I love the 1989 film Major League. I’ve seen it maybe 20 times since childhood to the point that watching it is now more or less an annual ritual. There’s no suspense for me at this point, I’ll admit, as I could probably transcribe much of the script from memory. I know well the story of how a ragtag Cleveland Indian team is culled from the Mexican League, correctional system, and beyond to deliberately lose to spur relocation and how the players begin to win after learning of the ruse. It’s Hollywood contrivance to a large degree, though I also assume there’s some truth in it.

I interviewed Joe Posnanski in 2010, and one thing he told me (that I left out of the interview I published) is that some of the hardships for the club in question, such as a dilapidated team plane, drew from the 1977 Indians. I also assume there’s enough decent players outside of the majors right now to stock a team. This post offers a 25-man roster of such players, life imitating Major League, we could call it.

I believe talent often goes under-utilized and under-appreciated in various walks of life. I can’t say how many good writers I know who don’t currently draw a paycheck for it. I can’t even imagine how many unemployed people in general these days might thrive if only given an opportunity. So much about success in life seems to come down to luck and happenstance, and this extends to baseball.

It’s not hard to put together a roster of former players spread between the minors, independent ball, and the international circuit or the inactive or recently retired ranks. I’ve suggested before that an alternate baseball league could be launched with such players, and there’ve been various attempts at this over the years such as the Continental League in 1959 and the Senior Professional Baseball League in 1989 and 1990. I’m not going that far here, just suggesting that the following team might be able to beat the current Minnesota Twins.

The team is as follows, with the player’s current clubs or lack thereof noted:

C – Ramon Castro, York Revolution, Atlantic League
1B – Derrek Lee, free agent
2B – Cristian Guzman, free agent
3B – Fernando Tatis, inactive
SS – Bobby Crosby, free agent
OF – Matt Murton, Hanshin Tigers, Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan
OF – J.D. Drew, free agent
OF – Fred Lewis, Buffalo Bisons (Mets’ Triple-A team), International League

Bench – Kenji Johjima, Hanshin
Bench – Daryle Ward, Newark Bears, Can-Am League
Bench – Ramon Vazquez, Bridgeport Bluefish, Atlantic League
Bench – Willy Aybar, Ciudad del Carmen, Mexican League
Bench – Freddie Bynum, Somerset Patriots, Atlantic League
Bench – Jose Canseco, Worcester Tornadoes, Can-Am League

SP – Javier Vazquez, retired
SP – Pedro Martinez, retired
SP – Chan Ho Park, Hanwha Eagles, Korea Baseball Organization
SP – Scott Kazmir, free agent
SP – Brad Penny, signed a minor league deal with the Giants on May 18

RP – Byung-Hyun Kim, NEXEN Heroes, Korea Baseball Organization
RP – Armando Benitez, Long Island Ducks, Atlantic League
RP – Chuck James, Buffalo
RP – Scott Mathieson, Yomiuri Giants, NPB
RP – Rich Rundles, Lancaster Barnstormers, Atlantic League
RP – Lorenzo Barcelo, Pericos de Puebla, Mexican League

As the quote goes in Major League from one befuddled Indians executive looking over the prospective roster, “I never heard of half of them, and the ones I do know are way past their prime.” I’ll admit some suspension of disbelief may be required for some of these players. Still, I’d also stress that at least a few may deserve a chance they’re not currently getting. And if I know one thing from Major League, it’s that sometimes all a person needs is a chance.