My 1966 NL All-Star roster coming together. Help me out with the last spot!

At the halfway point of my 1966 National League replay, I am currently in the process of picking out the 28 players to be on the NL All-Star roster. I have 27 chosen but am enlisting your help for picking out the last player.

MVP-bound Allen will be moving to third base after break

I put a lot of thought into which players got chosen so far. I researched the actual 1966 All-Star game and how the roster was created. I then tried to emulate it only with the players who deserved from my replay.

I did my best though I ended up with a fair number of outfielders. I noticed that All-Star rosters from the sixties were not laden with pitchers so not many were taken.

Hank Aaron almost didn’t make the team. He had a rough first half but came on strong ending on an eleven-game hit streak. A full five players on his own team had as many rbis as he did. Aaron made the roster based on his 16 homeruns, defense and (just like real life) popularity which would boost him.

Rest assured, The Hammer is on his way to Busch Stadium with the rest of the team.

1966 National League All-Star roster

Let’s take a look at who I’ve chosen so far.

National LeagueTeamPositionNotable stats
Joe Torre*ATLC.338 BA (2nd in NL)
Tom HallerSFC10 HR, .564 SLG
Willie McCovey*SF1B.564 SLG (2nd), 13 HR (4th)
Ernie BanksChi1B.306 BA (9th)
Jim Lefebvre*LA2B11 HR (T7th), .493 SLG
Bill MazeroskiPIT2B.290 BA, 10 HR
Gene Alley*PITSS.273 BA, 7 triples (T3rd)
Maury WillsLASS.277 BA, 32 SB (T2nd)
Ron Santo*Chi3B.312 BA, .413 OBP (2nd), 53 rbis
Jim Ray HartSF3B16 HR (T2nd), .502 SLG
Ken BoyerNYM3B.303 BA
Dick Allen*PHIOF-3B.367 BA (1st), .642 SLG (1st), .422 OBP (1st)
Willie Mays*SFOF18 HR (1st)
Willie Stargell*PITOF.335 BA (3rd), 66 rbis (1st)
Hank AaronATLOF16 HR (T2nd)
Felipe AlouATLOF-1B118 hits (1st), 45 extra base hits (1st)
Lou BrockSTLOF11 HR, 32 SB (T2nd)
Roberto ClementePITOF.332 BA (5th), 51 rbis
Jim WynnHOUOF56 rbis (3rd)
Don Sutton*LAP17-1 (1st), 1.63 ERA
Juan MarichalSFP14-3 (T2nd), 1.34 ERA (2nd)
Jim BunningPHIP14-4 (T2nd), 1.66 ERA (5th)
Sandy KoufaxLAP1.61 ERA (3rd), 164 K (1st)
Vern LawPITP11-1, 1.25 ERA (1st)
Jim MaloneyCINP12-3 (T4th), 124 K
Billy McCoolCINP1.01 ERA, 18 saves (1st)
* = starter

Your turn

So there is one more spot left on the National League roster. I have chosen six players who have excelled in the first half.

I’ll let you chime in and give me your input on who gets that last spot.

Here they are.

Clay Carroll

P


11-1

1.96 ERA

7 saves

Sonny Jackson

SS


102 hits (4th)

22 SB

Lindy McDaniel

P


0.48 ERA

10 saves


Joe Morgan

2B


63 BB (1st)

.410 OBP (3rd)

Billy O’Dell

P


12 saves (2nd)

2.05 ERA

Chris Short

P


10-5

1.95 ERA

5 shutouts (2nd)


There you have it. I will say that each of these six players has had an impact on their respective team. If you have an opinion, leave a comment. I really would like to know. Pick the best player based on stats or heck, just pick your favorite player. That’s what the All-Star game is all about. If you want some more context, my first half replay recap might be helpful.

Finally, a shoutout to my friend, Chuck who is doing his own replay of the 1964 season. I ran by stats by him position-by-position and he gave me his input. Not only that, he agreed last night to roll for the American League! I’m looking forward to it!

Thank you!

Thomas Nelshoppen

I am an IT consultant by day and an APBA media mogul by night. My passions are baseball (specifically Illini baseball), photography and of course, APBA. I have been fortunate to be part of the basic game Illowa APBA League since 1980 as well as the BBW Boys of Summer APBA League since 2014. I am slogging through a 1966 NL replay and hope to finish before I die.

8 Comments:

  1. Slight edge for Short over Morgan.

  2. Your team looks to be missing a closer. Short is my choice.

  3. My mistake. I said short but meant McDaniel. Sorry.

  4. joe morgan. joe morgan. joe morgan. joe morgan. joe morgan. there. 5 votes from a lifelong Reds fan. ballot box stuffing

  5. I’m going with Clay Carrol mostly cuz’ he’s 11-1 but partly because he was drinking a beer at the Marc Plaza bar when a few of us were there too in the 1970’s when he played for the White Sox!

  6. I have to agree with Lindy McDaniel

  7. Lindy McDaniel. Hard to ignore 0.48 and 10 saves…he can nail down the final out.

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