One of my favorite childhood games for me is Backyard Baseball 2001. I’ve gotten back into it as the series has made a comeback. Even as a kid, I always wondered what the most powerful team you could make would be, without using any of the pro players the game offers, since that always felt like cheating to me.
After months of creating teams and testing, here’s what I think is the best team to use in the game, in batting order.
Shortstop – Pablo Sanchez
Easily the best character in the game, Pablo is amazing in every aspect except pitching (though he’s not exactly the worst there). He’s great in the lead-off spot and in such an important position as shortstop.
Catcher – Kenny Kawaguchi
The best catcher in the game, hands down, and this kid is fast if you can get him on base. The only issue is actually getting him on base, as his batting stats are not great. Not a bad backup pitcher either.
1B – Achmed Khan
Achmed has a maxed-out batting stat, is perfect to go after Kenny to help him steal some bases and hopefully steal home, has pretty decent speed, and not the worst fielding, so it’s good to keep him at 1st base, where he won’t have to throw often.
2B – Keisha Phillips
With her nickname being Flash, it’s no surprise that Keisha is fast. With a good batting stat, it’s easy to get Keisha on base and have her steal the rest, but usually, if she hits one, it is out of the park.
3B – Maria Luna
On her own, Maria’s stats aren’t that impressive, but put her in pink, and Maria maxes out nearly every skill, and she becomes a force to be reckoned with. You can put her anywhere, but she’s especially good at 3rd base at preventing the other team from reaching home. She’s also a great power and contact hitter, just like Keisha; if she hits one, it’s outta the park
Pitcher – Angela Delvecchio
Angela is a decent hitter, but she is mean at the plate, batters fear her, and she can easily go six or even nine innings by herself without even tiring herself out.
CF – Pete Wheeler
With above-average fielding and a need for speed, Pete is great at stealing home runs in center field. Also a contact hitter, Pete is great at getting on base and stealing the rest.
RF – Dimitri Petrovich
Lacking in pitching and fielding, Dimitri is fast and a contact hitter with some secret power. Keeping him next to Pete makes up for his not-so-great fielding.
LF – Luanne Lui
Luanne has high contact, which is what you want in a power-heavy lineup. She’s also versatile and can fill in a lot of other positions. Luanne is also a good backup pitcher.
Ultimately, while this is my perfect lineup for Backyard Baseball ’01, part of the fun is experimenting with other players. The roster can look completely different when pro players are added, and discovering new combinations keeps every game fresh. That’s what makes Backyard Baseball ’01 such a timeless classic—there’s always a new way to play and win.
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