All Time MLB Team

Finally done. It took a while because of the UC Personal Statement. Now its time for the All Time MLB Team. I saved this one for last because it is the most difficult. I am including the steroid era! I repeat, I am including the steroid era! The subject of steroids is not going to play a factor in my selections for this team. All that matters is what the player did on the field, whether or not perfomance enhancing drugs were used. I am selecting 9 position players, 5 starting pitchers, 1 closing pitcher, and 1 DH. Feel free to comment.

	C Johnny Lee Bench 6'1" 208lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Johnny Bench played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bench, a 14-time All-Star selection and the National League's Most Valuable Player in the 1970 and 1972 seasons, was a key member of the "The Big Red Machine", the Reds teams of the 1970s which won six division titles and World Series championships in 1975 and 1976. Although baseball history is filled with many outstanding catchers, such as Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey, Gabby Hartnett and Mickey Cochrane, arguably, no player revolutionized the position like Johnny Bench. The catcher's equipment was traditionally called "the tools of ignorance" as many catchers lacked the fielding skills or quickness to play elsewhere. But Bench, who was big (6'1" and 210 pounds) and athletic, inspired many young ballplayers to become catchers and teams began seeking and developing more athletic ballplayers for the position. Although not the first to use it, Bench popularized the hinged catcher's mitt. Randy Hundley of the San Francisco Giants is credited as actually being the first player to use it in a game, but the success Bench had in his career after adopting it in after a stint on the disabled list in 1966 for a thumb injury on his throwing hand allowed Bench to tuck his throwing arm safely to the side when receiving the pitch. By the turn of the decade, the hinged mitt became standard catchers' equipment.Having huge hands, Bench also tended to block breaking balls in the dirt by scooping them with one hand instead of the more common and fundamentally proper way: dropping to both knees and blocking the ball using the chest protector to keep the ball in front. Bench was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1989 alongside Carl Yastrzemski. He was elected in his first year eligible and appeared on 96% of the ballots, the third-highest percentage to that time. Three years earlier, Bench had been inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1986 and his uniform #5 was retired by the team. In 1999, Bench ranked Number 16 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Player. He was the highest-ranking catcher. Bench was also elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team as the top vote-receiving catcher. Bench was a 14-time All Star. He won 10 Gold Gloves , 2 NL MVPs, and 2 Word Series Championships.
	1B Henry "Lou" Gehrig 6'0" 200lbs. Throws: Left Bats: Left Lou Gehrig played in the 1920s and 1930s, chiefly remembered for his prowess as a hitter, his consecutive games-played record and its subsequent longevity, and the pathos of his farewell from baseball at age 36, when he was stricken with a fatal disease. Popularly called "The Iron Horse" for his durability, Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams (23). Gehrig accumulated 1,995 RBI in seventeen seasons, with a career batting average of .340, on-base percentage of .447, and slugging percentage of .632. Three of the top six RBI seasons in baseball history belong to Gehrig. He was selected to each of the first seven All-Star games (though he did not play in the 1939 game, as he retired one week before it was held) and he won the American League's Most Valuable Player award in 1927 and 1936. He was also a Triple Crown winner in 1934, leading the American League in batting average, home runs, and RBIs. Gehrig was a 7-time All Star. He won 6 World Series Championships, and 2 AL MVPs.
	2B Jackie Roosevelt Robinson 5'11" 204lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Jackie Robinson had an exceptional baseball career. Over ten seasons, he played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers' 1955 World Championship. He was selected for six consecutive All-Star Games from 1949 to 1954, was the recipient of the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949 – the first black player so honored. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1997, Major League Baseball retired his uniform number, 42, across all major league teams. He is most famous for being the first African American MLB player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As the first black man to openly play in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated African-Americans to the Negro leagues for six decades. The example of his character and unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement. Robinson won one World Series Championship. He was a 6-time All Star, and a one time NL MVP.
	3B Mike Jake Schmidt 6'2" 203lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Mike Schmidt played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies(1972-1989). Schmidt is considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of major league baseball. Schmidt was voted National League MVP three times, an All-Star 12 times, and received more votes than any other third baseman in 1999's Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 1995, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Over his career Schmidt set a vast array of hitting and fielding records. In addition to his MVP Awards, Schmidt won ten Gold Gloves, led the league in home runs eight times, in RBI four times, OPS five times, and walks four times. He was named to twelve All-Star teams. Schmidt finished his career with 548 home runs and 1,595 RBI, two of the many Phillies career records he holds. Over his career Schmidt set a vast array of hitting and fielding records. In addition to his MVP Awards, Schmidt won ten Gold Gloves, led the league in home runs eight times, in RBI four times, OPS five times, and walks four times. He was named to twelve All-Star teams. Schmidt finished his career with 548 home runs and 1,595 RBI, two of the many Phillies career records he holds.
	Cal Edwin Ripken Jr. 6'4" 225lbs. Throw: Right Bats: Right Cal Ripken Jr. played his entire career (1981-2001) for the Baltimore Orioles. During his baseball career, he earned the nickname The Iron Man for doggedly remaining in the lineup despite numerous minor injuries and for his reliability to "show up" to work everyday. He is perhaps best known for breaking New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played, a record many deemed unbreakable. Ripken played in an additional 502 straight games over the next three years, and his streak ended at 2,632 games when he voluntarily removed his name from the lineup for the final Orioles home game of the 1998 season. His record 2,632 straight games spanned over seventeen seasons, from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998.A 19-time All-Star and member of the 3000 hit club, Ripken is considered one of the best shortstops and third basemen to ever play the game. At 6' 4" (1.93 m), 225 lbs. (102.27 kg), he pioneered the way for taller, larger shortstops to be successful in that position. When inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, he was a first ballot inductee with the third highest voting percentage (98.53%) in Hall of Fame history. Ripken demonstrated the ability to play excellent defense at shortstop, and as a result remained a fixture there for well over a decade, leading the league in assists several times, winning the Gold Glove twice, and, in 1990, setting the MLB record for best fielding percentage in a season at his position. Though not a flashy fielder, Ripken displayed excellent fundamentals, and studied batters and even his own pitching staff so he could position himself to compensate for his lack of physical speed, even calling pitches at times. Ripken's legacy as a fielder is reflected by his place near the top of almost every defensive statistical category—he holds at least one all-time record (for either season, career, or most seasons leading the league) in assists, putouts, fielding percentage, double plays, and fewest errors. Ripken's career range factor was 4.73 (and as high as 5.50 for a single season), a mark few shortstops have reached. Ripken's power, which led to records like the most home runs by shortstop and 13th for career doubles, had consequences. His propensity to drive the ball often led to his grounders getting to fielders quickly for tailor-made double-play balls. In 1999, Ripken passed Hank Aaron as the player who had grounded into the most double plays in his career. Ripken is second on the fielding side for double plays by a shortstop. Ripken was a 19-time All Star. He won 2 AL MVPs, 2 Gold Gloves, and one World Series.
	OF Barry Lamar Bonds 6'2" 236lbs. Throws: Left Bats: Left Barry Bonds debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007. Bonds' accomplishments during his baseball career place him among the greatest baseball players of all-time. He has a record-setting seven Most Valuable Player awards, including a record-setting four consecutive MVPs. He is a fourteen-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove-winner. He holds numerous Major League Baseball records, including the all-time Major League Baseball home run record with 762 and the single-season Major League record for home runs with 73 (set in 2001), and is also the all-time career leader in both walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688). Bonds is linked to steriods, and most of his records are considered to be false. However even before the steroid allgations, he was still racking up the awards and accolades.
	OF Willie Howard Mays 5'11" 180lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Willie Mays played the majority of his career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility. Many consider him to be the greatest all-around player of all time. Mays won two MVP awards and tied a record with twenty-four appearances in the All-Star Game. He ended his career with 660 career home runs, third at the time of his retirement, and currently fourth all-time. In 1999, Mays placed second on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, making him the highest-ranking living player. Later that year, he was also elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Mays is the only Major League player to have hit a home run in every inning from the 1st through the 16th. He finished his career with a record 22 extra-inning home runs. Mays is one of four NL players to have eight consecutive 100-RBI seasons, along with Mel Ott, Sammy Sosa and Albert Pujols. Mays hit 50 or more home runs in both 1955 and 1965. This time span represents the longest stretch between 50 plus home run seasons for any player in Major League Baseball history.
	OF Hank Louis Aaron 6'0" 180lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Hank Aaron's career spanned the years 1954 through 1976. Aaron is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Hank Aaron fifth on their list of "Greatest Baseball Players." After playing with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League and in the minor leagues, Aaron started his major league career in 1954. He played 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves in the National League, and his last two years (1975–76) with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League. His most notable achievement was setting the MLB record for most career home runs with 755, which he held for 33 years until being surpassed by Barry Bonds on August 7, 2007. During his professional career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. He is one of only four players to have at least seventeen seasons with 150 or more hits. Aaron made the All-Star team every year from 1955 until 1975 and won three Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. In 1957, he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award, while that same year, the Braves won the World Series, his one World Series victory during his career. Aaron's consistency helped him to establish a number of important hitting records during his 23-year career. Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career runs batted in (2,297), the most career extra base hits (1,477), and the most career total bases (6,856); he is also in the top five for career hits with 3,771 (third) and runs with 2,174, which is tied for fourth with Babe Ruth). He also is in second place in at-bats (12,364), and in third place in games played (3,298). Aaron's nicknames include "Hammer," "Hammerin' Hank,” and "Bad Henry”.
	DH George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. 6'2" 215lbs. Throws: Left Bats: Left Popularly known as " Babe" Ruth, "The Bambino", and "The Sultan of Swat", Ruth played from 1914–1935. Ruth originally broke into the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox as a starting pitcher, but after he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919 (Curse of the Bambino), he converted to a full-time right fielder and subsequently became one of the league's most prolific hitters. Ruth was a mainstay in the Yankees' lineup that won seven pennants and four World Series titles during his tenure with the team. After a short stint with the Boston Braves in 1935, Ruth retired. In 1936, Ruth became one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ruth has since become regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture. He has been named the greatest baseball player in history in various surveys and rankings, and his home run hitting prowess and charismatic personality made him a larger than life figure in the "Roaring Twenties". Off the field he was famous for his charity, but also was noted for his often reckless lifestyle. Ruth is credited with changing baseball itself. The popularity of the game exploded in the 1920s, largely due to his influence. Ruth ushered in the "live-ball era," as his big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only excited fans, but helped baseball evolve from a low-scoring, speed-dominated game to a high-scoring power game. In 1998, The Sporting News ranked Ruth number one on the list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players." In 1999, baseball fans named Ruth to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 1969, he was named baseball's Greatest Player Ever in a ballot commemorating the 100th anniversary of professional baseball. In 1993, the Associated Press reported that Ruth was tied with Muhammad Ali as the most recognized athletes, out of 1000, in America. According to ESPN, he was the first true American sports celebrity superstar whose fame transcended baseball. In a 1999 ESPN poll, he was ranked as the third-greatest US athlete of the century, behind Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. Ruth was the first player to hit 60 home runs in one season (1927), setting the season record which stood until broken by Roger Maris in 1961. Ruth's lifetime total of 714 home runs at his retirement in 1935 was a record, until first surpassed by Hank Aaron in 1974. Unlike many power hitters, Ruth also hit for average: his .342 lifetime batting is tenth highest in baseball history, and in one season (1923) he hit .393, a Yankee record. His .690 career slugging percentage and 1.164 career on-base plus slugging (OPS) remain the major league records. Ruth dominated in the era in which he played. He led the league in home runs during a season twelve times, slugging percentage and OPS thirteen times each, runs scored eight times, and RBIs six times. Each of those totals represents a modern record (as well as the all-time record, except for RBIs).
	P Nolan Lynn Ryan Jr. 6'2" 195lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Nolan Ryan played in a major league record 27 seasons for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers, from 1966 to 1993. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. Ryan, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, threw pitches that were regularly recorded above 100 mph (160 km/h), even past the age of 40. The media tagged him, or more specifically his pitching, as "The Ryan Express". Ryan ranks first all-time in strikeouts (5,714), fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.56), and no-hitters (7). He is also fifth in innings pitched (5,386), second in games started (773), seventh in shutouts (61) and is tied for 14th in wins (324). Opposing hitters hit only .204 against Ryan during his career, though they had a .309 on base percentage against him. He also limited hitters to a .298 slugging percentage. Ryan had 15 or more strikeouts in a game 27 times, second only to Randy Johnson, who has 29. His lengthy career spanned generations, as he struck out seven pairs of fathers and sons during his career. Ryan also ranks high on the list for four "negative" records; he ranks first all-time in walks allowed (2,795), first in wild pitches (277), third in losses (292—most in the post-1920 live-ball era), and ninth in hit batters (158). Ryan is also one of two pitchers in MLB history to give up ten grand slam home runs, including one to Dann Howitt, the next-to-last batter Ryan faced in his career. Ryan is the all-time leader in no-hitters with seven, three more than any other pitcher. He is tied with Bob Feller for most one-hitters, with 12. Ryan also pitched 18 two-hitters. Perhaps interesting to note, despite the seven no-hitters he has not thrown any of baseball's perfect games.
	P Sandy Koufax 6'2" 210lbs. Throws: Left Bats: Right Sandy Koufax played his entire career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1955 to 1966. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Koufax's career peaked with a run of six outstanding seasons from 1961 to 1966, before arthritis ended his career at age 30. He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963. He also won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes, all during the period when only one pitcher was chosen per season, making him the first 3-time Cy Young winner in baseball history. In each of his Cy Young seasons, Koufax won the pitcher's triple crown by leading the NL in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average. Koufax's totals would also have led the American League in those seasons. Koufax was the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters (including a perfect game). Despite his comparatively short career, Koufax's 2,396 career strikeouts ranked 7th in history as of his retirement, trailing only Warren Spahn (2,583) among left-handers. Retiring at the peak of his career, he became, at age 36 and 20 days, the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame. In his 12-season career, Koufax had a 165–87 record with a 2.76 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games, and 40 shutouts. He was the first pitcher to average fewer than seven hits allowed per nine innings pitched in his career (6.79) and to strike out more than nine batters (9.28) per nine innings pitched in his career.He also became the 2nd pitcher in baseball history to have two games with 18 or more strikeouts, and the first to have eight games with 15 or more strikeouts. In his last ten seasons, from 1957 to 1966, batters hit .203 against Koufax, with a .271 on base percentage and a .315 slugging average. Koufax's postseason record is impressive: a 4-3 won-lost record with a 0.95 earned run average, in four World Series. He is on the very short list of pitchers who retired with more career strikeouts than innings pitched. Koufax was selected for seven consecutive All-Star games (twice in 1961 (the last season with two All-Star Games), then 1962 to 1966). Koufax was the first pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, as well as the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award by a unanimous vote. Each of Koufax's three Cy Young Awards were by unanimous vote. Koufax and Juan Marichal are the only two pitchers in the post-war era (1946-date) to have more than one 25-win season, with each pitcher recording three. Among NL pitchers with at least 2,000 innings pitched who have debuted since 1913, he has the highest career winning percentage (.655) and had the lowest career ERA (2.76) until surpassed by Tom Seaver, whose NL career mark is 2.73. Whereas many left-handed pitchers throw with a three-quarter or sidearm motion, Koufax threw with a pronounced over-the-top arm action. This may have increased his velocity, but reduced the lateral movement on his pitches, especially movement away from left-handed hitters. Most of his velocity came from his strong legs and back, combined with a high kicking wind-up and long forward stretch toward the plate. Throughout his career, Koufax relied mostly on two pitches: his four-seam fastball had a "rising" motion due to underspin, and not only appeared to move very late but also might move two or three distinct times; his overhand curveball, spun with the middle finger, dropped vertically 12 to 24 inches due to his arm action. He also occasionally threw a changeup and a forkball. At the beginning of his career, Koufax worked with coaches to eliminate his tendency to "tip" pitches (i.e. reveal which pitch was coming due to variations in his wind-up). Late in his career, and especially as his arm problems continued, this variation—usually in the position he held his hands at the top of the wind-up—became even more pronounced. Good hitters could often predict what pitch was coming, but were still unable to hit it.
	Roger William Clemens 6'4" 238lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, two more than any other pitcher. He played for 13 consecutive seasons in Boston, more than half of his career. In 1997, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. In each of his two seasons with the Blue Jays Clemens won the pitching triple crown (leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts) and a Cy Young Award. Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees for the 1999 season, where he had his first World Series success. In 2003, he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. Clemens is one of only four pitchers to have more than 4,000 strikeouts in their career (the others are pitchers Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Steve Carlton). Clemens played three seasons with the Houston Astros, where he won his seventh Cy Young Award. He rejoined the New York Yankees during the 2007 season. While he has two championship rings with the 1999–2000 Yankees, Clemens has also been on the losing end of four World Series (1986 Red Sox, 2001 and 2003 Yankees, and 2005 Astros), which is tied with Tom Glavine and John Smoltz (who were both on the Braves when they lost the '91, '92, '96 and '99 World Series) for the most among active players. In 1999, while many of his performances and milestones were yet to come, he ranked number 53 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected by the fans to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2005, the updated Sporting News list moved Clemens up to #15. By the end of the 2005 season, Clemens had won seven Cy Young Awards (he won the AL award in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, and 2001, and the NL award in 2004), an MVP and two pitching triple crowns. With his 2004 win, he joined Gaylord Perry, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martínez as the only pitchers to win it in both leagues and became the oldest pitcher to ever win the Cy Young. He has also won The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award five times, was named an All-Star 11 times, and won the All-Star MVP in 1986. In October 2006, Clemens was named to Sports Illustrated's "all-time" team. He is only the ninth player in major league history to record 1,000 or more strikeouts with two different teams. Clemens has recorded a total of 2,590 strikeouts as a member of the Red Sox and 1,014 strikeouts as a Yankee. Of his nearly quarter century in the Major Leagues, 13 years have been spent with the Red Sox and 6 with the New York Yankees. Clemens has been the focal point of several controversies. His reputation has always been that of a pitcher unafraid to throw close to batters. He has also been linked to steroids.
	Cy Deton Young 6'2" 190lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Cy Young pitched for five different major league teams from 1890 to 1911. Young was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, and in honor of his many contributions to Major League Baseball, the Cy Young Award, given each year to the pitcher voted the most effective in each of the two leagues, was created in 1956. During his 22-year career, Young established numerous professional pitching records in the majors, some of which have stood for a century. Young retired with a record 511 career wins, 94 wins ahead of Walter Johnson. In addition to wins, Young currently holds the Major League records for most career innings pitched (7,355), most career games started (815), and most complete games (749). He also retired with 316 losses, the most in MLB history. Young had 76 career shutouts, the fourth most in history. He also won at least 30 games in a season five times, with ten other seasons of 20 or more wins. In addition, Young pitched three no-hitters, including the first perfect game of baseball's "modern era". In 1999, 88 years after his final Major League appearance and 44 years after his death, editors at The Sporting News ranked Cy Young 14th on their list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". That same year, baseball fans named him to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Young led his league in wins five times (1892, 1895, and 1901–1903), finishing second twice. His career high was 36 in 1892. He had fifteen seasons with twenty or more wins, two more than the runners-up, Christy Mathewson and Warren Spahn. Young won two ERA titles during his career, in 1892 (1.93) and in 1901 (1.62), and was three times the runner-up. Young's earned run average was below 2.00 six times, but this was not uncommon during the dead-ball era. Although Young threw over 400 innings in each of his first four full seasons, he did not lead his league until 1902. He had 40 or more complete games nine times. Young also led his league in strikeouts twice (with 140 in 1896, and 158 in 1901), and in shutouts seven times. Young led his league in fewest walks per nine innings thirteen times and finished second one season. Only twice in his 22-year career did Young finish lower than 5th in the category. Although the WHIP ratio was not calculated until well after Young's death, Young was the retroactive league leader in this category seven times and was second or third another seven times.
	P Randy David Johnson 6'10" 225lbs. Throws: Left Bats: Right Over a 21-year career, Randy Johnson has played for 6 different teams, and currently pitches for the San Francisco Giants. The 6-foot-10 Johnson has been celebrated for having one of the most dominant fastballs in the game. He regularly approached, and occasionally exceeded, 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) during his prime. However, his signature pitch is a hard, biting slider. Johnson has won the Cy Young Award five times, second only to Roger Clemens' seven. For all active pitchers through the 2008 season, Johnson is first in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (10.67 – which is also first for all starting pitchers in history) and hit batsmen (188 – third all-time), first in strikeouts (4,875 – second all-time), fourth in hits allowed per nine innings pitched (7.24 – 10th all-time), first in shutouts (37 – 57th all-time), third in wins (303 – 22nd all-time), eighth in ERA (3.27), third in wild pitches(104), and seventh in won-lost percentage (.648). His 4,875 strikeouts are also first all-time among left-handed pitchers. In addition, he pitched one of the 18 perfect games. Johnson was once the tallest player in MLB history, hence the nickname "The Big Unit". He is currently the second-tallest along with Chris Young and Andrew Sisco. The tallest is 6'11" pitcher, and Johnson's former Diamondback teammate, Jon Rauch. In the prime of his career, Johnson's fastball had been consistently clocked over 100 mph (160 km/h), even as high as 102 mph (164 km/h). His signature pitch is a slider that breaks down and away from left-handed hitters and down and in to right-handed hitters. The effectiveness of the pitch is marked by its velocity being in the low 90s along with tight late break; hitters often believe they were thrown a fastball until the ball breaks just before it crosses home plate. Right-handed hitters have swung through and missed sliders that nearly hit their back feet. Johnson dubbed his slider "Mr. Snappy". In later years, his fastball declined to the 96 mph (154 km/h) range. Johnson also throws a split-finger fastball that behaves like a change-up, as well as sinker to induce ground-ball outs. His slider clocks at around 87 mph (140 km/h). Due to his height, long arms, and side-arm pitching, Johnson's pitches appear as if they are coming from the first base side of the mound, easily deceiving left-handed hitters. This deceives the hitter into thinking that Johnson is pitching from closer than he actually is. However, with the decline in his fast ball's velocity, right-handed batters have had greater success in noticing his release point and hitting his pitches.
	CP Dennis Lee Eckersley 6'2" 190lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Right Dennis Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He is also noted as the pitcher who gave up a dramatic, walk-off home run to the injured Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. In 1999, he ranked Number 98 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball "All-Century Team." The role of the closer had been around since the late 1950s and early 1960s, and there had always been feared relievers and closers with Hall of Fame-caliber careers, such as Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, and Rich "Goose" Gossage. However, even in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a closer was considered a weaker and less valuable pitcher than a top starter. Pitchers started games and if they were real men, they finished them. Relievers were either "firemen" (pitchers who only came into pressure-packed situations, with runners on and few out late in a game, and thus "put out the fire"), or pitchers not good enough to start; the vast majority of relievers were considered to be the latter. The A's used Eckersley almost exclusively for the ninth inning and inserted him regardless of the pressure or game situation. Instead of being a fireman or a mop-up man, Eckersley became a one-inning pitcher. Starters were no longer expected to finish games; there was another pitcher who was coming into the game in the ninth inning, no matter what. Eckersley's incredible short-term dominance of the position was perhaps the most influential aspect of this popularization. He was seen to shut down a game after the eighth inning; he was fresh, cocky, and usually hit his spots. He pointed his finger at an opposing batter after a whiff or a ground out (something Eck was known for because of his great sinker, a pitch he primarily developed after becoming a closer) or at the opposing dugout, and his glare became well-known after he and Boston's Dwight Evans famously battled during the 1988 and 1990 playoffs. After Eckersley, every team wanted a pitcher who would end a game after eight innings, save their starters from overextending themselves, and give their fans something exciting to look forward to late in the game. Although the value of a closer is still debatable, Eckersley's influence is indisputable; by 2006, the notion of a team without a dedicated closer seemed as ridiculous as a pre-Eckersley team with one. In fact, a complete game by a starter is now rarer than a save by a relief pitcher was 40 or 50 years ago. Eckersley's 390 career saves ranks fifth on the all-time list.