Carlos Delgado and John Carlos

“How can you ask someone to live in the world, to exist in the world, and not have something to say about injustice?” -- John Carlos

“Because you’re a baseball player that doesn’t mean you get detached from society — at least you shouldn’t” -- Carlos Delgado

Carlos Delgado never appeared destined for superstardom. He spent the most productive years of his career playing in Canada, for a team that never won much. That alone surely blunted the impact of his 473 home runs and 1512 RBI.

By the time he arrive in New York the moment had passed. He was a great player, a great contributor, a feared hitter, but the fickle realm of superstardom cares little for stats or impact. He was older and clearly in decline, not fit for commercial deals or shoe contracts. Besides, there were younger, more energizing talents around him, the David Wrights and Jose Reyeses and even Carlos Beltrans of the day.

Nine Braden Loopers

The recently retired Braden Looper belongs to an exclusive, fairly prestigious club.

Surprising, I know, so let me explain.

Over the past ten seasons (2001-2010) only 19 players, by my count, have won championships with two different teams. Looper is one of those chosen 19. In 2003 he tasted glory with the upstart Florida Marlins, earning a save in game 4 of that year’s World Series even though by then he’d largely been replaced as the team’s primary closer. By 2006 he was back again, this time with the similarly plucky St. Louis Cardinals, also playing a relief role during their run to the title.

Not surprisingly, the list of two-team, two-time winners is flush with the guys of Looper’s caliber: lefty specialists and setup men and multiple-position infielders and pinch hitters and aging outfielders with a little bit of pop and, well, you get the point. For the most part they aren’t franchise players because 1) the list of franchise players is small to begin with and 2) franchise players tend to stay with the same one (or two) franchises.

Cal Ripken Jr. never had a chance.

No, this is an honor generally bestowed on journeymen, the ones who keep a suitcase packed every July when the trading deadline rolls around, the ones who eschew mansions for the more mover-friendly luxury lofts. And among them only the lucky few can look back on a 10-year career with 5 different franchises and know, rings on hand, that they cheated their baseball fate.

I now present, in honor of Mr. Looper, a starting 9 and accompanying bench composed entirely of players who carry this proud distinction.