Got a little Captain in you?

Your mom did.

Apologies in advance if we've had this discussion before: If you go by place of birth, which state could put together the best ballclub? I'm thinking Ohio has gotta be up there:

C: Roger Bresnahan/Buck Ewing (take your pick)
1B: David Justice
2B: Pete Rose Senior
3B: Mike Schmidt
SS: Barry Larkin
LF: Frank Howard
CF: Elmer Flick
RF: Ed Delahanty
SP: Roger Clemens, Cy Young, Phil Niekro, Rube Marquard, Urban Shocker (or take your pick, there's a bunch of back-end candidates for the rotation)
RP: Rollie Fingers

I assume Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania are also really good. Who else?

Not so good: A Ship On Atlantic Ocean and Afghanistan.

You know what irked me slightly during this Division Series coverage? When TBS would say that the Angels hadn't beaten the Red Sox in the postseason in eons. Last year is relevant and their is some continuity on the teams from '04. But I doubt that they had Dave Henderson in their heads.

When TBS would say that the Angels hadn't beaten the Red Sox in the postseason in eons

It's odd, because the Angels have never beaten the Red Sox in a playoff series. Now obviously that's only really relevant to the Francona/Scioscia teams of 2004-2008 (when the Angels are a pretty lousy 1-9) but it's not like there was a time when the Angels owned Boston and that trend has since changed.

I think somewhere in the Annual Bill James says that California and Oklahoma would have the best teams, but I'm not 100% about that.

California
C: Gary Carter
1B: Mark McGwire/Eddie Murray
2B: Jeff Kent
3B: Darrell Evans/Graig Nettles
SS: Nomar Garciaparra
LF: Ted Williams
CF: Joe DiMaggio
RF: Barry Bonds
SP: Don Drysdale, Randy Johnson, Bob Lemon, Tom Seaver, David Wells
RP: Dennis Eckersley, Troy Percival, Dan Quisenberry, Dave Righetti, John Wetteland, Robb Nen, Trevor Hoffman

Quick question for you guys... but which minor league player put up the best minor league numbers and still completely flopped in the majors? And I'm not looking for injuries or someone who was 26 in the minors. I mean legit monster minor league numbers and then failure in the majors.

So basically is there a performance level in the minors that barring injury, guarantees (for lack of a better word) good performance in the majors?

Tim Pyznarski
Tim at the Cube
Minor League POY at age 26, and no ML career. Really unusual.

Texas would be good. Alabama has bats but is short on pitching. That California bullpen is going to make for a lot of six inning games.

Isn't Las Vegas a great hitting environment? Could that have created an illusion that he was a hitter?

Andy Marte must be getting himself into the conversation. His numbers are a little supressed because Atlanta has pitchers' parks up and down their system, plus he was always super young for his league, but look at his resume ... the most reasonable explanation is that he's five years older than he claims.

And the intro reminds me (though I'm sure others have ####### about this in Game Chatters) ... devil, fine. Rabbit, no problem. Eve ... pushing it a hair, but OK. A socket? That all-time classic Halloween costume? And you have a plug costume in your van, for just such an occasion?

Brad Komminsk is the name that leaps right to mind for me as a player (maybe the only player I would 100% say this about) who was terrific in the minors, got a full shot in the majors, and just didn't work out.

Glenn Braggs' minor league numbers are very impressive, but there you did have crazy hitters' parks working in his favor, which I don't think was the case with Komminsk.

Andy Marte never quite tore leagues apart, but I think you would have a tough time finding a player with more promising numbers given age/environment who flopped (or has so far, anyway.)

Needless to say, players are human beings and there could never be a level where you're a guaranteed major league success (or failure). But it remains extremely rare for a player whose properly interpreted minor league numbers suggest a very good major leaguer, to be worth nothing at all in the majors.

It occurs to me that there is only one remaining major-league franchise that has never, in any incarnation in any city in any era, won a post-season series.

It occurs to me that there is only one remaining major-league franchise that has never, in any incarnation in any city in any era, won a post-season series.

Rangers/Senators?

It occurs to me that there is only one remaining major-league franchise that has never, in any incarnation in any city in any era, won a post-season series.

Sorry about that Bob.

Adam Piatt I recall from the recent past. I think he was MiL POY and he was a monster in some GM simulation game I friend of mine played everyday in class on his laptop. Looking at the numbers, his big season was at 23 in the Texas League. Probably not what you wanted.

The Expos thank their lucky stars for the 1981 split season. Strikes giveth, and strikes taketh away.

Wasnt Piatt diagnosed with some sort of degenerative disease or something?

Building on comment 14, If Tampa beats the Red Sox, then the Rangers will be the only franchise that has never

1) advanced to the World Series, OR
2) had the best record in the major leagues in a year*.

Expos/Nationals: 1994
Mariners: 2001

The closest they came to either was 1999, with 95 wins, 2 behind Cleveland and 3 behind NY. They've never forced a game 5 in a division series.

Mike Restovich comes to mind, as a Twins fan. He had a breakthrough year in Edmonton at 23 and had a lot of people talking about him, but he never really did anything. He's a step behind Marte, though, I'd say.

Building on comment 14, If Tampa beats the Red Sox, then the Rangers will be the only franchise that has never...The closest they came to either was 1999, with 95 wins, 2 behind Cleveland and 3 behind NY. They've never forced a game 5 in a division series.

Also, Texas has a currently active 9 game postseason losing streak. That might not be the longest ever, but it must be up there.

Heh, so do the Cubs.

Also, Texas has a currently active 9 game postseason losing streak. That might not be the longest ever, but it must be up there.

Longest (I think) - Boston 13 games between 1986-1999.

Rangers/Senators II I believe are also the only club to have played a majority of their playoff games in one specific ballpark and not have said ballpark be their home.

After this year's events, this statement is guaranteed to no longer be true once they make the playoffs again.

Rangers/Senators II I believe are also the only club to have played a majority of their playoff games in one specific ballpark and not have said ballpark be their home.

After this year's events, this statement is guaranteed to no longer be true once they make the playoffs again.

What are you saying here?

The Rangers won't be able to play any more games in Yankee Stadium II.

EDIT: GGC got it, and in about 50 fewer words than I needed.

(Just to be clear, the Rangers have played 6 of 10 franchise postseason games at YS II.)

Is Texas the only team to never win a playoff game at their home park?

kubiwan is saying that the Rangers played the Yankees all 3 of their playoff appearances (96, 98, 99) and more of the games were in Yankee Stadium that Ballpark at Arlington, and that no more games will be played at Yankee Stadium in the future.

Wasnt Piatt diagnosed with some sort of degenerative disease or something?

Viral meningitis.

He's also prominent in the Mitchell Report.

If we're talking about A's farmhands, let's not forget Ben Grieve.

Although not exactly what you're looking for, Brian Dopirak clubbed 39 homers in 541 Midwestern League at bats when he was 20 years old. He fell out of the Cubs' system and signed with Toronto where he earned a promotion to AA at the age of 24 this season past.

I'm willing to bet that no minor leaguer ever hit as many as 39 home runs at any level and failed to get a single at bat in the major leagues - excepting players who had catastrophic health issues.

I'm willing to bet that no minor leaguer ever hit as many as 39 home runs at any level and failed to get a single at bat in the major leagues.

careful there

I should have been more careful and limited to MLB minor league affiliates.

I thought about Grieve when I posted Piatt, but I didn't think he fit. He wasn't a monster in the minors except for his last year(<900 OPS career)(although he flew through the minors and was in Oakland by 21). Also, he didn't flame out in the majors, about an 800 OPS. Almost hit 30 HR's twice. Something sapped his power I remember that he was a poor defensive player in the corner outfield and 1b. Lack of power and bad defense at those positions is not a good combo.

What about Sean Burroughs? I always remember Gammo pimping him. 830 career MiL OPS less than 700 in ML. Never developed any power.

How come there are no Chatters posted for tonight's games?

What?

Nooooooooooooo!

Behold the amazing minor league stats of Joe Dillon.

From SABR-L

In the RLPA (OOTP league that originated from BTF), there's a player whose ratings just aren't good enough to succeed in the majors, but he dominates AAA. Career AAA numbers: .307/.380/.619, 463 HR, 1254 RBI. Poor (fictional) guy.