#TBT: Building the ultimate Cleveland Indians starting lineup

Jul 5, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; A general view of Progressive Field at sunset during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Indians. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It is Throwback Thursday and, as the Tribe cuts down their roster this week, we are making cuts of our own and building the most potent Cleveland Indians roster of all time.

Cleveland has seen some exciting teams over the years and, with that, the Tribe has fielded some of the greatest players the game has ever seen. The late-1990s was one of the most exciting times in Indians’ history, but the wealth of talent goes far beyond that decade. It begins with Nap Lajoie in the early part of the century and continues with Indians’ legends Bob Feller and Larry Doby in the middle half of the 1900s.

Choosing the greatest lineup in Indians history isn’t just about putting together the best hitters ever. It is more about building the dream lineup, carefully constructed with the right mix of speed and power. This list does not take into account the players’ entire body of work but, instead, focuses solely on single-season performances.

What is your ultimate starting nine? Check out the slideshow and use the comments section below to build your lineup.

Next: Battery

Battery

Pitcher: Bob Feller (1940)

Perhaps the most recognizable Indians player of all time, Bob Feller was plucked from an Iowa farm at 17 years old to become a national celebrity and eventual Hall of Fame pitcher.

Joining the Indians in 1936, Feller was the biggest name in baseball outside of Babe Ruth, as he chucked fastballs approaching 100 miles per hour that batters could barely see. Deemed “Rapid Robert” or “Heater from Van Meter” in the sports pages, Feller enjoyed the best season of his incredible career in 1940. 

That season, Feller took the mound for 37 starts and threw 31 complete games. He threw 320.1 innings and posted a 2.61 ERA. Feller won 27 games, he struck of 261 batters and he was just downright unhittable.

There is no better option in Tribe history to take the bump than the man enshrined just outside the gates of Progressive Field.

Catcher: Sandy Alomar, Jr. (1997)

Sandy Alomar Jr. enjoyed some of the best seasons of his career as a member of the Cleveland Indians throughout the 90s but none better than 1997, the Tribe’s first season in Jacob’s Field.

In that season, Alomar set career-highs in seemingly every meaningful offensive category. He hit .324 with 21 homeruns and 83 RBIs on the season. He hit a homerun and earned the All-Star Game MVP award and continued his tear right into the playoffs. Leading the Tribe to the 1997 World Series, Alomar batted .274 and clubbed five homeruns while driving in 19 RBIs over 18 games in the postseason.

Alomar finished the season 14th in AL MVP voting but, as a consolation prize, Alomar landed on this list as the Tribe’s top catcher.

Next: Infielders

Outfield

Baerga, Belle, Lofton

Left Field: Larry Doby (1950)

Even without his historical significance, Larry Doby was one heck of a baseball player. Add in the fact he was just the second African American player in the MLB and Doby immediately becomes a legend in Cleveland.

Despite being forced to stay in separate hotels or eat in separate restaurants, Doby persevered on his way to seven All-Star games and five 100-plus RBI and eight 20-plus homerun seasons.

Doby’s 1950 season was, perhaps, the best of his big league career. He hit .326 with 25 homeruns and 102 RBIs over 503 at-bats. Doby was an All-Star that season at 26 years old, totaling a career-best 164 hits in just 142 games. Cleveland has plans to honor Doby this season, as another statue will be erected at Progressive Field.

And rightfully so; there may be no one more deserving of that honor.

Centerfield: Kenny Lofton (1994)

Another Tribe legend from the 1990s, Kenny Lofton put together his best professional season in 1994.

It was the first of six consecutive All-Star seasons for the speedy lead-off man, who also earned a Gold Glove Award for his work in the middle of Cleveland’s outfield.

In a strike-shortened season that led to the cancellation of the World Series, Lofton led the AL in stolen bases (60) and hits (160) while posting a career-best .349 batting average. He finished fourth in the AL MVP voting that season, leading John Hart to say:

What a representative for our team and our city. He has the opportunity to be a George Brett-type player here, someone who is synonymous with a franchise.

And that he is. Lofton will forever go down as one of the all-time greats and he certainly belongs at the top of any great Cleveland Indians lineup.

Right Field: Albert Belle (1995)

Love him or hate him, Albert Belle was a bad boy. He is one of the most terrifying hitters the game has ever seen, and he was an absolute monster at the dish in 1995.

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In that season, Belle batted .317 with 50 homeruns and 126 RBIs. Coupled with round-trippers, Belle slammed a grand total of 103 extra-base hits on the season on his way to becoming the first player in major league history to hit 50 homeruns and 50 doubles in the same season. If those numbers look implausible now, consider Belle only played 143 games in 1995 due to a strike-shortened season. While the 40-40 mark has been surpassed on a number of occasions (most recently by Chris Davis in 2013), Belle’s 50-50 numbers stand alone.

Belle posted a mammoth slugging percentage (.690) and OPS (1.091), but his reputation with the media likely cost him votes for the 1995 AL MVP. He finished behind Boston’s Mo Vaughn even though he led the league in runs scored, homeruns, RBIs, slugging percentage and seemingly every other meaningful offensive category.

The fact that “Joey Bats” is not in the Hall of Fame is an absolute travesty but, again, that is a topic for another day. For now, he lives on as the right fielder for the Tribe’s all-time greatest lineup.

Next: Designated Hitter

Designated Hitter

Travis Hafner (2006)

The Indians have talked about bringing Travis Hafner back as a part-time hitting coach, and for good reason. Pronk, or half project and half donkey, posted MVP-caliber numbers in 2006 while solidifying the middle of one of the best offenses in baseball.

Unfortunately, Hafner’s season was cut short after being hit in the hand by Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson on September 1. At the time of the injury, though, the North Dakota native led the league in slugging percentage (.659) and walks (100); he was second in homeruns (42), RBIs (117), total bases (299), on-base percentage (.439) and extra-base hits (74).

He was the first player in baseball to hit five grand slams before the All-Star break and eventually tied Don Mattingly‘s single-season record when he hit is sixth grand slam of the season in August.

Hafner hit for both power and average, posting a .308 average in the injury-shortened season. He was far and away the greatest designated hitter the Tribe has ever seen and, further, ranks atop the league as one of the most productive designated hitters in baseball history.

There is no doubt that he belongs in the middle of the batting order on any Indians’ all-time list.

Now use the comments section below to build your own ultimate Tribe lineup.

Next: #TBT: Dazzling Indians Spring Training Performances