Baseball's All-Time Team: Position Players

This slideshow is a tribute to baseball's all-time team. The players have been selected due to their enduring accomplishments and achievements.

I must note that no players who have been involved in a steroid scandal are included in this slideshow.

However, there are several players who endured off the field controversies. I chose to include these players because I felt that these off-field scandals neither increased nor hampered their performances.

Catchers: Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra

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Jun 1983: Jonny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds in action during a game. Mandatory Credit: Allsport /Allsport

Johnny Bench played all 16 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. A member of the "Big Red Machine," Bench was elected to the National League All-Star team 14 times and was twice elected NL Most Valuable Player. Bench was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989, his first year of eligibility.

Lawrence "Yogi" Berra played for 19 seasons, 18 with the New York Yankees. Berra is one of only four players to be named American League Most Valuable Player three times.

First Basemen: Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx

Loui Gehrig at the 1937 All-Star Game

Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig played 17 seasons for the New York Yankees until his career was ended by what is now known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," a debilitating neuromuscular disease.

Gehrig is fifth all-time with 1,995 runs batted in. He has an astounding career batting average of .340 and an on-base percentage of .447. Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939, just two years before his death.

Jimmie Foxx was known for his power hitting. He was the second player ever to hit 500 home runs. Foxx is also eighth all-time with 1,922 runs batted in.

Second Basemen: Rogers Hornsby and Pete Rose

Hornsby, 1921

Rogers Hornsby was one of the best batters at the beginning of the live ball era. He is second all-time with a .358 batting average. He has 2,930 hits and 301 home runs.

Pete Rose is the all-time hit king with 4,256. He is also the all-time leader in games played with 3,562.

Third Basemen: Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews

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CHICAGO - 1988: Mike Schmidt #20 of the Philadelphia Phillies readies for the pitch during a 1988 season game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Getty Images)

Mike Schmidt played his entire 17-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies. Schmidt has three National League Most Valuable Player awards to go along with his 12 National League All-Star selections. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Like Schmidt, Eddie Mathews played 17 seasons in the majors. He has 512 career home runs and 1,453 runs batted in.

Shortstop: Honus Wagner

Wagner in 1903

Johannes "Honus" Wagner played 20 seasons in the majors, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wagner is 10th all-time in stolen bases with 723. Wagner was one of the "first five" players inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

Right Field: Hank Aaron and Stan Musial

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 31: Hall of Famer Hank Aaron waves to crowd prior to the Texas Rangers taking on the San Francisco Giants in Game Four of the 2010 MLB World Series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 31, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo

Henry Aaron played 22 seasons in the major leagues. He previously played several seasons in the Negro League before joining Major League Baseball.

Aaron hit 24 or more home runs for 18 straight seasons. He hit 30 or more home runs for 15 seasons. Aaron is first all-time in home runs (755) and runs batted in (2,297) and third in hits (3,771).

Stan Musial played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues. Musial had a National League Most Valuable Player award and a World Series ring in his first four years in the majors. Then he missed the entire 1945 season while serving in the Navy.

After returning to baseball in 1946, Musial earned two more MVP awards. He is fourth all-time in hits and sixth in runs batted in.

Center Field: Ty Cobb and Willie Mays

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24 Jul 2000: A general view of the plaque dedicated to Tyrus Raymond 'Ty' Cobb at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport

Tyrus Cobb set over 90 records in his major league career. He still holds several records, including highest career batting average (.366) and most batting titles (11).

Cobb is probably best known for his competitive and fierce nature of playing style. He is second all-time in hits (4,189), seventh in RBI (1938) and fourth in stolen bases (897). He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

Willie Mays played 22 seasons with the Giants and the Mets. Mays played in 24 All-Star Games (from 1959 to 1962, there were two All-Star Games) and earned two National League Most Valuable Player awards. Mays is third all-time in home runs (660). He is also 10th all-time in RBI.

Right Fielders: Babe Ruth and Joe Jackson

Babe Ruth, 1921

"The Great Bambino," Babe Ruth, played from 1914-1935. He is considered by many to be the best baseball player of all time.

Ruth was the first player to hit 60 home runs in a season, and he is currently second all-time in home runs with 714. Ruth is also second all-time in runs batted in. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1936.

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson played for 12 years in the majors before being banned from baseball for his alleged part in the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal, of which he claimed he was innocent. He is third all-time in batting average (.335).