A franchise that has been around for 150 years is bound to have some difficult choices when it comes to choosing an all-time lineup.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s exactly the issue FOX Sports faced when coming up with an all-time Chicago Cubs lineup during All-Star week.<\/p>\n
Here is what FOX put together<\/a>:<\/p>\n Starting pitcher: Fergie Jenkins The group of players who just missed certainly have a strong case to be on the roster as well. Players like Anthony Rizzo, Jon Lester, Greg Maddux, Mordecai \u201cThree Fingers\u201d Brown and Hack Wilson.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s hard to argue with a lot of the selections around the diamond.<\/p>\n This lineup features nine Hall of Famers plus Sosa, who holds the franchise record<\/a> with 545 career home runs.<\/p>\n Sandberg at second base was a no-brainer, as there really aren\u2019t any contenders. Santo at third base and Banks at shortstop are also really solid calls. Sosa and Williams are clearly the two best outfielders in the history of the franchise, while Dawson is a Hall of Famer in his own right and won an MVP Award in Chicago (1987).<\/p>\n The only possible wiggle room might come at first base\/DH, where Anson and Grace ended up. But both players were staples in the Cubs lineup for over a decade and were masters at their craft, even if they didn\u2019t ever put up gaudy power numbers.<\/p>\n Anson tallied 3,435 hits over his 27-year career (22 seasons came with the Cubs), but it was clearly a different game from 1871-1897 than it is today. Grace led MLB in hits in the 1990s and finished his 13-year Cubs career with a .308 batting average, three All-Star appearances and four Gold Gloves.<\/p>\n Maddon as the manager makes sense, too \u2014 he was the skipper who guided the franchise to a championship in 2016 after a 108-year World Series drought.<\/p>\n
Catcher: Gabby Hartnett
First base: Cap Anson
Second base: Ryne Sandberg
Third base: Ron Santo
Shortstop: Ernie Banks
Outfield: Sammy Sosa
Outfield: Andre Dawson
Outfield: Billy Williams
Designated hitter: Mark Grace
Relief pitcher: Lee Smith
Manager: Joe Maddon<\/p>\n