WHAT IF? Jays/Yanks in Battle for the Ages

Thursday, April 17 2003 @ 11:58 AM EDT

Contributed by: Mick Doherty

If you're not familiar with WhatIfSports, please read this cautionary tale called "I See Dead People" from the great ESPN.com Sports Guy, Bill Simmons.

Now, thanks to WhatIfSports, Da Box is proud to bring you the first-ever What If Jays Series, as the All-Time Jays team faces off with the All-Time Yankees team in a seven-game series. But first, we need some help in finalizing the rosters of the two teams.

Now, to be fair ...

... the so-called "All-Time" Yankees will only consist of players who have donned the pinstripes since the Blue Jays were born in 1977. So this is no Ruth-Gehrig-Mantle-DiMaggio-Berra ambush-slash-slaughter.

It's simple, really; we select the best possible roster from single-season performances of the two teams, load the rosters and play seven simulated games. I've assembled working rosters -- WhatIfSports limitations demand an eight-person starting lineup, four bench players, four starting pitchers and four relievers -- for critique and review.

A few other roster rules:
- It's not just three outfielders; starters must have appeared primarily in LF, CF and RF respectively.
- The bench will consist of a backup C, a backup infielder (who has played multiple positions), a backup outfielder and the starting designated hitter, from any position in team history.
- Players who appeared for both teams are eligible to make both rosters, so big fans of Rick Cerone, Jesse Barfield, John Mayberry, Tony Fernandez, Jimmy Key and others can make their arguments; and yes, it's possible we could have a Game 7 Clemens vs. Clemens tilt.
- Suggestions and complaints can be made here through next Monday; then Coach (for the Jays) and I (for the Yanks) will make final determinations. (Coach doesn't know this yet. Well, now he does. But it IS his home field.)
- We will also need a lineup; one with a DH and one without (I'm not positive WhatIfSports allows for use of the DH, but I think so) and to decide in what stadium the Jays home games should be played.

I'll load the final rosters and play out the series a game at a time, posting game reports here for commentary and "suggestions" on lineup changes, who should pitch, etc. etc.

There are some anomalies, to be sure; the Yank rotation I ended up with in this draft consists solely of lefties, for instance.

And now, your 1977-2002 All-Time Yankee roster:

C Thurman Munson (1977)
1B Don Mattingly (1985)
2B Alfonso Soriano (2002)
SS Derek Jeter (1999)
3B Graig Nettles (1977)
LF Dave Winfield (1983)
CF Bernie Williams (2000)
RF Reggie Jackson (1980)
Bench/DH Rickey Henderson (1985)
Bench/MI Roy Smalley (1983)
Bench/C Jorge Posada (2000)
Bench/OF Paul O'Neill (1997)

SP Ron Guidry (1978)
SP Tommy John (1979)
SP Andy Pettitte (1997)
SP Jimmy Key (1994)
RP Mariano Rivera (1999)
RP Dave Righetti (1986)
RP Rich Gossage (1981)
RP Ron Davis (1979)

And what you've really been waiting for .. your All-Time Blue Jay roster (until you all rip it apart with "recommendations" ...)

C Ernie Whitt (1987)
1B John Olerud (1993)
2B Roberto Alomar (1993)
SS Tony Fernandez (1987)
3B Kelly Gruber (1990)
LF George Bell (1987)
CF Lloyd Moseby (1983)
RF Shawn Green (1999)
Bench/DH Carlos Delgado (1999)
Bench/MI Alfredo Griffin (1979)
Bench/C Pat Borders (1993)
Bench/OF Jesse Barfield (1986)

SP Dave Stieb (1985)
SP Roger Clemens (1997)
SP Jimmy Key (1987)
SP Pat Hentgen (1996)
RP Tom Henke (1989)
RP Duane Ward (1993)
RP Billy Koch (2000)
RP Dennis Lamp (1985)

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