Best Player in each MLB Franchise History

[Wolfman]

I was reading an article in the local Charlotte newspaper about the best MLB player in each franchise's history.

Franchise ---- Best Player

Angels - Tim Salmon OF (franchise career leader in HRs (290)
Astros - Jeff Bagwell 1B
Athletics - Lefty Grove P
Blue Jays - Carlos Delgado 1B
Braves - Hank Aaron (All time MLB HR leader)
Brewers - Robin Yount SS/CF (.285 lifetime hitter with 3,142 hits)
Cardinals - Stan Musial OF/1B (7 batting crowns, 20 All-Star selections, .331 lifetime avg)
Cubs - Ernie Banks SS (2 time MVP)
Devil Rays - Carl Crawford OF (not much to chose from here)
Diamondbacks - Randy Johnson P (in 6 seasons team beat 2.65 ERA)
Dodgers - Sandy Koufax P
Expos/Nationals - Vladimir Guerrero OF
Giants - Willie Mays OF (660 HRs without performance enhancing drugs)
Indians - Bob Feller P (lead MLB in strikeouts from 1939 to 1948 minus 4 WWII years)
Mariners - Ken Griffy Jr. OF

will continue this list later

[DirtyKash]

Giants - Willie Mays OF (660 HRs with performance enhancing drugs)

Willie Mays was on the juice!?!?

[Wolfman]

Willie Mays was on the juice!?!?

My bad. The out of without didn't get typed

[Wolfman]

Continued

Franchise ---- Best Player

Marlins - Miguel Cabrera 3B (not much to chose from here)
Mets - Tom Seaver P (311 wins with 2.86 lifetime ERA)
Orioles - Cal Ripken Jr SS (The IRON MAN)
Padres - Tony Gwynn (8 batting titles)
Phillies - Mike Schmidt 3B (8 NL HR titles, 10 Gold Gloves)
Pirates - Honus Wagner SS (8 batting titles, 5 RBI crowns)
Red Sox - Ted Williams OF (last man to hit over .400)
Reds - Pete Rose OF (All Time Hit leader)
Rockies - Todd Helton 1B (career leader in HR, RBIs and batting average)
Royals - George Brett 3B (3 batting titles)
Senators/Rangers - Ivan Rodriguez C (one of best catchers in MLB)
Senators/Twins - Walter Johnson P (417 wins, lifetime 2.17 ERA)
Tigers - Ty Cobb OF (lifetime .366 avg, 12 batting titles)
White Sox - Frank Thomas 1B (more than twice HRs of any other ChiSox)
Yankees - Babe Ruth - (probably the best to have ever played)

[DirtyKash]

Marlins - Miguel Cabrera 3B (not much to chose from here)

Mike Lowell.

[Providence A's]

I was reading an article in the local Charlotte newspaper about the best MLB player in each franchise's history.

Franchise ---- Best Player
Athletics - Lefty Grove P

Grove was one of the best, but he spent 9 seasons with the A's and 8 with the Red Sox. He has a Sox hat on for his HoF plaque...For the A's he had 195 wins, 179 CG, 1523 k's (300 wins, 298 CG, 2266 k's, 3.06 ERA for his career).

Jimmie Foxx spent 11 of his 20 seasons with the A's, but also has a Red Sox hat on his HoF plaque, which really confuses and angers me as he spent the majority and his best years with the A's...only 6.5 years with the Sox. 2 of his 3 MVPs were with the A's, his triple crown was with the A's, 302 homers, and 1075 RBIs (534, 1922 career). Grove was almost half and half, though his best years were with the A's as well, but I'll let that Red Sox hat slide on him...Foxx though

Therefore, I would give it to Gettysburg Eddie who spent 14 of his 17 years with the A's...284 wins with the A's, 362 CG, 1985 k's (326 wins, 410 CGs, 2246 k's, 2.35 ERA career). Better numbers and more years with the A's...better career numbers, too.

All 3 of them won 2 World Series with the A's.

The most confusing part about Grove and Foxx having Sox hats on their plaque is that the HoF says the A's were their primary teams...I thought (until the changed it recently) that the players were supposed to have the hat of their primary team

[love_that_reefer]

Sorry but the best Athletic of all time is Rickey Henderson!

[Providence A's]

Sorry but the best Athletic of all time is Rickey Henderson!

he only spent 13 of his 25 seasons with the A's...spending the prime of his career with the Yankees before being traded back to the A's. Maybe the best Oakland Athletic, but I'd pick the 3 I named before him...

[Wolfman]

Great discussion . Keep it up.

With the exception of Pete Rose for the Cincinnati Reds, all of the above picks are those of the Charlotte Observer sports writer. I do agree with a large number of the selections though.

[Providence A's]

all of the above picks are those of the Charlotte Observer sports writer.

I know. Either way, there will always be debate about who is the greatest player of a team. The only 2 things IMHO that prevent Grove from being the best Athletic is that he spent half of his career with the Red Sox (it wouldn't matter what team, just the fact that he spent half of his career with another), while Plank had better overall numbers and did almost all of that with the A's...and actually, he was on the A's first 3 World Series teams, but didn't play in the 1910 World Series due to a sore arm, but played in the regular season and won 3 World Series with them.

[Wolfman]

I like your sig with Left Grove in it. Very cool

[Providence A's]

I like your sig with Left Grove in it. Very cool

thanks, MissionHockey21 made it for me...Foxx and Grove who were on arguably the greatest baseball team...1929 A's.

[Rufio181]

What about Rollie Fingers with the Athletics? I always hear both of them tied together.

[Rufio181]

As for the Astros, I think once Craig Biggio makes it past the 3000 hit mark, he'll become the best player of the franchise.

[Rufio181]

Nope, he's got a little more than 100 hits to go.