Up on the blog today, my third and final National League outfielder to make my personal "All-Decade" team for the 1970s, and I went with the Sporting News "Player of the Decade" outright, Pete Rose:
Though Rose only played a part of the decade in the outfield, he was definitely going to be a part of my squad here.
In a decade where we had future powerhouse Hall of Famers like Johnny
Bench, Tom Seaver, and Reggie Jackson, Rose was the guy who came out in
front of them all when it came time for the Sporting News to select
someone who would represent the go-go '70's.
In the ten years spanning 1970-1979, he was on two world champion teams, four pennant winners, had six 200-hit seasons, and lead his league in no less than 13 offensive categories!
And that's not all: in NINE of those years he received Most Valuable Player consideration, taking home the award in 1973.
The man excelled no matter what position he played: second, third, outfield, first. That cannot be overlooked.In the ten years spanning 1970-1979, he was on two world champion teams, four pennant winners, had six 200-hit seasons, and lead his league in no less than 13 offensive categories!
And that's not all: in NINE of those years he received Most Valuable Player consideration, taking home the award in 1973.
So my N.L. outfield is built on Greg Luzinski, Lou Brock and Pete Rose.
Of
course I gave heavy consideration to George Foster, Dave Parker and
Willie Stargell, but for me I figured a well-built line-up would be best
served by my three picks to man the outfield grass.