A Baseball Dream-Team
By Jim Joanos
I have been an FSU baseball fan for a long time. A fun thing to do for baseball fans is to select an all-time mythical team of the best players. Needless to say it is a very subjective process but nevertheless, here is my attempt to select FSU’s all time best.
CATCHER. BUSTER POSEY, 2006-08. Posey won virtually every award possible at his position including all three of the national player of the year awards, the Golden Spikes, Dick Howser, and Brooks Wallace trophies as well as being named the national player of the year by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He also got the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in college ball in 2008.
FIRST BASE. JEFF LEDBETTER, 1979-82. Watching Jeff Ledbetter hit home runs was most enjoyable. He hit the most in a single season, 42 in 1982, and the most in a career, 97. Both records are still intact. In addition to being a consensus first-team All-American his last two years at FSU, he was The Sporting News and Baseball America’s Player of the Year in 1982.
SECOND BASE. LUIS ALICEA, 1984-86. Although he was an excellent hitter, Alicea is mostly remembered for the spectacular infield defensive plays that he made on a regular basis. A first-team All-American by The Sporting News and Baseball America, he also made the College World Series All-Tournament Team following FSU’s runner-up finish to 1986 National Champions Arizona.
SHORTSTOP. DICK HOWSER, 1955-58. Howser was Florida State’s first All-American baseball player. He was a first-team All-American in both 1957 and 58. The 1957 team was FSU’s first to make it to the College World Series. Later he served as FSU’s head coach, and as Manager for the New York Yankees and the World Champions Kansas City Royals. FSU’s baseball stadium is named for him.
THIRD BASE. JUAN GUILLERMO BONILLA, 1974-77. Over his four seasons at FSU, Bonilla fielded .883 and batted .337. He was vital in FSU’s College World Series attainment in 1975. The American Baseball Coaches Association named him a first team All-American in 1976.
OUTFIELD. J.D. DREW, 1995-97. Drew won the Golden Spikes, The Sporting News’ Player of the Year, and Baseball American Player of the Year awards. He is the only player in Division I history to have hit 30 home runs and stolen 30 bases in the same season.
OUTFIELD. MIKE FUENTES, 1978-81. Feuntes is an amazing "rags to riches" story. As a freshman in 1978, he tried to walk on to the team but was cut. He tried again the next year and made it. He was selected a first-team All-American his junior year, and again his senior year. He was also selected the winner of the national 1981 Golden Spikes Award as the best amateur baseball player of them all.
OUTFIELD. DEION SANDERS, 1987-88. No one could run the bases faster than Sanders. He turned singles into doubles and doubles into triples or inside the park home runs. He unnerved a lot of pitchers. On defense, he could cover more ground in the outfield than imaginable.
DESIGNATED HITTER. JOHN-FORD GRIFFIN, 1999-2001. A consensus All-American, Griffin, in 2001 batted .450 including 19 home runs, 30 doubles and 75 RBI. It is no wonder that he was drafted in the first round by the New York Yankees.
STARTING PITCHER. PAUL WILSON, 1992-94. Wilson’s success as a dominating pitcher at FSU was capped off by his selection as the very first pick in the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft. He was also selected for first team All-American honors by Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
RELIEF PITCHER. RICHIE LEWIS 1985-87. Lewis was probably the most versatile pitcher ever to don an FSU uniform. He was the Outstanding Player of the 1985 Metro Conference Tournament and in both 1986 and 87, helped pitch FSU all the way to the College World Series. He and Mike Loynd, in 1986, formed FSU’s most famous pitching duo of all time. They led FSU to the championship game of the 1986 World Series. A two-year All-American, Lewis went on to pitch in the major leagues.
There you have it, my thoughts as to the best player at each position. I am quite aware that you are likely to disagree with some of my selections, but that is part of the fun. Enjoy!
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