First of all I want to wish everyone a very happy and gracious Thanksgiving holiday. For our family, this is the perfect holiday in an imperfect world. Our family has so much to be thankful for. On behalf of my wife, Karole, and the rest of our family, we wish each and every one of the LA Dodger Chronicles Family a blessed Thanksgiving.
While we are waiting for some LAD news, I ran across a fun little poll. We do not have enough followers to put together a poll, and I do not have the tools to do so, but I thought I would pose the question and see what responses we do get.
The source was MetsRewind, and the question was who were the all time starting lineup for the NY Mets.
C – Mike Piazza
1B – Keith Hernandez
2B – Edgardo Alfonzo
SS – José Reyes
3B – David Wright
LF – Cleon Jones
CF – Carlos Beltrán
RF – Darryl Strawberry
SP – Tom Seaver
RP – Tug McGraw
Two of the above players (McGraw and Hernandez) played for another team longer than they played with the Mets. Only David Wright played his entire career with NYM. Each of the players played at least 7 years with the Mets.
Some of my parameters:
- Only players who are retired are eligible.
- Only players who have played 7 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Jim Gilliam, Johnny Podres, John Roseboro, Mike Piazza, and Adrián Beltré qualify, while Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Don Demeter, and Clem Labine do not.
- This is your favorite player by position, not necessarily who the best player at the position was.
My picks:
C – Steve Yeager
1B – Wes Parker
2B – Junior Gilliam
SS – Maury Wills
3B – Ron Cey
LF – Tommy Davis
CF – Willie Davis
RF – Andre Ethier
SP – Sandy Koufax
RP – Ron Perranoski
Reggie Smith is my favorite RF, but he only played 6 years with the Dodgers. Justin Turner would have been my favorite 3B, but he is still playing.
Relief pitching has been huge favorite for me since 1959 and Larry Sherry. Ron Perranoski is a favorite of mine since he took over the closer role from Larry Sherry in 1962. Kenley Jansen has been the best LAD best reliever. But he is still pitching, and he would not beat out Perranoski as my favorite.
Eric Gagné was with LAD for 7 years (and 2 games), but only 4 (and 2 games) as a reliever. Although it is hard to find a better reliever than Gagné was from 2002-2004. 152 saves in 158 save opportunities, 1.79 ERA, 0.822 WHIP for the combined 3 years.
If I had included a utility role, Junior Gilliam would have been my favorite there as well. Gilliam is one of my top 5 favorite Dodgers.
My major deviation from best, is my favorite 1B. Steve Garvey and Eric Karros are arguably the best of the 1B for the LAD. But I grew up a Wes Parker fan, and neither of Garvey nor Karros ever became a favorite for me. Adrián González would have been close, but he was a Dodger for only 6 years.
Ahh Jefe, good choices. Manager, Lasorda by a landslide. I totally hated Alston. 1B Parker. I knew Wes, so that makes him my favorite. 2B. Lopes, SS Wills, 3B, Gilliam, LF Tommy Davis, CF Matt Kemp, RF Ethier, C Roseboro, SP Sandy, RP Jim Brewer, I saw Gilliam play third more than second because when they first came here, Charlie Neal was the everyday second baseman. I liked Jr. a lot more than I liked the Penguin.
I did not like Lopes. I was a Lee Lacy fan. Junior played every position except P and C. He would have undoubtedly been a blow out pitcher in today’s games. For whatever reason Junior at 2B is in my brain. He played more 2B than any other position. He would have been my favorite 3B, then Frenchy Lefebvre would have been my favorite 2B.
Roseboro was very close to being my choice at catcher.
I remember Jr. coming out of the coaching ranks in 66 to play 3rd. They had Kennedy playing there, but he couldn’t hit a lick. Jr. broke in as a second baseman and moved Jackie to third. Billy Cox had been traded. There have been quite a few guys play that position. Lefebvre was one of my favorite players while he was with the team, but his career went downhill so fast.
Yusniel Diaz signed to a minor league deal by the Giants.
No Billy Grabarkewitz?
Grabby did not play for LA for the required amount of time, and Grabby over Wills? Not likely.
Thank you for remembering, FF. 🤗
Jackie Robinson, Steve Garvey?
LA Dodgers only. He said FAVORITE. I liked Parker more than Garvey. Not saying he was the best, but he was my favorite.
Roseboro
Garvey/Parker
Lefebvre
Russell
Cey
Baker
W. Davis
Fairly
Koufax
Perranoski
and I thought I would be the only one with Fairly and Lefebvre selected.
Eliminating the great Los Angeles Dodgers I saw play in the early years in LA eliminates several players I’d put on the list.
It’s estimated 46 million turkeys are killed every year for Thanksgiving. Interesting facts about wild turkeys: they can fly up to 55 mph and they sleep in trees. If you’ve never seen wild turkeys fly you’re missing quite a show. We had several in the woods outside our property in Wisconsin. They knew they were safe around us.
Also known as cannon balls when flying low across a road in front of cars.
Never heard that term.
“As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”
Happy Thanksgiving to Jeff D and to all the LAD fans who take the time to read and contribute to this site.
Carry on!
My choices:
SP – Sandy Koufax
RP – Eric Gagne
C – Mike Scioscia
1B – Steve Garvey
2B – Davey Lopes
SS – Maury Wills
3B – Ron Cey
LF – Bill Buckner
CF – Willie Davis
RF – Raul Mondesi
Utility – Pedro Guerrero
Manager – Tommy
Best Anthem Singer – Michael Norris
Funny, Tommy Davis was listed as my favorite LF, but Buckner is one of my all-time favorite Dodgers. I just liked TD more as a LF. Davis was so good until his injury. He was so special in 1962 and 1963 winning the batting title both years, 230 hits and 153 RBIs in 1962, a Dodger record that still stands. He was so much fun to watch.
After the injury, the player with one of the biggest smiles you will ever see took over LF…Sweet Lou Johnson. Johnson is best known (at least for me) for his part in the Koufax perfect game. The Cubs’ Bob Hendley was matching Koufax’s perfecto through 4. Johnson was the first batter up in the 5th and drew a walk. Ron Fairly moved Johnson to 2B on a sac bunt. Then the pivotal play of the game. On the 1st pitch to Lefebvre, Johnson stole 3B, but Cubs catcher Chris Krug threw the ball into LF and Johnson scored what was to be the only run of the game.
Hendley still had a no-hitter into the 7th when Johnson came up, and with 2 outs, blooped a double over 1B and into RF for the only hit of the game. I still remember every AB in that game. One of my favorite games of all time. Speed mattered in 1965.
Aww shucks Ted, thanks.
There’s an interesting report that the Cubs explored trading for Bo Bichette.
Would take a big haul, but seems to confirm he’s somewhat available.
Probably doesn’t make the most sense for the Dodgers
The Dodgers have short and second covered. Third base, probably Muncy again, left field, right field and starting pitching looks to be what is needed. I’m assuming Busch will be traded but he could probably play left. If Muncy is at third then Vargas could play left or maybe second again and Betts goes back to right. Deluca and the 25 year old pitchers we have hanging around could play somewhere in the league. Heyward is available and seems like a good fit with this organization. So many possibilities out there.
And we wait.
Probably doesn’t make the most sense, but still………………..Bichette in our lineup? I could think of worse scenarios. Cost would be prohibitive and that’s why it doesn’t make the most sense since we have other holes to fill.
Trade Simulator says:
Busch
Stone
Cartaya
or (slight overpay)
Vargas
Sheehan
Lux
Cubs were thinking of Bichette for third because they have Swanson at short.
If we don’t get Ohtani and Max goes to DH and we don’t include Lux, Bichette could play third. If we do include Lux, Bichette plays short. Or Mookie could stay in right and Lux to second with Bichette at short.
Let’s be crazy and say we also get Ohtani and do trade #1:
Mookie – RF
Freddie – 1B
Bichette – SS
Ohtani – DH
Smith – C
Max – 3B
Taylor/Heyward – LF
Outman – CF
Lux – 2B
Now that I’ve had my Thanksgiving dream, I don’t think there is any way the Jays do that trade.
They won’t.
But what’s not to like about that lineup.
Do trade scenario #1. As you wrote, and I wrote in Bluto’s response, I prefer to keep Lux and put him at 2B and Mookie in RF. What’s not to like about that.
For a team that just a couple of years ago was so deep in catching, they are very thin right now. Cartaya, if he reaches anywhere near is ceiling, will be a big help. But you may have to throw in Rojas. Toronto has got a couple of young middle infielders that are close, but they will need a Miguel Rojas to show them the way. Toronto is more RH dominant, so Busch would fit in. He could play 1B with Vlad going to DH.
It is a good deal, throw in Miggy Ro and make the 1st scenario trade. Your closer to Dodger Stadium than me, so you should just knock on AF’s office door and tell him to get it done. 😍
It makes sense to me. Bichette is a big time RH bat the Dodgers need. And he just punishes LHP – .321/.371/.537/.909.
Horrible DRS in 2022, but good in 2023. Top ten in DRS with +5 (Same as Seager). Willy Adames was +8.
I would prefer Lux at 2B and Bichette at SS and Mookie in RF. Big RH power in the infield and outfield. But I would assume that Lux would be part of that package going back to Toronto.
BTW, Bichette is also about 3 months younger than Lux. Bichette has 2 years of control, and Lux has 3. Bichette is a 2X All Star.
Makes sense to me, but as you say, that means bupkis.
Oh yeah…HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Gavin Lux. He is 26 today.
And Happy Birthday to Justin Turner and Ross Stripling who also share Gavin’s birthday.
As do I.
Happy bday to all of you!
Thanks Bobby, on behalf of all of us. 😂
My mother in law as well, who is not with us anymore. She saw Andy play a MLB game in Anaheim and passed very soon after. She was content.
A very Happy Birthday to you as well. .
Thanks, Jeff.
That must have meant the world to her.
I’m hoping to be around long enough to see my grandson play in his first MLB or NFL game. He’s only 10 and hasn’t decided if he’s going to be a pitcher or qback, but he can throw a ball through a brick wall.
I’m curious – why do you thinkToronto would trade Bichette? He’s a 5 WAR player that is plenty affordable and not a free agent til ‘26. Trading him now seems kinda dumb.
I do not truly think they will. But there is an awful lot of chatter out there about him being possibly traded. He has 2 years on an extremely favorable contract, and perhaps he has told Toronto he is not interested in extending. Maybe he asked to be traded. I do not know why the chatter. There just is. But it will cost, and IMO more than STB’s scenarios above.
If he is being discussed, IMO, AF needs to look into it.
It would cost way too much and the Dodgers don’t need him. Sure it would be great to see him in the lineup but I’d rather use the assets used for pitching. (Burnes)
I don’t see Toronto making that move at this time.
Did I hear someone say Muncy?
C – Mike Piazza
1B – James Loney
2B – Jim Lefebvre
SS – Bill Russell
3B – Ron Cey
LF – Tommy Davis
CF – Willie Davis
RF – Ron Fairly
SP – Sandy Koufax
RP – Eric Gagné
Happy Thanksgiving.
C Mike Sciosia
1B Steve Garvey
2B Davey Lopes
SS Bill Russell
3B Ron Cey
LF Dusty Baker
CF Brett Butler
RF Andre Ethier
SP Orel Hershiser
RP Eric Gagné
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m sure we realize how incredibly lucky we are to be thinking about turkey (or in Badger’s case a vegan substitute) and talking Dodger baseball while so many others are hurting today.
LA Dodger Chronicles, an oasis in the midst of a falling apart world. Thanks for all your work, Jeff (and you too Bear). You help me keep my sanity (what little there is left of it).
Piazza – C
Parker – 1B
Lopes – 2B
Wills – SS
Beltre – 3B
Tommy D – LF
Kemp – CF
Ethier – RF
Sandy K – SP
Gagne (or if he doesn’t qualify, Perranoski) – RP
If years served were not considered, I would certainly have included Al (The Bull) Ferrara.
My Thanksgiving Day prediction: Jonny DeLuca will be the 2024 breakout player of the year for the Dodgers and be a regular in a corner outfield spot.
I thought you were making Jonny D our new third baseman.
We could start by letting him hit LH pitching this year.
I wish.
Reports that Shota Imanaga will be posted by this coming Monday as well
Let’s corner the Asian ballplayer market.
Sign Ohtani, Yamamoto, Imanaga and Lee.
Then bring back Maeda and Ryu.
We could do a lot worse than to have those 6 guys on the roster.
Maeda and Ryu both well past their primes. Ryu has barely pitched the last two years way too injury prone. Maeda is hittable and getting a little long in the tooth.
I sincerely hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I realized today why I quit drinking. Butch, our resident drummer and former Navy machinist mate, and I have had a tradition of having a shot of Wild Turkey before the Thanksgiving meal. I have never had a shot of booze burn so much on the way to the stomach. Wow. Stuff is more powerful than I remembered.
Now you have to quit all over again.
How about a list of totally forgotten Dodgers? Darrell Thomas, Mike Sharperson, Gary Thomasson, Doug Mientkiewicz who had one of the best ever nicknames…..Eye Chart. He also hit .333 his only season in blue. 6-18. Len Matuszek, Enos Cabell, R.J. Reynolds. Stu Pederson, Ralph Bryant, Mike Ramsey. The list is endless.
Boston traded for Doug Mientkiewicz in July 2004, and that basically ended my son’s shot at getting back with Boston for the rest of the year. Oh well, what might have been. It turned out well for Boston.