Best Active Player Line-Up, No Repeated Initials

singaporesoxfan

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Fun challenge taken off Twitter: Make the best active 10 person starting lineup you can, with all 9 positions + a DH without using the same initial twice. So if you use Max Scherzer, you can’t use Shohei Ohtani since you already used ‘S’. Alliterative names aren't allowed (sorry Freddie Freeman), and Jr./III don't count.

View: https://twitter.com/MLBRandomStats/status/1440486110862327811?s=20


My list (cheating a bit by moving Tatis to RF and using Enrique instead of the more familiar Kiké):

P Zack Wheeler
C Isiah Kiner-Falefa
1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.
2B Jose Altuve
3B Rafael Devers
SS Xander Bogaerts
LF Enrique Hernandez
CF Cedric Mullins
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
DH Shohei Ohtani

Didn’t use the following six letters as initials: L N P Q U Y
 

CaptainLaddie

dj paul pfieffer
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Sep 6, 2004
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where the darn libs live
Fun challenge taken off Twitter: Make the best active 10 person starting lineup you can, with all 9 positions + a DH without using the same initial twice. So if you use Max Scherzer, you can’t use Shohei Ohtani since you already used ‘S’. Alliterative names aren't allowed (sorry Freddie Freeman), and Jr./III don't count.

View: https://twitter.com/MLBRandomStats/status/1440486110862327811?s=20


My list (cheating a bit by moving Tatis to RF and using Enrique instead of the more familiar Kiké):

P Zack Wheeler
C Isiah Kiner-Falefa
1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.
2B Jose Altuve
3B Rafael Devers
SS Xander Bogaerts
LF Enrique Hernandez
CF Cedric Mullins
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
DH Shohei Ohtani

Didn’t use the following six letters as initials: L N P Q U Y
Kiner-Falefa hasn't played an inning at Catcher since 2019, sorry to say.
 

CaptainLaddie

dj paul pfieffer
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Sep 6, 2004
36,687
where the darn libs live
I broke my brain trying to come up with a team for this that didn't have any players that SSF had. I failed. Got to 9 players and couldn't find a pitcher that would be acceptable (like, not going to shitty fifth starters, basically). I need a break. It's a fucking house of cards to try and attempt it this way, I'll tell you that much. Getting Xander, Zach, Vlad, and Ohtani is a huge leg up in terms of some of the more rare letters and excellent players.
 

Hank Scorpio

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Tried to make the best possible using WAR values from FanGraphs...

First attempt yielded 46.3 WAR, second 48 WAR, and finally I came up with this...

SP: Zach Wheeler (2, 6.5)
C: Salvador Perez (6, 3.2)
1B: Vlad Guerrero Jr. (1, 6.8)
2B: Jose Altuve (3, 5.1)
SS: Nicky Lopez (6, 4.4)
3B: Rafael Devers (2, 4.4)
LF: Tyler O'Neill (1, 4.4)
CF: Cedric Mullins (1, 5.5)
RF: Bryce Harper (1, 6.4)
DH: Isiah Kiner-Falefa (*, 2.1)

For a grand total of 48.8 WAR (numbers in parenthesis are where a player ranks in terms of WAR for their position, followed by their total WAR)...

Isiah Kiner-Falefa was the 108th best position player by WAR. I wasn't able to get anyone better without having to tank either RF or LF... for C, I went with any C with over 300 PA, out of which Perez ranked 6th.

For OFers, I stayed true to position (LF/CF/RF) according to Fangraphs. For DH, I just took the best hitter available with my remaining letters.

E F Q U X Y were left unused.

Edit, because I want to see how SSF's team stacks up. We have a lot of overlap...

P Zack Wheeler (6.5)
C Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2.1)
1B Vlad Guerrero Jr. (6.8)
2B Jose Altuve (5.1)
3B Rafael Devers (4.4)
SS Xander Bogaerts (5.3)
LF Enrique Hernandez (3.6)
CF Cedric Mullins (5.5)
RF Fernando Tatis Jr. (5.9)
DH Shohei Ohtani (4.6)

Beats mine by exactly 1 win. Though I'm not sure how "allowed" Enrique and Tatis are in those positions...
 
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scottyno

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Dec 7, 2008
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Edited Attempt 2:

P. Zach Wheeler
C. Buster Posey
1b. Vlad Guerrero
2b. Ozzie Albies
SS Nicky Lopez
3b. Rafael Devers
OF Cedric Mullins Enrique Hernandez Juan Soto
DH Fernando Tatis

50.9 fwar, but helped by having 2 center fielders and a shortstop as my DH. Wouldn't be surprised if it would be better to take Harper over Hernandez and swap out Posey, but I spent too much time on this already.
 
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CaptainLaddie

dj paul pfieffer
SoSH Member
Sep 6, 2004
36,687
where the darn libs live
Tried to make the best possible using WAR values from FanGraphs...

First attempt yielded 46.3 WAR, second 48 WAR, and finally I came up with this...

SP: Zach Wheeler (2, 6.5)
C: Salvador Perez (6, 3.2)
1B: Vlad Guerrero Jr. (1, 6.8)
2B: Jose Altuve (3, 5.1)
SS: Nicky Lopez (6, 4.4)
3B: Rafael Devers (2, 4.4)
LF: Tyler O'Neill (1, 4.4)
CF: Cedric Mullins (1, 5.5)
RF: Bryce Harper (1, 6.4)
DH: Isiah Kiner-Falefa (*, 2.1)

For a grand total of 48.8 WAR (numbers in parenthesis are where a player ranks in terms of WAR for their position, followed by their total WAR)...

Isiah Kiner-Falefa was the 108th best position player by WAR. I wasn't able to get anyone better without having to tank either RF or LF... for C, I went with any C with over 300 PA, out of which Perez ranked 6th.

For OFers, I stayed true to position (LF/CF/RF) according to Fangraphs. For DH, I just took the best hitter available with my remaining letters.

E F Q U X Y were left unused.

Edit, because I want to see how SSF's team stacks up. We have a lot of overlap...

P Zack Wheeler (6.5)
C Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2.1)
1B Vlad Guerrero Jr. (6.8)
2B Jose Altuve (5.1)
3B Rafael Devers (4.4)
SS Xander Bogaerts (5.3)
LF Enrique Hernandez (3.6)
CF Cedric Mullins (5.5)
RF Fernando Tatis Jr. (5.9)
DH Shohei Ohtani (4.6)

Beats mine by exactly 1 win. Though I'm not sure how "allowed" Enrique and Tatis are in those positions...
You win, Kiner-Falefa isn't exactly a catcher these days.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Kyle Tucker, Kolten Wong.

Perez, India, Verdugo were all definitely in every lineup I attempted.
Argh...ok, v.2 below. Carlson not exactly a world-beater but he's got a 108 OPS+.

P Nathan Eovaldi
C Salvador Perez
1B Yasmani Grandal
2B Jonathan India
SS Francisco Lindor
3B Ryan McMahon
RF Bryce Harper
CF Kyle Tucker
LF Alex Verdugo
DH Dylan Carlson
 

Hank Scorpio

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The non-repeating initial team has a rival you know...

SP: Robbie Ray 4.3
C: Martin Maldonado 1.1
1B: Max Muncy 4.8
2B: Trea Turner 5.7
SS: Carlos Correa 5.5
3B: Manny Machado 4.4
LF: Byron Buxton 2.9
CF: Kevin Kiermaier 2.1
RF: Manuel Margot 1.3
DH: Freddie Freeman 4.2

(Total WAR, 36.3)
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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The non-repeating initial team has a rival you know...

SP: Robbie Ray 4.3
C: Martin Maldonado 1.1
1B: Max Muncy 4.8
2B: Trea Turner 5.7
SS: Carlos Correa 5.5
3B: Manny Machado 4.4
LF: Byron Buxton 2.9
CF: Kevin Kiermaier 2.1
RF: Manuel Margot 1.3
DH: Freddie Freeman 4.2

(Total WAR, 36.3)
Ah, but can that be done without repeating an alliterative initial? Four M.M.s feels like cheating.
 

Hank Scorpio

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Ah, but can that be done without repeating an alliterative initial? Four M.M.s feels like cheating.
I’m not about to try and figure that out without my laptop handy, but I’d have to guess probably not. I had to cheat and put Buxton at LF.

Might be possible with players active in the past 25-50 years or so, or something.
 

Sad Sam Jones

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I don't have the time right now to figure it out, but would a team built around the Bonds family and Bert Blyleven run away with the all-time single-initial championship or would Mantle, Machado and Mussina give them a run for their money?
 

singaporesoxfan

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Edited Attempt 2:

P. Zach Wheeler
C. Buster Posey
1b. Vlad Guerrero
2b. Ozzie Albies
SS Nicky Lopez
3b. Rafael Devers
OF Cedric Mullins Enrique Hernandez Juan Soto
DH Fernando Tatis

50.9 fwar, but helped by having 2 center fielders and a shortstop as my DH. Wouldn't be surprised if it would be better to take Harper over Hernandez and swap out Posey, but I spent too much time on this already.
Very nice! I suppose you could swap Tatis and Soto insofar as Tatis has actually played RF and Soto has DH'd this season, though you still have 2 CFs (though Hernandez did play LF as recently as last season)
 

E5 Yaz

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All-time team where the first initial, turned upside down, is the second initial ... in the same order (that eliminates Matt Welters at catcher)

SP: William Monbouquette
RP Wil McEnaney
C: Walt McKeel (please somebody find someone better)
1B: Willie McCovey
2B: William Mazeroski
SS: Walter Maranville
3B: William Mueller
LF: Willie McGee
CF: Willie Mays
RF: Wil Meyers
DH: William Madlock
Util: Whit Merrifield

Mgr: William Martin
 
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singaporesoxfan

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I don't have the time right now to figure it out, but would a team built around the Bonds family and Bert Blyleven run away with the all-time single-initial championship or would Mantle, Machado and Mussina give them a run for their money?
Here are my attempts at the all-time single-initial championship, Bs, career bWAR in parentheses:
C - Bob Boone (27.4)
1B - Billy Butler (11.9)
2B - Bret Boone (22.8)
3B - Bobby Bonilla (30.2)
SS - Bo Bichette (8.6)
LF - Barry Bonds (162.7)
CF - Brett Butler (49.7)
RF - Bobby Bonds (57.9)
DH - Buddy Bell (66.3)
SP - Bert Blyleven (94.5)
(plus GM - Billy Beane of course)
Total WAR - 532

Ms:
C - Mike Macfarlane (14.7)
1B - Mark McGwire (62.2)
2B - Mike Moustakas (13.7)
3B - Manny Machado (45.4)
SS - Marty Marion (31.9)
LF - Minnie Minoso (53.8)
CF - Mickey Mantle (110.2)
RF - Melvin Mora (28.3)
DH - Max Muncy (14.8)
SP - Mike Mussina (82.8)
Total bWAR - 457.8

Let me know if I missed better candidates for either initial. Obviously having Barry Bonds was hugely helpful for the B-team, but I was surprised that Buddy Bell's career WAR > Mark McGwire's.
 

jmcc5400

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Here are my attempts at the all-time single-initial championship, Bs, career bWAR in parentheses:
C - Bob Boone (27.4)
1B - Billy Butler (11.9)
2B - Bret Boone (22.8)
3B - Bobby Bonilla (30.2)
SS - Bo Bichette (8.6)
LF - Barry Bonds (162.7)
CF - Brett Butler (49.7)
RF - Bobby Bonds (57.9)
DH - Buddy Bell (66.3)
SP - Bert Blyleven (94.5)
(plus GM - Billy Beane of course)
Total WAR - 532

Let me know if I missed better candidates for either initial. Obviously having Barry Bonds was hugely helpful for the B-team, but I was surprised that Buddy Bell's career WAR > Mark McGwire's.
A lot of that value was his defense. I'd DH Bonilla.
 

singaporesoxfan

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A lot of that value was his defense. I'd DH Bonilla.
Good call, was trying to get actual DHs rather than say any hitter could be a DH, and I think of Bonilla as an NL guy because of the Mets/$1m-a-year thing so I put him at 3B, but he actually played DH a decent amount when he was with the Orioles
 

Brohamer of the Gods

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I don't have the time right now to figure it out, but would a team built around the Bonds family and Bert Blyleven run away with the all-time single-initial championship or would Mantle, Machado and Mussina give them a run for their money?
Adding Bobby Bonilla and the Boone family would make that a really good team. Put Bo Belinsky in the bullpen to keep the team loose.
 
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Yelling At Clouds

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Ah, but can that be done without repeating an alliterative initial? Four M.M.s feels like cheating.
From his team, replace Martin Maldonado with Alex Avila, Manny Machado with Eduardo Escobar, and Manuel Margot with, uh, Delino DeShields (or David Dahl).
 

Daniel_Son

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1b Yandy Diaz 1.8
2b Enrique Hernandez 4.2
Ss Fernando Tatis, Jr. 6.5
3b Vlad Guerrero, Jr. 6.8
C Buster Posey 3.2
Rf Juan Soto 6.9
Cf Cedric Mullins 5.9
Lf Randy Arozerena 3.6
Dh Shohei Ohtani 4.4
P Zach Wheeler 7.2

Total - 50.5 WAR using bbref

EDIT: goddamn is it hard to find an all-alliterative team without using MM or BB! Here's my best attempt at an all-H team:

1b Harry Heilmann 72.5
2b Harry Hinchman 0.4
ss Halley Harding 7.9
3b Harvey Hendrick 12.4
c Hughie Hearne 1.1
rf Harry Hooper 53.6
cf Hardie Henderson 10
lf Heinie Heitmuller 1.7
dh Hugh High 4.6
p Harvey Haddix 33.3


TOTAL: 197.5
 
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singaporesoxfan

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1b Yandy Diaz 1.8
2b Enrique Hernandez 4.2
Ss Fernando Tatis, Jr. 6.5
3b Vlad Guerrero, Jr. 6.8
C Buster Posey 3.2
Rf Juan Soto 6.9
Cf Cedric Mullins 5.9
Lf Randy Arozerena 3.6
Dh Shohei Ohtani 4.4
P Zach Wheeler 7.2

Total - 50.5 WAR using bbref
Nice, but you can’t have Soto and Shohei on the same team!

Maybe: take out Soto, Diaz, and Arozerena, shift Vlad Guerrero Jr to 1B, put in Rafael Devers in 3B, put in Aaron Judge in RF and that leaves you with I K L N Q U X Y to play with to find an LF. That also fixes two of your weaker WAR spots at 1B and LF.

Options from there include: play Nicky Lopez in 2B and move Kiké to the OF, or play Isiah Kiner-Falefa at SS and move Tatis to the OF.

Or you could take out Soto, Diaz and Arozerena, shift Vlad Guerrero Jr to 1B, play Jose Ramirez at 3B and that leaves you with A D I K L N Q U X Y to play with to find an LF and RF. (Maybe Yordan Alvarez?)
 

Daniel_Son

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Whoops! Good catch. What about:

1b Vlad Guerrero Jr.
6.8​
V G
2b Luis Urias
2.7​
L U
ss Brandon Crawford
5.2​
B C
3b Jose Ramirez
6.3​
J R
c Salvador Perez
5.2​
S P
rf Fernando Tatis Jr.
6.5​
F T
cf Enrique Hernandez
4.2​
E H
lf Yordan Álvarez
3.1​
y a
dh Matt Olson
5.5​
M O
p Zach Wheeler
7.2​
Z W
52.7​