Sunday, July 24, 2016

The Blue Jays Franchise Deep Four

Time for the latest installment of Deep Six, which has been reduced to Deep Four for our expansion franchise friends, and will be reduced to Deep Three for the post-1993 installments! Today we's gonna tackle the only remaining franchise representing the Great White North, the Toronto Blue Jays! Let's have ourselves a look-see:

PC1B2B3BSSLFCFRF
1stRoy HalladayErnie WhittCarlos DelgadoRoberto AlomarKelly GruberTony FernandezGeorge BellDevon WhiteJose Bautista
2ndDave StiebGregg ZaunFred McGriffAaron HillRance MulliniksAlex GonzalezShannon StewartVernon WellsJesse Barfield
3rdPat HentgenDarrin FletcherJohn OlerudOrlando HudsonBrett LawrieJose ReyesReed JohnsonLloyd MosebyAlex Rios
4thJimmy KeyPat BordersWillie UpshawDamaso GarciaRoy HowellAlfredo GriffinAl WoodsJose CruzShawn Green


It was surprising to me how deep some of these positions turned out to be for only forty years of history. Right field was so strong that franchise legend Joe Carter just missed the cut. First base, center field, and pitcher were darn good too.

Josh Donaldson has an MVP under his belt and is having another monster year, but without the requisite three seasons in Toronto, he doesn't yet qualify for the list. I have a feeling he'll be somewhere in the next edition.

The guys on the 4th Team at left field and shortstop were selected more on longevity than anything else. Those positions don't have a ton of depth. No harm in giving some love to the guys who spent a lot of time there, even if they weren't that good.

Sunday, July 3, 2016

The Mariners Franchise Deep Four

Now in their 40th season, naming the top four players at each position is a bit tough for the Mariners. Nonetheless, I decided to give it a try, so here it goes:

PC1B2B3BSSLFCFRF
1stFelix HernandezDan WilsonJohn OlerudBret BooneEdgar MartinezAlex RodriguezPhil BradleyKen Griffey Jr.Ichiro Suzuki
2ndRandy JohnsonDave ValleAlvin DavisRobinson CanoAdrian BeltreOmar VizquelRaul IbanezMike CameronJay Buhner
3rdJamie MoyerKenji JohjimaTino MartinezHarold ReynoldsKyle SeagerBrendan RyanGreg BrileyFranklin GutierrezLeon Roberts
4thMark LangstonBob StinsonBruce BochteJulio CruzJim PresleyCarlos GuillenHenry CottoRuppert JonesAl Cowens


Pitcher was a really good position for the M's. Their top guy is a potential Hall of Famer, and their 2nd Team guy is already there. Jamie Moyer had a good long career, though he falls just short of the Hall of Fame standard. Freddy Garcia and Erik Hanson were pretty close to Mark Langston for the 4th Team spot.

Center field, second base, and third base were all pretty strong positions. Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager are both potential 1st Teamers if they keep producing. The fans in Seattle should be excited about those guys. Edgar Martinez was better known as a DH, but I'm glad that for now the Mariner icon is deserving of the 1st Team spot at the hot corner.

The two corner outfield positions have two strong players on the first two teams and slim pickings after that. Left field especially was like grasping at straws. Yikes.

Catcher would have to be the weakest position here. Nothing against Dan Wilson, but if he's your greatest catcher of all time, you need to work on that.