If you read my article from last week, you’d know I promised a DC superhero baseball team to go up against the Team Marvel squad I set up. Well, here it is. To be honest, there are a lot of great superheroes in the DC Universe that haven’t received the same treatment as similar Marvel heroes, thanks to the stark difference in the qualities of movies between the two. Hopefully, I can explain this squad well enough for you to see a game between the two teams would be a hard fought one on both sides. Without further ado, here we go:
Catcher: Hawkman
The DCU has many villains who could fit in at catcher due to their wider stature, but not as many hero options. However, Hawkman would be a smart fit here, since he is already used to wearing a helmet. Hawkman has super strength, so he should have plenty of firepower to throw down to second should the need arise. Plus, his nth metal harness has been shown to heal him, meaning he wouldn’t have to worry too much about accidently getting hit with a bat or ball.
First Base: Cyborg
Growing up in the late 90s/early 2000’s, Teen Titans was one of the shows that shaped my childhood, and I think Cyborg would be a great 1st baseman. Of course, he could be at 3rd as well, but I have a better option there. He might not be as large as the Hulk (few, if any, are), but he’s still 6’5. That’s plenty big for a first baseman, and I’m sure he’d have great reflexes for the position as well.
Second Base: Martian Manhunter
Those who didn’t watch Cartoon Network’s Justice League might not know who the Martian Manhunter is, and that’s honestly a shame. The character has a super compelling backstory and the subplot of his learning to grow accustomed to life on Earth similarly drew me to the show. That might be just my nostalgia glasses talking, but regardless, he is still a very powerful hero and deserves a spot on the DC roster. Once he learns the game, he’ll be a great strategist, too.
Third Base: Shazam
Thanks to the recent movie (and one of the better DC ones, too), many more people know who Shazam is. The Superhero formerly known as Captain Marvel (which involved many legal disputes with Marvel comics for former owner Fawcett Comics) has super speed, power, intelligence, and stamina, and would make a great third baseman as a result.
Shortstop: Green Lantern
I absolutely loved Justice League growing up, and I think my favorite hero of the bunch (besides Martian Manhunter) was John Stewart’s Green Lantern. He seemed so cool to me, and I would’ve certainly loved to see that ring create a glove and give him the range that would eclipse even the best shortstops in the MLB. Plus, he always seemed like a great leader to me, and the shortstop is the leader of the infield.
Left Field: Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman in left matches the logic of Black Panther’s placement at the position for Marvel. She’s an all around player, and I feel that generally fits best here. She might have a better arm than the Black Panther, though: she does throw that tiara around a lot.
Center Field: The Flash
This was probably the easiest placement out of the entire team. No matter how large the field is, the Flash would be able to cover it all. He fits the ideal mold of a speedster center fielder, and any power he’d be able to generate out of his quick bat would be a bonus. The guy has a floor of a superpowered Billy Hamilton at the very least.
Right Field: Superman
Superman would be a great fit anywhere on the diamond, but I felt that putting him right and mirroring arguably the face of Marvel in Captain America was poetic enough to place him here. Like Cap, he’s got a 160 grade arm (on the classic 20-80 scale) and has plenty of speed and power to spare. I also think it would be a little unfair to have multiple Kryptonians on this team, which is why you’re only seeing Superman here.
Pitchers: Batman, Starfire, Plastic Man
It might seem a little silly to put Batman on a team of super-powered heroes, as he doesn’t even have the superpowered suit Iron Man possesses, but think of the sorts of pitches he’d be able to throw with all his gadgets! The movement on the ball would be absolutely crazy, and I’m sure he has at least decent arm strength with all the Bat-a-rangs he throws.
Starfire is an easy one to justify. She’s insanely powerful and another callback to my years watching the original Teen Titans. If she can throw baseballs like she throws starbolts, she’ll be a great pitcher.
Plastic man was a little more of a stretch for me (c’mon, I’ve has no other puns in this article!), but he deserves a spot in the rotation. If the Flash wasn’t in center, he’d be out there, much like Mr. Fantastic on Team Marvel, but if he’s not there I think his abilities would be best served as a pitcher. Plus, imagine the jokes he’d make to try to throw off the batters!
___
Well, that’s our DC team. Unfortunately, I’m not so sure who would be the manager of this team, though having Alfred call the shots for once would be a nice sight to see. I think these two teams are pretty evenly matched, if I do say so myself, but let me know which team you think might get the edge!
– Pat Shuman (@PShu1996 on Twitter) Check out my other articles here!
