I’ve been having so much fun picking my Friars All-Time team that I just don’t want to stop. I have my 8 defensive positions settled, a couple starting pitchers and 2 relievers but every team needs some bench players. I mean if I am in a tie game late, I don’t want my pitcher having to swing the bat with runners on base; that’s what a PH is for.

I threw out the option last week of doing one more piece naming my squad’s reserves to you, the readers, and I got the sense you were all for it. Therefore I’m going to do it.

Obviously I will place the same constraints today’s teams have in the number of players I can carry. Today teams are allowed a maximum of 25 players. Generally, most NL clubs carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players and that is the model I will use. Since I’ve already named 8 that leaves space for 5 reserve position players.

I’m a big believer in flexibility so I like players that can play multiple defensive positions at least passably. I also think you have to have some speed on the bench; especially if you play in the NL. If I am a run down in the 9^th I want to be able to get the lead guy on base and have the option of using another guy to run for him. What Dave Roberts did for Boston in the 2004 ALCS is a perfect example of what I mean.

It also helps to have a guy or two that can come off the bench late in the game with men on and slug a HR or any extra base hit to drive in some runs.

Now that the criteria are laid out, let’s get to who made me All Time team in reserve capacity.

Tim Flannery – Flan was able to play 3 IF positions at an at least average level. He appeared in 544 games at 2B, 243 at 3B and another 34 at SS. Flannery posted a mark of 0 TZ in 148.1 defensive innings at short. That represented his worst number at any position. He was 8 runs above average in almost 4,000 innings at 2B and was a 9 TZ in 1,622.1 frames at 3B.

Flannery was known for his all out hustle and I like that quality in a role player. The fact he batted LH is also a plus for me. My SS, Ozzie Smith, and 3B, Ken Caminiti, are both switch-hitters but my 2b, Mark Loretta, is a RH hitter. It’s good to have a lefty swinger to match up against certain RH pitchers.

Bip Roberts – Roberts, like Flannery, also played 3 IF positions at times during his career. Unlike Flannery, Roberts wasn’t very good defensively at any of them. Back to flexibility for a moment; Roberts also spent a significant time in the OF, mostly LF, and was above average there. Overall he was a 16 TZ player in the OF.

The other thing to like about Bip was his speed. He was successful on nearly 75% of his attempts (148 of 205) as a Friar. He twice stole more than 40 bases in a single season during his career.

Roberts also ranks second behind Tony Gwynn in career batting average with a .298 line. His career OBP as a Friar was .361 so the guy would be able to get on base for me. He even had success coming off the bench as his career .284/.382/.330 slash line in 104 PA as a PH.

Bip was a switch hitter which offers my bench even more flexibility since the opposition wouldn’t gain much from going to their pen if Roberts was inserted as a PH.

Gene Tenace – Continuing the flexibility theme, Tenace played both 1B and Catcher extensively during his lengthy big league career. Given that my starting Catcher, Terry Kennedy, and 1B, Adrian Gonzalez, are both LH hitters, having a RH batter like Tenace, with his career .388 OBP, coming off the bench is a nice luxury.

Tenace also satisfies my desire to have a guy with pop in reserve. He clubbed 201 career HR and 5 times eclipsed the 20 HR plateau. His OPS+ was a terrific 136 in over 5,000 big league PA.

Gene Richards – This probably would have been Dave Roberts had “Doc” accrued 2,000 Padre PA but since he didn’t, Richards is my 4^th OF. Gene is 2^nd all time on the Friars in both triples (63) and SB (242). He played a majority of his career in LF but also saw action in 1,500 innings as a CF. He was slightly below average, -4 TZ, in CF but was 17 runs better than the average LF according to the TZ metric.

Richards posted a career batting line of .291/.357/.383 in 3,805 PA as a Friar. He is yet another guy who gets on base at a higher than average rate and can steal some bases for me.

I’m down to the last position player roster spot and my choice might surprise you. At least it will until I explain my rationale.

Bruce Bochy – I know, it seems ridiculous to carry a 3^rd catcher; especially a guy that wasn’t particularly a good hitter (career OPS+ of 92), didn’t run well (1 SB) and only played 6 innings at a position other than Catcher. But has there been a better manager in franchise history than Bochy?

Here’s my thought: Bochy probably won’t be needed much on the field anyway due to the presence of Gene Tenace and Terry Kennedy so why not let him be the club’s manager too? You might be thinking I am wasting a roster spot on an undeserving player but I see it as being fiscally conservative. You see, I won’t have to hire a manager and Bochy would probably only get the league minimum salary so I am saving a ton of cash with this move. I’m going to need that cash to pay the stars on this team.

Heck, I also have Bochy’s 3B coach for the bulk of his Friars managerial career and his current one in SF, Tim Flannery, sitting on my bench. Flannery can man the 3B coach’s box when he’s not playing. It’s a win-win. Gene Tenace was the hitting coach for Toronto as recently as 2009 so he can handle those duties here.  Now all I have to do is find a pitching coach and a 1B coach.

Speaking of pitching, I suppose I’d better flesh out my pitching staff too. What would happen if we got into one of those 20 inning marathon games the Padres have played a few of the last few years? Next week, join me as I select 3 more starters and 5 more relievers and complete my 25 man All Time Friars Roster.