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The MLB season is right around the corner (48 hours from now if you are counting). Baseball is my second favorite sport behind college football and I thought why not create the ultimate lineup and rotation with just Trojans. Hint: You may know some of the players.
Lineup:
C Eric Munson (Career .214 hitter, best seasons were 2003-2004 when he had a combined 37 home runs)
1B Mark McGwire (583 career home runs and current Dodgers hitting coach)
2B Bret Boone (Three-time All-Star, Four-time Gold Glove winner and a career .266 hitter)
SS Roy Smalley (Won two National Championships at USC and a World Series in 1987 with the Twins)
3B Jeff Cirillo (Career .296 hitter and a two-time All-Star)
LF Ralph Kiner ( Hall of Famer, hit over 50 home runs twice in a season, Six-time All-Star)
CF Fred Lynn (Led the league in hitting in 1979, Nine-time All-Star, is in the College Baseball and Red Sox Hall of Fame)
RF Dave Kingman (Your ultimate swing and miss player, 442 career home runs and 1,816 strikeouts)
Rotation:
LHP Randy Johnson ( "The Big Unit", 2015 member of the Hall of Fame, 10-time All-Star, Five-time Cy Young Winner)
RHP Tom Seaver ( "Tom Terrific", 1992 member of the Hall of Fame, 12-time All-Star, Three-time Cy Young Winner)
RHP Don Sutton ( 1998 member of the Hall of Fame, Four-time All-Star, #20 jersey retired by the Dodgers)
LHP Barry Zito ( Three-time All-Star, Two-time World Series Winner, 2002 Cy Young Winner, 165 career wins)
RHP Mark Prior (2003 All-Star, 18-6 in 2003 and 11-7 in 2005, career cut short because of injuries)
Bullpen:
LHP J.P. Howell (Currently on the Dodgers, Great 2013 and 2014 season)
RHP Ryan Cook (2012 All-Star, Currently on the Athletics)
Notes:
- I didn't choose a closer because Howell and Cook would be more than capable of switching off duties.
- I chose Cirillo over Aaron Boone because he was had a higher average and I need contact hitters with all the power on the team.
- I cheated. Dave Kingman played LF. But for my team he would play RF.
- Team doesn't have a lot of speed. Bret Boone has the most career steals on my team with 94.
- But I have power, five guys with at least 250 home runs.
- Mark Prior is a personal choice because he wore my favorite number.