I posted a theme league proposal called "The Natural" in the Theme Leagues Classifieds the other day. ALL players must have names, or part of their first, middle or last names, or their nicknames that are used to identify them in the WIS dataabase, that are beings, creatures, objects or forces or events found in nature. Names CAN be in a different language but I will verify using Google translate or other services. Seasons are okay but not calendar events like days or months because those are human concepts, rather than just human names for naturally occurring phenomenon, which is okay. Seeing some interest in the "ridiculous idea" - which it is, I admit and this was a friendly comment by another owner - but some skepticism that a full team could be put together at $90 mil, which is the salary cap I chose for the league, I decide to give myself a 15 minute time limit to construct a team for the league. Here is what I came up with without really trying hard:

Okay, here is a sample team I threw together in less than 15 minutes of searching in the DC, for $88 million:

C Hobie LANDrith 1959 and Branch Rickey 1906
1B Jimmy Foxx 1940 and Skyrocket Smith 1888
2B Pete Rose 1963
3B Brooks Robinson 1972 (double natural name there - Brook and Robin !), and Morrie RATh 1910
SS Rabbit Maranville 1929 and Andy Fox 2000
OF Bug Holliday 1893, Mickey Rivers 1975, Daryl Strawberry 1990, Danny CATer 1973, Bombo RIVERa 1978, Gene Woodling 1955, Showboat FISHer 1930
P Tom SEAver 1972, Dizzy Trout 1943, Wilbur Wood 1974, Catfish Hunter 1976, Ben RIVERa 1992, Mariano RIVERa 2010, Eddie FISHer 1971, Doug Bird 1980, Robin Robert 1966 - total 1,607 IP.

And that was without really doing serious research. Not a bad team at all. So, come on, let's see the Naturals come out. I will work on a more serious team or maybe even present this one. I am curious to see what everyone else comes up with.

Interesting idea. I can think of a few more names off the top of my head that would be good fits. $90m to me seems too restrictive of player salaries for a theme that already restricts the player pool rather significantly. At a higher cap I’d have interest in putting a team together.

Well it's worth bowing to peer pressure to have you in the league. I'll raise it later today.

Jason Bay

Glenallen Hill

Good ones.

Off the top of my head -- Dave WinFIELD, TOAD Ramsey, Rob DEER, Bob LEMON, Dan QuisenBERRY, Carl FURillo, Tom GlaVINE, GOOSE Goslin, GOOSE GosSAGE (double word score!), Rich HILL, Carmen HILL, Tim SALMON, Richie ASHburn, Russ FORD, Whitey FORD, Fred GLADE, Don DrysDALE, Ernie BANKS, BUCK Freeman, CATFISH Hunter, Dexter FOWLer, Mike TROUT, Randy WOLF, Whit MerriFIELD, PIGGY Ward, Lefty GROVE, ROBIN Yount, Justin VerLANDer. Does Tim Raines count?

JT Snow

Lee Meadows

Curt Flood

Mickey Mantle

you can thank me later

Hank Aaron

you can thank me later

Nig Perrine

you can thank me later

Fred Beebe

i'm ruinin your game

Antonio Osuna

i'll quit now