The greatest starting line-up ever.

      This topic seems to come up about every 5 or 6 years, based on one team dominating free agency.  The argument goes, "the best starting eight line-up in baseball history was just built."  And there really are very few arguments to say that one was better than another, when comparing dominating teams.  But here we go again with the 2026 Dodgers.  

     For reference I am using the Dodger current starting line-up on this date: I'm going to assume by position that these are likely the line-up for the majority of games.  Shohei Ohtani DH, Mookie Betts SS, Freddie Freeman 1B, Kyle Tucker RF, Will Smith C, Max Muncy 3B, Teoscar Hernandez LF, Andy Pages CF, Tommy Edman 2B.  Ohtani is likely the most dominating player in the game right now.  His power, speed, and ability to dominate on the mound makes him one of the greatest players of all time.  I believe Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are the other two future Hall of Famers on this list.  But this is where my argument for the 2026 Dodgers dies.  Their starting eight is great, but I really don't see another Hall of Famer in their line-up.  

     Some argue the 2006 Yankees had the most powerful line-up ever.  Derek Jeter SS, Johnny Damon CF, Jason Giambi 1B, Alex Rodriguez 3B, Hideki Matsui LF, Jorge Posada C, Robinson Cano 2b, Gary Sheffield RF, Bernie Williams DH.  Alex Rodriguez was the greatest baseball player of his time.  So that probably matches with Ohtani.  Derek Jeter of course is a hall of famer and Posada might be some day.  I would take Damon over Pages in CF, Cano over Edman at 2B, and Sheffield over Tucker in RF just barely.  Before you say but the Dodgers pitchers are way better, the yankees had Mussina, Randy Johnson, and Mariano Rivera.  All Hall of famers.  And this article is about best line-ups.

     I will now argue that the 1975 Cincinatti Reds (the Big Red Machine), is the greatest starting line-up ever.  Joe Morgan 2B, Pete Rose 3B, Johnny Bench C, George Foster LF, Tony Perez 1B, Ken Griffey RF, Cesar Geronimo CF, and Dave Concepcion SS.  In those days there was no DH in the national league but the Reds would have used Dan Driessen in that role because he could flat out rake.  Bench, Morgan, and Perez are all in the Hall of Fame.  And of course Rose would have been if it was based on his field performance.  Rose was an All-Star at 5 positions and finished with more hits than anybody ever.  Many still consider bench the greatest catcher ever.  There really wasn't a lot of free agency and player movement to add to your roster, but it's not likely the Reds would have added anybody.  They were dominating on offense and defense.  

     Before anybody argues the 1927 Yankees, that was way before my time.  If i didn't see it happen, I didn't consider it.  There have been a lot of great teams, but these three might be the best ever.  And I will take the Big Red Machine at number 1