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MLB: All-Time Olympic Team of Major Leaguers

By Benjamin Chase

Aug 5, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Phelps carries the American flag during the opening ceremonies for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Maracana. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 5, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Phelps carries the American flag during the opening ceremonies for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Maracana. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Outfielders are not exactly a high-end group, though, I’m glad things worked out the way did because I can highlight a player I truly believe is underappreciated.

Left Field
Before I get to that player, I’ll start with one of the most versatile players of my lifetime and the consummate team player, so a perfect fit for an Olympic program, B.J. Surhoff. Surhoff was a catcher on the 1984 team, but he played the most at outfield of any position in the big leagues. In the major leagues, he played over 100 games each at catcher, first base, third base, and outfield (and designated hitter as well, for good measure). Surhoff totaled a .282/.332/.413 line over his 19 years in the major leagues, collecting 2,326 hits.

Center Field
While his major league career may have been less than “stand out”, 1996’s Mark Kotsay did put together a 17-year major league career in which he hit .276/.332/.404 and collected 1,784 hits. He was known for his impressive outfield defense. This is probably the position with the only competition in the outfield as 2008’s Dexter Fowler and another member of the 1984 team, Oddibe McDowell, were both guys who I really like in the center field position.

Right Field
Now I can come to my favorite player that popped up on this list. Growing up in the upper midwest, I got to see a lot of Shane Mack with the Minnesota Twins. Kirby Puckett was the known superstar, but watching the team, it wasn’t hard to pick out who was the most talented player on the field in any given Twins game – it was Mack, and it wasn’t really close. Mack was part of the 1984 team, and he worked his way to the major leagues initially with the Padres before being selected in the rule V draft by the Twins. Mack was a 20/20 threat each season, though he never achieved both in the same season. He was also an elite defender in the outfield with an incredible arm.

Over his career, Mack hit .299/.364/.456 with a 121 OPS+, but he tallied only 80 home runs and 90 steals in his short 9-year career. What happened, you may ask? Well, right in the peak of his career, the 1994 strike happened, and instead of waiting for a resolution, Mack left to sign a multi-year deal in Japan. When he returned, he couldn’t seem to get anyone to give him a full-time job, in spite of hitting well with the Red Sox and Royals, and he chose to retire after the 1998 season when injuries tore into his body too badly to return.

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