This article is part of our MLB Observations series.
We really should have had more than two people for this. Unlike the Tigers, the Yankees have a history of superstars that could probably support a 12-team league. Nonetheless, Jeff Erickson and I went head to head on this, and here's how it shook out:
Rd 1 | Team Liss | Player Babe Ruth |
| 1 | Erickson | Lou Gehrig |
| 2 | Erickson | Mickey Mantle |
| 2 | Liss | Mariano Rivera |
| 3 | Liss | Joe DiMaggio |
| 3 | Erickson | Alex Rodriguez |
| 4 | Erickson | Whitey Ford |
| 4 | Liss | Derek Jeter |
| 5 | Liss | Andy Pettitte |
| 5 | Erickson | Mike Mussina |
| 6 | Erickson | Ron Guidry |
| 6 | Liss | Roger Clemens |
| 7 | Liss | C.C. Sabathia |
| 7 | Erickson | Rickey Henderson |
| 8 | Erickson | Bernie Williams |
| 8 | Liss | Don Mattingly |
| 9 | Liss | Reggie Jackson |
| 9 | Erickson | Goose Gossage |
| 10 | Erickson | Joe Gordon |
| 10 | Liss | Robinson Cano |
| 11 | Liss | Aroldis Chapman |
| 11 | Erickson | Gleyber Torres |
| 12 | Erickson | Lefty Gomez |
| 12 | Liss | Graig Nettles |
| 13 | Liss | Yogi Berra |
| 13 | Erickson | Tony Lazzeri |
| 14 | Erickson | David Cone |
| 14 | Liss | Willie Randolph |
| 15 | Liss | Thurman Munson |
| 15 | Erickson | Bill Dickey |
| 16 | Erickson | Dave Winfield |
| 16 | Liss | Allie Reynolds |
Rosters By Position
| Liss | Jeff | |
| C | Yogi Berra | Bill Dickey |
| 1B | Don Mattingly | Lou Gehrig |
| 3B | Graig Nettles | Alex Rodriguez |
| 2B | Robinson Cano | Joe Gordon |
| SS | Jeter | Gleyber Torres |
| IF | Willie Randolph | Tony Lazzeri |
| OF1 | Babe Ruth | Mickey Mantle |
| OF2 | Joe Dimaggio | Rickey Henderson |
| OF3 | Reggie Jackson | Bernie Williams |
| DH | Thurman Munson | Dave Winfield |
| P1 | Mariano Rivera | Whitey Ford |
| P2 | Andy Pettitte | Mike Mussina |
| P3 | Roger Clemens | Ron Guidry |
| P4 | C.C. Sabathia | Goose Gossage |
| P5 | Aroldis Chapman | Lefty Gomez |
| P6 | Allie Reynolds | David Cone |
Because these are Yankees, I'll cut Erickson some slack and say his squad would win at least 85 games. I screwed up taking Chapman over Lefty Gomez, but I couldn't resist the Chapman/Rivera back-end of the bullpen. Also, I probably shouldn't have a catcher at DH, but wanted to get Munson on the squad somehow -- the Yankees are insanely deep at catcher historically. Both of us considered newly acquired Gerrit Cole, but felt that would be cheating -- otherwise, why not use a washed-up Randy Johnson or Kevin Brown. The criterion was you had to select the player as he was while playing for the Yankees.
