Top 10 MLB 1-2 punches of all-time

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

The acquisition by the Detriot Tigers of Prince Fielder sparked my baseball brain. I could not help think of the possibilities Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera have playing together. Don't get me wrong, Braun was no slouch as a tag-team partner, but Cabrera has never had someone hitting behind him like Cecil's boy. The damage they could do together might be good enough to one day crack my list of top 10 1-2 combos on all-time.

10. Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds (2004 St. Louis Cardinals) - Pujols has never had that bonafide hall-of-famer hitting behind him, but that just shows you what El Hombre can do for a career. Guys like Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds had their best years hitting behind King Albert. It should be a fun year for Torii Hunter in Los Angeles. In '04 Pujols and Edmonds combined for 88 homers and 247 RBIs.

9. Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire (1988 Oakland Athletics) - The Bash Brothers were the big ticket in the late '80s and I am going to over look the steroid talk because I still think they dominated their era. But, that's a topic for another day. Canseco was the first 40-40 member that season and Big Mac was only 24 and hit 32 homers in a year considered to be a clean year for McGwire.

8. Willie Mays and Willie McCovey (1963 San Francisco Giants) - The seven year difference in age made it difficult to see them both put big years at the same time, but I guess in 1963 when the combined for 82 homers and 205 RBIs wasn't half bad.

7. Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent (2000 San Fransico Giants) - Jeff Kent does not get enough credit for being a great player becuase he always had the luxury of hitting behind the home run king. In 2000 the all-time home run leader for second basemen hit 33 bombs and drove in 125 while Bonds had a standard year with 49-106. The two also combined to hit .320 and score 243 runs.

6. Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons (1929 Philadelphia Athletics) - I think because Al Simmons never won a MVP people don't really remember his name as much as Foxx and other 1920 greats. In '29 Simmons was the better half of this combo hitting .365 and driving in 157 runs. Foxx was OK hitting .354 with 33 homers and 118 RBIs.

5. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris (1961 New York Yankees) - Roger Maris did not have a hall-of-fame career, but his pursuit of the single season home run record in 1961 will never be forgotten. Maris did get good pitches to hit because Mantle hit .318 and smacked 54 homers himself.

4. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz (2005 Boston Red Sox) - Sometimes it is hard to put something that happen relatively a short time ago into historical perspective, but these two were out of this world. How about a combined 92 homers 292 RBIs in 2005. So dangerous on an all-time scale.

3. Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews (1957 Milwaukee Braves) - They won the World Series and Aaron picked up his first MVP award. But you do not win the WS without help. Warren Spahn was a 21-game winner and hall-of-famer Eddie Mathews chipped in with 32 long balls. They were great 1-2 punch for an extended period of time.

2. Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez (1998 Seattle Mariners) - Only if Starbucks came around in time to help Seattle afford to keep these two together longer. The Mariners had a strong foursome if you include Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez. A-Rod and the Kid combined for 98 HRs and 270 RBIs. They helped hook me to the sport when I was in fifth grade.

1. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (1927 New York Yankees) - The combos of all-combos had 13 sensational years together and The Murder's Row team of 1927 is still the best lineup ever still after of these years in a lot of people's mind. Ruth hit 60 that year (164 RBIs) and Gehrig drove in 175 runs (47 HRs). The both hit over .350 and those two teammates will hard to be ever outdone.

This was a spur of the moment list off the top, came from the top of my head, so I hope I did not miss any names that deserve to be on here. I pretty sure all these combos dominated in the era they played together.

Only a few long months until the season starts...