Greatest MLB Roster of All Time
 

Which team had the greatest roster ever? Of course this is arguable, but for me the choice is pretty clear. It was the 1928 Philadelphia Athletics, who featured a Hall of Fame player at every position except 1st base and shortstop. Here was their HOF lineup:

Outfield: Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Al Simmons
Infield: Eddie Collins (2b), Jimmy Foxx (3b), Mickey Cochrane (c)
Pitcher: Lefty Grove

So that's a HOF player in seven of the nine roster positions, and a grand total of eight if you count their HOF manager, Connie Mack. And these weren't your run-of-the-mill Hall of Fame players either.

Was there ever a better MLB roster than that one?

The greatest Roster maybe buy also the one that never won.

They did not make or win the World Series

Ty Cobb. Age 41, Tris Speaker Age 40, Eddie Collins. Age 41 were old but amazing that season all batting over .300.

True. However, I did not specify "the most successful team" ever. That could be another interesting post. But success and greatness don't necessarily go hand in hand, and we could all give many examples of outstanding players who toiled on mediocre teams. And I also didn't specify "the greatest team" ever. That research would have to take into account such factors as the prime years of a career. Again, that would be another interesting post.

By asking for the "greatest roster ever," I am trying to ascertain which team had the best players of all time for one season on it, regardless of their ages. In 1928, those Philadelphia Athletics didn't even play in the World Series. But the stars were so perfectly aligned that they were able to get the immortals Cobb and Speaker each in their last season, Eddie Collins at the tail-end of his HOF career, and also land HOF players such as Grove, Cochrane, Foxx, and Simmons so early in their MLB careers. All in all, they formed such an amazing roster.

Yes, if you are looking for the team with the best players of all time on it for one season (irrespective of how those individual players performed that specific year) then you probably picked the right one.

If, however, you are taking a different approach and looking for the team that had the best players during a specific season, I think it is hard to beat the 1954 Indians. They had the highest winning percentage of any team since the 1909 Pirates at .724 (110-42) and featured 4 of the top AL MVP vote getters in Larry Doby (2nd), Bobby Avila (3rd), Bob Lemon (5th), and Early Wynn (6th). Al Rosen also had a strong year, slugging over .500

Bobby Avila led the AL in Batting Average at .341, Doby led the AL in HRs (32) and RBIs (126).

Mike Garcia led the AL in ERA with 2.64 (Lemon and Wynn were also in the top 4). Bob Lemon and Early Wynn tied for the AL lead in wins with 23 each.

They did, however, get swept by the Giants in the World Series.

Not necessarily from all-time, but from a more modern standpoint, the 1995 Indians had some amazing people in their roster. They didn't all get into the HOF, but had significant talent to at least get them consideration, along with some characters with issues, but still great players. The roster list included:

Manny Ramirez
Jim Thome - HOF
Albert Belle
Dave Winfield - HOF
Eddie Murray - HOF
Omar Vizquel
Carlos Baerga
Kenny Lofton
Orel Hershiser
Denny Martinez
Jose Mesa - 321 career saves

And from a famous card standpoint, Billy Ripken was on the roster as well. LOL

There are multiple players with 500+ homes runs, 3,000+ career hits, and in the top 20 list for RBIs all-time. And Belle isn't included in any of those due to his career being cut short due to injuries, but is still the only player in MLB history to have had a 50-50 season with at least 50 HRs and 50 doubles in the same season (plus one triple for good measure).

It has to start with pitching. How about the 03 Yankees with Clemens, Mussina, Pettite, Wells and Rivera? Pre Arod, but a strong lineup too with Jeter, Posada, Matsui, Bernie, Giambi, etc.

1927 Yankees have to be part of the conversation.

Not sure where they stack up overall, but the Braves mid ninety’s rotation was the heat!

Great team to bring up! IMO Belle and Manny should be in the hall. Omar probably ends up getting in, and Lofton was just another couple good years away from joining them.

Also, not to call you out but you left Sandy Alomar Jr. off that list (he was probably hurt most of the season though)... not a HOFer but it's crazy to me how people forget he was one of the best, if not the best, catchers from that era. Probably a lot of people at that time thought he would end up in Cooperstown as well.

Another team worth mentioning has to be the Big Red Machine... 4 HOF players close to being in their prime (Morgan definitely was with back to back MVPs, Perez was, Rose was just outside of it, and Bench peaked a few years earlier due to his injury but was still great). You also have Concepcion who is a border HOF player. Then some great semi-stars like Griffey, Geronimo, and George Foster (could've been a HOF player had things went better for him after leaving the Reds).

Also, you have to consider the Yankees teams in the 20s and 50s... loaded with HOFers. Nothing comes close to that 28 A's team though in terms of big names. Great find! Not just HOF players but most were elite HOFers.

Great point about Sandy, and I did think about putting on the list, but then decided not to after double-checking his career numbers. I was thinking that had I put him on the list, someone may have jumped in and called me out for having included him. I totally agree, he was a great catcher, but you know how many on this forum are with the dependence on modern statistics and measurements. They would just look at his numbers and immediately wonder what was so good about him, he looks average at best on paper. He had a 20 year career, with only a 13.7 WAR.

Actually, I should have also mentioned Brian Giles and put him on the list as well, since 1995 was his initial season playing in the big leagues with the Indians, though he only appeared in 6 games as a late season call up, I believe. I almost didn't list Carlos Baerga, along the same lines for not having listed Sandy Alomar Jr., as Baerga had a career WAR of only 19.6 over his 14 year ML seasons. But with Baerga's .291 career batting average, and his memorable time with Omar Vizquel as a premier double play combo, I felt I had to leave him on after all.

If I missed a mention sorry but some of those early and mid 50s Yankees teams with Mantle, Berra, and Ford have to be up there; each time had a bunch of star level players in addition.

I think there were several Giants teams with Mays, MicCovey, Cepeda, Marichal and Perry as well as Matty and Felipe Alou and Billy Pierce..

The 1965 rendition would add in Warren Spahn over Billy Pierce.

The 1964 club would have Pierce and no Spahn, but you get Duke Snider thrown in.

Spahn or Pierce + Snider is a tough pick.

The Giants probably have the most "great players for other teams who barely played for them" guys in baseball history.

And the 3rd New York team, the 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers:

C Roy Campanella HOF
1B Gil Hodges HOF
2B Jim Gilliam
SS Pee Wee Reese HOF
3B Jackie Robinson HOF
LF Dale Mitchell (career .312 hitter)
CF Duke Snider HOF
RF Carl Furillo

P Don Newcombe
P Sal Maglie
P Don Drysdale HOF
P Sandy Koufax HOF

The early 1960s New York Mets had lots of great players (Gil Hodges, Warren Spahn, Yogi Berra, Duke Snider, etc.) all managed by Casey Stengel, with George Weiss as GM. Unfortunately, they were all over the hill!

The 2014 Tigers had a rotation that consisted of Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, David Price, Rick Porcello - all Cy Young winners, plus Robbie Ray. Has there been another team with 5 Cy Young winners on the same roster?

Philadelphia 1912

Bender
Plank
Pennock
Covaleski

Plus 31 game winner Colby Jack Coombs and Bullet Joe Bush.

That's awesome. I'll trade you Porcello for Plank and a player to be named.:D

I goofed... Coombs isn't a HOFer. But he did win 31 one year.

The 80 Yankees had Kaat, Gaylord Perry, Tiant, Tommy John and Guidry.

Oof Rick Porcello. Maybe one of the worst pitchers to win a CY.

Coombs was a monster that year.

How about those '71 Orioles who managed to have four 20-game winners on their staff that year!

A lot of great teams some with HOFers some just with great players that year

Wow.

But I am still partial to the late 1920 Yankees