The Rays Franchise Deep Three

Finally we've reached the end of this series (for now, at least). The last franchise on the board is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who've spent about two thirds of their existence as a laughingstock and the other third as the ultimate "do the most with the least" franchise. How does it shake out?

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	David Price	Toby Hall	Carlos Pena	Ben Zobrist	Evan Longoria	Julio Lugo	Carl Crawford	Melvin Upton	Matt Joyce
2nd	James Shields	Dioner Navarro	Fred McGriff	Logan Forsythe	Aubrey Huff	Jason Bartlett	Desmond Jennings	Rocco Baldelli	Ben Grieve
3rd	Scott Kazmir	John Flaherty	Travis Lee	Miguel Cairo	Jared Sandberg	Kevin Stocker	Greg Vaughn	Randy Winn	Dave Martinez

So...that 3rd Team is brutal. What do you expect from a franchise with such a short and usually bad history? Center field was fairly strong though, and once Kevin Kiermaier gets another year under his belt, he'll probably at least make it to the 2nd Team. Catcher was definitely the weakest position here. No offense to Toby Hall, but he wouldn't even crack the 6th Team for some franchises.

I'm hoping to recompile these in perhaps about five years, if I'm still doing this blog then. Certainly some players will have moved up or down on the lists, and even some players yet to debut will probably be there for a few of them. For now though, enjoy the 2015-16 rankings in all their up-to-date comprehensiveness.

The Diamondbacks Franchise Deep Three

Down to the two 1998 expansion franchises, both of which I plan to put up this month. Let's start with the one that's won a World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Randy Johnson	Miguel Montero	Paul Goldschmidt	Orlando Hudson	Matt Williams	Stephen Drew	Luis Gonzalez	Chris Young	Justin Upton
2nd	Curt Schilling	Damian Miller	Mark Grace	Aaron Hill	Mark Reynolds	Tony Womack	Gerardo Parra	Steve Finley	Danny Bautista
3rd	Brandon Webb	Chris Snyder	Travis Lee	Jay Bell	Jake Lamb	Alex Cintron	Eric Byrnes	A.J. Pollock	David Dellucci

If you thought the 1993 teams had some slim pickings, how much more so teams with five fewer seasons! Right field and shortstop are both virtual wastelands after the top spots, and catcher, first base, and left field aren't all that hot either.

Second base surprised me. If we'd done a 4th Team, Junior Spivey could've been a solid choice. I wasn't expecting Orlando Hudson to claim the 1st Team spot, but it was hard to argue with his three strong seasons in the desert.

Center field is another good position. A.J. Pollock is currently on the 3rd Team, but with a few more good years, he could find himself on that 1st Team pretty quickly.

The best of all though, was pitcher. The 1st Teamer is in the Hall of Fame, the 2nd Teamer probably will be someday (deservingly), and the 3rd Teamer had the potential before an injury suddenly ended his career. After that, well...let's just say that a 4th Team would've diminished the impressiveness ratio.

The Marlins Franchise Deep Three

Last time we did the Rockies, now it's time for that other 1993 expansion franchise, the one with higher heights and lower lows, the Florida/Miami Marlins. This team has been known for stockpiling talent and then giving it away in fire sales, so there were several short-term pieces that didn't make the three-season minimum.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Josh Johnson	Charles Johnson	Derrek Lee	Luis Castillo	Mike Lowell	Hanley Ramirez	Christian Yelich	Cody Ross	Giancarlo Stanton
2nd	Dontrelle Willis	J.T. Realmuto	Greg Colbrunn	Dan Uggla	Miguel Cabrera	Edgar Renteria	Cliff Floyd	Juan Pierre	Gary Sheffield
3rd	Jose Fernandez	Mike Redmond	Gaby Sanchez	Donovan Solano	Wes Helms	Adeiny Hechaverria	Jeff Conine	Marcell Ozuna	Mark Kotsay

Ah, Josh Johnson. A star that burnt briefly but oh-so-brightly. Ah, Dontrelle Willis. The same, but to a slightly lesser extent. Will Jose Fernandez be the great Marlin pitcher who doesn't get hurt or flame out?

J.T. Realmuto's career is off to a good start, already the second-best Marlin backstop. Mike Redmond was a career backup, but he was quite serviceable in his day, and stuck around longer than most backup catchers do.

Third base was tough, as there weren't a lot of options. Miguel Cabrera only played third base full time in two seasons, but he saw significant time there in two other seasons, so I decided to include him. Besides, he's a future Hall of Famer. Ya gotta get him in somewhere. Wes Helms on the 3rd Team, though? Yikes.

Left field was surprisingly strong, as many teams don't have long-lasting players there; it's just a place to stick a solid-but-replaceable hitter. Christian Yelich has been inspiring in his brief career there, and there was enough depth that a solid guy like Josh Willingham missed the cut.

Hanley Ramirez was far and away the best choice at short, and the rest was a sea of average. Alex Gonzalez, a longtime Marlin, missed the cut for being mediocre. It's a mystery he lasted as long as he did.

I didn't expect Cody Ross to be the Fish's top center fielder, but he turned out to be better than Pierre, the guy I predicted would take the spot. A shame he's already forgotten.

The Rockies Franchise Deep Three

Wow, are we really at this point? A Deep Three? Yes, for the last four franchises in this series, I shall only go three deep. Even for this one, some spots on the 3rd Team were difficult to fill. Let's see how the table turned out with our friends in the mountains, the Colorado Rockies.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Ubaldo Jimenez	Chris Iannetta	Todd Helton	DJ LeMahieu	Nolan Arenado	Troy Tulowitzki	Matt Holliday	Dexter Fowler	Larry Walker
2nd	Aaron Cook	Jeff Reed	Andres Galarraga	Eric Young	Vinny Castilla	Walt Weiss	Carlos Gonzalez	Juan Pierre	Brad Hawpe
3rd	Jhoulys Chacin	Wilin Rosario	Ben Paulsen	Clint Barmes	Garrett Atkins	Neifi Perez	Corey Dickerson	Ellis Burks	Dante Bichette

First base and left field were hard to find a 3rd Teamer for. For first base, Mr. Rockie, Todd Helton, held it down for over half of the franchise's existence, and Andres Galarraga had a solid five-year run too. Justin Morneau also had a good season at the position, but with the three-year minimum required for this list, he couldn't make it. Ben Paulsen, enjoy your small claim to fame! Left field was hard just because it's one of those positions where several players tend to get tried, and I chose Dickerson because he seemed as good a choice as any.

Third base has been a surprisingly strong position for Colorado in its short history. Jeff Cirillo would've made the list had he played one more season with the Rockies, but there's no shame in having Garrett Atkins show up here.

Pitcher and catcher were surprisingly weak spots. Perhaps pitcher isn't too surprising, since the mile-high air is famously tough on hurlers, but you'd think there would've been at least one catcher better than Chris Iannetta. Nope. I suppose a quarter-century without ever having a great catcher isn't unheard-of in baseball, though.

DJ LeMahieu must be one of the most underrated players in the game. Who knew he was already the greatest Rockie second baseman of all time? Seriously, fans. Appreciate this guy.

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:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Roy Halladay	Ernie Whitt	Carlos Delgado	Roberto Alomar	Kelly Gruber	Tony Fernandez	George Bell	Devon White	Jose Bautista
2nd	Dave Stieb	Gregg Zaun	Fred McGriff	Aaron Hill	Rance Mulliniks	Alex Gonzalez	Shannon Stewart	Vernon Wells	Jesse Barfield
3rd	Pat Hentgen	Darrin Fletcher	John Olerud	Orlando Hudson	Brett Lawrie	Jose Reyes	Reed Johnson	Lloyd Moseby	Alex Rios
4th	Jimmy Key	Pat Borders	Willie Upshaw	Damaso Garcia	Roy Howell	Alfredo Griffin	Al Woods	Jose Cruz	Shawn 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.

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:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Felix Hernandez	Dan Wilson	John Olerud	Bret Boone	Edgar Martinez	Alex Rodriguez	Phil Bradley	Ken Griffey Jr.	Ichiro Suzuki
2nd	Randy Johnson	Dave Valle	Alvin Davis	Robinson Cano	Adrian Beltre	Omar Vizquel	Raul Ibanez	Mike Cameron	Jay Buhner
3rd	Jamie Moyer	Kenji Johjima	Tino Martinez	Harold Reynolds	Kyle Seager	Brendan Ryan	Greg Briley	Franklin Gutierrez	Leon Roberts
4th	Mark Langston	Bob Stinson	Bruce Bochte	Julio Cruz	Jim Presley	Carlos Guillen	Henry Cotto	Ruppert Jones	Al 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.

The Royals Franchise Deep Four

Of the four 1969 expansion franchises, I've saved the most successful for last. Let's see how strong their all-time teams look.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Bret Saberhagen	Salvador Perez	John Mayberry	Frank White	George Brett	Freddie Patek	Willie Wilson	Amos Otis	Danny Tartabull
2nd	Kevin Appier	Darrell Porter	Mike Sweeney	Mark Grudzielanek	Kevin Seitzer	Rey Sanchez	Alex Gordon	Carlos Beltran	Al Cowens
3rd	Mark Gubicza	Mike Macfarlane	Eric Hosmer	Cookie Rojas	Joe Randa	Alcides Escobar	Lou Piniella	Lorenzo Cain	Jermaine Dye
4th	Zack Greinke	John Wathan	Wally Joyner	Carlos Febles	Mike Moustakas	U.L. Washington	Bo Jackson	Johnny Damon	Jeff Francoeur

Some of the guys on the first team were far and away the best choices; White, Brett, and Patek all blew away their closest competition. Who would've thought that Mark Grudzielanek and Rey Sanchez would make the 2nd Team?

Corner outfield was a bit tricky, as often is the case. Their right fielders weren't the deepest group, for instance. I only chose Jeff Francoeur for the 4th Team based on one good season that was better than anything any of the other candidates had done, despite spending the rest of his Royals tenure adding negative value. David DeJesus might've been a better choice in left field than either Piniella or Jackson, but he seemed to fit better in center field, where he ended up just missing the cut. If I were doing a 5th Team for the Royals, DeJesus would definitely be there, yes sirree.

Salvador Perez and Darrell Porter are currently pretty close, but I decided to give it to Perez since he's having a great season so far, and if he keeps it up, he should find himself well ahead of Porter by the end of it. And besides, he's already a Kansas City folk hero. Of the young Royals crop currently defending their World Series title, he's the only one who's made it to the 1st Team. Truly a feather in his backward catcher's helmet.

The Brewers Franchise Deep Four

Checking off those 1969 newcomers, we're now on the once-American League expansion franchise Seattle Pilots, who are now the National League Central's Milwaukee Brewers.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Teddy Higuera	Jonathan Lucroy	Cecil Cooper	Rickie Weeks	Paul Molitor	Robin Yount	Ryan Braun	Gorman Thomas	Sixto Lezcano
2nd	Ben Sheets	Darrell Porter	George Scott	Jim Gantner	Jeff Cirillo	Jose Valentin	Ben Oglivie	Carlos Gomez	Jeromy Burnitz
3rd	Chris Bosio	B.J. Surhoff	Prince Fielder	Ronnie Belliard	Don Money	J.J.Hardy	Geoff Jenkins	Dave May	Corey Hart
4th	Mike Caldwell	Ted Simmons	Richie Sexson	Fernando Vina	Sal Bando	Pat Listach	Greg Vaughn	Marquis Grissom	Rob Deer

Interestingly, there's no position that stands out here as being particularly strong. The Brewers have had a pretty mediocre history. But at least Brewer fans can currently appreciate watching the greatest catcher and left fielder in franchise history while they're still around.

The Nationals Franchise Deep Four

Time for another installment of Deep Six/Four/Three Later On, this time for the Nationals franchise! This one is very heavy on the franchise's Expo predecessors, but several Nats ended up on the 1st Team. Let's see how this goes:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Steve Rogers	Gary Carter	Nick Johnson	Jose Vidro	Ryan Zimmerman	Ian Desmond	Tim Raines	Andre Dawson	Vladimir Guerrero
2nd	Dennis Martinez	Brian Schneider	Ron Fairly	Ron Hunt	Tim Wallach	Orlando Cabrera	Moises Alou	Marquis Grissom	Rusty Staub
3rd	Pedro Martinez	Wilson Ramos	Andres Galarraga	Delino DeShields	Bob Bailey	Chris Speier	Warren Cromartie	Rondell White	Larry Walker
4th	Javier Vazquez	Darrin Fletcher	Mike Jorgensen	Mike Lansing	Larry Parrish	Hubie Brooks	Mack Jones	Denard Span	Ellis Valentine

Not a bad group at some of these positions. Center and right fields were both quite good, as was pitcher. It's a shame the Expos couldn't hold on to Pedro Martinez, or he'd probably get a spot on the 1st team easily.

First base was a bit disappointing, as Andres Galarraga had the longevity, but not the consistent star-level play that he would later be known for in Colorado. It seems a shame to give the top spot to the oft-injured Nick Johnson, though he had some darn good numbers when he actually made it onto the field.

Catcher was pretty weak after Gary Carter. We'll see if Wilson Ramos can ever up his production enough to make it to the 2nd Team, though he's highly unlikely to catch Carter at this point.

Of course, the real shame is that Bryce Harper isn't here anywhere, due to his being flipped around the outfield so far in his young career. Once he settles in to a regular position and plays it for several seasons, he'll probably end up on the 1st Team somewhere. Could it be right field, which is already probably the franchise's strongest spot?

The Padres Franchise Deep Four

We're now at the 1969 expansion wave, and the first one I thought I'd do was the San Diego Padres. Let's see what this one ended up as.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Jake Peavy	Gene Tenace	Adrian Gonzalez	Roberto Alomar	Ken Caminiti	Ozzie Smith	Gene Richards	Kevin McReynolds	Tony Gwynn
2nd	Andy Ashby	Terry Kennedy	Nate Colbert	Mark Loretta	Phil Nevin	Khalil Greene	Carmelo Martinez	Darrin Jackson	Dave Winfield
3rd	Andy Benes	Benito Santiago	Ryan Klesko	Tim Flannery	Chase Headley	Garry Templeton	Greg Vaughn	Mark Kotsay	Brian Giles
4th	Ed Whitson	Nick Hundley	Fred McGriff	Quilvio Veras	Sean Burroughs	Everth Cabrera	Carlos Quentin	Cameron Maybin	Ollie Brown

Interesting results. The middle infield of their 1st Team has two guys that were associated with other franchises. Alomar and Smith were good enough in short periods of time to earn the top spots.

Some of these required a lot of debate over longevity vs. peak. The Padres are a decidedly non-storied franchise, so many of these guys didn't have long tenures in San Diego. Ed Whitson got the nod over franchise icon Randy Jones just because of his two great years at the end of his career, which topped Jones' short peak. But I might've given it to Jones on a different day. At the keystone, Mark Loretta had an argument for the top spot, but Alomar had three years of star-level play, which bettered Loretta's two, despite Loretta's good years being better than Alomar's. It's all subjective.

In left field, it's safe to say these guys ain't the Red Sox. Gene Richards was an easy choice for the top spot, despite being rather obscure today. At the other side of the outfield though, the Padres have probably their deepest position: Their all-time greatest player, followed by a Hall of Famer, followed by a guy who had an extremely underrated career, followed by an early star.

I predicted Steve Finley would take the top spot in center field, but he ended up not making the list at all, since WAR didn't think very highly of his defense. I never even thought about the possibility of Darrin Jackson making the 2nd Team, but WAR loved his defense that much.

The hot corner has been a pretty good position for the Friars. Their top four players all manned the position from the 1990s onward. Graig Nettles came close, but Burroughs barely beat him out. If only the Padres had someone good there now...

First base and catcher were also surprisingly strong positions. Hats off to the Padres. They're an oft-overlooked team, but their talent acquisition has been pretty good over the years.

The Astros Franchise Deep Four

Finally we've reached the last member of MLB's first expansion wave, the Houston Astros!

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Roy Oswalt	Jason Castro	Jeff Bagwell	Craig Biggio	Morgan Ensberg	Dickie Thon	Jose Cruz	Cesar Cedeno	Terry Puhl
2nd	Larry Dierker	Alan Ashby	Lance Berkman	Joe Morgan	Ken Caminiti	Adam Everett	Luis Gonzalez	Jim Wynn	Kevin Bass
3rd	Mike Scott	Brad Ausmus	Glenn Davis	Bill Doran	Doug Rader	Craig Reynolds	Carlos Lee	Steve Finley	Hunter Pence
4th	Roger Clemens	Johnny Edwards	Bob Watson	Jose Altuve	Enos Cabell	Roger Metzger	Al Spangler	Michael Bourn	Rusty Staub

The Astros have a fine stable of second basemen. Even the guy on their 4th Team has been a star. First base and center field aren't too shabby either.

Jose Cruz is a solid 1st Teamer in left field, but after him, the list isn't too impressive. Al Spangler? Really? Part of what hurt them was Lance Berkman and Bob Watson being better fits for first base.

Morgan Ensberg and Dickie Thon are both pretty top-heavy value-wise, but their peaks were strong enough for me to put them on the 1st Team. I expected Ken Caminiti to be the top third baseman, but Ensberg was just better. Adam Everett had a better career than most people remember, making him a fine 2nd Teamer.

I was surprised that catcher was such a weak position. Turns out the Astros have never had a real star behind the dish. Jason Castro got the top spot mainly from his big season in 2013, because he's about the same as the rest of the pack otherwise. Come on, Astros. Get some better catchers!

The Mets Franchise Deep Four

No, I didn't forget about this project. Just been doing other stuff lately. Today we're going to look at our amazin' friends in Flushing. Who are their best by position?

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Tom Seaver	Mike Piazza	Keith Hernandez	Edgardo Alfonzo	David Wright	Jose Reyes	Cleon Jones	Carlos Beltran	Darryl Strawberry
2nd	Jerry Koosman	John Stearns	John Olerud	Wally Backman	Howard Johnson	Bud Harrelson	Kevin McReynolds	Tommie Agee	Ron Swoboda
3rd	Dwight Gooden	Todd Hundley	Dave Magadan	Ron Hunt	Wayne Garrett	Kevin Elster	Steve Henderson	Lenny Dykstra	Joel Youngblood
4th	Jon Matlack	Gary Carter	Ed Kranepool	Felix Millan	Robin Ventura	Rey Ordonez	Bernard Gilkey	Mookie Wilson	Rusty Staub

The Mets have one heck of a 1st Team: Two Hall of Famers, one borderline guy who I think should be in, another guy who'll have a good argument once he retires, another guy who could qualify with a few more good seasons, and four other fine players.

Catcher surprised me. I thought Hall of Famer Gary Carter would end up on the 2nd Team, but the Mets really got him at the decline phase of his career. Stearns and Hundley were much better players than they get credit for. And Jerry Grote just missed the cut.

Center field was surprisingly deep. Angel Pagan, Juan Lagares, and Lee Mazzilli were all worthy of honorable mentions.

Right field and shortstop were the two weakest positions. After the 2nd Teams, there wasn't a lot to get excited about. You never realize how shallow some teams are at certain spots.

Second base didn't have any really outstanding players, but it had a lot of good ones. Jeff Kent just missed the cut, as you can see.

The Rangers Franchise Deep Four

Hey, another of these! Yeah, I decided to finish this one, which I'd started on a while ago. The Washington Senators/Texas Rangers franchise isn't one that gets a lot of historical examination, but let it not be said that Baseball Junk Drawer ignores it!

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Kenny Rogers	Ivan Rodriguez	Rafael Palmeiro	Ian Kinsler	Buddy Bell	Alex Rodriguez	Frank Howard	Oddibe McDowell	Juan Gonzalez
2nd	Charlie Hough	Jim Sundberg	Mark Teixeira	Julio Franco	Adrian Beltre	Elvis Andrus	Rusty Greer	Don Lock	Ruben Sierra
3rd	Fergie Jenkins	Paul Casanova	Will Clark	Bump Wills	Ken McMullen	Toby Harrah	Josh Hamilton	Leonys Martin	Nelson Cruz
4th	Nolan Ryan	Gerald Laird	Pete O'Brien	Mark McLemore	Hank Blalock	Scott Fletcher	Billy Sample	Mickey Rivers	Jeff Burroughs

I hated to put Josh Hamilton on the 3rd Team, but I didn't feel right about putting him in center field, and he only had that one big MVP season while playing primarily left. The truth is though, Hamilton probably isn't (or wasn't) as great as that season, all things considered, so maybe it's perfectly fitting not to rank him very high.

Michael Young played too many positions to put him at any one, and since the Rangers are pretty strong at shortstop, Young's most logical position, he was off the board completely. Ed Brinkman was another fine player at that position who didn't make the cut. It's a shame there wasn't a place for Mr. Ranger somewhere.

I was surprised at how strong third base, pitcher, and right field were. Center field was weak, and catcher was extremely top-heavy. Jim Sundberg was probably good enough to be some teams' #1, but here he's stuck behind Pudge. After those two, the cupboard is pretty bare.

The Angels Franchise Deep Four

I'm back with the first expansion franchise in this series, the multi-locale-named Angels. Due to a history half a century shorter than the classic American League franchises, I decided to limit this to a Deep Four, rather than the traditional six. And funny enough, even then it felt like I was scraping the bottom of the barrel with a few of these guys. Let's take a look:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Chuck Finley	Bob Boone	Wally Joyner	Bobby Grich	Troy Glaus	Jim Fregosi	Garret Anderson	Mike Trout	Tim Salmon
2nd	Frank Tanana	Mike Napoli	Rod Carew	Howie Kendrick	Chone Figgins	Erick Aybar	Brian Downing	Jim Edmonds	Vladimir Guerrero
3rd	Nolan Ryan	Lance Parrish	Albert Pujols	Adam Kennedy	Doug DeCinces	David Eckstein	Rick Reichardt	Gary Pettis	Kole Calhoun
4th	Jered Weaver	Bengie Molina	Darin Erstad	Bobby Knoop	Ken McMullen	Dick Schofield	Leon Wagner	Torii Hunter	Leroy Stanton

I'm surprised that Frank Tanana ended up ahead of the great Nolan Ryan, but it seemed that he had the slight edge. Chuck Finley was underrated, but he's the ultimate Angels pitcher.

Right field was interesting for two reasons: One, that Tim Salmon ended up ahead of possible Hall of Famer Vlad Guerrero, and two, the large dropoff after the 2nd Team. Kole Calhoun hasn't even been around that long and he's already on the 3rd Team.

Catcher was surprisingly tough. Bob Boone ended up on the 1st Team, but he's not overly impressive a choice. Mike Napoli was tough to put on the 2nd Team only because he was never more than a part-time player, but his numbers spoke loudly. When will the Angels ever have a truly awesome catcher?

Who'd have thought that Wally Joyner would end up ahead of two Hall of Famers at first base? While Pujols and Carew had greater careers, when only their work with the Angels is considered, Wally World edges them out, at least for now. Pujols still has a long contract ahead of him to perhaps take the lead, but he is in the decline phase of his career, so...yeah.

The Athletics Franchise Deep Six

Of the Original 16 franchises, we've finally come to the last one, the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics! Let's take a look at this much-traveled franchise, whose history is a hodgepodge of dynasties and fire sales.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Lefty Grove	Mickey Cochrane	Jimmie Foxx	Eddie Collins	Home Run Baker	Bert Campaneris	Rickey Henderson	Dwayne Murphy	Reggie Jackson
2nd	Rube Waddell	Terry Steinbach	Mark McGwire	Max Bishop	Sal Bando	Eddie Joost	Al Simmons	Dave Henderson	Jose Canseco
3rd	Eddie Plank	Frankie Hayes	Jason Giambi	Mark Ellis	Eric Chavez	Jack Barry	Bob Johnson	Amos Strunk	Socks Seybold
4th	Tim Hudson	Wally Schang	Harry Davis	Danny Murphy	Carney Lansford	Miguel Tejada	Joe Rudi	Bill North	Josh Reddick
5th	Eddie Rommel	Kurt Suzuki	Stuffy McInnis	Dick Green	Josh Donaldson	Mike Bordick	Topsy Hartsel	Coco Crisp	Wally Moses
6th	Chief Bender	Ossee Schrecongost	Ferris Fain	Nap Lajoie	Lave Cross	Walt Weiss	Tillie Walker	Rick Monday	Mike Davis

That's one great 1st Team. All but two are Hall of Famers. The 2nd Team, though, feels like a huge dropoff. Waddell and Simmons are all-timers, and Bando and McGwire are both borderliners, but the rest? Fine players, not immortals.

The position that really surprised me this time was third base. The A's have more depth there than I would've expected. With the season Josh Donaldson is currently having, he might've stood to rank even higher if he hadn't been traded.

I was frustrated trying to pick guys for the lower teams at several of these positions. There was just too much mediocrity. For a franchise that's won nine World Series, they sure aren't that deep. The great Athletic teams tended to burn brightly and be snuffed out quickly.

I plan to continue this series with the expansion franchises, but since they don't have as much history, I won't be doing a Deep Six. For the 1961-77 franchises I'll be doing a Deep Four, and for the 1993-98 franchises I'll be doing a Deep Three. We'll see those after this season is over.

The Dodgers Franchise Deep Six

And the last of the classic eight National League franchises is off the board! And there's only one classic AL team to do after this one! So how do the boys from Brooklyn and L.A. look?

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Dazzy Vance	Mike Piazza	Gil Hodges	Jackie Robinson	Ron Cey	Pee Wee Reese	Zack Wheat	Duke Snider	Carl Furillo
2nd	Sandy Koufax	Roy Campanella	Dolph Camilli	Davey Lopes	Adrian Beltre	Bill Dahlen	Jimmy Sheckard	Willie Davis	Dixie Walker
3rd	Don Drysdale	Mike Scioscia	Jack Fournier	Jim Gilliam	George Pinkney	Maury Wills	Gary Sheffield	Mike Griffin	Reggie Smith
4th	Clayton Kershaw	John Roseboro	Steve Garvey	Tom Daly	Joe Stripp	Bill Russell	Dusty Baker	Matt Kemp	Shawn Green
5th	Nap Rucker	Paul Lo Duca	Jake Daubert	Eddie Stanky	Red Smith	Rafael Furcal	Pedro Guerrero	Pete Reiser	Babe Herman
6th	Jeff Pfeffer	Russell Martin	Wes Parker	Steve Sax	Cookie Lavagetto	Germany Smith	Wally Moon	Brett Butler	Willie Keeler

Pretty good indeed! Three of their four infield spots on the 1st Team are from the Boys of Summer era, as are two of the three outfield spots. Is it safe to say that was the greatest period in Dodger history?

Some people might be upset that I named Dazzy Vance starting pitcher for the 1st Team over Sandy Koufax, but I thought the numbers merited it. Koufax had an incredible peak, but Vance's was plenty dominant as well. The main difference is that Koufax is a legend of living memory, while Vance played in the 1920's for the Daffiness Boys. Clayton Kershaw is making his way up the list too, so this generation may have its own immortal Dodger hurler to tell their grandchildren about.

Third base was definitely the weakest position here. I never realized how few great third basemen the Dodgers have had. I wasn't familiar with George Pinkney, the 3rd Team third sacker, until I compiled this list. And to think he was the greatest Dodger third baseman until the 1970s.

The Indians Franchise Deep Six

After doing these pretty steadily for a while, I guess I got preoccupied in the last month. But I'm back, and I have a new Deep Six for you, my beloved audience! Today we shall look at the Cleveland Indians!

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Bob Feller	Victor Martinez	Jim Thome	Nap Lajoie	Al Rosen	Lou Boudreau	Albert Belle	Tris Speaker	Joe Jackson
2nd	Stan Coveleski	Steve O'Neill	Hal Trosky	Roberto Alomar	Bill Bradley	Joe Sewell	Charlie Jamieson	Kenny Lofton	Manny Ramirez
3rd	Addie Joss	Carlos Santana	Andre Thornton	Joe Gordon	Ken Keltner	Terry Turner	Jeff Heath	Larry Doby	Elmer Flick
4th	Sam McDowell	John Romano	Ed Morgan	Bobby Avila	Buddy Bell	Ray Chapman	Joe Vosmik	Earl Averill	Rocky Colavito
5th	Gaylord Perry	Ray Fosse	George Burns	Carlos Baerga	Graig Nettles	Omar Vizquel	Dale Mitchell	Grady Sizemore	Shin-Soo Choo
6th	Mel Harder	Joe Azcue	Mike Hargrove	Jason Kipnis	Toby Harrah	Asdrubal Cabrera	Michael Brantley	Brett Butler	Braggo Roth

The Indians are pretty darn good at starting pitcher. Gaylord Perry wasn't an Indian for very long, but he wore the uniform long enough, and was dominant enough to make it.

Center field and shortstop were probably the deepest fielding positions, and third base was a lot stronger than I expected it would be. Right field ain't too shabby neither.

Catcher and first base were weaker than perhaps you realized. Victor Martinez and Carlos Santana, both current-day players who were pretty good for a while crack the Top 3 catchers. Hal Trosky was a fine first baseman who had the misfortune of playing in the American League at the same time as Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. He's a solid 2nd Teamer behind the great Jim Thome. After those two, there's not a lot to write home about.

Second base was the position where stars burnt briefly but brightly. Lajoie was an easy choice for the 1st Team, but the two Hall of Famers who follow him down the column, Roberto Alomar and Joe Gordon, played only three and four years, respectively, with the Tribe. But oh, how great they were. I wanted to give Bobby Avila some extra credit for his longevity, but in the end, I just thought those two deserved to be ahead of him. Jason Kipnis has been impressive so far, and is already close to passing up Baerga. Can he continue his ascent?

The Reds Franchise Deep Six

Back for another Deep Six, this time for a franchise that was frustrating to compile. The lower levels of several of these positions were so mediocre that trying to pick the right guys was tough. I hate it when it's a close call.

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Noodles Hahn	Johnny Bench	Joey Votto	Joe Morgan	Heinie Groh	Barry Larkin	George Foster	Vada Pinson	Frank Robinson
2nd	Jim Maloney	Ernie Lombardi	Ted Kluszewski	Bid McPhee	Tony Perez	Dave Concepcion	Pete Rose	Eric Davis	Ken Griffey
3rd	Bucky Walters	Ed Bailey	John Reilly	Lonny Frey	Chris Sabo	Roy McMillan	Bob Bescher	Edd Roush	Ival Goodman
4th	Jose Rijo	Bubbles Hargrave	Jake Beckley	Brandon Phillips	Todd Frazier	Leo Cardenas	Kal Daniels	Cy Seymour	Reggie Sanders
5th	Frank Dwyer	Johnny Edwards	Frank McCormick	Miller Huggins	Hans Lobert	Buck Herzog	Charley Jones	Bobby Tolan	Curt Walker
6th	Eppa Rixey	Larry McLean	Lee May	Johnny Temple	Arlie Latham	Frank Fennelly	Adam Dunn	Bug Holliday	Jay Bruce

Yes, friends, Joey Votto is already the greatest Reds first baseman of all time. First base was a strong position for this franchise, with lots of very good players but few great ones. You have to love the consistency of it. Just missing the cut was "the Mayor," Sean Casey.

Did you realize the Reds haven't had that many dominant pitchers in their history? Now you do. They've never had a Cy Young winner either.

Tony Perez is better known as a first baseman, but his greatest years while playing third base forced me to put him there. Also at the hot corner, Todd Frazier is quickly working his way up the list. Appreciate what you're seeing, Cincy fans. He's a special one.

The most disappointing part of this was Pete Rose. He played all over the field, and I felt that his best years were in left. However, if you rank him purely as a left fielder, he comes in behind George Foster. There was no way he was going to beat out Votto, Morgan, Groh, or Robinson at their positions either. While he may be the ultimate Cincinnati Red, there wasn't a way to get him on the 1st Team. But I suppose Rose has some experience with being excluded.

The Tigers Franchise Deep Six

Has it been almost a week? Fear not! I have another Deep Six for you! Let's take a look at the Detroit Tigers!

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Hal Newhouser	Bill Freehan	Hank Greenberg	Charlie Gehringer	George Kell	Alan Trammell	Bobby Veach	Ty Cobb	Al Kaline
2nd	Tommy Bridges	Lance Parrish	Miguel Cabrera	Lou Whitaker	Ray Boone	Donie Bush	Willie Horton	Chet Lemon	Harry Heilmann
3rd	Justin Verlander	Johnny Bassler	Norm Cash	Dick McAuliffe	Brandon Inge	Billy Rogell	Rocky Colavito	Austin Jackson	Sam Crawford
4th	Bill Donovan	Mickey Cochrane	Rudy York	Placido Polanco	Travis Fryman	Carlos Guillen	Bobby Higginson	Curtis Granderson	Kirk Gibson
5th	Jim Bunning	Mickey Tettleton	Darrell Evans	Damion Easley	George Moriarty	Topper Rigney	Charlie Maxwell	Ron LeFlore	Vic Wertz
6th	Dizzy Trout	Ivan Rodriguez	Lu Blue	Frank Bolling	Marty McManus	Harvey Kuenn	Steve Kemp	Jimmy Barrett	Magglio Ordonez

How about those right fielders, eh? The top three are all solid Hall of Famers! After them it's a bit iffy, but Sam Crawford on your 3rd Team? Wow.

Catcher is a bit interesting, because none of the top three are Hall of Famers, but the guy on the 4th Team is, and the guy on the 6th Team probably will be. Drat that lack of longevity!

Third base and left field are probably the weakest positions here. The Tigers have had several fine players at third, but none were great for a long time. Aurelio Rodriguez and Don Wert, the two Tigers with the most games at third base, didn't even make the list. Bobby Veach was an underrated but not great player, but no one else is even close to being the ultimate Tigers left fielder.

The Giants Franchise Deep Six

And already we have another one! For some reason I got through the Giants pretty quickly. I guess they had so much depth that I didn't feel the need to agonize about the exact rankings as much. For less-deep teams, you have to nitpick which player is less mediocre than the other. Let's see how the Giants come out:

	P	C	1B	2B	3B	SS	LF	CF	RF
1st	Christy Mathewson	Buck Ewing	Roger Connor	Jeff Kent	Art Devlin	Art Fletcher	Barry Bonds	Willie Mays	Mel Ott
2nd	Amos Rusie	Buster Posey	Willie McCovey	Frankie Frisch	Matt Williams	George Davis	George Burns	George Van Haltren	Bobby Bonds
3rd	Carl Hubbell	Roger Bresnahan	Bill Terry	Larry Doyle	Jim Ray Hart	Travis Jackson	Monte Irvin	Bobby Thomson	Mike Tiernan
4th	Juan Marichal	Chief Meyers	Johnny Mize	Robby Thompson	Freddie Lindstrom	Dave Bancroft	Kevin Mitchell	Brett Butler	Jack Clark
5th	Mickey Welch	Tom Haller	Will Clark	Danny Richardson	Pablo Sandoval	Al Dark	Jo-Jo Moore	Benny Kauff	Ross Youngs
6th	Tim Keefe	Harry Danning	Orlando Cepeda	Ron Hunt	Hank Thompson	Dick Bartell	Gary Matthews	Fred Snodgrass	Felipe Alou

First base and pitcher were the truly outstanding positions here. Right field and shortstop weren't too shabby either.

While Frankie Frisch and George Davis were greater players than Jeff Kent and Art Fletcher, respectively, they ended up on the 2nd team due to the fact that their resumes at those positions as members of the Giants weren't quite as good. Frisch spent a lot of his best years with the Cardinals, and Davis his with the White Sox.

Left field and center field were impressive for the dropoffs after the 1st Team. It's not just that the guys on the 1st Team were each arguably the greatest ever at their position (though that helped), but that Georges Burns and Van Haltren were not even borderline greats.

As with several other franchises we've seen so far, we have an active player working his way toward the top at one position. Can Buster Posey eventually become the Giants' #1 all-time catcher? He'll have to keep producing for several more years, but it's hardly out of the question.