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Hall of Names Meet the Motown 25
Another Hall of Names submission from erstwhile Bauxite Anders Whist, who today wakes up the echoes of old Tiger Stadium with this All-Detroit squad.

No, Mike "Thriller" Jackson didn't make the team (he's from Houston) but these Detroit Dandies would give many other squads a decent run for their money. The lineup's not much to look at –- Ernie Witt is DHing, so that might give you some indication. But when John Smoltz isn't good enough to crack the rotation -- he's the closer -- then you're cooking. Pat Hengten wasn't about to beat out Smoltz as closer, but he is one of three ex-Jays on ...

The Motor City Kitties
** indicates Hall of Fame
* indicates All-Star

Manager: Joe Altobelli (437-407, 1983 WS title with BAL)

Lineup
C: Bill Freehan* (11 time All-Star, 5 GG, 200 HR)
1B: John Mayberry* (.253, 255 HR)
2B: Cass Michaels* (.262, .349 OBP, 1142 hits)
3B: Chris Sabo* (.268, 116 HR, 1988 NL ROY)
SS: Tom Tresh* (.245, 153 HR, 1962 AL ROY)
LF: Tom Paciorek* (.282 for 18 years)
RF: Bernie Carbo (.264, .387 OBP, 96 HR)
CF: Ron LeFlore*(.288, 455 SB)
DH: Ernie Whitt* (.249, 134 HR)

Bench
C: Jim Essian (.244 for 12 years)
INF: Johnny Mitchell (.245, 288 hits)
INF: Joe Koppe (.236, 1958-65)
OF: Lenny Green (.267, 78 SB)
OF: Maurice Van Robays (.267, 27 3B)
UT: Ken Hamlin (.241, 1967-66)

Rotation
LHSP: Hal Newhouser** (207-150, MVP in '44 and '45)
LHSP: Frank Tanana* (240-236, 2773 K)
RHSP: Milt Pappas* (209-164, 43 shutouts)
LHSP: Billy Pierce* (211-169, 119 ERA+)
RHSP: Bob Welch* (211-146, 1990 Cy Young)

Bullpen
CL: John Smoltz* (177-128, 154 saves)
RHRP: Ed Reulbach (182-106, 13 saves, 122 ERA+)
RHRP: Dick Radatz* (122 saves, 122 ERA+)
RHRP: Pat Hengten* (131-112, ‘96 Cy Young, 1 save)
LHRP: Ted Gray (59-74)

Posted by Mick Doherty on Saturday, January 14 2006 @ 01:20 PM EST.
Meet the Motown 25 | 7 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Hartley - Saturday, January 14 2006 @ 03:28 PM EST (#139705) #
Mick a good Detroit team that you have.
Your next city that you should do is Cincinnati.
[ Reply to This ]
Lugnut Fan - Sunday, January 15 2006 @ 06:23 AM EST (#139719) #
Derek Lowe didn't crack the rotation? Wow!
[ Reply to This ]
Anders - Sunday, January 15 2006 @ 11:06 AM EST (#139724) #
Derek Lowe is

a: Not better than John Smotlz, who didn't crack the rotation

b: Probably could have been the last man out of the bullpen

c: Not from Detroit, but Dearborn, Michigan, which as far as I can tell is a suburb, and I'm always iffy on counting those anyway.

But other than that, he would have had a good case
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Sunday, January 15 2006 @ 10:24 PM EST (#139768) #
Wow, what a solid and deep pitching staff. I had no idea. The lineup has got no real stars, but has definite shape. Leflore and probably Carbo at the top of the order, with Tresh, Mayberry, Freehan and Whitt in the middle.
[ Reply to This ]
Lugnut Fan - Monday, January 16 2006 @ 07:47 AM EST (#139773) #
John Smoltz is actually from Lansing. Dearborn is a suburb, but probably only a 10 or 15 minute drive from downtown. I agree with Lowe being no better than Smoltz.
[ Reply to This ]
Craig B - Tuesday, January 17 2006 @ 02:21 PM EST (#139860) #
Anders, what a superb team. Well-constructed.

As others have commented, that is a deadly pitching staff.
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Tuesday, January 17 2006 @ 02:45 PM EST (#139862) #
To balance out the bullpen, you could very well move Tanana or Pierce there and move Hentgen or Smoltz to the rotation. Dick Radatz could close.
[ Reply to This ]
Meet the Motown 25 | 7 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.