The 1000th Post!

It's been two days in the making, trying to decide what exactly we should do for our 1000th post. Well, ideas were thrown around, virgins sacrificed, the black blood of the temple of doom drank, but we finally came up with our plan. We present to you, on this very momentous day, our all time favorite baseball players...as well with our most hated baseball players. The rules were simple, a lineup with a full starting five pitchers, three bench players and a closer. It was interesting to see that SayHey is really an A's fan deep down in his heart, but I suppose Giant fans have reason to hate the same folks as we do.

SayHey's Favorite Ballplayers
LF- Rickey Henderson
CF- Willie Mays
RF- Tony Gwynn
1B- Will Clark
2B- Ryne Sandberg
3B- Carney Lansford
SS- Cal Ripken Jr
C- Mike Piazza
Bench- Pete Rose
Bench- Wade Boggs (Inspired by Dewey)
Bench- Lenny Dykstra

SP- Scott Garrelts
SP- Nolan Ryan
SP- Dave Stewart
SP- John Burkett
SP- Greg Maddux
CL- Dennis Eckersley
CL- Rod Beck

Manager- Roger Craig

SayHey's Most Hated Ballplayers
LF- Jim Rice
CF- AndEw Jones
RF- Kirk Gibson
1B- Fred McGriff
2B- Roberto Alomar
3B- Chris Sabo
SS- Alex Rodriguez
C- AJ Pierzynski
Bench- Albert Belle and Jose Canseco

SP- Oral Hershiser
SP- Fernando Velenzuela
SP- Roger Clemens
CL- Eric Gagne

Dewey's Favorite Ballplayers
C - Jason Varitek
1B - Frank Thomas
2B - Ryne Sandberg
3B - Wade Boggs
SS - Ozzie Smith
LF - Ted Williams
CF - Mickey Mantle (Yankee, but still one of my favorites)
RF - Vlad Guerrero
Bench - Pete Rose
Bench - Bo Jackson
Bench - Craig Biggio

SP - Nolan Ryan
SP - Bob Gibson
SP - Smokey Joe Wood
SP - Pedro Martinez
SP - Grover Cleveland Alexander
CL - Rod Beck
CL - Jonathan Papelbon

Manager - Sparky Anderson

Dewey's Most Hated Ballplayers
C - Jorge Posada
1B - Jason Giambi
2B - Chuck Knoblach
3B - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Derek Jeter
LF - Barry Bonds
CF - Kenny Lofton
RF - Gary Sheffield
Bench - Albert Belle
Bench - Tim McCarver
Bench - Paul O'Neill

SP - Roger Clemens
SP - Curt Schilling
SP - Kevin Brown
SP - Mike Mussina
SP - David Wells (even when he was with the Sox)
CL - Mariano Rivera
CL - Eric Gagne

Dews' Favorite Ballplayers
CF - Ty Cobb
3B - Joe Sewell
LF - Barry Bonds
1B - Lou Gehrig
C - Josh Gibson
RF - Ichiro
2B - Roberto Alomar
DH - Pete Rose
SS - Cal Ripken

Bench - Coolpapa Bell
Bench - Harold Baines
Bench - Jose Canseco :)

SP - Bob Gibson
SP - Walter Johnson
SP - Christy Mathewson
SP - Nolan Ryan
SP - Mordecai Brown
CL - Dennis Eckersley

Manager-Earl Weaver

Dews' Most Hated Ballplayers
CF - Vince Coleman
2B - Chuck Knoblauch
3B - Scott Brosius
LF - Albert Belle
RF - Bobby Bonilla
1B - Tino Martinez
C - AJ Pierzynski
SS - Derek Jeter
DH - Reggie Jackson

Bench - Eddie Murray (He's an ass, sorry)
Bench - Gary Sheffield
Bench - Jim Rice

SP - Curt Schilling
SP - Mike Mussina
SP - David Wells
SP - Julian Tavarez (wanna take a bat to this head-hunting prick)
SP - Sydney Ponson
CL - Mariano Rivera

Jack's Favorite Ballplayers
C-Terry Steinbach
1B-Mark Grace
2B-Ryne Sandberg
SS-Cal Ripken Jr
3B-Mike Schmidt
LF-Rickey Henderson
CF-Andre Dawson
RF-Tony Gwynn
Bench-Craig Biggio
Bench-Lenny Dykstra
Bench-George Brett

SP-Nolan Ryan
SP-Dave Stewart
SP-Greg Maddux
SP-Vida Blue
SP-John Smoltz
CP-Dennis Eckersley
CP-Rob Dibble

Manager-Tommy Lasorda

Jack's Most Hated Ballplayers
C-Jorge Posada
1B-Rafael Palmeiro
2B-Steve Sax
3B-Chris Sabo
SS-Alex Rodriguez
LF-Barry Bonds
CF-Carlos Beltran (I can't respect a man who won't listen to Rickey)
RF-Kirk Fuckin Gibson
DH-Edgar Martinez
Bench-Albert Belle
Bench-Paul O'Neil
Bench-Robin Ventura

SP-Tim Belcher
SP-Pedro Martinez
SP-Mike Witt
CP-Norm Charlton

Study shows Jeter worst shortstop in baseball

All hail science! Although this comes from the NY Post, I think it confirms what a lot of baseball fans have thought for years:

Derek Jeter is not a good defensive shortstop.

In fact, a UPenn study has determined that he's the worst fielding shortstop in the majors. Just to show that the study is competent, and not just an exercise in Jeter bashing, the study showed that Johnny Damon was the 10th worst centerfielder during the same period (2002-2005) and Wily Mo Pena the least competent right fielder. That makes sense.

So, what of Jeter? Is he soon to make a switch the right side of the infield? At 34, how much longer will he play, and where?

As an aside, I must also admit I've never really been sold on Jeter's greatness, which has caused a lot of fights with my Yankees friends. They put Jeter up there with the all-time great shortstops. I've always had a sneaking suspicion about the fielding thing (which is reinforced, in my mind, by the fact that the Gold Glove award is one that is voted on, not given based on your numbers).

I'm also not sold on his numbers. As a #2 and occasional leadoff hitter, I'm not a fan of a guy that has a OBS south of Jason Giambi, who strikes out, on average, at the same rate as Richie Sexson, and who only pops about 20 HRs per year to make up for it. But, I'm willing to listen. Why is Jeter so great?