McConnell picks baseball’s best ever

Jim McConnell, who writes a weekly Then & Now column, writes about the San Gabriel Valley’s best baseball players of all time. It’s a must read.


The great Jackie Robinson would bat leadoff on McConnel’s all-time SGV team. Hey Orange County folks, why don’t you try coming up with a better team than this? That’s what I thought.

Here’s the starting lineup for “your” San Gabriel Valley All-Stars:
1. Jackie Robinson (Muir Tech, PCC) 2B
2. Jim Edmonds (Diamond Bar High) CF
3. Nomar Garciaparra (Whittier) SS
4. Mark McGwire (Damien High) 1B
5. Ralph Kiner (Alhambra High) LF
6. Fred Lynn (El Monte High) RF
7. Cecil Fielder (Nogales High) DH
8. Darrell Evans (Muir, PCC) 3B
9. Lance Parrish (Walnut High) C
Starting Pitcher: Ewell Blackwell (Bonita High)

Here’s the remainder of the roster:
Starting pitchers – Hank Aguirre (Keppel); Mike Garcia (San Gabriel); Mike Krukow (San Gabriel); Mike McCormick (Keppel).
Relief pitchers – Rick Aguilera (Edgewood of West Covina); Bill Campbell (Mt. SAC); Jim Gott (San Marino); Jim Merritt (West Covina); Dan Quisenberry (University of La Verne); Todd Worrell (Maranatha).
Reserve infielders: Jack Clark (Gladstone); Bobby Knoop (Montebello); Bobby Lillis (Pasadena).
Reserve outfielders: Tom Brunansky (West Covina); Johnny Lindell (Monrovia); Irv Noren (Pasadena); Albie Pearson (El Monte).
Reserve catchers: Andy Etchebarren (La Puente); Jamie Quirk (St. Paul).

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