Another Seamheads Historic League Update — The SHL MIA

All the rosters are in and almost all of the stats are edited and ready to be uploaded to the OOTP simulation.  Now, that doesn’t mean the SHL will start tomorrow but barring any major SNAFU the SHL should be starting sooner rather than later.  (No firm date yet because we’d rather under-promise and over-deliver).  Let’s just say pitchers and catchers have reported.

That being said, with this post, I’m officially closing changes to the rosters to prevent further edits (some teams have changed a few times at this point).  Here is a rundown of the players I was surprised to not see on any roster in the league by position.  We’ll call it The SHL Missing In Action (MIA) Team.  It’s important to note that these are not the best players to be left out of the SHL but a list of players that make a case to belong on at least one historical roster but fell through the cracks.  In addition, with the final rosters arriving, the number of players on multiple rosters has gone over 100 which makes the SHL MIA even more intriguing.

Brian’s SHL MIA Team

Catcher
Tim McCarver
Possible Teams – Cardinals, Phillies, Red Sox, Nationals

Maybe he’ll find his way to the broadcast booth for the SHL but James Timothy McCarver failed to land a spot on the four teams he played on in his career.  Behind Ted Simmons— on the SHL Cardinals Great team — and Del Rice— not on the SHL Cardinals Great team — McCarver has more games at catcher than anyone at 960.  As a member of the Phillies, Red Sox and Expos, McCarver’s case is weak but time served behind the dish in St. Louis surely got him some consideration.  Instead, Simmons, Walker Cooperand a versatile Joe Torrewill be available come Opening Day behind the plate for the Cardinals. 

First Baseman
Bill Buckner
Possible Teams – Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels, Royals

If the SHL Red Sox make the postseason, they won’t have to worry about a Buckner misplay at first.  It’s tough to make a case for Buckner on any of the teams he played for but he’s probably most qualified to play on the SHL’s version of the Cubs.  Instead of Buckner, the Cubs are loaded at first with Cap Anson, Frank Chanceand Mark Grace.  If Buckner was chosen over Chance, none of the (Joe) Tinker-(Johnny) Evers-Chance trio would be on the Cubs.  At least one of the three are represented.

Second Baseman
Willie Randolph
Possible Teams – Yankees, Dodgers, Athletics, Brewers, Mets, Pirates

Even with Randolph having six teams on his resume, the only teams he can even be considered for are the Yankees and the Brewers (yes, the Brewers!).  Randolph was blocked out on the SHL Yankees by Joe Gordonand Tony Lazzeriand it’s tough to argue with those choices but Randolph did play 1,688 games in pinstripes at second — 247 more than the next on the list, Lazzeri — and definitely has All-Time Great caliber numbers.

Third Baseman
Lave Cross
Possible Teams – Phillies, Athletics, Dodgers, Cardinals, Twins, Indians

Despite playing over 1,700 games at third, Cross couldn’t land a spot on an SHL roster.  If he were selected for the SHL Phillies, Cross would have given the team depth at catcher since he played over 100 game with the club at that position.  Instead of Cross, the Phillies have Mike Schmidt, Dick Allen and Scott Rolen.  That’s a tough trio to argue against.  Late in his career, Cross played five seasons with the Athletics and his overall numbers with the club were watered down by his last two years with the A’s that might have made him a good exclusion here.  Cross missed out with the Athletics where he fell behind at least Sal Bando, Carney Lansford, Frank Bakerand Eric Chavez. 

Shortstop
John Ward
Possible Teams – Giants, Dodgers

What makes Ward an interesting choice for the Giants is his ability to pitch in addition to his availability at short.  That being said, I think that the Giants have one of the best rosters in the SHL and I don’t know if I would have included Ward.  However, he is a Hall of Famer and when I look at the Giants roster, the only guy with significant playing time at short is Rich Aurilia.  The only other player with even a little bit of playing time at short on the team is Matt Williams. 

Left Fielder
Lonnie Smith
Possible Teams – Cardinals, Phillies, Royals, Braves, Orioles, Pirates

Six different clubs and five World Series appearances with four different teams has to be enough to make you take a flyer on “Skates”, doesn’t it?  However, no one took a shot on the lifetime .288 hitter with a career OPS+ of 118.  As a Cardinal, Lonnie finished second in MVP voting in 1982.  The problem with Smith is that there isn’t one team where he had significant playing time and for every two seasons he threw out there, Smith threw in an average one.  If I was the GM of the Cardinals, Phillies, Royals or Braves though, I would have found a spot for him.

Center Fielder
Vada Pinson
Possible Teams – Reds, Indians, Angels, Royals, Cardinals

Not only does it seem that Pinson’s numbers are just not good enough to find him a spot in the Hall of Fame, no one saw fit to find a place for him in the SHL either.  Pinson made more starts at center than any player in the history of the Reds but the 40-man SHL Reds roster is absent of Pinson who put up some pretty strong numbers in Cincinnati.

Right Fielder
Wee Willie Keeler
Possible Teams – Yankees, Dodgers, Giants

Keeler was a member of the fourth Hall of Fame class but wasn’t granted a spot on the rosters of the Yankees or Dodgers.  While there’s probably a list of Yankees and Dodgers that could make up their own SHL MIA team, Keeler has to be the guy with the best name.  Oh, he was a lifetime .341 hitter, too.  I guess that deserves to be mentioned also.

Left Handed Pitcher
Darold Knowles
Possible Teams – Athletics, Rangers, Cubs, Phillies, Cardinals, Orioles, Nationals

Knowles had five good seasons with the Rangers (four of them when they played in Washington), three of his four seasons with the Athletics were solid plus he had a good year with the Cubs, Phillies and Nationals (when they were the Expos).  Despite 16 Major League seasons, 765 games, 143 saves and a 3.12 lifetime ERA, Knowles wasn’t found worthy of a roster spot in the SHL.  Who says lefties always get preferential treatment?

Right Handed Pitcher
Satchel Paige
Possible Teams – Indians, Orioles, Athletics

Paige was a two-time All-Star as a member of the St. Louis Browns — known later as the Baltimore Orioles — but SHL Orioles GM Roy Firestone stuck with a roster full of Baltimore Orioles only.  In addition to his time with the Browns, Paige’s two seasons in Cleveland — at age 41 and 42 — were also good enough to make a case for a spot on the SHL Indians.  Unfortunately, no one found Paige a home and the SHL will be absent of the Hall of Famer’s talents.