Franchise Four featuring Jeff Conine of the Miami Marlins......

[Archon]

I think MLB could have tweaked this just a little.

Firstly I think its kind of embarrassing that a team as short lived as the Miami Marlins, gets to choose 4 players, and because they are notorious for blowing up teams so fast that few players ever establish tenure, the franchise could not find someone more worthy than Jeff Conine.

Paul Goldschmidt, as great as his potential made the Arizona Diamondbacks
Ben Zobrist on Tampa....Holy Shit!
I can at least bite on Troy Tulowitzki on Colorado.

And so many legendary players didn't make the cut on ancient and storied franchises like the Red Sox and Yankees.
No Roger Clemens on Boston
No Jeter, Rivera etc on New York
Bonds while on the Giants probably deserves a Pirates nod as well
McGwire on either Oakland or St. Louis or both

My point is clear.

Too bad they didn't consider scaling the number roughly with the franchise longevity.
Give teams like The Yankees 6-8, Blue Jays and Mariners 4, and the Marlins and Diamondbacks 2.

Thoughts?

[mjl]

man, Posey over Mathewson? Billy Williams over Cap Anson? I agree with your idea on scaling. I can see how it would be harder to promote, but you wouldn't have these weird gaps.

Brock over Ozzie?!

[Controller Jacobs]

Rather than scaling with longevity, just split it by era.

Let fans fill in the modern teams.
For older teams, start by filling in with baseball researchers. Fans can still go in and vote - researcher votes are weighted, so enough votes and the fan votes take over.

Might seem hard to sell at first, but consider that you can add Negro League teams, defunct/moved teams (such as Montreal Expos, Brooklyn Dodgers), and international teams.
Would be fun to be able to quickly peruse the history of the NY Baseball Giants, Cleveland Buckeyes and Hanshin Tigers

[revo]

man, Posey over Mathewson? Billy Williams over Cap Anson? I agree with your idea on scaling. I can see how it would be harder to promote, but you wouldn't have these weird gaps.

Brock over Ozzie?!

This one is the most egregious. Mathewson was, however, added to the "Greatest Pioneers" foursome.

For the A's, Eckersley doesn't even crack the Top 20 in WAR for the franchise. No Eddie Plank, Eddie Collins or Lefty Grove?

Omar Vizquel over Nap Lajoie? Or Kenny Lofton, even?

Piazza & Mex for the Mets is pretty silly, considering each only played about 6 years in NY. What about Doc or Straw?

Big Papi over Clemens, Boggs, Cy young or Jim Rice?

[virgonomic]

Toronto's was Alomar, Carter, Delgado, Halladay.

Toronto's should have been Alomar, Bell, Stieb, Delgado.

[Moonlight J]

Conine is Mr. Marlin. That's a no-brainer & not negotiable for their fans

I'm bummed Dan Johnson wasn't in the Rays final four

[chancellor]

Brock over Ozzie?!

Easily, IMO. Ozzie's WAR is inflated due to highly questionable contributions from his defense. Add in Brock's contribution to gaining acceptance of Black players in St. Louis, held the SB record, and his incredible play during the pitcher era of the 60s, all make him a better pick. Ozzie may have been The Wizard, but Brock was The Franchise.

[Pauly]

Conine is the only player on both Marlins world championship teams and he is literally known as MR. Marlin! Granted, as a Marlins fan, I voted for Miggy over Sheffield, but Lowell and Conine are worthy.

[Kevin Seitzer]

Ozzie's WAR is inflated due to highly questionable contributions from his defense.

Why do you say that?