Southland baseball observers pick their all-time, All-Southland teams July 12, 2010

BILL PLASCHKE is a former baseball writer who is now an award-winning general columnist for The Times. His team:

Catcher: Gary Carter, Fullerton Sunny Hills HS. First base: Jackie Robinson, Pasadena Muir HS, UCLA. Second base: Bobby Doerr, Fremont HS. Shortstop: Ozzie Smith, Locke HS. Third base: George Brett, El Segundo HS. Outfielders: Robin Yount, Woodland Hills Taft HS; Duke Snider, Compton HS; Tony Gwynn, Long Beach Poly HS. Designated hitter: Eddie Murray, Locke HS. Right-handed starter: Walter Johnson, Fullerton HS. Left-handed starter: Ila Borders, Whittier Christian HS. Closer: Rollie Fingers, Upland HS.

ROSS NEWHAN is a Hall of Fame baseball writer who worked for the Long Beach Press-Telegram and the Los Angeles Times before his retirement in 2004. His team:

Catcher: Gary Carter, Fullerton Sunny Hills HS. First base: Eddie Murray, Locke HS. Second base: Jackie Robinson, Pasadena Muir HS, UCLA. Shortstop: Ozzie Smith, Locke HS. Third base: George Brett, El Segundo HS. Outfielders: Eric Davis, Fremont HS; Duke Snider, Compton HS; Darryl Strawberry, Crenshaw HS. Designated hitter: Mark McGwire, La Verne Damien HS, USC. Right-handed starter: Walter Johnson, Fullerton HS. Left-handed starter: Randy Johnson, USC. Closer: Trevor Hoffman, Savanna HS, Cypress College.

DENNIS GILBERT is a former L.A.-based agent who has been a front-office consultant to the Chicago White Sox. A former minor leaguer in the Boston Red Sox system, he played with or represented several of his selections. His team:

Catcher: Bob Watson, Fremont HS. First base: Eddie Murray, Locke HS. Second base: Jackie Robinson, Pasadena Muir HS, UCLA. Shortstop: Bobby Grich, Long Beach Wilson HS. Third base: George Brett, El Segundo HS. Outfielders: Bobby Tolan, Fremont HS; Eric Davis, Fremont HS; George Foster, Lawndale Leuzinger HS, El Camino College. Designated hitter: Darryl Strawberry, Crenshaw HS. Right-handed starter: Bret Saberhagen, Reseda Cleveland HS. Left-handed starter: Randy Johnson, USC. Closer: Rollie Fingers, Upland HS.

TERRY CANNON is executive director of the Baseball Reliquary, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history. He concentrated largely on contributions to the game beyond statistics. His team:

Catcher: Greg Goossen, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame HS. First base: Chuck Stevens, Long Beach Poly HS. Second base: Jimmie Reese, San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep. Shortstop: Jackie Robinson, Pasadena Muir HS. Third base: Isidro "Chilo" Herrera, L.A. Roosevelt HS. Outfielders: Nate Moreland, Pasadena Muir HS; Forrest "Frosty" Kennedy, El Monte HS; Melo Almada, Los Angeles HS. Designated hitter: Pete Mitsui, San Fernando HS. Right-handed starter: Doc Ellis, Gardena HS. Left-handed starter: Ila Borders, Whittier Christian HS. Closer: Hank Aguirre, Alhambra Mark Keppel HS.

............Bill.......Terry....... Ross........Dennis
Catcher...G. Carter....G. Goossen...G. Carter....B. Watson
1B........J. RobinsonC.Stevens......E. Murray....E. Murray
2B........B. Doerr.....J. Reese.....J. Robinson..J. Robinson
3B........G. Brett.....I. Herrera...G. Brett.....G. Brett
SS........O. Smith.....J. Robinson..O. Smith.....B. Grich
OF........R. Yount.... N. Moreland..E. Davis.....B. Tolan
OF........D. Snider....F. Kennedy...D. Snider....E. Davis
OF........T. Gwynn.... M. Almada....D. Strawberry.G. Foster
DH........E. Murray....P. Mitsui....M. McGuire...D. Strawberry
RHS.......W. Johnson...E. Ellis.....W. Johnson...B. Sabeihagen
LHS.......I Borders....I. Borders...R. Johnson...R. Johnson
Closer....R. Fingers...H. Aquire....T. Hoffman...R. Fingers.