Tag: Cal Ripken Jr

Cal Ripken Jr. Expresses Interest in Managing the Washington Nationals

Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. admitted Friday that he’d “answer the phone” if the Washington Nationals reached out to him about their managerial vacancy this offseason.

ESPN passed along comments Major League Baseball’s Iron Man made during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. While he stated there were some questions he’d want answered about the position, he doesn’t think his lack of experience in the role should be a serious concern.

“The baseball background that I have—you’re a student of the game—there’s a lot said about experience or lack of experience in managers coming through,” Ripken said. “To me, it’s all about your philosophy—how you handle things, what you’re going to do. And then it’s being able to apply it.”

Ripken understands the risk involved with handing the position to somebody without a long resume of coaching under his belt. That said, he feels his Hall of Fame playing background would allow him to handle whatever issues may arise during a long season.

Eisen provided the full response from the former infielder about the situation:

The job is available, because the Nationals decided to fire Matt Williams after a frustrating season that saw the team miss the playoffs by seven games. Washington went into the season as the World Series favorite, according to CBS Sports.

Williams, who like Ripken enjoyed a successful playing career, with five All-Star appearances and a World Series title, went 179-145 (.552) across two seasons in charge. Missing the postseason led to a quick exit, however.

His lack of success could hurt Ripken’s chances. He was a first-time manager after a four-season coaching stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

General manager Mike Rizzo didn’t definitively say the organization would go in a different direction this time, but he did state that “experience is always helpful. It always adds a layer of expertise to anybody’s resume,” per Chris Johnson of MASN.

In August, Ripken said he previously had serious discussions with Rizzo about the job before they mutually decided it wasn’t the right time and the job went to Williams.

The Nationals need a manager who can handle a lot of egos, as the now-infamous dugout battle between Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon illustrated. The talent is there to make a charge toward a championship, but getting everybody on the same page is a tricky task.

Ripken seems to believe he could handle the high-pressure job. Whether the Nationals are interested in taking a chance on another former player without managerial experience after Williams failed to live up to expectations is the key question.

 

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When Cal Ripken Jr. Became a God, Broke the Unbreakable Record

Lou Gehrig’s record stood for a half-century, and it felt like it had been there forever.

Cal Ripken Jr.’s record has stood for 20 years, and it feels like…wait, has it really been 20 years since that fabulous night when he passed Gehrig by playing in his 2,131st consecutive game?

“It seems like yesterday in one way,” Ripken said. “And then there’s the realization that it’s been 20 years.”

Twenty years. It’s a lifetime for the guy who might be the best shortstop in baseball today. Carlos Correa was born two weeks after the game that changed Ripken from a great player headed to the Hall of Fame into a legend with a nickname.

When Ernie Johnson says “Iron Man” on those TBS baseball telecasts, we all know who he’s talking about. We all remember.

It’s about that streak. It’s about that night—that magical night that lives on in history.

“There’s never been another game like it,” Rex Hudler said. “And there’ll never be another game like it.”

Hudler was the starting second baseman for the California Angels that night at Camden Yards. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, before Spike Owens pinch hit for him.

“By far the greatest moment in my career,” he said. “And it had nothing to do with me.”

It truly was a game like no other ever played. And this Sunday, September 6, 2015, will mark the 20-year anniversary.

* * *

Baseball has plenty of records, but some always stand out. Part of the reason is the accomplishment itself, but who has held them is just as important. And just as 60 home runs always meant Babe Ruth and a 56-game hitting streak always meant Joe DiMaggio, 2,130 consecutive games played always meant Gehrig.

It was one of the game’s unbreakable records, and with good reason. For 40 years after Gehrig’s career ended because of the disease that would eventually carry his name, no one came within 900 games of catching him. Steve Garvey had the longest streak since Gehrig, and when it ended at 1,207 games in 1983, Garvey was still five-and-a-half years away from the record.

The 1983 season was Ripken’s second full year in the big leagues, and the first in which he played all 162 games. It was also the year he won his only World Series and the first of his two American League Most Valuable Player awards.

By the time he won the MVP again in 1991, Ripken was within 500 games of catching Gehrig, and the Iron Man legacy was building. At that point, though, it was still secondary to his reputation as one of MLB‘s best players.

Sometime around 1995, and maybe exactly on that magical night of Sept. 6, the dynamic flipped. Fans still celebrated Ripken for the way he played the game, but more than anything they remembered him as the guy who never missed a game.

“I said a long time ago that to be remembered at all is pretty special,” he said.

He’ll be remembered for ages, and his record will be, too.

Ripken’s streak ended in 1998 at 2,632 games, which, at 162 games per season, takes a little more than 16 years. As of last week, only one player (Manny Machado of Ripken’s Orioles) had played in every game this year. Machado missed the final 44 games of 2014, so his streak doesn’t go back any farther than that.

* * *

To understand what Ripken’s streak meant in 1995, you need to go back to that year and remember it began with the lockout and the ugly specter of replacement players in spring training camps. Baseball was still trying to overcome the strike and the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.

Baseball needed something to celebrate. Baseball needed Cal Ripken chasing down Lou Gehrig.

Ripken was 122 games shy of breaking the record when the strike hit in ’94, and the idea of the streak ending in a replacement game bothered people almost as much as replacement games being played at all. The lockout ended, and when real spring training began, Ripken was a little caught off guard when people began asking about the streak.

“I didn’t expect anything,” he said. “Hearing the interest on the first day of spring training, that was my first indicator.”

The interest kept building. John Maroon, in his first year as the Orioles public relations director (and still Ripken’s PR man today), suggested Ripken set aside time before the first game of every series to talk to local reporters in each town. Ripken insisted it be done early, and outside of the clubhouse, to avoid creating a distraction for his teammates.

Meanwhile, the Orioles began to plan for Sept. 6.

The consecutive-games record is different, because barring a rainout, everyone knew what day Ripken would pass Gehrig. You can’t plan for the exact day a home run record will fall or when a player will get to 3,000 hits, but this time we all knew Sept. 6 would be Ripken Day.

That meant special guests, like President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and even Joe DiMaggio. It meant writers from across the country, in numbers resembling an All-Star Game or World Series.

It meant ESPN, then in just its sixth year of carrying major league games, could arrange to carry the game nationally.

The Orioles had worked with MLB to make sure their 122nd game in 1995 would be a home game, so that Ripken could pass Gehrig at Camden Yards. MLB cooperated, but it would be the last game of a homestand—meaning even one rainout that wasn’t made up in time could ruin the plans. Game 123 on that year’s schedule would be in Cleveland.

“Fortunately, the Indians were running away with their division,” Maroon remembered. “The Indians called the Orioles and said if you need us to move that [123rd] game to Baltimore, we’ll do it.”

Even more fortunately, the Orioles got the first 121 games in without trouble. The record game would go off on schedule, Sept. 6 against the Angels.

As long as Ripken didn’t miss a game before then.

* * *

He hadn’t missed one in 13 years, of course. He had stayed remarkably healthy, and he had incredible pain tolerance, but there was always the chance of a pitch that would break a bone or a slide into second base that would mess up an ankle or a knee.

Or something else.

“I’d go in the clubhouse, and he’d be wrestling with guys,” Maroon said. “I’d be like, ‘What are you doing?'”

But Ripken wasn’t going to change the way he was. He was going to act the way he always had.

“Anything could happen,” he said. “Anything could have happened all those years.”

Nothing bad did happen, and the attention kept building. To use the phrase that became familiar at the time, everyone could relate to a guy who just kept going to work every day.

Ripken kept playing, and while 1995 wasn’t one of his best seasons, his numbers were close to being in line with what he did throughout his career. He had a .262 average and 33 doubles in a season that was shortened to 144 games because of the spring lockout.

The Orioles were building the team that would make the playoffs in 1996 and 1997, but in 1995 they were basically a .500 team. By August, while Ripken was still focusing on the games each day, the organization was focused on Sept. 6.

* * *

There were about a half-dozen Orioles staffers heavily involved in the planning, and as a group they came up with the idea of putting the numbers on the warehouse behind right field. They would start sometime in August, and as soon as each game became official, the number would change to reflect Ripken’s streak, finally getting to 2,130 on Sept. 5.

“When we came up with the idea [of the numbers], we weren’t sure it was that good,” Maroon said. “Our music guy came up with the John Tesh music that they played as the number changed. The first time we ran the idea past Cal, he said, ‘That sounds stupid.’

“Once he saw it, he said, ‘That’s cool.'”

The music would start after the top of the fifth inning if the Orioles led and after the bottom of the fifth if they didn’t. Only then was it an official game, so the decision was made to change the number then.

“I got pretty emotional the first time,” Ripken said. “I started to reflect on how I got there and who had helped me along the way. There was a realization that something special was going to happen.

“The music had something to do with it. The music felt really right.”

It was cool, and it was the image that has lived on. That, and the 22-minute impromptu celebration the night Ripken passed Gehrig.

That day, after all of the planning and all of the crossed fingers hoping that a rainout or an injury wouldn’t ruin everything, Ripken came to Camden Yards the way he always had.

The only issue was he was sick.

* * *

Ripken plays it down now, saying he just had a slight fever that he blamed on the accumulation of all of the effort, and on a lack of sleep.

“I was exhausted,” he said. “I was giving more and more to the process. I was staying up at night signing balls, because it was the only time I had.”

He had another autograph to sign at the ballpark, when Clinton and Gore came to the Orioles clubhouse before the game.

“He was signing for the president, and Cal was sweating like a pig,” Maroon said. “Everyone thought he was nervous. No, he was sick.”

There was no question that he was going to play, and Ripken overcame the illness and hit a fourth-inning home run that gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead. Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina set the Angels down 1-2-3 in the fifth, and one last time, the music played and the number changed—from 2,130 and a tie with Gehrig to 2,131 and a place in history.

The Orioles hadn’t planned anything any more dramatic than that, but what happened then lives on in memory. The fans were cheering, both teams were cheering, and on ESPN, Chris Berman and Buck Martinez were letting us all listen in.

“Brooks [Robinson] was sitting between us,” Martinez said. “We all had tears in our eyes. We couldn’t talk. And for Boomer [Berman] not to talk, that’s saying something.

“Boomer was great that night. He takes a lot of heat, but he recognizes moment. You couldn’t have outdone those pictures.”

Ripken, conscious as always of the game and the other players, acknowledged the crowd but wanted the game to go on. It took teammates Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Bonilla to push him out of the dugout, beginning the trip around the warning track that remains etched in memory.

“That turned out to be one of the best human moments,” Ripken said. “It became quite intimate. And about three-quarters of the way around, I started thinking that I don’t care if this game ever starts again.”

It didn’t start again for 22 minutes, but no one was complaining. Even the Angels, who were in the middle of a pennant race that would end with their losing a one-game playoff to the Seattle Mariners, didn’t complain.

“That night, our pennant race didn’t matter,” Hudler said. “That whole thing revolved around the greatest streak that would never be broken.”

* * *

Hudler and Ripken had a little history themselves. They were drafted the same year, in 1978, and Hudler never let Ripken forget that he was a first-rounder (by the New York Yankees) and that Ripken lasted until the second round.

They were teammates, briefly, in 1986 with the Orioles. And for several years leading up to 1995, Hudler had been bothering Ripken about getting an autographed bat for his collection.

On Sept. 6, though, Hudler was much more concerned with getting one of the specially designed baseballs used for that game, with orange laces and Ripken’s No. 8. But home-plate umpire Larry Barnett said he could only keep one if he caught the final out of an inning.

Sure enough, moments after Ripken’s run around the park, Ripken batted with two out in the bottom of the fifth and hit a blooper that Hudler could catch for the third out.

“I was running, and the ball was in slow motion,” Hudler said. “I had to dive to get it, but to me that was a five-carat diamond. I was going to catch it, and when I did, I held it up and shook it. The fans booed because they thought I was trying to show Cal up, but all I wanted was that ball. I went right to the clubhouse and put it in my bag.”

And when the game ended, an Orioles batboy came to the Angels clubhouse with Ripken’s bat.

“To Hud,” it read. “I know we go back a long way, but right now I feel like you feel when you strike out with the bases loaded—visibly shaken. Cal Ripken.”

“I don’t know how many bats he signed, but that was special,” Hudler said. “What a classy, thoughtful, witty human being the Iron Man was.”

* * *

What an incredible night that was. Twenty years later, none of us who saw it will ever forget it, even those of us who watched on television.

“It was one of those perfect storms,” Maroon said. “There was no social media, thank goodness. No Facebook pictures. Everyone was just glued to the scene, watching.”

Twenty years later, we can still see it, and we can still feel it.

“It was super cool,” Ripken said.

Yes, it was.

 

Danny Knobler covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow Danny on Twitter and talk baseball. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Cal Ripken Jr. Talks Derek Jeter, MLB’s Best Division and Favorite Shortstops

Earlier today, Bleacher Report had an exclusive opportunity to speak with 19-time American League All-Star and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.

Aside from Ripken’s broadcasting work, the former iron man is working with Transitions adaptive lenses, spreading awareness about eyesight problems and encouraging parents to remain diligent with testing their children.

I had the opportunity to represent Bleacher Report in a wide-ranging conversation with Ripken Jr. that touched on his Mt. Rushmore of shortstops, Derek Jeter’s farewell tour, instant replay and the strong AL East. 

 

Bleacher Report: Derek Jeter recently announced that 2014 would be his final season. You experienced a similar farewell in 2001. What were your thoughts when Jeter made his decision

Ripken Jr.: I was surprised at first, but Derek is a thoughtful person and thinker when it comes to the game. I’m sure he’s ready for this if he came to that decision. I’m interested in talking to him soon to gauge how he’s feeling, both physically and mentally.

 

B/R: Do you expect him to play well after missing almost all of 2013 due to injury issues?

Ripken Jr.: I do. The decision to announce his future now was healthy. It will allow him to give and pour all his energy out on the final season on the field. I think he watched Mariano Rivera exit the right way and have an excellent season. He probably wants to do something similar.

But I do wonder if he will have second thoughts. If he performs well, I would be curious to see if doubt creeps in about actually retiring.

 

B/R: Mt. Rushmore has become a popular topic, regardless of subject. Who would be on your Mt. Rushmore of shortstops?

Ripken Jr.: You’re going to make me do this (chuckles)? Alright. Of course, Honus Wagner needs to be part of this because of what he accomplished, but I didn’t see him. I’m not young, but I’m not that old yet. Of the guys I watched, my four favorites would have to be:

Ozzie Smith: I wished that I could emulate him in the field. He was magical at shortstop. I can’t remember a ball he didn’t get to during his prime.

Omar Vizquel: He literally made you leave your mouth open and gasp. During my time in the American League, he was a treat to share the field and the shortstop position with. He took so many risks—diving, flipping the ball behind his back, routes to the ball—yet was so efficient. He was special.

Troy Tulowitzki: He’s the guy now. All the tools—power, speed, arm, defense, strength—are there for him to go down as one of the great shortstops ever. The only question is health. He’s missed some time (151 games missed over the last two seasons), but he’s the best when he’s in there. If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit. 

Derek Jeter: Probably the best clutch player ever. Offensively, his accomplishments speak for themselves. Three thousand hits, more than 200 home runs and a great batting average.

Defensively, I know there have been some critics. Range and defensive metrics haven’t always touted him as a good defender, but I always saw him make the right play.

I’ll put it this way: Of all the shortstops in history, he’s the one I want out there in Game 7 of the World Series. Put the bat in his hands or hit the ball to him in a one-run game. He’ll make the play to win a championship for you.

 

B/R: You were one of the first big shortstops, paving the way for guys like Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Tulowitzki. In Boston, Xander Bogaerts is on the path to stardom. Is the big shortstop what teams should be looking for?

Ripken Jr.: Different styles work for different guys. All those guys you mentioned—let’s throw Manny Machado from Baltimore in there since his background is at short—move or moved really well. That’s first. They all have strong arms and range. Clearly, those players provided offense to the position, but I think stature and size is overrated. If you can handle shortstop and hit, teams will find a way to pencil you into the lineup.

 

B/R: With spring training underway, who is a player you are watching?

Ripken Jr.: I’m interested to see how Manny Machado recovers from his knee injury and how quickly he can get back to Baltimore. Based on last year, we are watching a great player develop. Defense, doubles, quick wrists, power. Machado has it all.

 

B/R: Machado is part of a deep, talented lineup in one of baseball’s best divisions. How would you handicap the AL East race?

Ripken Jr.: For me, it’s the best division in baseball. In fact, the schedule is unfair to these teams because they have to play each other 18-plus times per season. It’s hard for me to believe that this division won’t have three playoff teams by October, but that’s probably true because they’ll beat up on each other so much during the season.

As for predictions? It’s hard to say, but don’t just give it to New York or Boston. Sure, the Yankees spent money and the Red Sox are the defending champs, but the other three teams—Tampa, Toronto and Baltimore—all have a shot.

Tampa is always in the mix. Even if they need to rely on young players, they find a way to play meaningful games in August and September.

Toronto is due for a better year. Last year, was unfortunate for them. I really thought—and I think they thought—the talent was there to win. It’s still there.

Baltimore is proven now. All those years of losing is in the past. This is a playoff-caliber team for Buck Showalter, especially when you factor in the recent additions of Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez.

 

B/R: Rule changes, including expanded instant replay and home plate collisions, will be a big theme of the Cactus and Grapefruit League schedule. Are you in favor of the changes?

Ripken Jr.: I’m skeptical of replay. A manager challenge system? That’s football to me. When I think of that type of replay system, I think of the NFL. I don’t love the idea of the responsibility falling on the manager. That just adds to their in-game responsibility.

Don’t get me wrong, I think technology is good for the game. But I’d just like to see corrections made by replay. If it’s obviously wrong, it can be fixed quickly.

Eliminating unnecessary collisions at home plate is a great rule tweak. I’ve always thought that home plate should be treated like second base. Contact is allowed, but the idea of running through someone is just going to lead to injuries. 

During my time, Mike Scioscia was the best at blocking home plate. Because he was so big and strong, runners didn’t want to challenge him by lowering their shoulder. They looked for a way around him or an area of the plate they could swipe. Hopefully, that’s what these plays will look like now.

 

B/R: Are you still interested in managing or coaching?

Ripken Jr.: I’ll say to you what I’ve always said when asked: I’m open to opportunities. 

Now, does that mean I want to be a manager? It could be, if the time is right. Honestly, I don’t have a strategy to make this happen or a way back into the game. But I’ve been away for long enough to know that I want to be around baseball again. 

 

B/R: You’re passionate about Transitions. How did you get involved with the company?

Ripken Jr.: It started when my eyesight became an issue. Now I need corrective lenses, and this product is great for both inside and outside use. Beyond that, I never realized the eyesight problem among children. One of four kids suffer from vision problems, but most don’t realize it. Parents need to be diligent about making and attending appointments. 

 

Final Thoughts

After spending 21 years in the majors—including time in the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s—Ripken’s perspective on how the game is evolving is fascinating.

As expected, the AL East and tall, powerful shortstops peaked the interest of the former two-time AL MVP. If, or when, Manny Machado moves back to shortstop in Baltimore, the division could have two stars cut from the Ripken cloth.

Interestingly, Ripken isn’t sure how replay will work and has doubts on the system in place. Unlike some “old school” analysts, the concern wasn’t over technology but rather allowing managers and challenges to be involved at all. 

The all-time great player once again acknowledged an interest in a full-time gig within baseball. If a team hires Ripken in the near future, a wealth of baseball knowledge will enter an organization. 

 

Comment, follow me on Twitter or “like” my Facebook page to talk about all things baseball. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Cal Ripken Jr.’s Shares His Favorite MLB All-Star Memory

Cal Ripken Jr. joins Behind the Mic just as MLB holds one of its most celebrated events in New York City, the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. While Cal was obviously in town for the game, he was also in town because he’s been working on providing children in need with eye exams and new eyeglasses fitted with Transitions lenses while teaching the kids life lessons through baseball.

What’s your favorite MLB All-Star Game story? Let us know in the comments.

communities across the country by providing children in-need with eye exams and new eyeglasses fitted with Transitions lenses and teaching them life lessons through baseball.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. Talks Baltimore Orioles and 2012 MLB Postseason

Up until a couple days ago, the Baltimore Orioles hadn’t qualified for the playoffs since the days when Cal Ripken, Jr. was still manning the left side of their infield.

After a 15-year hiatus, the Orioles are back. They don’t know whether they’ll be going in as the AL East champion or as one of the American League’s wild-card teams just yet, but the important part for now is that they’re going to be playing postseason baseball one way or the other.

Does the Iron Man himself have any thoughts on this year’s Orioles team by any chance?

Heck, of course he does. For that matter, Ripken has plenty of thoughts on the 2012 postseason in general that he doesn’t mind sharing.

On Tuesday, I got a chance to talk one-on-one with the former Orioles great and current TBS analyst. Ahead of you lie his thoughts on the Orioles’ World Series chances, pitching staffs that will be dangerous, which players fans should be watching in October and more.

Note: Any stats that appear within are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Sparky Anderson and the 25 Most Beloved People in Baseball

The recent sad news about Sparky Anderson has unfortunately made it clear that the baseball world is about to lose one of its most beloved people.

Sparky’s one of a kind, no doubt about that. Luckily for us, when it comes to other beloved baseball personalities, he’s hardly alone.

Here are the top 25 beloved people in baseball history.

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Totally Awesome: Schmidt, Boggs and Ripken Lead the Ultimate 1980s All-Stars

The 1980’s cannot be thirty years in the past already, can they?

Surely there’s been some mistake; say it ain’t so, Peter Ueberroth.  Please tell me Cheers and The Cosby Show are still atop the ratings, Bruce Springsteen is still The Boss, and Major League Baseball still has 26 teams, four divisions, no interleague play and no wild card.  Or if you can’t say all that, at least pretend for the sake of argument.

Have you got it yet?  That’s right, all you have to do is forget steroids, imagine Roger Maris and Hank Aaron still reign supreme atop the home run charts, and mentally switch the Brewers back to the American League.  There you go.  See how much better that is?

Well, your mileage may vary as to better or worse, but the 80’s were definitely a different time in baseball.  Whiteyball and Billyball led to record-setting stolen base seasons, teams carried nine or ten pitchers… and the players you’re about to see dominated the diamond.

I’ve spent the last week sifting stats to determine the roster for the ultimate 1980’s team.  I ranked the top 100 players per year, then added those rankings together to find players who excelled consistently throughout the decade.  Remember: We’re looking for the players who performed the best overall, not necessarily the best players to step on the field.  In other words, Roger Clemens might have remained dominant through the 90’s and Tom Seaver might have starred in the 70’s, but that doesn’t matter for our purposes.  All that counts is what happened between 1980 and 1989.

Ready?  Then it’s time to meet the starting lineup…

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Derby Winners: Ranking the Home Run Derby Champions

The Home Run Derby is a yearly event that captivates the nation like few others. People are naturally attracted to the long ball, and seeing the sluggers duke it out to see who is the game’s biggest bopper is a great thrill.

The first incarnation was a television show in the 1960’s that showed the best hitters of the day competing for cash prizes by seeing who could hit the most big flies. Hank Aaron was the most successful, winning six straight competitions, and Mickey Mantle also won a few.

Since the most known and current competition started in Minneapolis in 1985, it has grown in popularity to the point where it is close or more important than the actual All-Star Game.

The true explosion in the event’s popularity occurred when it began airing in 1993 on ESPN. Since then, it has been a who’s who of sluggers that have won the event.

The cloud of the steroid era looms large over the competition because of the list of winners that have been implicated in scandals over the years.

Regardless, these players have left us in awe, admiration, shock, and amazement.

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2010 MLB All-Star Game: The All-Time AL All-Star Starting Lineup

Yesterday we did the All-Time National League All-Star Game Starting Lineup, based on which players had the most All-Star Game starts, by position.

Today, we look at the American League team.

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Fathers and Sons: Top 20 All-Time Sons of Major Leaguers

The San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies face off this weekend in a match-up featuring a bewildering assortment of player related in some way to other players, including Will Venable, Tony Gwynn Jr., Jayson Werth, Scott and Jerry Hairston, and Padres coach Glenn Hoffman.

Nevertheless, with Ken Griffey Jr., announcing his retirement on Wednesday, the era of Major League sons truly comes to a close.

In the last 25 years we’ve enjoyed the careers of several sons of major leaguers, including some of the best players of the generation.

So where does Griffey rank on the list of the Top 20 Sons of Former Major Leaguers of All Time?

Let’s have a look.

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