Roster of the Month: Fathers, Sons, and Brothers
I am old enough to remember what I have forgotten.
I always learned more about baseball from reading than from watching. With replay, I can tell you that the Pirates beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series. The MVPs that year both participated: Dick Groat and Roger Maris.
I cannot recall exactly who won the World Series or the MVPs from 2016. Was that the Royals year? No, it was the Cubs! Kris Bryant and Josh Donaldson Mike Trout won the MVP awards. How could I have forgotten?
I am 36-years-old, the same age as faded stars Miguel Cabrera and Joe Mauer. I wasn’t around in 1960, but I have known about the 1960 season longer than 2016. Minutiae of the past seem to imprint more indelibly than those for which I am present.
Ah, but baseball has ways of reminding us! Sons help us remember fathers. At long last, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. has reached the major leagues. Remember when Vlad Sr. won the MVP in his first year with the Angels? Fernando Tatis, Jr., whose father hit two grand slams of Chan Ho Park in the same inning, is already a stud for the Padres. Bobby Witt, Jr. will be a top-five pick in the coming draft. His father formed a battery with Iván Rodríguez, whose son Dereck was the Giants’ best pitcher last year.
When I was a kid, Barry, Moises, and Aaron/Brett helped me learn about Bobby, Felipe, and Bob (plus Ray!). Back then, I had seen very little. Now, I have forgotten much of what I have seen. As someone old enough to have seen Cecil Fielder‘s son retire even though he was younger than me, the reminders are increasingly necessary.
This Roster of the Month is all about reminders. Everyone on the roster is directly related to another player. This includes fathers/sons as well as brothers. Only direct relations count, so brothers-in-law Manny Machado and Yonder Alonso are ineligible. So are the Rivera cousins: Mariano and Rubén.
Lineup
- 2B Roberto Alomar– Given that this is a 25-man roster, there has to be at least one familial trio. Both the Alomars and the Boones feature two infielders and a catcher. Roberto is the best player of them all, so the Alomars win out. In 2011, he became the first player to achieve 90% of the Hall of Fame vote on his second ballot. (Vladimir Guerrero, Sr. matched this accomplishment in 2018.)
- LF Barry Bonds– Look, just read this.
- SS Cal Ripken,Jr.– Which record lasts longer: Barry Bonds’ 73 home runs in one season or Ripken’s 2,632 consecutive game streak? My money is on Ripken.
- CF Ken Griffey, Jr.– Ken Griffey’s son averaged 6.4 bWAR per season from 1989-1999 with the Mariners.
- DH Joe DiMaggio– Joe DiMaggio as the designated hitter is blasphemy, and if my grandfather was still alive, Griffey would be DHing. Joltin’ Joe won three MVP awards and nine World Series rings in 13 seasons. For his career, he hit 361 home runs with only 369 strikeouts.
- 3B George Brett– The greatest player in Royals history won batting titles in three different decades. He batted .333 in 1976, .390 in 1980, and .329 in 1990.
- 1B George Sisler– Hall of Famer George Sisler batted .400 over a three-year stretch from 1920-22 for the St. Louis Browns. He led the league in stolen bases four times- a record for first basemen.
- RF Bobby Bonds– Only two players in history have at least 300 home runs and 400 stolen bases. Barry Bonds has 762 and 514. Bobby Bonds has 332 and 461.
- C Rick Ferrell– Do you know what they call the person who finished last in the class at medical school? Doctor. Do you know what they call the worst player in the Hall of Fame? Rick Ferrell. Farcical enshrinement aside, Ferrell was still a fine player and seven-time all-star in the 1930s and 40s.
Bench
- 2B/SS Sandy Alomar, Sr.– The elder Alomar posted 10.5 bWAR over a 15-year career, 7.5 of which came during the 1970-71 seasons.
- C Sandy Alomar, Jr.– Sandy Jr. was a six-time all-star for Cleveland, as well as the 1990 Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove winner.
- OF Dom DiMaggio– Dom was nowhere near as good his brother Joe, but he was still a very good leadoff hitter for the Red Sox. He posted a career .383 OBP, often batting in front of Ted Williams. At least he was better than Vince DiMaggio.
- 1B/OF Ken Griffey, Sr.– Griffey Sr. wasn’t the power hitter his son would become. Nevertheless, his 34.5 bWAR is nothing to sneeze at. He was an important part of the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati.
- 2B Billy Ripken– Honestly, Billy Ripken wasn’t that special, but he stuck around the majors for 12 seasons. He’s on this roster for Cal’s benefit. However, he is the subject of the greatest baseball card of all time (NSFW).
Rotation
- RHP Pedro Martinez– When the rest of the baseball world was exploding with offense, Pedro compiled the best era-adjusted pitching stretch in history. From 1997-2003, he amassed a 213 ERA+, collecting four Cy Youngs. In 2000, his 1.74 ERA was nearly two full runs better than anyone else in the AL (Roger Clemens finished second with 3.70).
- RHP Greg Maddux– Greg Maddux’s 106.7 bWAR is the seventh best ever among pitchers. However, five of the six pitchers ahead of him pitched long before him in eras of more complete games and 300 inning seasons (excepting Clemens). He amassed 15.1 bWAR from 1994-95, and both of those seasons were strike-shortened.
- RHP Gaylord Perry– Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry became the first pitcher to win Cy Young awards in both leagues. He was named the top pitcher with Cleveland in 1972 and San Diego in 1978.
- RHP Wes Ferrell– Unlike his brother Rick, Wes Ferrell actually might deserve to be in the Hall of Fame (he isn’t there). In 1935, he led the AL in wins (25) and innings (322.1), while also batting .347/.427/.533 with seven homers in 179 plate appearances.
- RHP Ramón Martinez– Ramón Martinez led the NL with 12 complete games in 1990, finishing second in the NL Cy Young voting.
Bullpen
- LHP Ken Brett– Unlike brother George, who spent his whole career with one franchise, Ken Brett played for ten teams in 14 seasons. Thank goodness for the Bretts, without whom it would’ve been difficult to find a lefty reliever for this roster.
- RHP Mike Maddux– Mike Maddux enjoyed a 15-year playing career, then a successful second act as a pitching coach. He currently holds that position for the Cardinals.
- RHP Jim Perry– The Perrys are the only pair of Cy Young-winning brothers, with Jim winning the award for the 1970 Twins. He started 447 games and came out of the bullpen 183 times in his career.
- RHP Dave Sisler– Dave Sisler was an unremarkable pitcher from 1956-62. Without him, we would have no first baseman on this team. Unless… Ken Griffey, Sr. plays the cold corner, and we take out the Sislers. That makes room for, I dunno, Glenn and Trevor Hoffman? Is that an improvement? DO YOU SEE HOW DIFFICULT THIS IS?!?
- RHP Tim Worrell– Tim had the longer career, but…
- RHP Todd Worrell– Todd was the better pitcher. He was a three-time all-star closer, winning the 1986 NL Rookie of the Year.
