All-Longshot Draft Team

SI Staff | Jun 4, 2008

All-Longshot Draft Team /

All-Longshot Draft Team

C: Mike Piazza

The 1,390th overall pick in the 1988 draft went on to become the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year and then a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Silver Slugger winner and the all-time home run leader among catchers before retiring in May 2008.

1B: Albert Pujols

Since his Rookie of the Year season in 2001, Pujols has been one of the premier offensive players in the game, collecting at least 30 home runs and 100 RBIs each season as well as three Silver Sluggers and the 2005 NL MVP.

2B: Marcus Giles

The 2003 All-Star was a valuable commodity in the field, on the basepaths and at the plate for six NL East championship teams in Atlanta.

SS: David Eckstein

With two All-Star appearances, two World Series rings and the 2006 WS MVP to his name, Eckstein has quieted the critics who said he was too small, at 5'7", to succeed in the majors.

3B: Mike Lowell

Lowell is a the three-time All-Star, a 2003 Silver Slugger winner, a Gold Glover in 2005 and the 2007 World Series MVP.

OF: Jason Bay

Bay followed his Rookie of the Year season in 2004 with All-Star seasons in 2005 and 2006, in which he had 32 home runs and 101 RBIs and 35 home runs and 109 RBIs, respectively.

OF: Kenny Lofton

The six-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner stole 615 bases in his 17 seasons, and he may yet get a call to play an 18th season this year.

OF: Jermaine Dye

Dye has hit at least 20 home runs in seven seasons and driven in at least 100 runs in four seasons. The two-time All-Star was also the 2005 World Series MVP.

DH: Travis Hafner

In 2004, 2005 and 2006, Hafner ranked in the top-two in the AL in OPS. The slugger also finished in the top ten in AL MVP voting in 2005 and 2006.

SP: John Smoltz

Over his 21-year career, Smoltz has been an All-Star as a starter and a closer and has amassed 210 wins, 154 saves, 3,011 strikeouts and the 1996 NL Cy Young Award.

SP: Roy Oswalt

Oswalt has finished in the top five in the NL Cy Young voting five times and has a career 116-59 record, 3.19 ERA and 1,225 strikeouts to 343 walks.

SP: Mark Buehrle

The three-time All-Star has been a workhorse, logging at least 200 innings each of the last seven seasons.

SP: Kenny Rogers

Rogers' career has been marked by consistency and longevity. He made his first of four All-Star appearances in 1995 and won his most recent of five Gold Gloves in 2006.

SP: Jake Peavy

Peavy won the pitching Triple Crown in 2007, leading the NL in wins (19), ERA (2.40) and strikeouts (240) on his way to the Cy Young award.

Closer: Trevor Hoffman

Hoffman is the career leader in saves with 535 and finished second in the NL Cy Young voting in 1998 and 2006.

Closer: Jason Isringhausen

Since 2000, the two-time All-Star has failed to notch 30 saves only once. He tied Armando Benitez for the league lead in saves in 2004 with 47.

Honorable Mentions: Jorge Posada

The switch hitting catcher has five All-Star appearances, five Silver Slugger awards and three World Series wins to his name. Other honorable mentions include Brian Giles (17th round), Steve Finley (13th), Richie Sexson (24th) and Jim Thome (13th).

Published Jun 4, 2008

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