ed Sprague, Candy Maldanado, Ricky Henderson

SP - Jack Morris
SP - Jimmy Key
SP - Dave Stewart
SP - David Cone
SP - Juan Guzman

RP - Duane Ward
CP - Tom Henke

+1

[metswon69]

C - Mike Piazza
1B - Jeff Bagwell
2B - Roberto Alomar
3B - Robin Ventura
SS - Barry Larkin
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Ken Griffey Jr
RF - Larry Walker

UTIL - Frank Thomas

SP - Greg Maddux
SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Randy Johnson
SP - Tom Glavine
SP - David Cone

RP - Trevor Hoffman
CL - John Franco (Admitted Homer pick but he was still a great closer in the 90s)

[abe_froman]

c-piazza
1st-thomas(why he over jeff? because 'f defense...and its close enough for me to pull the homer card)
2nd-biggio
ss-larkin
3rd-ventura
rf-walker(underrated)
cf-jr
lf-bonds

1-clemens
2-maddux
3-johnson
4-pedro
5-glavine

c-hoffman

[Leandres_sf]

C - Mike Piazza
1B - Mark McGwire
2B - Roberto Alomar
3B - Wade Boggs
SS - Barry Larkin
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Ken Griffey Jr
RF - Tony Gwynn

UTIL - Frank Thomas

SP - Greg Maddux
SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Randy Johnson
SP - Tom Glavine
SP - Mike Mussina

RP - Dennis Eckersley
CL - Mariano Rivera

[Jeffy25]

c-piazza
1st-thomas(why he over jeff? because 'f defense...and its close enough for me to pull the homer card)
2nd-biggio
ss-larkin
3rd-ventura
rf-walker(underrated)
cf-jr
lf-bonds

1-clemens
2-maddux
3-johnson
4-pedro
5-glavine

c-hoffman

and bench player?

[spliff(TONE)]

Lineup
SS- Barry Larkin
RF- Larry Walker
1B- Mark McGwire
LF- Barry Bonds
C- Mike Piazza
CF- Ken Griffey Jr.
2B- Roberto Alomar
3B- Robin Ventura

Bench- Frank Thomas

Starting Pitchers
Roger Clemens
Randy Johnson
Greg Maddux
Pedro Martinez
John Smoltz

Closer
John Wetteland

[Yankee Clipper]

C - Mike Piazza
1B - Jeff Bagwell
2B - Roberto Alomar
3B - Robin Ventura
SS - Barry Larkin
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Ken Griffey Jr
RF - Larry Walker

Bench - Frank Thomas

SP - Greg Maddux
SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Randy Johnson
SP - Tom Glavine
SP - David Cone

RP - Trevor Hoffman
CL - John Wetteland

[SenorGato]

C: Piazza
1B: Bagewell
2B: Biggio
SS: Larkin
3B: Ventura

Bench: Thomas

OF: Bonds
OF: Griffey Jr.
OF: Walker

Clemens
Maddux
Brown
Johnson
Martinez

Hoffman
Wetteland

[Pfeifer]

C - Mike Piazza
1B - Mark McGuire
2B - Roberto Alomar
3B - Matt Williams
SS - Omar Vizquel
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Ken Griffey Jr
RF - Larry Walker

Bench - Paul Molitor

SP - Randy Johnson
SP - Greg Maddux
SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Tom Glavine
SP - David Cone

RP - Paul Quantrill
CL - John Wetteland

[WadeKobe]

8 position players (no DH's since teams prior to the 70's didn't have them)

I smell an NL fan...

1B - Jeff Bagwell
You can go either way for Thomas and Bagwell. Bagwell is a better all around first basemen, so Thomas will take my bench spot

Booo.

3B - Robin Ventura
Note - Edgar Martinez does not qualify as a third basemen. He would have to get the Bench spot in order to make the roster. He DH'd more than he played third by a good amount. Otherwise he would qualify here.

I never realized just how awesome he was until recently. Definitely second favorite player growing up.

Bench - Frank Thomas
I gave Thomas the edge here over Edgar, but it's difficult. Both belong on this roster.

For shame.

[WadeKobe]

1st-thomas(why he over jeff? because 'f defense...and its close enough for me to pull the homer card)

Did you just say Thomas over Bagwell because of defense? As this site's #1 Frank Thomas homer... no. Just.... no.