Southland baseball observers pick their all-time, All-Southland teams

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.

Cannon wrote short biographies on each of his picks, which can be found at latimes.com.