MLB Prime 9: Team of the 90's

[Music] welcome to prime 9 the countdown show that covers the very best in baseball guaranteed to start arguments not in in this episode it's the top player at each of the nine positions in the 90s nine players one decade prime 9 there are some incredible single-season achievements in the 1990s Pedro Martinez said one of the best pitching years of all time and 99 of Famer Tony Gwynn hit 394 in 94 the highest batting average since Ted Williams at 406 and a trio of superstar shortstops all debuted in this decade as well but did any of them make are all 90s team quite frankly know for this list is all about sustained success throughout the decade so let's begin with the greatest right fielder of the 90s number 9 in your score book on prime not [Applause] there's only a handful of 5-2 players that have ever played the game and I would say here and argued that Larry Walker was one to fire to play Larry Walker really presents his first stamp on the game in 1992 is elected to his first all-star game wins his first Silver Slugger and his first Gold Glove [Applause] planning is Larry Walker the first thing that's said yeah it's okay we're not running on Walker because he's been throwing out he had a league-high 44 doubles in 94 and let his expose to the best record in baseball [Music] [Applause] if Larry Walker is an exceptional all-around five-tool town in Montreal when he goes to Colorado he turns into an otherworldly ballplayer Walker elevated his game in the mile-high air as balls just flew off his back I call him Larry legend and when he came up he knew something special was gonna happen [Applause] everybody was so amazed by his offense that he went out there and put up some incredible numbers he reached historic Heights will be remembered as one of the finest in national league history the 97 MVP have 409 total bases the most by any player in almost four decades Larry Walker the National League's most valuable player all Larry did next was wind batting titles in both 1998 and 99 [Applause] it was a three-year stretch that all but defied belief that run from 1997 to 1999 elevated Walker to a status in which he was just an exceptional exceptional talent it's 1990 in Yankee Stadium junior was out there playing center field and Jesse Barfield hit what was going to be another home run [Applause] that's why we called him the kid because he could take a major-league adult moment and make you think you're playing a little league ball when actually you're planning Yankee Stadium it was the beginning of what would become the legacy of ken griffey jr. always smooth often spectacular Griffey was a revelation on defense he took such great pride in his defense there wasn't a ball that went here that he didn't think he could catch and what a strong throwing arm for centerfielders an attribute you don't often see but he also brought power back to the center field position did he ever evoking memories of Willie Mickey and the Duke griffeys 382 homeruns were the second most in the decade [Music] of his then career-high 45 home runs in 93 aided them put him in the record books Aldea long died matically have been joined tonight by ken griffey jr. all bronze in eight consecutive ballgames toward the end of the decade jr. had a season so phenomenal it was worth repeating in 1997 he had 56 homers and a hundred 47 RBIs next year II at fifty six homers in 146 our huts [Music] ken was picked to ten straight all-star teams in the 90s and earned a spot among the century's best this all century player ken griffey and that's just another example of this guy is just another class man he's in a whole nother level four seven seven is also how many MVP awards Barry Bonds would win in his career a 1990 would be his first this guy was probably the most complete player in all the baseball 30 home runs still 30 bags that was kind of the rise in power hitting guys that were able to take advantage and steal 30 bases a year very one seven Silver Slugger awards in the 90s and eight Gold Gloves he earned his second MVP award in 92 and that might and let the pirates to their third straight postseason appearance daytime boy one year later he was in San Francisco it's like a boyhood dream that comes true for me [Applause] he had a giant impact right from the start captured his decade best third MVP award he had a combination of great discipline at the play hitting for average hitting for power he had the whole package season there was an aura of invincibility to bonds in the nikes he was going to get you one way or another I hated the same time upset it played because you knew that he was that good and if he walked them he was going to steal and in 1997 he both homered and stole his way into the record books and that is the season at 30 homers and 30 steals those numbers kept adding up and one year later he created his own Club the first man in the history of the game of the hit 400 [Music] [Applause] Barry Bonds could beat you with his mind he could beat you with his legs he could beat you with his arm certainly his back and there was nobody during the course of the time that he was playing they could touch him on the baseball field [Music] shortstop Barry Larkin kicked off the 90s by leading his Reds to attack luckily took me to another level of defense and offense I think you became a shortstop we hadn't seen ever in baseball Barry was at the forefront of an evolving breed of shortstop I think the thing that impressed you about Barry Larkin was that he was a shortstop that was very athletic had a lot of range with his backhand good going up the middle get rid of the ball well he was one of those special players that when they talk about a five-tool player that's what Barry was and one of his tools was his bat offensively Barry was a great player and he put him in the middle of that lineup but they had their in Cincinnati for some years and you know he was the guy that you worried about he was a guy who if you need him to could hit for power and drive in runs [Music] the 90s was a showcase for Barry's power and speed and soap adorned his trophy case burl Arkin want more of silver sluggers than any other player at his position had to be pretty good he was brilliant in 95 when he became the first NL shortstop to be named MVP in 33 years one year later he made history again one of his greatest seasons no doubt was 1996 when he became the first shortstop to join a 30-30 club member walking off the field it was like no shortstop had done it through the history of the game was just absolutely amazing classy talented and the very best Barry Larkin to me is a Hall of Fame shortstop and I really believe he revolutionized that position as far as being a great hitter and a green field our selection at third might come as a surprise but you can't ignore Robin Ventura stutter defensing big bat [Applause] [Music] [Applause] he was a remarkably consistent hitter and he was the defensive third baseman of that era Robin was the best third baseman in the 1990s and a man his owner loved to watch play rather notorious one of my all-time favorite players he's known as it as an offensive player but he was a Gold Glove third baseman he won six of them in fact and had a knack for the spectacular play by the Sox third baseman Robin Ventura Robin also had a penchant for coming up big when the bases were jammed deep stay fair Robin hit 13 grand slams in the nighties two of them back-to-back [Music] to winning he also doubled up in 1999 clearing the bases in both games of a doubleheader [Applause] all those Slams help Robin post the third most homeruns and total bases and the second most RBIs for third baseman in the night and his most famous grand slam was never recorded as one because Robin never got the home plate [Applause] he's got to circle the bases although Robin didn't get that slam he did make his mark as part of one of the greatest defensive in fields of all time 1999 was the best in field that I ever had in my career one that finished with a phenomenal 992 fielding percentage this infield they are superb thanks in great part to our third baseman of the night Roberto Alomar played for four different teams in the 90s a two-nation journey that began out west when I came over to San Diego in 1990 I really hadn't known too much about Robbie Alomar just 21 years old Roberto was an all-star that year his first of 12 straight but soon both he and Carter were traded to Toronto being traded with him in 91 to the 20 Blue Jays I say okay I can believe you guys treated me I cannot believe you treated Robbie Alomar [Applause] Roberto led Toronto to the postseason in 92 where he delivered the biggest hit in Toronto Blue Jays history was the home run he hit off of Dennis Eckersley [Applause] that hit their signal that the Toronto Blue Jays could win the big game he was the LCS MVP that year and helped the Blue Jays earn back-to-back titles in 92 and 3 Albemarle was one of the most acrobatic second basemen of all time amazing his teammates at every stop raised by reversing the hands down I mean offensively defensively he could really do with everyone once you throw Robbie out there in the field you just you sit back and marvel making plays in short right field [Applause] [Music] what's more no second baseman in the decade had a better batting average more RBIs or a higher o-p-s he finished 2nd among second sackers and hits and runs scored in the 90s and led the league in 99 with 138 runs it was a Hall of Fame decade for Alberto Alomar he was one of the biggest first baseman of the 90s and Frank Thomas was also one of the most intimidating for the man they called the big hurts inflicted pain on pitchers in oh so many ways he was a home run hitter obviously because he hit 500 plus home runs but he was a good hitter first that became apparent in his 60 game rookie year of 1990 when he hit 3:30 with a 980 300 PS [Applause] most people thought the big guys like me it was just a home run guy but that wasn't my goal of my plan he was a guy that was an average hitter as far as hitting 340 350 but hit 40 home runs and driving 120 and would take a walk how do you put this guy in fact only two players Barry Bonds and Frank Thomas averaged 30 home runs 100 RBIs and 100 walks for all 10 years Frank do a lot of thing then I don't think too many people can do that on the ivi on the walks 30 home runs the five-time all-star was a unique blend of power and plate discipline [Applause] and that led him to be compared to the great Ted Williams I'm sure there's tons of numbers that back up that argument there's been many years where both of those guys had similar numbers not to mention that they were both two-time MVPs would Frank just the sixth American leader to win them back to back in 93 and for in addition Frank's slugging percentage in o-p-s in 94 were the highest in the AL since Teddy ballgame and 57 fact is the big herd led the AL and walks on base percentage and o-p-s 3 times in the nights that put him in the top three in each of those categories for the decade Frank Thomas is our first basement of the nighties any question we now return to prime 9 where this week we're featuring the all 1990s team these are players who excelled throughout the entire decade two or three exceptional seasons were simply not enough to make the cut so now it's time for numbers 1 & 2 the best catcher and pitcher from the 1990s we begin behind the plate with number 2 fiance show the tremendous power the story is often told how Mike Piazza only made it to pro ball because the Dodgers drafted him in the 62nd round as a favor to family friend Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda it wasn't drafted as a favor he was drafted because I wanted him drafted never youngster by the name of Michael Piazza this guy's got power he can become a marquee player and Mike wasted no time with a Rookie of the Year performance at 93 [Applause] for the major league baseball history even as a rookie he seemed to be very polished and very confident in what he brought to the table and those kinds of numbers continued throughout the decade despite the fact that Mike played the most demanding position in all of baseball that wear and tear of a catcher is just indicative of what's not supposed to happen and what's not supposed to happen is high averages high numbers Mike season for the ages in 1997 one spectacular a year that Mike Piazza had in 1997 362 batting average as a catcher a monster year and his final full season as a Dodger four by late May of 98 he was of New York Mets much to the delight of his new mates I remember talking to my good friend John Franco it wears like two little kids like fans I can get Mike Piazza to know what he meant to the National League at that time [Applause] Piazza leaves the astrodome man Mike closed out the decade in New York by earning seven all-star nods and seven Silver Slugger awards in the Knights is total consistency the power numbers were consistent the batting average was consistent he had power second the nine he knew was gone as soon as he hit it when all was said and done he owned all three Triple Crown categories for catchers in the decade pound-for-pound there is nobody in baseball stronger than Mike Piazza [Music] [Applause] Thanks [Applause] what means the best folks the professor that's what I call Greg Maddux to face Greg Maddux and seeing with those glasses on it I thought he was nerdy birdie ah but this professor was at the top of his class for a picture that was not a power pitcher you have to have perfection in the school of pitching smarts Greg was a fast learner I think there's no question that would make Greg Maddux the pitcher that he was was just how smart he was nobody does it better in the National League than Greg Maddux not in the 90s that's for sure is Greg led all pitchers in four key categories Maddux was a cup for three seasons in the 90s and his last one began a stretch in which he won four straight Sion Awards the final three with Atlanta blown away there it is in 94 and 95 he posted two of the four highest er A+ seasons since 1901 you know thing about great Maddux in 1995 he never made a bad pitch not one Mike would win 18 Gold Gloves in his career including one in every year of the 90s the only pitcher ever to sweep up decade he didn't let hitters pull the ball or hit the ball the opposite way he wanted balls hit right back up the middle in that little wedge from home plate out to short and second that's why he's the best pitcher in the game and certainly the best of the night although Greg Maddux was our pitcher of the 90s he didn't have the most strikeouts in the decade that total of 2538 went to Randy Johnson Mark Grace had the most hits in the 90s with 1754 [Applause] mark mcgwire blasted 405 home runs [Applause] Albert Bell had the most RBIs in the decade with 1099 John whittlin had the most saves with 295 and no one in the night he's had more steals than Otis Nixon with 478 almost all of these names stood above the rest in one special category in the Nikes except that is for being the very best at their position that's our prime 9

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Views: 21,918

Rating: 4.7692308 out of 5

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Id: NWfJ9BXZbnY

Length: 22min 0sec (1320 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 12 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/[deleted]]

I'd probably go

C: Pudge
1B: Frank Thomas
2B: Roberto Alomar
3B: Chipper Jones
SS: Alex Rodriguez
LF: Barry Bonds
CF: Ken Griffey Jr
RF: Tony Gwynn

Lineup:

1.) Gwynn
2.) Alex Rodriguez
3.) Ken Griffey Jr
4.) Barry Bonds
5.) Frank Thomas
6.) Chipper Jones
7.) Pudge
8.) Roberto Alomar
9.) Pitcher (probably Maddux)