The All Cooking Team

Any of my readers listen to baseball podcasts?

 

One of my favorite sports writers, the legendary Tim Kurkijan does a podcast with his son Jeff called  "Is This a Great Game or What?" Kurkijan always has great stories about the game, and is a wealth of knowledge.

 

One of the fun things they occasionally do on their podcast is come up with a lineup based on players that fit a certain theme. I thought it would be a fun post to take one of those lineups and add some cardboard and commentary to it.

 

Tim and Jeff's "All Cooking Team" is filled with some humorous homophones of both well and lesser known players. The rule is they can't use the same surname more than once unless it is spelled differently. Here's who they came up with:

 

Catcher -  Eric Fryer

2011 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects
#36 Eric Fryer (RC)

 

 Fryer played 7 seasons in the MLB. He is one of those rare players that switched teams during a series where both teams were playing each other. All he had to do was walk across the field to the opposite dugout and meet his new team!

 

1st Baseman -  Seth Brown

2024 Topps #79 Seth Brown

 

Brown is one of a surprising number of current players to make this list. He signed a minor league contract with the Yankees last month.

 

2nd Baseman -  Eduoard Julien

2023 Topps Heritage #589 Edouard Julien (RC)

 

Julien is with the Rockies now. He'll be suiting up for Team Canada in this year's World Baseball Classic.

 

Shortstop -  Jeff Frye

1997 Donruss #241 Jeff Frye

 

Frye was a utility infielder who spent most of his career with the Rangers and Red Sox. He later became a sports agent.

 

3rd Baseman -  Cliff Cook

1962 Topps #41 Cliff Cook (RS)

 

Cook played 5 years for the Reds and Mets. He was once traded for Don Zimmer.

 

Outfielder - Buzz Boyle

1972 TCMA The 1930's
#94 Ralph Boyle

 

Boyle played for the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers. he later became the manager of the Muskegon Lassies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1946.

  

Outfielder - Dusty Baker

1981 Topps #495 Dusty Baker

 

Well, if the All-Cooking team needed a manager, you couldn't ask for a better one than a 3-time Manager of the Year. He was pretty good in the outfield too!

 

Outfielder - Bake McBride

1982 Topps #745 Bake McBride

 

The only member of the team not chosen for his surname, McBride was a fast but often injured outfielder who won a World Series with Philadelphia in 1980. 

 

Designated Hitter - David Fry

2024 Topps Heritage
#654 David Fry (RC)

 

Fry fits the Kurkijans' rules since his last name is spelled differently than shortstop Jeff Frye. Fry was an All-Star in 2024, but last season was an injury filled one that ended prematurely after being hit in the face by a Tarik Skubal pitch.

 

Pitcher - Max Fried

2021 Topps #9 Max Fried

 

The All-Cooking Team has an ace with 3x All-Star Max Fried. Fried led the league in wins last year.

 

 

Pitcher - Austin Kitchen

2025 Topps Update
#US320 Austin Kitchen (RC)

 

Kitchen made his debut with the Marlins in 2024, pitching in 4 games. He's currently trying to make his way back to the big leagues with Seattle.

 

Pitcher - Steve Grilli

1977 Topps #506 Steve Grilli

 

Grilli's claim to fame is being the losing pitcher in the longest professional baseball game in history. He is also the only member of the All-Cooking team to open up his own bar after his MLB career concluded.

 

Pitcher - Tom Butters

1965 Topps #246 Tom Butters

 

Butters' Major League career may have not been noteworthy, but afterwards he became the athletic director of Duke University and is the man responsible for hiring the winningest basketball coach in Division I history, Mike Krzyzewski.

 

Pitcher - JP Sears

2025 Topps Heritage #647 JP Sears

 

Sears was traded from the Athletics to the Padres in the same deal that netted the Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller.  

 

Of course, after hearing this list, I had to think of some others who could have made the list.  Here's who I thought of:

 

Corbin Burnes

2022 Stadium Club #129 Corbin Burnes
    

 

Although burns are not something you want while cooking, having a former Cy Young winner would be a big boost to the All-Cooking team!

 

Woodie Fryman

1977 Topps #28 Woodie Fryman

 

 The team could also use a two time All-Star and Expos' Hall of Famer!

 

Pepper Martin

1992 Conlon Collection TSN
#637 Pepper Martin

 

 A member of the famous "Gashouse Gang", our team could use a little seasoning!

 

Jonah Tong

2025 Topps Now #628 Jonah Tong

 

I tried to think of a good kitchen utensil-style name, and settled on this young Mets pitcher with a bright future!

 

It's your turn now! Can you think of any other cooking-related players?