Only One Team

In the absence of actual baseball, MLB.com is currently simulating the "MLB Dream Bracket."  It's actually a pretty cool idea.  All-time teams from all 30 clubs, plus a team of Negro Leaguers and one made up of the best current players under the age of 25 in a 32-team "tournament" (why they couldn't just give the Yankees and Cardinals, the No. 1 seeds a first-round bye I don't know, but I like that they included the Negro Leagues, which is likely the reason).

It really is the ultimate baseball dream.  Yankee fans can only imagine what it would've been like had Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle and Jeter all been in the same lineup.  What do you think of an Orioles infield with Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr. patrolling the left side?  How about a Giants lineup with both Barry Bonds AND Willie Mays (and Mel Ott rounding out the outfield)?  And who starts Game 1 for the Braves: Warren Spahn or Greg Maddux?

Although, I do have a small problem with the rosters that MLB.com assembled for this tournament.  There are too many players on multiple teams!  The Yankees "played" the Mariners in the first round, and A-Rod was in both lineups!  He's also playing shortstop for the Rangers!  Nolan Ryan is also on three different teams (Angels, Astros, Rangers) and there's a bunch of guys on two.

I understand that a good number of Hall of Famers played for more than one team, and each team they played for has a reasonable claim on him being "theirs."  But as the A-Rod vs. A-Rod matchup showed, it doesn't make sense to have them on multiple rosters in this tournament (should the Yankees and A's meet in the "ALCS," Reggie Jackson will be DHing for both teams).  So, just like how they make you pick a hat in Cooperstown (did you hear that Mike Mussina?), I'm making them pick a hat here.

When MLB.com constructed the rosters, they took a number of things into consideration.  I'm going to make similar considerations when assigning these players to only one team.  For example, Gary Carter is starting for the Nationals, but backing up Mike Piazza for the Mets.  Because of that, as well as the fact that he's wearing an Expos hat on his plaque, I'm keeping Carter on Washington and replacing him as the Mets' second catcher with Jerry Grote (even though Piazza and Carter are obviously the top two catchers in Mets history). 

Likewise, they have Piazza backing up Roy Campanella on the Dodgers.  So, that's also easy.  Piazza is the Mets' starter and wearing a Mets hat in Cooperstown.  He obviously stays in New York and Steve Yeager takes his place on the Dodgers' roster (I wouldn't argue if you wanted to say Russell Martin instead).

Same deal with pitchers, who, admittedly are tougher.  Should Greg Maddux be with the Cubs or the Braves?  Which team gets Nolan Ryan?  And how about Randy Johnson, who's the best pitcher in franchise history for both the Mariners and Diamondbacks?  That one I'm actually going against the grain.  Because even though he won four Cy Youngs in Arizona, I'm keeping him in Seattle.  The Diamondbacks have a deep enough rotation without him.  The Mariners don't.

As for the other multi-team guys, here's where I have some of the key ones playing, as well as the reason why:

• Greg Maddux--Braves: The Cubs have plenty of Hall of Fame pitchers.  They don't need Maddux.  And how can you possibly split up Atlanta's Big Three?  You can't!
• Nolan Ryan--Angels: This was probably the toughest call of them all.  But I'm going Angels over Rangers because he spent more time in California than Texas, and he was on the Angels in his prime.
• Frank Robinson--Orioles: He's the only man to win an MVP in both leagues, but he's not a Cincinnati legend.  He is a Baltimore legend.  Plus, this frees up a spot in the Reds' lineup for Tony Perez and Joey Votto to both start, one at first, the other at DH.
• Alex Rodriguez--Mariners: Elvis Andrus can play shortstop for Texas, so it's between the Mariners and Yankees.  He spent more time with the Yankees, but when considering alternatives, the Yankees can put Graig Nettles at third while the Mariners don't really have any other options at short.
• Pedro Martinez--Red Sox: There have been some quality starting pitchers in Expos/Nationals franchise history.  So many, in fact, that Montreal Pedro would be in a Spring Training competition to be the No. 5 starter.  Boston Pedro, however, would be right up there with Roger Clemens and Cy Young himself at the top of the rotation.
• Reggie Jackson--Yankees: Another tough one.  Reggie spent a significant portion of his career in Oakland and had his number retired by the A's.  But his greatest moments came as a Yankee.  That's when he became "Reggie."  Plus, they have Reggie starting in right field over Jose Canseco on the A's, and that's just nuts.
• Jimmie Foxx--Athletics: Jimmie Foxx spent roughly the same amount of time with the A's as he did with the Red Sox.  But he can't start at first for both!  (Fun fact: Foxx usually ended up playing third in the All-Star Game because he was contemporaries with Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg.)  And because the Red Sox have 85 Hall of Fame left fielders, both Carl Yastrezmski and Jim Rice are on the bench (behind Ted Williams, so you can't really argue there).  But Yaz also played a good amount of first, so he can start there instead with Foxx on Oakland.
• Mark McGwire--Cardinals: Following one of my rules from earlier, McGwire is DHing in St. Louis and on the bench in Oakland.  Since I'm keeping Jimmie Foxx with the A's, that doesn't change his status there.  Thus, McGwire stays with the Cardinals.
• Max Scherzer--Nationals: Remember when Max pitched for Detroit?  I don't either!  There are about five Tigers starters I could rattle off before I get to Max.  For the Expos/Nationals?  Steve Rogers.  That's about it.  Plus, he'll be wearing a Nationals hat once he goes into the Hall of Fame.
• Miguel Cabrera--Tigers: Detroit's dream lineup was constructed in an interesting way.  They have Hank Greenberg in the outfield.  Part of the reason for that is because they've got Miggy at first.  They also have him DHing for the Marlins (you forgot he even played there, didn't you) while Jeff Conine is on the bench, and that just isn't right.  Conine is Mr. Marlin.  Plus, when you consider Miggy will be a Tiger in Cooperstown, he stays put.

That's just a sampling of the players on multiple all-time teams.  I didn't even want to go near Rod Carew, who poses an interesting challenge since he's at second base for the Twins and first for the Angels.  But those decisions should've been made.  Because you can't have the same guy going against himself on two different teams in the same game!  Even if it is pretend!