Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles' All-Time Team
From Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups
Rob Neyer is a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com.


ROB'S QUESTION
Who's the greatest player to wear an Orioles uniform?

For a franchise that's been in place for only half a century, the Orioles have employed an amazing number of brilliant players -- no fewer than five first-ballot Hall of Famers have played for the Orioles. But which of them was the greatest player (as opposed to merely the greatest Oriole)?


DH Harold Baines 1993-1995; 1997-1999; 2000 Maryland native also served three tours with White Sox, and is one of two players in history to play three times with two teams (Bobo Newsom's the other).
C Rick Dempsey 1976-1986; 1992 Yankees castoff wound up catching regularly for O's for 10 years; MVP of '83 World Series thanks to .385 average and five extra-base hits, but defense his forte.
1B Eddie Murray 1977-1988; 1996 Switch-hitter finished with 504 home runs, even though he never hit 35 in a season; in '96, joined Mays and Aaron as only players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits.
2B Bobby Grich 1970-1976 Stuck behind Davey Johnson for two years, but once he got the job he was the best-hitting and -fielding second baseman in the league for four seasons.
SS Cal Ripken 1981-2001 Add it all up -- the defense, the home runs, the Durability with a capital "D" -- and there should be little doubt that he's among three greatest SS ever.
3B Brooks Robinson 1955-1977 With the exception of 1964, he wasn't ever really a great hitter, but he played forever and you've probably heard something about his defense.
LF Brady Anderson 1988-2001 Played a lot in center, too, but range more suited to one of the corner slots; he had power and patience, and gave the O's one great season and a lot of good ones.
CF Paul Blair 1964-1976 Had some decent seasons at the plate and once hit 3 homers in one game, but defense was Blair's long suit, as he won eight Gold Gloves and deserved them all.
RF Frank Robinson 1966-1971 One of the game's best and toughest players; Orioles started going to the World Series the season he arrived, and stopped the season after he left. Coincidence?
SP1 Jim Palmer 1965-1984 Now remembered mostly for his squabbles with Earl Weaver and the underwear ads, rather than for the great fastball, three Cy Youngs, and eight 20-win seasons.
SP2 Mike Mussina 1991-2000 Went 147-81 in his 10 seasons with O's, and never had anything like a bad year; threw all the pitches and there wasn't anybody smarter this side of Greg Maddux.
SP3 Dave McNally 1962-1974 From '68 through '71, went 87-31 with a 2.82 ERA; threw solid fastball and one of the league's best curves; traded to Expos for Ken Singleton and Mike Torrez.
SP4 Mike Cuellar 1969-1976 With Palmer and McNally, gave Orioles the best staff in the game; in eight seasons with O's, went 143-88 with 3.18 ERA and won 23 in '69 to share Cy Young with McLain.
RP Gregg Olson 1988-1993 Served as O's closer for only five seasons, but devastating curve resulted in 160 saves, easily the franchise record; Rookie of the Year in 1989.



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