A's – Giants All Star Team Would It Win The World Series?
Is an All Star team made up of this year’s A’s and Giants capable of winning the World Series?
Before I answer the question these are the ingredients I am looking for in my team.
Two dominating starting pitchers who can pitch effectively through the end of October.
Three hitters having career seasons.
Speed at the top of the line up.
A four man ‘pen including a closer who is lights out.
A defense that makes all the routine plays plus an occasional great one.
Click below for more!Now let’s assume the team will be playing the Mets or the White Sox the two favorites to make it to the Fall Classic.
Here’s the line up.
Second base: Ray Durham
Center field: Mark Kotsay
Left field: Barry Bonds
DH: Frank Thomas
Right field: Moises Alou
Third base: Eric Chavez
First base: Nick Swisher
Shortstop: Omar Vizquel
Catcher: Eliezer Alfonzo
Starting pitchers: Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt, Dan Haren, and Joe Blanton
Relievers: Jonathan Sanchez, Kiko Calero, Justin Duchscherer, Armando Benitez, and Huston Street
Bench: Steve Finley, Jay Payton, Jason Kendall, Pedro Feliz, Mark Sweeney, and Randy Winn.
With two gold glovers on the left side of the infield nothing will get through. Mark Kotsay must be ready to cover the outfield from foul line to foul line. Finley, Payton, and Winn will be late inning defensive replacements.
This team will face mainly righthanded pitchers from the Mets and the White Sox. I like my left-handed hitting. They can hit with power. My lefties are tough outs.
Game one: New York’s Pedro Martinez or Chicago’s Jose Contreras versus Barry Zito.
Game two: Lefties Tom Glavine or Mark Buehrle square off against Jason Schmidt.
Game three: Dan Haren faces the Mets Steve Trachsel or Chicago’s Freddy Garcia.
Zito, Schmidt, and Haren can hold the Mets or ChiSox to four runs through seven innings.
Can this team hit enough to win?
The team is vulnerable to power pitchers. Good news: Only opposing closers Bobby Jenks and Billy Wagner throw in the upper 90’s.
I don’t have three hitters having career seasons. The reality is that neither the Giants nor the A’s have distinguished themselves with the lumber.
If all goes well, Durham and Kotsay will set the table for the big hitters. Bonds, Thomas, and Alou will hit the ball out of the park. Swisher and Chavez will feast on righty pitching.
Now can this team of aging fragile players win the series?
If the defense holds, the hitters stay healthy, and the pitchers do their thing, they can beat the Mets or ChiSox.
If any aspect of the game comes apart for the ‘stars, they will lose the series in five.
Too bad we didn’t do this five years ago.
0 comments
I enjoy making this comparison every year and I think this year is one of the most difficult to choose who is best at which position mainly because of inconsitent play and injuries.
Here’s my line up.
Second base: Ray Durham- He’s having a great year, finally is healthy, and is in his contract year.
Center field: Mark Kotsay Even when he’s struggling at the plate his defense makes up for it. Could he finally get the Gold Glove he deserves this year?
Left field: Barry Bonds What, are you gonna leave him off the team? I actually think his defense is still under rated. He knows how to make up for some of his physical short comings. Give his knees to almost anyone else in the mlb outfield and they wouldn’t measure up.
DH: Frank Thomas He’s proven he can still hit.
Right field: Milton Bradley I like Moises but Milton has more tools … all five!
Third base: Pedro Feliz This is tough. Pedro Feliz is having a great year and Eric Chavez is a mess. If Chavez were healthy he would get the nod.
First base: Nick Swisher He’s having a great year although he is recently dealing various ailments. If he gets healthy he should finish strong. Shea Hillenbrand could be a replacement. Stay tuned!
Shortstop: Omar Vizquel He’s having a great year. Bobby has more pop but until he can hit more consistently and cut down on throwing errors the job is Omar’s
Catcher: Jason Kendall You have to give this to the savy veteran with the lifetime BA of .300 even if he is batting below that now.
Starting pitchers: Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt, Dan Haren, and Matt Cain
I use to be more positive about Haren but recently he’s been much less reliable. For some reason I still have faith. Cain has had his problems but his bright spots have been blinding. Blanton has shown his bright spots as often.
Relievers: Jonathan Sanchez, Kiko Calero, Justin Duchscherer, Brad Hawlsey, and Huston Street
There is no way Armando Benitez gets close to the mound. Hawlsey is a lefty and an inning eater. If I could put some of the startes in the pen the choices might be different.
Matt
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