MLB: The Mount Rushmore of Baseball

To pick four players from the history of baseball is nearly impossible.

To even start, you would have to define the list. In baseball, the difference between position players and pitchers is enormous.

When Curt Schilling started Game Six of the 2004 ALCS and beat the Yankees, was there a better baseball player than him on that day?

Probably not, but that does not mean I am going to carve his face into a mountain.

Babe Ruth might be the greatest baseball player ever, but he played in a different era. Barry Bonds might be the greatest player ever, but he (might have) cheated.

So this is my Mount Rushmore of Baseball:

Willie Mays

When I think of five tool players, an image of Willie comes to my mind. A player that would be a Hall of Famer in any era, and the one player that I really, really, wish I could have seen play in person.

Rickey Henderson

This guy is so talented. He could do everything on the field. He was on his own planet, which was why he bounced around between teams, but is still another guy that would be a Hall of Famer in any era.

Mike Schmidt

The perfect combination of defense and power. A World Series Champion and Hall of Famer. He won 12 Gold Gloves and hit over 500 homeruns.

Cy Young

I want a pitcher here, because if I need to win one game, I want to have the best pitcher to do that. And the best pitcher every year is named after this guy.

My Mount Rushmore

So I have a leftfielder, centerfielder, third baseman, and a pitcher on my Mount Rushmore. I have the best leadoff hitter ever, Mays can hit in any spot in the lineup, and Schmidt can clean-up in the four-spot.

And if momentum is the next day's starting pitcher, then I have momentum each and every next day.

Leader of This All World Team

Mike Scioscia would be my pick to manage this All World team.

Here would be my all-time starting lineup (no DH, you have to play the field):

1. Rickey Henderson, LF

2. Derek Jeter, SS

3. Willie Mays, CF

4. Mike Schmidt, 3B

5. Babe Ruth, RF

6. Albert Pujols, 1B

7. Joe Morgan, 2B

8. Johnny Bench, C

9. Cy Young, P

And with a one run lead I would call on Mariano Rivera to close out the game.

An MLB All-Time Team

Here is another article I wrote about the all time great baseball players:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/221937-an-all-time-baseball-team

Enjoy and let's have a debate about your favorite players.