From: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Free agent signing for All-Time teams (ATAS)
Date: 12 Jan 1993 01:50:22 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: dxf12@po.CWRU.Edu (Douglas Fowler)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc12.ins.cwru.edu


     Here are the Negro League free agents signed by each of the All-Time
All Star teams during the off-season.  Several teams didn't sign any,
including the Athletics, whose owner, Connie Mack, saw that some
still harbored bad feelings because he hadn't signed them back then.
As 1 player put it: "There was no law against it, Mr. Mack.  I was just
a phone call away."
     Indeed, Steinbrenner said when unsuccessfully courting Satchel
Paige and "Pop" Lloyd: "I would have signed you all, and the league
would have just had to put up with me dominating for years, even if
they did blackball me.  They couldn't make me sell!"  This may have
been just talk, but Ted TUrner said something along those lines, and
he's much more daring and likely to have done it.

A.L.
Baltimore:  2B Newt Allen - New leadoff man, with Reiser

Boston:   SS John "Pop" Lloyd - Great fielder and hitter
     Some will say this is a token signing, but the Sox got a true star,
and usually a token signing isn't supposed to do much

Cleveland:   C Josh Gibson:  Another Babe Ruth?
     Why here?  From what I've read, he'd want to stay away from the
major centers of media hype and pressure, he would want a guarantee of
being able to play almost every day, he would probably want a rather
neutral park so fans didn't say most of his homers were created by the
park.  A fantasy?  Hey, it's even a contending team with him.
     P Webster McDonald and OF Luke Easter will be with their AAA club.

Detroit:   1B Buck Leonard - Great hitter, may strike out more 
               3B Ray Dandridge - At least another George Brett!
     Sparky promised to shape Ty Cobb up or ship him elsewhere.  They
were in 3rd for part of 'last dream season before Cobb was suspended for
trying to cut Rod Carew with sharpened spikes, then was injured in a
brawl.  Tigers finished 7th of 10 teams.

Washington:  P Hilton Smith - Master of many pitches
     The Senators/Rangers will play in Griffith Stadium because "that's
where a pathetic team like that belings."  Smith will dominate here
since he won't just be Satchel Paige's backup, but may soon wish
he'd gone elsewhere.

California:  CF Oscar Charleston - Can do it all, and then some
     This team may finish 2nd, or may finish 5th.  Charleston may be
pitched around a lot if help doesn't come.

ChiSox:    RF Turkey Stearnes - Will play CF here; should be in Hall
                P Leon Day - Crafty reliever may make Sox shock
     For some reason , the Sox are trying to make this a power team
with Minoso playing a bit and Baines in right.  They're tired of always
having to rely on pitchers throwing 1-0 games, and these pitchers won't
be all that great.  Cicotte and Jackson will join after a 4 1/2 month
suspension, mainly because the Indians complained about not having
Jackson.  It may help here, or not.  Both came to the right place.

Royals:   OF Monte Irvin - Expected to be 1st to desegregate bigs
     Has great gap power, wanted park like this.  Can provide needed
punch for very young team.

Milwaukee:  P "Bullet" Joe Rogan - Great pitcher and hitter
     WIll play right much of time when not pitching; not enough for
young team, but at least he plays 2 positions, so it's a start.

Minnesota:   RF Martin Dihigo - Also very good pitcher
     May play both ways eventually.  Twins/Senators outfield just
needs help!

N.L.
ChiCubs:    CF "Cool Papa" Bell - Fastest player ever?
                 1B  Showboat Thomas - Pinch-hitter and defensive 1B
hurt by plethora of good ones in bigs
                  P Dick Redding - Very good fastball, curve; should
solidify somewhat questionable staff.
     All of a sudden you have to like the Cub's chances.

Expos:  P "Smokey" Joe Williams - Negro Leaguers say best of all
     This is a weak division, but I don't think Williams is enough.  It
won't be boring there, at least.

Phillies:  RF Christobel Torriente - A lot like Ralph Kiner
     A good choice, but I wonder why not a lefty to complement the righty
Schmidt better.  P Chet Brewer signed by AAA club.

Pirates:   P Rube Foster - Will really aid a questionable staff
               C Tom Petway - Fine 3rd or 6thplace hitter
     Good quality pickups, but are they enough?

Braves:  P Slim Jones - Lefty's curve better than Paige's
     His was a very bright future, but he threw his arm out early.  The
Braves will need all the pitching they can get given their short
dimensions and desire to build around power almost exclusively.

Reds:     P Satchel Paige - But is he enough?
Astros:  SS Willie Wells - May play 2B or 3B; fine arm
          OF Spots Poles - Fits in well with plan for all speed, no powe

Giants:   P Bill Foster - Lefty w/more changes off of pitches than most
teams; one of best of Negro Leaguers
              C Biz Mackey - Better than people expect
              3B Judy Johnson - can play short, too
     They saw how good others were, and went wild.

Padres:  2B Bingo DeMoss - He and Ozzie will be great DP tandem
     Don't they realize they needed pitching!?!?
-- 
Doug Fowler: dxf12@po.CWRU.edu  : Me, age 4 & now: "Mommys and Daddys & other
    Ever wonder if, after Casey : relatives have to give lots of hugs & love
missed the 3rd strike in the poem: & support, 'cause Heaven is just a great
he ran to first and made it?     : big hug that lasts forever and ever!!!"
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball