From Moon Shot to Moonshots

A few minutes before 11:00 PM on July 20, 1969, the world that we live in was forever changed.  No longer could one say that man had never walked on the moon.  Neil Armstrong, a 38 year-old astronaut from Ohio, greeted his nation from the lunar surface by saying, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  This accomplishment is one of the greatest achievements in world history and it held particular political significance during the Cold War.  As the U.S. was seemingly losing ground to the U.S.S.R. in the space race, President John F. Kennedy made the declaration in May of 1961 that America would put a man on the moon before the end of the decade.  Mission accomplished!

Being a history buff, especially regarding the space program, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the passing of Neil Armstrong, a great American hero, over the weekend.  His accomplishment, along with those of Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (who were also on the Apollo 11 mission), is a story of perseverance and inspiration that is indicative of the American spirit.

Thinking about how that day forever shaped history, my mind somehow began drifting towards baseball.  I started thinking of who are the best major league baseball players to be born after July 20, 1969.  Who are the best to play the game yet have never lived in a world where man had not walked on the moon?  Here’s what I came up with.

Lineup

1. Ichiro RF: Since arriving from Japan before the 2001 season, there has not been a better pure hitter in the game of baseball.  Ichiro has amassed over 2,500 hits, more than 400 stolen bases, and numerous awards including the rookie of the year and MVP in the same season. 

2. Derek Jeter SS: Perhaps the most iconic figure of his era, the Yankee captain is now mentioned in the same breath as Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Berra, and Ruth.  He has collected over 3,200 hits and before it is said and done he may pass Hank Aaron for third on that list.  The consummate professional, Jeter is a nice blend of a throwback player in a modern game.  Oh, and did I mention he has five World Series rings?

3. Albert Pujols 1B: As young as Albert Pujols is, he has the chance to be mentioned in the same company of legends like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays for having some of the most impressive careers numbers in the history of the game.  Only 32 years old, Pujols has already hit 473 homers and driven in over 1,400 runs.  And he has more than 2,200 career hits.  If he can remain healthy, he should reach 700 homeruns and 2,000 RBIs.  Those accomplishments will look nice beside his three MVPs and two World Series rings.

4. Ken Griffey, Jr. CF: Ken Griffey, Jr. barely makes the cut on this team, being born four months after the moon landing.  Griffey hit over 600 career homers and won 10 gold gloves.  If not for the strike that ended the 1994 season, he may have made at run at Roger Maris’s then single season homerun record.  If not for injuries late in his career and playing on mostly mediocre teams, his legacy would shine much brighter.

5. Alex Rodriguez DH: On my team as a DH only because he split his career between playing shortstop and third base, A-Rod has a chance to retire as only the fourth man in baseball history with over 700 homeruns.  Besides the homers, he will probably surpass the coveted 3,000 hit mark next season.  But perhaps the most astonishing stat on his resume is his 316 career steals.  Not many sluggers have those kind of wheels. 

6. Chipper Jones 3B: When his career ends later this season, Chipper Jones will go down as one of the greatest switch hitters in the history of the game.  With over 2,700 hits and 460 homeruns, he is also one of the greatest third basemen of all time.  His unselfish play (asking to move to the outfield for a few seasons in order to sign another third baseman is a perfect example) and leadership are second to none. 

7. Matt Holliday LF: I even surprised myself with this inclusion on the roster.  Matt Holliday is one day older than Pujols and even though his numbers are not in the same league as Albert's, they are pretty hard to ignore.  Since breaking into the league with the Rockies in 2004, there has not been a better left fielder in all of baseball.  His worst season batting average came in his rookie campaign when he only hit .290.  By the time the season ends, he will be over 1,500 hits, have over 225 homers, and should pass the 1,000 RBI mark next season.

8. Robinson Cano 2B: The youngest player on the list, Cano has all the tools to be the next Yankee great.  Cano has already accumulated over 1,400 career hits and has proven to be highly durable, missing only 10 games over the past six seasons.  On his current pace, he has a great chance to become one of the greatest second basemen of any generation.

9. Ivan Rodriguez C: Ivan Rodriguez may be the best pure hitter at catcher to ever play the game.  He also may be the best defensive catcher the game has ever seen.  Ivan finished his career with 2,844 hits (the most ever for a catcher), 311 homers, 13 gold gloves, and 46% caught stealing rate.  And for someone who played catcher, he was extremely durable, breaking into the majors at age 19 and retiring at the age of 40.  As it stands, he is one of the top five catchers in the history of the game.

Pitching Staff

1. C.C. Sabathia: Sabathia broke into the majors with the Indians in 2001 and has been a dominant lefty from the beginning.  Over the course of his twelve year career, he has a career record of 189-99 with over 2,100 strikeouts.  He has been a workhorse from the beginning of his career, only throwing fewer than 190 innings twice.  It is amazing that he has only won one Cy Young award.  Barring injury, C.C. is possibly the last pitcher with a shot of reaching the coveted 300 win mark.

2.  Roy Halladay: The man called Doc has had an amazing career, to say the least.  He broke in with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998 and nearly threw a no-hitter in his second career start.  He finally broke through with a no-no during the 2010 season when he threw a perfect game in May and followed that up with only the second postseason no hitter ever against the Cincinnati Reds.  He has a career mark of 196-99, has over 2,000 strikeouts and has probably been the most dominant pitcher in the game since 2006.

3. Tim Hudson: Tim Hudson came up with the Oakland A's in 1999 and has been winning ballgames ever since.  He has a career record of  194-101 and has nearly 1,800 strikeouts.  His stuff is not as eye-popping as either Sabathia or Halladay, but his grit and determination on the mound are unrivaled.  He recently became only the fifth pitcher in Atlanta Braves history to record 100 wins since the franchise moved there in 1966.

4. Billy Wagner: Billy Wagner may be the most dominant left-handed reliever in baseball history.  Wagner finished his career with 422 saves, a K/9 inning ratio of 11.9, and a WHIP below one.  Wagner had planned to retire after the 2009 season but was talked out of it by Bobby Cox, who was himself retiring after the 2010 season.  In his true final season, Wagner tallied 37 saves, causing many to wonder why he would not return for another season.

5.  Mariano Rivera: Simply put, Rivera is the best closer the game has ever seen.  Mo, as he is affectionately known, has obliterated the all-time saves record, accruing 608 in his amazing career.  Most of his success has come on the back of one, single pitch: the cut fastball.  His unthinkable numbers are made more impressive by the fact that he did not make his major league debut until the age of 25.  Oh, yeah.  Did I mention that he also has five World Series rings?  When he retires, the season award for the best closer should be named for him.

 
A couple of guys that I really wanted to add to the team were Mike Mussina and Mike Piazza, but both were born in 1968; a year too early.  But even without these greats, the aforementioned roster is formidable.  And as always, thanks to the folks who maintain www.baseball-reference.com; I would love to have that job.  So, in memory of Neil Armstrong, I dub this team the Outta This World Team.