Cleveland Indians All-Franchise Team

I present to you the All-Franchise Team for the Cleveland Indians.

My rules are simple; a player must have played for a franchise for a minimum of five years. All statistics used are while the player was with the franchise.

There are many players I would have loved to use: Rocky Colavito, Sam McDowell, Luis Tiant, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Charlie Jamieson, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Leon “Daddywags” Wagner, Hal Trosky and others. The numbers were just not there for them.

The Indians have a Hall of Fame outfield and a Hall of Fame pitching rotation which is a rarity. They have a storied, colorful history from Jimmy Piersall to Ray Fosse.

You probably won’t agree with some of my selections, but that is what makes the world go round.

Some of you will not like my picks of some of the “Mayflower” boys, but until they take their names out of the record books I will continue to honor them accordingly.

Have fun!

Catcher: Victor Martinez

8 years: 2002-2009

Victor Martinez played with the Indians from 2002-2009. During that time he was an All-Star three times and won a Silver Slugger Award.

His best year in Cleveland was 2007 when he batted .301/.374 with 25 HR and 114 RBI.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
3,035	413	900	103	518	.297	.369	120

First Base: Jim Thome

12 years: 1991-2002

Jim Thome began his career with the Indians in 1991 and played there until 2002 when he was sent to Philadelphia.  

Thome won one Silver Slugger Award and appeared on three All-Star squads while there. He played in the World Series with Cleveland in 1995 and 1997. In 13 WS games he hit three HR with six RBI and batted .255. 

Thome saved the best for last as his best season with the Indians was 2002 when he hit 52 HR and drove in 118 while he batted .304 and had an OBP of .445. He also led the league that year in walks, SLG, OPS and OPS+ with 197.

He remains the franchise leader in HR with 52 in one year and 334 total, and BB (year and total).

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
4,640	917	1,332	334	927	.287	.414	152

Second Base: Nap Lajoie

12 years: 1902-1914

Lajoie came to Cleveland in 1902 from Philadelphia and stayed until after the 1914 season when he went back to Philadelphia. 

In 1914 he led the American League with 208 hits, 49 doubles, 102 RBI, .376 BA, .413 OBP, .546 SLG, .959 OPS, 203 OPS+ and 302 TB.

While with the Naps (named for Lajoie) he batted over .335 eight times, and had over 200 hits three times. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1937.

He is the franchise leader with 6,034 AB, 2,046 hits and 1,511 singles. His 203 OPS+ in 1914 is still a franchise leader.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
6,034	865	2,046	33	919	.339	.388	155

Third Base: Al Rosen

10 years: 1947-1956

Although his career was brief at 10 years, it was all with Cleveland. 

He was the American League MVP in 1953 with 43 HR, 145 RBI and an average of .336. He missed the Triple Crown by one percentage point. Mickey Vernon won the batting title with a .337 clip. 

He was a four-time All-Star with the Tribe and belted over 20 HR six times. He also had over 100 RBI, five times. He led the league in HR twice with 37 and 43 and in RBI twice.

Rosen was in the 1948 and 1954 World Series' where he batted .231 with no HR or RBI.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
3,725	603	1,063	192	717	.285	.384	136

Shortstop: Lou Boudreau

13 years: 1938-1950

Lou Boudreau played with the Indians beginning in his rookie campaign of 1938 and was there until 1950 when he was sent to the Red Sox in the offseason. 

He was the American League MVP in 1948 when he hit 18 HR with 106 RBI and a BA of .355. He was a seven-time All-Star with the Tribe and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.

Boudreau has the Indian record for WAR in one season with 10.5 in 1948. His defensive WAR is also a team best with 10.9 for a career.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
5,754	823	1,706	63	740	.296	.382	120

Left Field: Larry Doby

10 years: 1947-1955, 1958

Larry Doby broke in with the Tribe in 1947 and remained there until he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1957.

He has the distinction of being the first black player in the modern American League. 

Doby appeared on seven consecutive All-Star teams and played on both the 1948 and 1954 World Series teams. 

His best overall season was ’54 when he led the AL in HR with 32, and in RBI with 126 while batting .272.

Doby hit over 20 HR eight times, two of them over 30. He also led the league with 32 HR in 1952.

He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1998.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
4,315	808	1,234	215	776	.286	.389	140

Center Field: Tris Speaker

11 years: 1916-1926

Tris Speaker came over to Cleveland from Boston in 1916 and stayed until he was sent to the Senators in 1927.

Speaker won the AL batting title in 1916 with a .386 BA with 211 hits and 102 runs.

He batted over .375 in five seasons with Cleveland and twice he had over 100 RBI. Three times he had over 200 hits with the Tribe and led the league in doubles six times there.

He remains the MLB leader in doubles with 792 for his career. He played in the 1920 World Series and had a BA of .320 with one RBI. 

Speaker was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1937.

He is the Cleveland all-time leader in offensive War with 69.3 He also holds the franchise record for OBP for a season (.483) and a career (.444). He leads the franchise with 486 doubles, and runs created with 1,269.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
5,546	1,079	1,965	73	884	.354	.444	158

Right Field: Earl Averill

11 years: 1929-1939

Earl Averill was a rookie with the Indians in 1929 and played there until 1939 when he was traded to the Detroit Tigers. 

With the Tribe he played on six consecutive All-Star teams. His best season in Cleveland was 1936 when he batted .378 with 28 HR and 126 RBI.

He led the league in hits with 232 that year and also scored 136 runs. Averill batted over .330 five different times and hit over 20 HR five times, three of them over 30. He had five 100-plus RBI seasons as well. He also scored over 100 runs nine times.

He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1975 by the Veteran’s Committee.

Averill has the franchise record for plate appearances with 6,708 and in runs (140 in 1931) and 1,154 (career). His 3,200 TB is still a team record. He also has the franchise record with 121 triples, 1,084 RBI, runs created in a season with 167 (in 1936) and extra-base-hits with 724.

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
5,909	1,154	1,903	226	1,084	.322	.399	136

Designated Hitter: Manny Ramirez

8 years: 1993-2000

Manny Ramirez began as a rookie with Cleveland in 1993 and stayed until he was sent to the Boston Red Sox after the 2000 season.

Ramirez was on four All-Star teams with the Indians, and won three Silver Slugger Awards in the outfield. He played in the 1995 and ’97 World Series and hit three HR with eight RBI and batted .182.

1999 was his best season with the Tribe when he finished third in MVP voting. He batted .333 with 44 HR and a league best 165 RBI. He led the league in SLG with .663 and OPS+ with 173.

He hit over 30 HR five times, twice of them over 40. Five times he had over 100 RBI.

He holds the franchise record in career SLG with .592, in OPS with 1.154 (in 2000) and a career OPS of .998. He holds the franchise record for RBI in a season with 165 (1999).

AT  BAT	RUNS	HITS	HR	RBI	AVG	OBP	OPS+
3,470	556	1,086	236	804	.313	.407	152

Starting Pitcher: Addie Joss

9 years: 1902-1910

Addie Joss played his entire nine-year career with the Cleveland Franchise (Bronchos and Naps), from 1902-1910.

Joss’ best overall season was 1908 when he was 24-11 with a microscopic ERA of 1.16 and an astonishing WHIP of 0.806. The ERA and WHIP were both league leaders along with an ERA+ of 206.

He was a 20-game winner four times, leading the league with 27 in 1907. He led the American League in ERA twice with 1.59 in 1904 and in 1908. He is the MLB leader in career WHIP with 0.968, and is second in ERA with 1.89. His ERA was 1.83 or less five times.  

His career was cut short due to tubercular meningitis, and he passed away at 31.

Joss was enshrined into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1978.

He holds the franchise record for ERA in a season with 1.16 (1908) and career of 1.89. He also has the franchise record for shutouts with 45. His ERA+ in 1908 of 206 and his career ERA+ of 142 are Cleveland records.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SHUTOUTS	STRIKEOUTS	CG	ERA+
2,327	160-97	1.89	.968	45	920	234	142

Starting Pitcher: Bob Feller

18 years: 1936-1941 (war) 1945-1956

Bob Feller began his 18-year career with Cleveland in 1936 and stayed until he retired after the ’56 season. He served the USA in the war from 1942-44.

Feller was on eight All-Star teams and played in the ’48 World Series where he was 0-2 with an ERA of 5.02. He led the American League in wins eight times with a high of 27 in 1940. He won the pitcher’s Triple Crown that year with an ERA of 2.61 and 261 strikeouts.

Feller won seven strikeout titles with a career best of 348 in 1946 which was a MLB-record at the time.

He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1962.

He still holds the franchise record in career WAR with 66.0, 266 wins, innings pitched in a season with 371 (in 1946) and career with 3,827, strikeouts in a season with 348 (in 1946) and career with 2,581, games started with 484, complete games in a season with 36 (in 1946) and career with 279 and shutouts in a season with 10 in 1946.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SHUTOUTS	STRIKEOUTS	CG	ERA+
3,827	266-162	3.25	1.316	44	2,581	279	122

Starting Pitcher: Bob Lemon

13 years: 1946-1958

Bob Lemon pitched all 13 of his MLB seasons with the Cleveland Indians.

He was on seven consecutive All-Star teams. He also pitched in both the 1948 and ’54 World Series and was 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA. 

He led the American League in wins three times, in innings pitched four times, complete games five times, in strikeouts once and in WHIP once.

He also led the league in shutouts in 1948 with 10.He was a six-time 20-game winner and was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.

Lemon, along with Feller holds the franchise record for shutouts in a season with 10.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SHUTOUTS	STRIKEOUTS	CG	ERA+
2,850	207-128	3.23	1.337	31	1,277	188	119

Starting Pitcher: Early Wynn

10 years: 1949-1957, 1963

Early Wynn came to Cleveland in 1949 from the Washington Senators, and played until after the ’57 season when he was dealt to the White Sox. He finished his career with the Tribe in 1953.

He was a three-time All-Star during that time. He pitched in the ’54 World Series where he had an ERA of 3.86 and a 0-1 record.

Wynn led the league in wins in 1954 with 23, and in ERA in 1950 with 3.20. He also led the league in complete games three times, innings pitched twice, in SO once, and in WHIP once. He was a 20-game winner four times with the Tribe.

He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SHUTOUTS	STRIKEOUTS	CG	ERA+
2,287	164-102	3.24	1.274	24	1,277	144	119

Starting Pitcher: Stan Coveleski

9 years: 1916-1924

Stan Coveleski rounds out the rare Hall-of-Fame rotation. He was technically a rookie with Cleveland in 1916 though he had played in five games with Philadelphia in 1912.

He stayed until being traded to the Senators after the ’24 season. From 1918-1921 he averaged 23 wins with a 2.57 ERA.

He was a four-time 20-game winner and led the American League in ERA+ in 1923 with 144, and in WHIP in 1920 with 1.108 and in strikeouts with 130.

He was spectacular in the 1920 World Series when he was 3-0 with a 0.67 ERA and a WHIP of 0.63, surrendering only 15 hits in 27 innings, three complete games and a shutout.

He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1969.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	SHUTOUTS	STRIKEOUTS	CG	ERA+
2,502	172-123	2.80	1.225	31	856	194	129

Closer: Bob Wickman

6 years: 2000-2006

Bob Wickman played with the Indians from 2000 until 2006. He was on the All-Star team in 2005 when he saved 45 games.

He is the franchise leader in saves with 139.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	STRIKEOUTS	SAVES	SAVE OPPS	ERA+
248	8-16	3.23	1.317	197	139	159	138

Setup: Rafael Betancourt

7 years: 2003-2009

Rafael Betancourt came up with the Indians in 2003 and stayed until he went to the Colorado Rockies in 2009.

He is the franchise leader with 84 holds.

INNINGS	W-L	ERA	WHIP	STRIKEOUTS	SAVES	HOLDS	ERA+
410	23-22	3.23	1.139	409	17	84	138