New York Yankees

Catchers & Infielders:

• C -Yogi Berra (LF)
• C – Bill Dickey
• 1B – Lou Gehrig
• 2B – Tony Lazzeri (3B)
• SS – Derek Jeter
• 3B – Alex Rodriguez (SS)
• CI – Don Mattingly (1B)
• CI – Gleyber Torres (SS/2B)

Outfielders:

• LF – Joe DiMaggio (CF/RF)
• CF – Mickey Mantle (LF/RF)
• RF – Babe Ruth (LF/CF)
• RF – Roger Maris (LF/CF)
• RF – Aaron Judge (LF)
• RF – Paul O’Neill

Starting Pitchers:

• SP – Jack Chesbro
• SP – Whitey Ford
• SP – Allie Reynolds
• SP – Mel Stottlemyre
• SP – Bob Shawkey
• SP – Ron Guidry

With every team, we started building their all-time 25-man and 40-man rosters by using the Hall of Fame as a starting point, figuring that a player enshrined in baseball’s immortal Hall would certainly qualify to make his team’s all-time roster.

Almost all the Hall of Fame members are easily identifiable with one team so it’s a simple way to start every roster with near-inarguable selections.

Notable players the Yankees had to fight for were Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, David Cone, and Goose Gossage.

David Cone

Kansas City: 3 seasons, 1 All-Star, 1 CYA, 14 WAR, 3.29 ERA, 27 Wins, 10 CG, 344 K, 448 IP, 4 SHO

N.Y. Mets: 7 seasons, 2-time All-Star, 0 CYA, 19.4 WAR, 3.13 ERA, 81 Wins, 34 CG, 1172 K, 1209 IP, 15 SHO

N.Y. Yankees: 6 seasons, 2-time All-Star, 0 CYA, 20.3 WAR, 3.91 ERA, 64 Wins, 7 CG, 888 K, 922 IP, 1 SHO + 4 World Series Titles

C.C. Sabathia

Cleveland: 8 seasons, 3-time All-Star, 1 CYA, 27.5 WAR, 3.83 ERA, 106 Wins, 12 CG, 1265 K, 1528 IP, 7 SHO

N.Y. Yankees: 11 seasons, 3-time All-Star, 0 CYA, 29.6 WAR, 3.81 ERA, 134 Wins, 19 CG, 1700 K, 1918 IP, 2 SHO + 1 World Series Title

Goose Gossage

Chicago White Sox: 5 seasons, 2-time All-Star, 0 CYA, 9.9 WAR, 29 Wins, 16 CG, 419 K, 585 IP, 30 Saves

N.Y. Yankees: 7 seasons, 4-time All-Star, 0 CYA, 18.8 WAR, 42 Wins, 0 CG, 512 K, 533 IP, 151 Saves +1 World Series Title

Alex Rodriguez

Seattle: 7 seasons, 4-time All-Star, 0 MVPs, 38.1 WAR, .309 AVG, 627 Runs, 595 RBI, 189 HR, 133 SB

Texas: 3 seasons, 3-time All-Star, 1 MVP, 25.5 WAR, .305 AVG, 382 Runs, 395 RBI, 156 HR, 44 SB

N.Y. Yankees: 12 seasons, 7-time All-Star, 2 MVPs, 54 WAR, .283 AVG, 1017 Runs, 1096 RBI, 351 HR, 152 SB + 1 World Series Title

None of these are actually that close – David Cone is a Met, C.C. Sabathia/Goose Gossage/Alex Rodriguez are Yankees.

Paul O’Neill has better numbers as a Yankee, but the roster competition is tougher, and that’s how O’Neill ends up in Cincinnati.

As with every team, we are trying to build an active roster with 13 position players and 12 pitchers, and then a 15-player inactive roster of guys who just missed the cut, but remain valuable as callups in case of slumps or injuries.

The 13 active position players are usually two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. The stats are built around the average of the player’s best three consecutive seasons.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is a huge help here as it’s packed with Yankees legends.

Cooperstown gives the Yankees Bill Dickey, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Derek Jeter, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Jack Chesbro, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Goose Gossage, Mariano Rivera, Herb Pennock, Phil Rizzuto, Red Ruffing, Yogi Berra, Joe Gordon, Willie Keeler, Earle Combs, and Waite Hoyt.

The Hall of Fame gives us HALF of our 40-man roster, and WAR (Wins Above Replacement), a great stat for looking at the all-around contribution to a team for both hitters and pitchers, can help us with the rest.

We get lots of help here, as in order we find: Willie Randolph, Alex Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Roy White, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Hideki Matsui, Don Mattingly, and Brett Gardner.

Young stars Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, and Gleyber Torres get consideration as well.

Once plugged into the simulation software, we looked at their OPS (on-base + slugging percentage) and their defensive rankings and they break down like this:

CATCHER: Bill Dickey, Jorge Posada
FIRST BASE: Lou Gehrig, Don Mattingly
SECOND BASE: Tony Lazzeri, Gleyber Torres (sometimes)
SHORTSTOP: Derek Jeter, Gleyber Torres (sometimes)
THIRD BASE: Alex Rodriguez, Tony Lazzeri (sometimes)
LEFT FIELD: Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle (sometimes)
CENTER FIELD: Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio (sometimes)
RIGHT FIELD: Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Aaron Judge

That leave inactive roster options Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, Hideki Matsui, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra, Joe Gordon, Willie Keeler, Earle Combs, Thurman Munson, and Gary Sanchez.

For the pitching staff we’re looking for six starters and six relievers. Bear in mind that across the whole game you will see dynamic, outstanding starting pitchers that can’t crack an all-time rotation but are better served as relievers on a team than sitting inactive.

Hall of Famers are automatically on the roster so that reserves nine spots for Jack Chesbro, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Goose Gossage, Mariano Rivera, Herb Pennock, Phil Rizzuto, Red Ruffing, and Waite Hoyt.

With 33 players on the total roster we have room for seven more pitchers. Once we dug into the career WAR rankings (as a Yankee) we came up with these names: Ron Guidry, Andy Pettitte, Bob Shawkey, Mel Stottlemyre, Masahiro Tanaka, Ray Caldwell, and Russ Ford.

Standout relievers Sparky Lyle and Dave Righetti are in the conversation as well.

We looked at their overall numbers in the simulation software and leaned heavily on ERA to come up with these designations:

STARTING ROTATION: Jack Chesbro, Whitey Ford, Mel Stottlemyre, Bob Shawkey, Allie Reynolds, Ron Guidry
RELIEVERS: Masahiro Tanaka, Dave Righetti, Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage
SET-UP: Dellin Betances
CLOSER: Mariano Rivera

The Yankee bullpen looks ferocious – Lyle, Gossage, Betances, and Rivera. The inactive pitcher options are Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing, C.C. Sabathia, Eddie Lopat, and Lefty Gomez.

So how did we do?

Can you handle Yogi Berra NOT being on the active roster?

Are you starting Mickey Mantle over Joe DiMaggio in center field?

What batting order would you suggest versus lefties and righties?

Let us know in the forums below and if you make a compelling case we will adapt it in-game. We want every squad to be the best they possibly can be and appreciate your help fine-tuning the Yankees for Eternal Baseball.

Photo Credits:

• Yankee Stadium by Shinya Suzuki