Chicago Cubs: Building my personal all-time best starting lineup

Chicago Cubs: Hit ’em hard, hit ’em far!

While the infield had some contentious picks and choices, the outfield was pretty easy to deal with. In right field, you have none other than Sammy Sosa. Slammin’ Sammy was one of the most exciting and best performing players the Cubs have ever seen, and his bat was one of the most feared in all of baseball at the turn of the 21st century. The only player to put up three seasons of 60 or more home runs, Sosa belongs right in the heart of any Cubs all-time lineup.

While Hack Wilson would clearly be the offensive choice for center field, I went a different route. Nothing against the diminutive destroyer Wilson, but we have enough boppers in our lineup, and I know one guy who propelled the Cubs from the very top of the lineup with his “you go, we go” mentality.

No man knows how to work an at bat and grind down a pitcher to give his teammates a look at everything he’s got right off the bat like Dexter Fowler. Fowler may not be the 191-RBI man that Wilson was, but he’s a switch-hitter, a solid center fielder, proven winner and gritty catalyst atop a Cubs ultimate lineup that has no other man to hit leadoff (jeez – did these guys EVER have any other leadoff guy?).

In left field, there were plenty of nice options, such as Alfonso Soriano, George Bell or even a roving Hawk in Andre Dawson, who was really a right fielder (and darn good one for many years). That being said, sweet-swingin’ Billy Williams is the only choice here. Another left-hander to balance the lineup, Williams is one of the best players in Cubs history, and it’s no surprise his name and number hang on a flag high above Wrigley Field.