An open letter to my friend, Dan Velderrain,
Earlier this year, you asked me to take your Saddleback Sharks team and make a lineup out of them. I did and posted the results here on the blog. To be honest, I had a blast doing it. It’s always fun looking at someone else’s team and seeing what you can do what with it.
Dan, I’m asking you to return the favor. As you probably know, some of your fellow APBA friends in the Midwest are gathering for the Chicago APBA World Series Tournament on November 16th. We’ve been told that we could pick any existing APBA team and I’ve chosen the 1966 Baltimore Orioles. Just for kicks, I thought it would be fun to get your opinion on how I should formulate my lineup like I did for you.
Note that you would have the wisdom of Baltimore manager Hank Bauer to go by. Keep in mind that the Chicagoland tournament will be using the DH though. Bauer didn’t have that luxury.
Here are the 1966 Baltimore starters you have to work with:
C: Andy Etchebarren
1B: Boog Powell
2B: Davey Johnson
SS: Luis Aparacio
3B: Brooks Robinson
OF: Frank Robinson
OF: Russ Snyder
OF: Paul Blair
DH: Curt Blefary
Note: we’ll be using a three-man rotation so I’ll be going with Steve Barber (AY), Dave McNally (BY), and Jim Palmer (BYW).
Your job Dan, should you decide to accept it, is to arrange this team into an acceptable lineup. Feel free to make helpful suggestions, comments, and even snide remarks if you are so moved. Just have fun with it! I’m not going to be bound to your lineups but gathering from your league success, I’d probably be a fool not to use it.
I’m very much looking forward to your response. I’ll be meeting a lot of new people for the first time at this tournament. I thought to myself, “If only Sgt. Dan was there, too”. Well, this is one way to get you involved.
Thanks, friend!
