All-Time Since 1970 Positive Signs
Last time, I covered the new Negative Sign players added to my All-Time Career Fantasy Points database in the 1970s. So now, it’s only logical to see how the Positive Signs stack up. When I first updated my database, for the years from 2000 to the present, Leo claimed the top spot. As of my last update, All-Time Since 1980, the Lions had dropped all the way to fourth place. But when taking the 1970s into account, they’re now back up to second, behind Scorpio, which makes Leo the top scorer in the Positive Polarity.
Leo’s top new addition was also one of the most tragic stories in MLB history. Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente scored 30,844 fantasy points over an 18-season career. After the last of those seasons (1972), Clemente was killed in a plane crash, while on the way to deliver aid to Nicaragua following a devastating earthquake. Clemente will be remembered not only as one of baseball’s greatest overall players, but also as one of the sport’s greatest humanitarians.
Not far behind Clemente in fantasy points is center fielder Vada Pinson (30,068), who takes over as the top Lions center fielder, in front of some guy named Mike Trout (22,478). Considering that Trout has just 11 seasons under his belt, compared to Pinson’s 18, it’s conceivable that the current Angel re-takes the top spot in the future. Leo also added two starting pitchers to their top seven: lefty Claude Osteen (24,996) clocks in at #4, while Andy Messersmith (21,325) has the third-highest points-per-game total among Leos with 62.0, behind just Roger Clemens (70.1) and Max Scherzer (70.5). Reliever Hoyt Wilhelm (28,950) only made one Leo team in the 70’s, but he beats out Billy Wagner (23,778) as the number one closer.
Two of the top three pitchers in the Libra All-Time rotation were added in the 70’s: the Dominican with the legendary leg kick Juan Marichal (34,164) and pitcher-turned-senator Jim Bunning (33,585). These two finish behind All-Time ace Jim Palmer (35,906). Lefty Wilbur Wood (22,603) is a candidate for either the bullpen or the starting rotation, with a career ratio of 297 starts out of 651 total games (45.6% starts). Honorary All-Star coach Willie Horton (22,092) is Libra’s top-scoring primary left fielder, but the All-Time corners would be occupied by right fielders Dave Winfield (39,434) and Ichiro Suzuki (29,491). Speedster Maury Wills (20,528) was not able to supplant Michael Young (23,987) at the shortstop position. While Gene Tenace (14,819) takes over as the top primary catcher, the All-Time position would be filled by primary DH/left fielder Brian Downing (24,995).
By the time the 1970s rolled around, Al Kaline (37,027) was mostly relegated to first base and pinch hitting duties, but he was one of the premier hitters and right fielders for the previous two decades. He enters the database as the top Sagittarius batter, behind only Canadian starting pitcher Fergie Jenkins (40,041). Jenkins and Mike Mussina (31,879) get some help in the rotation from Cuban star Luis Tiant (30,558), the top pitcher from the island nation, and the third top-scoring Cuban overall, behind Libra Rafael Palmeiro (40,459) and Taurus Tony Perez (31,467). Lindy McDaniel (22,018) continues the trend of strong Sagittarius relievers, joining a bullpen that also features holdovers Mariano Rivera (34,324) and Lee Smith (25,748).
While Aries places just sixth out of the 12 signs in fantasy points among all players from 1970 to the present, the Rams were the #1 team when taking just the 1970s into account. Then, if you needed any evidence that fantasy astrology baseball is cyclical in nature, Aries was dead last in the 1980s. While their top new 1970s addition Catfish Hunter (29,996) had a very impressive career, he didn’t even crack the top five All-Time Rams pitchers. On the other hand, Willie Davis (27,229) takes over as the #1 center fielder, and Tommy Davis (20,277) is the new top primary left fielder, although the corners in an All-Time Aries lineup would be occupied by center field and right field surplus. Aries is notoriously weak in relief pitchers (historically speaking), with John Hiller (15,173) becoming the top dedicated reliever in All-Time Since 1970 history.
Both of Gemini’s top new additions were left fielders with vastly different skill sets. Lou Brock (34,829) was one of the most accomplished basestealers in history, while Billy Williams (33,525) was known as a dominant power hitter. Unfortunately, the top overall Gemini fantasy point scorer since 1970, Manny Ramirez (37,724), plays the same position. After those two, we have to go 26 spots down on the database before we see our next 70s addition: pitcher Dean Chance (19,632), who had significant time as both a starter and a reliever in his career.
It will never cease to be fascinating to me how Aquarius can have two of the three 50,000 fantasy point scorers since 1970, and still finish as the lowest scoring team overall. Former home run king Hank Aaron (52,900) finishes as the new top Water Bearers point scorer, edging out still-reigning strikeout king Nolan Ryan (50,662)… but I guess depth is more important than star power, no matter how bright those stars shine. Ryan did get some support in the rotation, with Joe Coleman (18,524), Fritz Peterson (17,030) and Pat Dobson (16,133) all being added to the database in this decade. At third base, Sal Bando (21,930) inserts himself into an already very tight race between Ron Cey (23,112) and Carney Lansford (21,676).