I didn’t HAVE to have a Cub player on my all-time team. Of course there was Ernie Banks, but I resisted. There was maybe my favorite Cubs player of all time Mark Grace, but I resisted. When it came to picking my all-time 2nd baseman, I couldn’t resist, and honestly, you can’t say I’m that biased in this selection, unless of course you’re a big Joe Morgan guy, which I’m not. Yeah, manning 2B on my all time team is none other than Ryne Sandberg.
Ryno was actually my brother’s favorite player. Talking about baseball cards… he collected pretty much every Sandberg card that ever existed; him and Rickey Henderson were his guys. There was another very old school guy available to choose at this position with Rogers Hornsby; would have been a very fine choice. Same goes for good old Joe Morgan, who I got to know more as an announcer than a player; wasn’t that crazy about him. Yet, his playing days cannot be disputed; there is a reason he is most folks’ best 2nd baseman of all time. Not me though. I’m taking Ryno and I’m not looking back.
You want defense, we got defense. 9 gold gloves in his possession, Sandberg was about as sure handed as it gets. He had some pop for his position as well, pulling in an MVP award back in the magical year that was 1984. Yes, the 2nd part of the Daily Double at the top of the Cubs lineup with Bob Dernier, Ryno provided a lot of happy times for us Cubs fans. There is maybe the most famous moment, the game against the Cardinals where he took Bruce Sutter deep two times, spoiling the run of credits by NBC thinking the game was over. I know, very well thank you, that Ryno was never part of a World Series team, yet he did his part. He batted .368 in 1984 against the Padres and .400 in 1989 against the Giants, obviously both in losing efforts. But that’s OK; winning a World Series, was not a prerequisite. Having a guy on the team who has NOT won one will have its advantages too… more hungry! Haha..
Sandberg is remembered as a Cub, but of course was drafted by the Phillies, and came over in one of those rare trades over the years that the Cubs actually won. Ryno played 2,151 of his career 2,164 games with the Cubs; kind of reminded me of Rizzo, before of course the Cubs dumped him to the Yankees… smdh. You can see Ryno around Wrigley nowadays; he is very involved with the club, which is great to see. Love seeing the all-time Cubs around the team, especially in a year like this one, where there ain’t a whole hell of a lot of bright spots. Sandberg though… he was a very bright spot during his career and all-time in Cubs history. Not just in Cubs history, but one of the best 2B of all time, and THE 2B on my all-time team.
So yeah, we got a Cub on our team; no regrets. That does it for the position players. Now time to get a starting pitching, then maybe go back and get a DH, and fill in the bench? I don’t know… maybe. But we definitely need somebody to take the rubber…
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