OT - MLB Franchise Four - 2015 All Star Game
 

Wanted to make sure everyone is aware of the MLB's "Franchise Four" campaign, which allows fans to vote on the four players that best represent a franchise. The top four vote winners for each team will be revealed during the pre-game ceremonies as the "Franchise Four" for each team. There are also categories where you can vote for the top 4 living players, the top 4 negro leaguers, and the top four baseball pioneers.

Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but I can see a lot of tragic pre-war and 50's-70's snubs taking place. That's why we need to vote! Here's a link: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_st...chise_four.jsp

I also thought it would be fun to see who everyone voted for as their favorite team's Franchise Four.

I'm a huge Braves fan; my franchise four are as follows:

Hank Aaron
Chipper Jones
Warren Spahn
Greg Maddux

I didn't have a hard time leaving Eddie Mathews off, Chipper had More RBI, higher OPS, BA over 30 points higher, With basically identical fielding percentages. A little tougher to keep Glavine and Smoltz off, but Spahn and Maddux were just more dominant. Hard to ignore their ridiculously high win totals and amazingly low career WHIPs. Hank was a no brainer, obviously.

I'm an Orioles fan. I found mine to be pretty easy to complete. Finished my 4 with: Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken Jr.

Eddie Murray was a tough one to leave off, but I think these 4 best represent the team and I doubt anyone would disagree.

As a Yankees fan, it was pretty cut & dry
Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio & Mantle

Sorry Yogi, Whitey, Derek & Mariano

Twinks would be: Puckett, Killer, Carew, Oliva. Kaat is the best pitcher, but still not better than the other 3. No thanks on Mauer power

I would replace Frank Robinson with Eddie Murray any day. Frank Robinson only played six seasons in B'more.

I don't like Yogi's name on there. Donnie Baseball should have replaced him.

Apparently Buster Olney was arguing for Mariano over Mantle....crazy talk IMO

I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I want to say that I question there eight nominees.

I voted for Ted Williams, David Ortiz and Yaz. The other five were Cy Young, Pedro Martinez, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, and Dwight Evans.

But not Wade Boggs? Or Roger Clemens? I guess it's because they both signed with the Yankees. I think that's really petty of them. For my 4th pick I wrote in Clemens.

Hey, where's the 'Stache? I want to get Bill's Brewers picks.

Hornsby, Musial, Gibson, Pujols.

Griffey, Edgar, Randy, Buhner for my Mariners.

Randy Jones, Dave Winfield, Tony Gwynn, and a write in of Terry Kennedy for the Padres.....

Pirates
 

I'll weigh in for the Pirates - pretty easy IMO ... Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Barry Bonds. People will call out the Bonds selection, but he won two MVPs here in his pre-steroids days and I'd give him the nod over Paul Waner and Pie Traynor, even though you could make cases for each.

Could also argue that Andrew McCutchen should have made it into the eight selections over Bill Mazeroski. Maz is beloved here because of his home run in the 1960 WS, but Cutch has already won an MVP with three top three finishes. He's a solid defender and a far better hitter. Even if you take only his current career (in his 7th year), I think he deserved to be there over Maz.

Tough call, obviously, but McCutchen has been one of the most valuable players in baseball the past three years and Maz was never that - even for a single year.

I'd disagree, Robinson spent 1/2 his time on Cincinnati. I'd put Murray on before Frank given his time spent on the Orioles. Nothing against Frank as he was a better overall player.

All the teams
 

I voted for all the franchises.
There are a LOT of difficult choices, and many great players have to be left off.
That would probably happen if the number of choices increased to 5-6 or more, but you have to stop somewhere:D

I really enjoyed the selection process. Some of these teams have an amazing legacy of players.

'Stache (Bill) I hope to hear your comments on Gorman Thomas :D

Mays, McCovey, Marichal and Bonds.

Sorry, to Matty and Master Melvin.

Old teams are tough. Newer teams like the Rangers are kind of a joke (Sorry, Rangers fans...I know there are a few on here.)

I think your Pirate list is right but I cannot vote for Bonds as I cant stomach him. Wagner, Clemente, Stargell, Waner.
I agree with including McCutchen.

I took a slightly different approach to "the four players that best represent a franchise," - didn't totally focus on stats.

So, with the Braves I go with Hank Aaron, Dale Murphy, Warren Spahn, and Phil Niekro. No one has ever represented the Braves better than Murphy and Niekro.

Here's a challenge... go pick four KC Royals. :)

I voted for all of the teams. The Cardinals were reeeeeaalllllly tough. How do you leave off Dizzy Dean, Ozzie Smith and Lou Brock? I just had to.

For my hometown Mariners I went Griffey Big Unit Edgar and Buhner. It was pretty tough between Buhner Felix and Ichiro.

Fisk, Ortiz, yaz and williams

Matt Williams and Bob Melvin?

Can I vote for George Brett and write him in as well?

Jays
 

For my Jays:

Tony Fernandez, Dave Stieb, Carlos Degado and Robbie Alomar.

Griffey, Big Unit, Edgar, Felix. Buhner had a few good/great years but not HOF caliber like these four ( I'd put him behind ichiro as well)

Can't believe anyone would leave the big train off Senators/twins!

Yeah, I think he belongs but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make the cut because I think a lot of people feel that way. If it were strictly a local thing, I can't see him getting in but in a nationwide vote, he might.

George Brett, Kevin Appier, Amos Otis, and Willie Wilson?

Edited to add: It appears Appier didn't make the list which is unbelievable considering he is tops in pitching WAR in franchise history. So, I will go with Frank White.

I hope they don't make all of these guys come out together. I'd feel bad for any of the Tampa Bay Ray representatives:

Ladies and gentleman:

"Willie Mays....Hank Aaron....Ben Zobrist?"

Newer teams are kind of weak for sure. I voted for the Rangers and had a tough time choosing the 4th player.

I ended up with Nolan Ryan, Pudge, Michael Young, and wrote in Rusty Greer.

I couldn't bring myself to vote for Juan Gonzalez or Palmiero (roids). And when I think of Beltre, I don't instantly think "Rangers", so that was a mental roadblock for me. Greer on the other hand was a Rangers lifer, a fan favorite, and had a very impressive though short career.

Being a long-time Rangers fan, I was very surprised that Jim Sundberg and Buddy Bell were not on the list. I wrote in Jim Sundberg, and choose Nolan Ryan and Pudge. Toby Harrah had some great years with the Rangers in two separate stints. He was one of the few Washington Senators that came to Arlington when the team moved. Mike Hargrove had several good years for the Rangers in the mid-1970s, and the Rangers have had some great pitchers along the way, including Ferguson Jenkins, Gaylord Perry, Frank Tanana, Jon Matlack, Jim Bibby, etc.

As dominant as Maddux was, he was only with the Braves for 10 years - less than half his career, while Glavine and Smoltz were there for almost their entire careers...perhaps that should sway such a selection.
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I did a write in for Appier as I did all of the teams as well.

Sad that you left off the best player in franchise history. He may not have played in Minn., but anyone who doesn't vote for Walter Johnson should have his vote nullified. It's like voting for Yankees and not picking Babe Ruth.

I voted for all the teams, so I could vote for the old all time greats that new fans never heard of such as Mathewson and Ott for the Giants. I don't understand how Alexander didn't even make the Phillies top 8.

I voted for players from each team also. I too noticed that Clemens was missing and A-Rod is also absent. Not sure how those players can be overlooked. Ryan is listed on 3 teams?

It wasn't that difficult. Are you a Cardinals fan that is still upset over the '85 Series?

Pirates fan, hate the Cardinals. Sorry, didn't mean to upset any of the Royals faithful, for sure wasn't my intent.

...And for the Amazins' - Tom Terrific, Piazza, Doc, and Mex.

I picked those 1st three, but I wrote in Carlos Beltran. I'm a big Beltran fan, and he did have one great year in New York.

That's just stupid.

Detroit Tigers:

Ty Cobb
Hank Greenberg
Al Kaline
Miguel Cabrera

Pains me to leave off Gehringer and Tram but they just don't make the cut over these four.

I was going for players who actually put on Twins jerseys, not guys who were on teams that turned into the Twins franchise. It's be like saying Pedro Martinez is one of the greatest Nationals of all time. Wajo is a top 3 pitcher of all time, but never a Twin