This Argument From Starting 9 Is A Good Reminder That Pablo Sanchez Is The Greatest Baseball Video Game Character Of All Time
So I saw this post last night and wanted to write a blog about it because Backyard Baseball holds a special place in my heart. It's a timeless game that was part of my childhood and you can still play it - just Google it. I'll find myself playing it from time to time just for nostalgia. But this? This is one of the easiest questions of all time.
Obviously if you play Backyard Baseball you do a fantasy draft. You probably create your own team - the Wombats. The first pick is simple.
Pablo Sanchez
The greatest fictional sports character of all time. Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl is probably (likely) the greatest sports video game character of all time, so we're going with fictional here. Pablo has it all. You can play him at any position. He's perfect in the 3 spot in the batting order. There might not be a name more synonymous with a video game that's not named after someone than Pablo. He's always the 1st pick no matter who was in the game.
Barry Bonds
You know how you protect Pablo in the 3 hole? You put Barry in the cleanup spot. This was prime Barry Bonds, then again basically his entire career was prime Barry. But this was 70+ homer Barry. He was automatic to hit a long fly and you likely walked out with 2 homers in a game with him. If not it was a sac fly if you knew how to time the running. Put him at first base or the outfield pending on your roster and you were fine.
Ken Griffey Jr
It was the early 2000s and no one was cooler than the Kid. Auto top-3 selection. I'd use him in the 2 spot in the batting order and really create a death row that the 1927 Yankees thought they were. Not to mention you had to worry about defense and he was silly in the outfield. Every fly ball was an out. You couldn't run on the Kid.
So let's say you can't take MLB players. Fine. I spent too much time waiting in line at Toys R Us in the West Manchester Mall (RIPIP) for this game not to know all of them.
Pete Wheeler
A combo of Rickey Henderson and Ichiro. Slap hit and steal bases. That's what Pete Wheeler did. He was arguably the best base runner in the game and one of the more versatile. You could use him as a pitcher. You could play him at short stop. He was an ideal lead off hitter because he was on base and likely stretching into a double. He was solid, that's the only way to describe Pete.
Achmed Khan
I know Pablo was the coolest but Achmed was right behind him. The giant headphones, the fact he was awesome at hitting. Yeah Achmed is a lock for top-3 non MLB players. He may have struggled in the field, but you could hide him. It also didn't matter because you were playing with a lead if you had him, Pete and Pablo in 3 of the top 4 in the order. You also had to separate him from his brother. Can't have a Timmy/Tommy Sandlot situation here. Achmed was awesome.
So there you have it. Thanks for the trip down nostalgia Starting 9. I'll tell you a sneaky pick? Randy Johnson. You locked in your pitcher and then just bunt with him whenever he was at bat. Worth the flame thrower.