Starting a franchise

[Tank]

If you could pick any player from any time in baseball - major leagues, minor leagues, negro leagues - as the first player on your team as you build a brand new MLB team, who would you choose?

[T.G.]

Ralston Schmidt

[jsnpritchett]

Eli Grba.

[T.G.]

@Roy Hobbs

[WicketMaiden]

Ohtani. What better way to begin a franchise than with the career of someone that is doing things that will talked about for decades, if not generations to come?

[Angels 1961]

Ernie Banks if doubleheaders were played daily. 

[Angelsjunky]

Assuming they will have the same career that they had, both in terms of duration, health, personality, and stats equalized to current standards? There are a dozen or so candidates, but I'd probably go with Willie Mays. Ruth is the GOAT, but knowing you have Mays in CF for the next 20 years would be a nice feeling to have.

Honorable mentions: Wagner, Cobb, Hornsby, Ruth, Williams, Mantle, Bonds, Trout; Clemens, Maddux, R Johnson for pitchers.

 

[Torridd]

Rickey Henderson

[T.G.]

32 minutes ago, Torridd said:

Rickey Henderson

I like that pick. He was a great player and fun to watch. He had the ability to dominate a game too.

[T.G.]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

I'd probably go with Willie Mays. Ruth is the GOAT, but knowing you have Mays in CF for the next 20 years would be a nice feeling to have.

Hard to argue with Mays.  

[T.G.]

2 hours ago, WicketMaiden said:

Ohtani. What better way to begin a franchise than with the career of someone that is doing things that will talked about for decades, if not generations to come?

Another great choice... but it may be too early in his career to make him my choice.

[Lou]

55 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Hard to argue with Mays.  

Because he's dead?

[Kurt Z]

Kind of long but well worth the read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Mays

[AngelsMetsWS]

Mays was the first guy that came to mind for me as well.

other than that, maybe Seaver or Clemens. 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

6 hours ago, Tank said:

If you could pick any player from any time in baseball - major leagues, minor leagues, negro leagues - as the first player on your team as you build a brand new MLB team, who would you choose?

Josh Gibson

[TempeAngel]

Yep. I was going with Josh Gibson also. You put him in the MLB in the 1930's with all those white farm boys and he changes baseball.

Forever.

[Jason]

Geez, there’s a lot of names to pick from so this is tough. I guess it depends if you value pitching, defense or offense more. This question is like trying to decide what to get off a Cheesecake Factor menu. I’ll say Ryan and Ohtani 

[Lou]

Holy crap, Willie Mays is still alive.

Let the argument begin.

[Angelsfan1984]

Pre kissing mirrors arod. Elite defensive ss and destroyer of baseballs. The guy could chew the hell out of some bubblegum too.

[ten ocho recon scout]

19 hours ago, T.G. said:

Hard to argue with Mays.  

Yeah, he's real old now and can barely hear you. 

Even if you made great points, he wouldn't get them.

[Taylor]

Ideal Brandon Wood

[ten ocho recon scout]

12 hours ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Pre kissing mirrors arod. Elite defensive ss and destroyer of baseballs. The guy could chew the hell out of some bubblegum too.

Yeah. Hate the guy all you want (and yes, steroids). But it's hard to argue against one of the by far and away best bats of the steroid era, playing airtight defense at SS

[greginpsca]

Mays & Aaron are the most likely. Pete Rose might be my 3rd choice, because of position versatility. He played 1st,2nd, 3rd, and lf.

[Second Base]

If it's a position player, Trout. 

If it's a pitcher, Maddux or Pedro. 

Modern players > Anyone before 1960. 

 

[Erstad Grit]

Pedro Martinez. He dominated during the steroid era of baseball.