New York Yankees Dream Team

Every sport evolves with each passing generation -- from the

size and athleticism of players to game strategy. 

Baseball’s evolution, however, is both historic and unique given

the pre-integration and dead ball eras. For the former, full

segregation took place from 1887-1947. Full integration, which

was a gradual process, came in 1959. The Deadball Era was a

period in the early 20th century when baseball was characterized

by low scoring and emphasis on pitching. 

There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though

it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until the

late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run records

leading to exorbitant salaries. 

The New York Yankees could fill the New York City phonebook with

their resume. The franchise has won 27 World Series titles, 40

American League pennants and have eight more postseason

appearances as a wild card team. To add further perspective on the

Yankees success, the St. Louis Cardinals have 11 World Series titles,

second in Major League Baseball history. The Yankees have had

enough star players to fill a galaxy. With the Yankees success, they

are polarizing to fan bases, you either strongly love them or hate

them with little in between. 

Today, I formed a Yankees Dream Team in a 26-man roster format.

For openers, to make this roster, four years as a Yankee are required.

No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not going to cheapen

this roster with 1-3 year rentals. 

I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven relievers.

For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the bullpen. For position

players, I am taking what I believe is the best of the best regardless

of era. For the bench players, it’s the best of the rest with versatility

being heavily considered. Merit achievements such as Hall of Fame,

All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves are considered but not

guaranteed. General impactfulness on the franchise is also considered.

Generational reminders

If you played on a playoff team, there is no guarantee of landing on this

roster. If you played during a bad season, that does not deter you from

being on this roster. Off-the-field baggage is not a deterrent to landing

on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation. This is baseball, not the

Boys Scouts. We don’t do morality clauses. Also, this franchise is so

deep with greatness that some deserving players will not be selected. 

Starting pitchers

Red Ruffing, Mel Stottlemyre, Allie Reynolds, Whitey Ford, Andy Pettite

Ruffing won 231 games in a Yankees uniform on the way to a Hall of

Fame career. He was a six-time All-Star and helped the Yankees to six

World Series titles. He was the American League leader in strikeouts

in 1932 and wins in 1938. Stottlemeyer fired 40 career shutouts during

his 11-year career with the Yankees. He was also a five-time All-Star

and helped the Yankees to five World Series titles. Reynolds spent

eight seasons with the Yankees, six of which were All-Stars and he

helped them win five World Series titles. He was the two-time American

League strikeout leader and the American League ERA leader in 1952. 

No pitcher won a higher percentage of his decisions than Ford at 69%.

Ford also still holds the Major League record for 33 1/3 scoreless

innings in World Series competition. Ford was a 10-time All-Star and

helped the Yankees to six World Series titles. He was the Cy Young

Award winner and World Series MVP in 1961. He led the American

League in wins three times and the Major Leagues in ERA twice on

the way to a Hall of Fame career.  Pettite was defined by consistency

and reliability as he remains the Yankees franchise leader in strikeouts

and is tied with Ford with the number of starts at 438. Pettite was a

three-time All-Star and helped the Yankees win five World Series. 

Bullpen

Closer -- Mariano Rivera, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Sparky Lyle, Johnny

Murphy, Dave Righetti, Jeff Nelson, Aroldis Chapman

Rivera became the first unanimous Hall of Fame selection in Major

League history. He is the all-time leader in saves with 652. Rivera's cut

fastball translated into 13 All-Star appearances and helped the

Yankees to five World Series titles. He led the Major Leagues in saves

three times and was the World Series MVP in 1999. Gossage's

trademark fu manchu mustache made for an intimidating glare and so

too did his fastball. In six years as the franchise’s closer, Gossage

was a four-time All-Star with 150 saves and he helped the Yankees

to their 1978 World Series title. Lyle was one of the top relievers in the

1970s. In his seven years with the Yankees, he led the American

League in saves twice. Murphy possessed a tremendous curveball

and was a three-time All-Star with 104 career saves with the Yankees.

He also helped deliver seven World Series titles.

Righetti made a seamless transition from starter to reliever. He became

the first pitcher in Major League history to throw a no-hitter and lead

the league in saves, a feat that Dennis Eckersley and Derek Lowe

later accomplished. Righetti recorded 233 career saves with the

Yankees. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1981

and a two-time All-Star. Nelson was a dependable set up man to get

games to Rivera during the Yankees dynasty from 1996-2000, during

which time they won four World Series in five years. Nelson recorded

a 3.47 ERA with the Yankees. Chapman is currently in his sixth season

with the Yankees. Nicknamed the “Cuban Missile,” Chapman entered

the 2021 season with 111 career saves with the Yankees. 

Infield

Catcher -- Yogi Berra; First base -- Lou Gehrig; Second base -- Tony

Lazzeri; Third base -- Alex Rodriguez; Shortstop -- Derek Jeter

On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Berra became the Major League’s

all-time leader with 1,430 RBIs, most among catchers. Berra was an

18-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP. Berra has

been connected with 13 of the franchise's 27 World Series titles,

including as a player and as a coach. Gehrig established a Major

League record by playing 2,130 consecutive games, which was a

Major League record until Cal Ripken eclipsed that mark. Gehrig

drove in at least 100 runs in 13 consecutive seasons. His lifetime

batting average was .340 with 493 career home runs on the way to a

Hall of Fame career. Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, six-time

American League RBI leader, three-time American League home run

leader, two-time American League MVP, American League batting

champion in Triple Crown winner in 1934. He also helped deliver six

World Series.

Lazzeri still holds the American League record for most RBIs in a

game with 11. On the way to a Hall of Fame career in which he was

inducted posthumously, Lazzeri was part of the famed “Murderers

Row” Yankees lineups. Lazzeri helped deliver five World Series titles

and was an All-Star in 1933. The cerebral Jeter finished one vote shy

of his 20-year career from being a unanimous Hall of Fame. He also

played in 158 postseason games, which nearly amounts to another

season. During his 20 seasons, Jeter was a 14-time All-Star, five-time

Silver Slugger Award, five-time Gold Glove Award, American League

Rookie of the Year in 1996, World Series MVP in 2000 and helped

deliver five World Series titles. Though people have their misgivings

about Rodriguez because of his association with RED use, his

resume is undeniable. He leads Yankee third baseman in runs scored,

hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. Rodriguez helped the Yankees

deliver their most recent World Series title in 2009. He is the fourth

all-time leading home run hitter with 696.

Outfield

Leftfield -- Joe DiMaggio; Centerfield -- Mickey Mantle; Rightfield --

Babe Ruth

DiMaggio played mostly center field but having a starting outfield of

DiMaggio, Mantle and Ruth is a no-brainer. DiMaggio was a well-

rounded hitter and a tremendous defensive player. He still holds the

record for longest hitting streak at 56 games. Nicknamed “The

Yankee Clipper,” DiMaggio is a 13-time All-Star, nine-time World

Series champion, three-time American League MVP. He was also

the American League batting champion, home run leader and RBI

leader two times each on the way to a Hall of Fame career. The

switch-hitting Mantle is the only player in Major League history to hit

150 home runs from both sides of the plate. Mantle was a 15-time

All-Star and helped deliver seven World Series titles. He was a

four-time American League home run leader, RBI leader and

American League batting champion in 1956. That season, he was

also the Triple Crown winner. Mantle was a three-time American

League MVP on the way to a Hall of Fame career. Ruth is frequently

named in the same breath is Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan

when it comes to naming the best athletes of all time regardless of

sport. Ruth made a tremendous transition from pitcher to full-time

outfielder. Ruth held the major league home run record with 714 until

Hank Aaron and later Barry Bonds eclipse tomorrow.  Ruth helped

deliver seven World Series titles for the Yankees. He was a 12 time

homerun leader and six-time American League RBI leader. He was

also the American League batting champion in 1924 and American

League MVP in 1923. As a pitcher, he led the American League in

ERA in 1916.

Bench

Bill Dickey, Don Mattingly, Graig Nettles, Phil Rizzuto, Dave Winfield,

Bernie Williams

On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Dickey was an 11-time All-Star

and helped the Yankees to seven World Series titles. He compiled a

.313 career batting average with 1,209 RBIs. Mattingly, nicknamed

“Donnie Baseball,” remains a very beloved Yankee. His 684 RBIs

between 1984-1989 is the highest among Major Leaguers. Mattingly

was the nine-time Gold Glove Award winner, six-time All-Star, three-

time Silver Slugger Award winner, and American League MVP in

1985. Rizzuto took part in 1,217 career double plays, at the time of

his retirement that was second only to Luke Appling. Rizzuto was a

crucial part of a dynasty that won nine American League pennants

and seven World Series in his 13-year career. Rizzuto was a five-

time All-Star and American League MVP in 1950. Nettles still holds

the American League record for home runs by a third baseman with

319. Five of Nettles’ six career All-Star appearances came in a

Yankees uniform. He helped the franchise deliver back-to-back

World Series titles in 1977-1978. He was also a two-time Gold Glove

Award winner, American League home run leader in 1976 and ALCS

MVP in 1981. 

Williams was an integral part of the Yankees 1990s dynasty, during

which time they won four World Series in five years. Williams was a

five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner. He was the

American League batting champion in 1998 and ALCS MVP in 1996.

Winfield played for a total of six Major League teams but his 10 years

with the Yankees were very defining. Winfield was an eight-time All-

Star in a Yankees uniform. In that span, he also won five Silver

Slugger Awards and five Gold Gloves. 

Manager

Casey Stengel

Stengel’s 54 year association with Major League Baseball ranged

from the Dead Ball era to Mickey Mantle's spectacular power display.

Stengel was a colorful personality with many quotable sayings

dubbed Stengelese. He specialized in the practice of platooning

players with a mix-and-match style that is common in today's game.

On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Stengel led the Yankees to

seven World Series titles, tied for the most by a Yankees manager.

Stengel also led the Yankees to 10 American League pennants in

his 12 seasons. Stengel led the Yankees to 1,149 victories. 

Team

1927

While a case can be made for a handful of other Yankee teams, this

one gets the nod because they are widely considered the best team

in Major League baseball history and in professional sports led by

the menacing line up known as “Murderer's Row.” The season was

highlighted by Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs. Ruth

also batted .356 and drove in 164 runs. The Yankees won 110

games and finished 19 games ahead of the closest pursuers, the

Philadelphia Athletics. The Yankees then swept the Pittsburgh

Pirates in the World Series. In addition to Ruth being the Home Run

champion, Gehrig was the American League MVP. Earl Combs led

the American League in triples with 23 and Gehrig led the American

League with 175 RBIs. 

Baltimore Orioles Dream Team

 

Every sport evolves with each passing generation -- from the

size and athleticism of players to game strategy. 

Baseball’s evolution, however, is both historic and unique given

the pre-integration and dead ball eras. For the former, full

segregation took place from 1887-1947. Full integration, which

was a gradual process, came in 1959. The Deadball Era was a

period in the early 20th century when baseball was characterized

by low scoring and emphasis on pitching. 

There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though

it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until

the late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run records

leading to exorbitant salaries. 

The Baltimore Orioles were initially known as the St. Louis Browns

before relocating to Baltimore in 1954. Since that time, the franchise

has three World Series titles (1966, 1970, 1983) and seven

American League pennants. The Orioles have won nine division

titles and have three more postseason appearances as a wild card

team. 

Today, I formed an Orioles Dream Team in a 26-man roster format.

For openers, to make this roster, four years as an Oriole are required.

No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not going to cheapen

this roster with 1-3 year rentals. 

I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven relievers.

For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the bullpen. For

position players, I am taking what I believe is the best of the best

regardless of era. For the bench players, it’s the best of the rest with

versatility being heavily considered. Merit achievements such as

Hall of Fame, All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves are considered

but not guaranteed. General impactfulness on the franchise is also

considered.

Generational reminders

If you played on a playoff team, there is no guarantee of landing on

this roster. If you played during a bad season, that does not deter

you from being on this roster. Off-the-field baggage is not a deterrent

to landing on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation. This is

baseball, not the Boys Scouts. We don’t do morality clauses. 

Starting pitchers

Jim Palmer, Mike Mussina, Mike Boddicker, Dave McNalley, Mike

Flanagan

Palmer is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and still holds franchise records

and almost every major pitching category. Palmer spent all 20 of his

Major League seasons with the Orioles. He was a six-time All-Star,

four-time Gold Glove Award winner, three-time Cy Young winner and

three-time American League wins leader. He led the American

League in ERA twice and also helped deliver three World

Series championships. Mussina's 18-year career was spent almost

evenly between the Orioles and the Yankees but his best seasons

statistically came as an Oriole. Mussina was inducted into the Hall of

Fame and though he never won a Cy Young Award he was in the

Top 5 in the voting on six occasions. Mussina was a seven-time

Gold Glove Award winner and five-time All-Star. Boddicker was not

long on accolades but no Oriole pitcher has led the American League

in ERA since Boddicker in 1984. Boddicker was the ALCS MVP in

helping deliver a World Series championship. 

McNalley remains the Orioles all-time leader in wins, starts, shutouts

and strikeouts among left-handed pitchers. He was a three-time All-

Star and led the American League in wins in 1970. McNalley helped

the franchise deliver their 1966 and 1970 World Series titles. Flanagan

still ranks in the Top 5 in franchise history in wins, starts, innings,

complete games and strikeouts. Flanagan led the Major Leagues in

wins in 1979 and won the Cy Young award that year. He was an All-

Star in 1978 and helped deliver the 1983 World Series title. 

Bullpen

Closer -- Gregg Olson

Zack Britton, Tippy Martinez, Darren O’Day, Stu Miller, Hoyt Wilhelm,

Dick Hall

Olson turned into a journeyman pitcher after a spectacular start to

his six-year career in Baltimore. Olson, however, remains the

franchise leader with 160 saves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1989

and an All-Star in 1990. Britton pitched eight seasons with the

Orioles and converted an American League record 60 consecutive

saves between 2015-2017. Britton was an All-Star twice and led the

American League in saves in 2016. Martinez is best known for

picking off three runners in one inning but in his 11-year career with

the Orioles he appeared in 499 games which is second in franchise

history among pitchers, starters or relievers. O'Day is third in franchise

history in both appearances. He was an All-Star in 2015.

Miller was small in stature but had an overpowering fastball. Miller

played a significant role in the Orioles winning their 1966 World Series.

On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Wilhelm played five seasons

with the Orioles and was a three-time All-Star. He led the American

League in ERA in 1959. Hall may have lacked All Star accolades but

he played a significant role in the Orioles winning the World Series in

1966 and 1970 along with American League pennants in 1969 and

1971. 

Infield

Catcher -- Rick Dempsey; First base -- Eddie Murray; Second base

-- Bobby Grich; Third base -- Brooks Robinson; Shortstop -- Cal

Ripken

Dempsey played in the Major Leagues for 25 years. Though offense

was not his strong suit he was a solid defensive player and handled

the pitching staff in adept fashion. He was the Orioles starting catcher

for 11 seasons and was a key point to them winning their 1983 World

Series and was the World Series MVP.  Murray's nickname was

“Steady Eddie.” On the way to a Hall of Fame career, he was one of

the best switch hitters in the history of baseball. He is a member of

the 3,000 hit and 500 homerun club. Murray was an eight-time All-

Star, three-time Gold Glove, three-time Silver Slugger Award winner

and World Series champion in 1983 along with American League

Rookie of the Year in 1977. Grich and Mark Belanger formed an

outstanding double-play tandem. Grich was an Oriole for seven

seasons and was an All-Star in three of them and a Silver Slugger

Award in four of them. 

You would be hard-pressed to find a better left side of the infield

then Robinson and Ripken. Robinson spent all 23 years of his Hall

of Fame career with the Orioles and is the best third baseman of

all time. Robinson was an 18-time All Star and 16-time Gold Glove

Award winner. He helped the Orioles win two World Series titles and

was the World Series MVP in 1970 and American League MVP in

1964. Ripken is best known for his consecutive game streak that

broke Lou Gehrig's record, which was deemed unbreakable.

However, there is much more to Ripken because he is arguably

the best shortstop over the last century. Ripkin is a member of the

3,000 hit club. He was a 19-time All Star, eight-time Silver Slugger

Award winner, two-time Gold Glove Award winner, two-time

American League MVP and American League Rookie of the Year

in 1982. He also was a vital cog in the Orioles 1983 World Series

team. 

Outfield

Leftfield -- Brady Anderson; Centerfield -- Adam Jones; Rightfield

-- Frank Robinson

Anderson is the subject of fan cynicism in that hit 50 home runs in

1996 during the course of a 15-year career in which he hit 210.

Anderson, however, established enough of a body of work in his 14

years as an Oriole to earn a spot in this starting lineup. He was also

a three-time All-Star who stole 307 bases as an Oriole. Jones is not

only one of the best Oriole players of all time but one of the best

Baltimore athletes regardless of sport. He leads the franchise in hits,

runs, home runs and RBIs by a significant margin. Jones was a five-

time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner. Robinson was

an Oriole for six years and helped the franchise to two World Series

titles but made this team on his 1966 season alone when he was a

triple crown winner, MVP and World Series MVP.

Bench

Chris Hoiles, Boog Powell, Manny Machado, Mark Belanger, Dan

Buford, Ken Singleton

Hoiles is the franchise leader in home runs among catchers with

151. Hoiles spent all 10 of his seasons with the Orioles and also

compiled 451 career RBIs. Powell is one of the most synonymous

players associated with the Orioles in playing 14 years with the

franchise. He was a centerpiece for an Orioles dynasty that won

four American League pennants and two World Series titles

between 1966 and 1971. He was a two-time All-Star and American

League MVP in 1970.

You would be hard-pressed to find a better home run talent in

recent memory than Machado. He played seven seasons with the

Orioles and is now a San Diego Padre. Three of his four All-Star

appearances came with the Orioles as did both of his Gold Glove

Awards. Belanger was not long on offense as a .228 career hitter

but he was an outstanding middle infield partner to the

aforementioned Grich. Belannger was an eight-time Gold Glove

Award winner and helped the Orioles to their 1970 World Series

team and was an All-Star in 1976. Buford was a very important

piece for the Orioles during their golden age. In his six seasons as

an Oriole, he had double-digit home run and stolen base seasons

on four occasions. He was an All-Star in 1971 and helped the 1970

Orioles win the World Series. Singleton's .388 on-base percentage

is second-best in Orioles history. He was a three-time All-Star and

vital member of the 1983 World Series championship. 

Manager

Earl Weaver

You would have to look long and hard to find a more colorful character

in the history of Major League Baseball managers than Weaver. He

was not one to make many friends with umpires, this choice is not

even debatable. Weaver's philosophy could be summed up by pitching

defense and the three-run homer. He had no use for small-ball and

was one of those the first managers to utilize analytical data, which

is popularized today. On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Weaver

won a franchise-record 1480 games, five 100 win seasons, four

World Series appearances and one World Series title.

Team

1970

Though one argument could be made for the 1969 team that lost

the World Series to the New York Mets, the 1970 team gets the nod

because they reached the mountaintop. The Orioles avenged the

previous year's World Series upset by running roughshod through

the American League on the way to winning 108 games with largely

the same cast of characters. The Orioles won the American League

East by 15 games over their closest pursuer, the New York Yankees.

The Orioles finished the season with an 11-game winning streak

going into the playoffs. They swept the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS

and defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games to win their second

World Series title in five years. Brooks Robinson was the World

Series MVP. Boog Powell was the American League MVP.