Inspired by a post in the Effectively Wild Facebook group and Trevor Bauer’s recent Twitter rant, I’m building the best all-Democrat and all-Republican rosters using wins above replacement (WAR). The criteria: The players must have played in the majors and made political statements in some form (donations, endorsements, tweets -- looking at you, Curt Schilling). My initial prediction is that the Republicans will field the better team.
Republicans
Pitcher: Walter Johnson, 165.5 career WAR, ran for Congress in 1940 as a Republican
Catcher: Johnny Bench, 75.0 career WAR, said he would vote for Trump
First base: Albert Pujols, 101.1 career WAR, speaker at Glenn Beck’s 2010 “Restoring Honor” rally
Second base: Rogers Hornsby, 127.0 career WAR, reportedly told sportswriter Fred Lieb he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan
Shortstop: Alex Rodriguez, 117.7 career WAR, donated to Mitt Romney’s campaign in 2012
Third base: Wade Boggs, 91.1 career WAR, led the “Sportsmen for Romney” coalition in 2012
Left field: Ted Williams, 123.2 career WAR, campaigned for President George H.W. Bush
Center field: Tris Speaker, 133.7 career WAR, also alleged by Lieb to be a Ku Klux Klan member
Right field: Darryl Strawberry, 42.0 career WAR, said “of course” he would vote for Trump
Total WAR: 976.3
Democrats
Pitcher: Babe Ruth, 183.6 career WAR, said “Hell no, I’m a Democrat” when President Warren Harding’s team asked for an endorsement
Catcher: Joe Torre, 57.6 career WAR, admitted to being offended by some of Trump's statements during the campaign (bit of a stretch)
First base: Ernie Banks, 67.4 career WAR, supported President Obama in 2008
Second base: Jackie Robinson, 61.4 career WAR, shifted support to Democrats after Barry Goldwater’s nomination and the 1960s party realignment
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, 71.8 career WAR, endorsed Obama in 2012
Third base: Out of the best third basemen in baseball history, I couldn't find one who supported, in any way, a Democratic politician. Given the lack of third base partisanship, I’m going out on a limb and saying that Edgar Martinez, born in New York City, of Puerto Rican descent (who tend to vote with Democrats) and Seattle hero with a career WAR of 68.3, is a Democrat. That may be completely wrong, but that’s as good as it gets for liberals at third.
Left field: Barry Bonds, 162.4 career WAR, follows Obama and the Clinton Foundation but not Trump on Twitter (big stretch, I’ll admit it)
Center field: Willie Mays, 156.2 career WAR, endorsed and campaigned for Obama in 2012
Right field: Hank Aaron, 142.6 career WAR, endorsed Obama in 2012
Total WAR: 971.3
There we have it: In a surprisingly narrow margin, the Republicans have accumulated five more wins than the Democrats. However, depending on who I very arbitrarily chose as the Democrats’ third baseman, the margin could've been even wider or pushed Democrats into the lead. But hey, the arbitrariness is part of the fun.
To close, maybe there’s something we, as a nation, can learn from this. Despite my initial assumption, the Democrats and Republicans were really not that different -- separated by just five wins -- speaking to our shared identity as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans. Or maybe not, who knows?
Out of Left Field: Political All-Star team
