The diamond is calling! With spring training officially underway, it's time to celebrate the glorious first quarter-century of Major League Baseball in the 21st century!
Welcome to the Daily Dirt for Thursday, February 12, 2026! As the crack of the bat echoes across the nation, we're taking a moment to honor the absolute best to grace the diamond from 2001 to 2025. And yes, Yadi fans, prepare yourselves – Buster Posey is our pick for catcher!
1. The All-MLB Team of the 21st Century (So Far!)
To commemorate the return of America's pastime, we've assembled our dream team, a collection of titans who have defined baseball in the new millennium. Let's dive in:
- First Base: Albert Pujols. When you talk about 21st-century sluggers, Pujols stands tall. He's the undisputed leader in home runs, hits, and RBIs for this era. A true legend!
- Second Base: Roberto Alomar. A 12-time All-Star, Alomar consistently ranks among the top second basemen of all time. His defensive prowess and offensive consistency were simply remarkable.
- Shortstop: Derek Jeter. The Captain! Jeter's inclusion isn't just about his impressive stats; it's about his unparalleled leadership and the fact that he never played a single season on a losing team in his 20-year career. Coincidence? We think not!
- Third Base: Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod's career is a complex tapestry. He excelled at both shortstop and third base, playing over 1,000 games at each. And yes, those 696 home runs come with an asterisk, a reminder of the controversies that shadowed his incredible talent.
- Left Field: Barry Bonds. Winning four consecutive MVP awards (2001-2004) and hitting a jaw-dropping 73 home runs in a single season are feats that place Bonds in a league of his own. But here's where it gets controversial... While the circumstances surrounding his power surge are widely debated, one cannot deny the sheer dominance he displayed on the field. He still had to hit those balls, no matter what fueled him. This was an incredibly tough call, with Manny Ramirez a close runner-up, though he too faced his share of challenges.
- Center Field: Mike Trout. Imagine the numbers this phenom would have amassed if injuries hadn't intervened! Even with the setbacks, Trout's talent is undeniable.
- Right Field: Ichiro Suzuki. Could there be a more pure hitter in this entire lineup? Ichiro's legendary career was a masterclass in precision and consistency.
- Catcher: Buster Posey. While Yadier Molina fans will surely debate this, Posey gets the nod. He led the San Francisco Giants to three World Series championships and boasted a career .302 batting average with 158 home runs. Molina, while a phenomenal catcher, finished with 176 homers and a .277 average, along with two titles.
- Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani. Even with a relatively short tenure in the majors since 2018, Ohtani's unique two-way brilliance makes him an absolute must-have. He's redefining what's possible in baseball.
- Starting Rotation: This was an absolute gauntlet! Injuries unfortunately sidelined many deserving arms. After much deliberation, we've settled on a powerhouse quintet: Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Randy Johnson, Justin Verlander, and C.C. Sabathia. A truly formidable group!
- Closer: Mariano Rivera. As the legendary Tina Turner would say, he's simply the best. Rivera's dominance in the ninth inning is unmatched.
2. Did You Know? (Part 6464)
- Ever wonder what French people say when they curse? Apparently, it's a polite, "Pardon my English!"
- When life ceases, the very last part of your body to go dark are your pupils – they dilate.
- Over the last decade, the Dodgers have been playoff kings with 71 wins, followed by the Astros (62) and the Yankees (32). The rest of the pack includes the Braves (24), Cubs (23), Phillies (21), Guardians (21), Blue Jays (20), Red Sox (19), and Nationals (16).
- A rather charming informal word for a rumor is a "furphy."
- And if you're looking for a word to describe boorish or uncivilized conduct, "baboonery" fits the bill!
3. NFL Oddities to Ponder
As the NFL season wraps up, let's delve into some historical quirks you might not have known:
- Young Bill Belichick used to catch passes from Roger Staubach when Staubach played for the Navy! His father was an assistant coach there.
- The legendary Joe Namath was drafted by both the AFL's New York Jets and the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. And this is the part most people miss... How might football history have unfolded if Namath had chosen the Cardinals?
- Before becoming a wrestling superstar, Bill Goldberg was the very first player cut by the Carolina Panthers in 1995.
- In the Super Bowl era, Tom Brady has more playoff wins (35) than 28 NFL franchises. Astonishing!
- Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison hold the record for the most completions between a quarterback and wide receiver, a staggering 953 connections.
- Former Giants running back Dave Meggett managed to complete four passes in his entire 10-year career – and all of them were touchdowns!
- The Green Bay Packers have a season ticket waiting list of around 152,000 people, with an average wait time of 30 to 50 years. Talk about loyalty!
Steve Thought O’ The Day: What do you call twin police officers? Cop-ies! (I'll show myself out...)
Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Notice the Cardinals aren't even mentioned in the last decade's playoff win discussion. What are your thoughts on that? Do you agree with our All-MLB team selections? Let us know in the comments below!
