In this undated file photo, New York Yankees' Babe Ruth hits a home run. Ruth, also called the Sultan of Swat, began as a left-handed pitcher and became a slugging outfielder, playing for 22 major-league seasons before retiring in 1935. He died Aug.16, 1948 of cancer. AP File Photo

If you could put together a dream team of players from any time in history to step on the baseball diamond, who would you choose?

We asked Matt Clement, a Butler native who was a starting pitcher in the Major Leagues for nine seasons. Clement played for the San Diego Padres (1998–2000), Florida Marlins (2001), Chicago Cubs (2002–2004) and Boston Red Sox (2005–2006). He was an all-star for the American League in 2005.

Clement’s choices take us skipping through history and highlighting a few baseball greats.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Greg Maddux tips his cap after striking out San Francisco Giants' Omar Vizquel for the 3,000th strikeout of his career to end the top of the third inning Tuesday, July 26, 2005, in Chicago. AP File Photo

Jeff Roberson

Atlanta Braves starter Greg Maddux throws to a San Francisco Giants batter in the first inning in Atlanta, in this May 9, 2003 file photo. AP File Photo

John Bazemore

Four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 1, 2006. AP File Photo

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux visits a Babe Ruth exhibit during his orientation visit at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday, March 24, 2014, in Cooperstown, N.Y. Maddux was inducted to the hall in July 2014. AP File Photo

Mike Groll

Former Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux speaks during a news conference on Saturday, July 26, 2014, in Cooperstown, N.Y. Maddux was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. AP File Photo

Mike Groll

Born: April 14, 1966

Chicago Cubs (1986-92, 2004-06); Atlanta Braves (1993-03); Los Angeles Dodgers (2006, 2008); San Diego Padres (2007-08)

A four-time winner of the Cy Young Award (1992-95), Maddux tallied 355 career wins. Had back-to-back 20-win seasons in 1992 and 1993 and won four ERA titles, including 1.56 in 1994. Known for his exceptional control, he averaged just 1.8 walks per nine innings for his career. In 1997 with the Braves, he walked just 20 batters in 232.2 innings pitched. He was an eight-time all-star and won 18 Gold Gloves for his superb fielding. Was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Helped the Braves win the World Series in 1995.

This March 28, 2019, file photo shows Cincinnati Reds hall of fame catcher Johnny Bench walking up to the field before an opening day baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Cincinnati. AP File Photo

Gary Landers

Former Cincinnati Red Johnny Bench attends a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. AP File Photo

Jeff Dean

Born: Dec. 7, 1947

Cincinnati Reds (1967-83)

Bench won the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award in 1968 and went on to earn two league MVP awards (1970, 72). An indispensable member of Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine", he smacked 389 career home runs, with a career-high of 45 in 1970. Helped the Reds to back-to-back World Series titles and won MVP of the 1976 Series. Had a career fielding percentage of .990 and won 10 Gold Gloves. Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols reacts after hitting his 700th career home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Sept. 23, 2022. AP File Photo

Ashley Landis

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols makes a play on a ball hit by the Rangers’ Michael Young during the sixth inning on Oct. 19, 2011. The play prevented a run from scoring and helped the Cardinals claim a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the World Series at Busch Stadium. AP File Photo

Born: Jan. 16, 1980

St. Louis Cardinals (2001-11, 2022); Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2012-21); Los Angeles Dodgers (2021)

Is fourth on the all-time home run list with 703 and tallied 3,384 hits. Pujols won an N.L. batting title in 2003 with an average of .359 and drove in 2,218 runs during his career. Batted .319 in 304 postseason at-bats, helping the Cardinals to World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. Was named NLCS MVP in 2004.

Enos Slaughter, left, still active with the New York Yankees, and Rogers Hornsby, a member of the Hall of Fame, get together on Old Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium in New York, Aug. 8, 1959. Slaughter played with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1938 to 1953, and Hornsby was with same club from 1915 to 1926. AP File Photo

Harry Harris

Rogers Hornsby, coach of the Chicago Cubs, Feb. 2, 1959. AP File Photo

Born: April 27, 1896

Died: Jan. 5, 1963

St. Louis Cardinals (1915-26, 1933); New York Giants (1927); Boston Braves (1928); Chicago Cubs (1929-32); St. Louis Browns (1933-37)

A two-time winner of the N.L. triple crown (leading the league in home runs, RBI and batting average), Hornsby was a .358 hitter during his long career and won seven batting titles. He batted over .400 three times, with a career-best .424 in 1924. Was voted league MVP twice, once with the Cardinals and once with the Cubs. Helped the Cardinals to a World Series championship in 1926. Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942.

In this Sept. 6, 2013, photo, former Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose walks onto the field during ceremonies honoring the starting eight of the 1975-76 World Series-champion Reds, following a baseball game between the Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cincinnati. AP File Photo

Al Behrman

In this June 16, 2014, photo, Pete Rose smiles while sitting in the dugout at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn., before he managed the independent minor-league Bridgeport Bluefish in a baseball game. AP File Phot

Jessica Hill

Former Philadelphia Phillies player Pete Rose during an alumni day event before a baseball game between the Phillies and the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, in Philadelphia. AP File Photo

Matt Rourke

Born: April 14, 1941

Cincinnati Reds (1963-78, 84-86); Philadelphia Phillies (1979-83); Montreal Expos (1984)

Rose is baseball's all-time hits leader with 4,256. His resume includes being named N.L. Rookie of the Year (1963), league MVP (1973) and World Series MVP (1975). Won three batting titles and was a career .303 hitter. Hit 746 doubles in his career and was named an all-star 17 times at five different positions. Won three World Series titles, two with the Reds and one with the Phillies.

Honus Wagner, coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates and old-time baseball star himself, looks down-in-the-mouth as his team is trounced 18-2, by the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds in New York, May 22, 1938. AP File Photo

This file photo shows the legendary 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card displayed in June 2000 at a news conference in New York. The "Holy Grail of baseball cards," the famous 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card once owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky. AP File Photo

Kathy Willens

Honus Wagner, manager of the East team in the annual All-American Boys' baseball game in Chicago, Aug. 10, 1946, shows Bob Hall of Miami, how it's done, just before the game at Wrigley Field, Chicago. The East lost, 10-4. AP File Photo

Born: Feb. 24, 1874

Died: Dec. 6, 1955

Louisville Colonels (1897-99); Pittsburgh Pirates (1900-17)

Wagner won eight batting titles, including four straight (1906-09) and retired with a career average of .328. Led the N.L. in stolen bases five times and finished his career with 723 thefts. He had 3,420 hits, 252 of them triples, and led Pittsburgh to its first World Series title in 1909. Was a member of the Hall of Fame's first induction class in 1936.

The St. Petersburg Times reported Monday that officials of the Tampa Bay Rays have talked about signing home-run record holder Barry Bonds. AP File Photo

In this Sept. 26, 2007, file photo, San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds waves goodbye to the fans at AT&T Park after his final at bat against the San Diego Padres. His No. 25 jersey was retired by the Giants. AP File Photo

Born: July 24, 1964

Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-92); San Francisco Giants (1993-07)

Became baseball's all-time home run king in 2007, retiring with 762. Also holds baseball's single-season home run record with 73 in 2001. Won two batting titles, the first coming in 2002 with a .370 average. Drew an incredible 232 walks in 2004 and his 2,558 career walks are the most all-time. Also stole 514 bases. Won seven N.L. MVP awards, two with the Pirates and five with the Giants. A 14-time all-star, he won eight Gold Gloves.

Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron is seen, March 1967. Aaron made history with one swing of his bat. AP File Photo

Anonymous

Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron holds aloft the ball he hit for his 715th career home in Atlanta. Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Jan. 22, 2021. He was 86. AP Photo File

Anonymous

Born: Feb. 5, 1934

Died: Jan. 22, 2021

Milwaukee Braves (1954-65); Atlanta Braves (1966-74); Milwaukee Brewers (1975-76)

Surpassed Babe Ruth as baseball's all-time leader in home runs in 1974 and held that title until 2007 with 755. Is still the career leader in RBI with 2,297. Earned N.L. MVP honors in 1957 when he hit 44 home runs, drove in 132 runs and batted .322. Won two batting titles and retired as a .305 hitter. He led the Milwaukee Braves to the World Series title in 1957 and was a 25-time all-star. Was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

New York Yankee outfielder Babe Ruth is shown in a posed pitching stance at Yankee Stadium in New York, in this 1933 file photo. AP File Photo

Born: Feb. 6, 1895

Died: Aug. 16, 1948

Boston Red Sox (1914-19); New York Yankees (1920-34); Boston Braves (1935)

Ruth's 714 home runs stood as the major-league career record until 1974. He led the American League in home runs 12 times, runs scored eight times and RBI five times. He was the leader of New York's famed "Murderers' Row" lineup of the late 1920s and won seven World Series between his time with the Red Sox and Yankees. Retired with a career batting average of .342. Ruth was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is congratulated on recording his 500th save on June 29, 2009. AP File photo

Former New York Yankees baseball pitcher Mariano Rivera smiles after being presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Sept. 16, 2019, in Washington. AP File Photo

Patrick Semansky

Former New York Yankees' pitcher Mariano Rivera throws out the ceremonial first pitch before before the opening day baseball game between the Yankees and San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium on March 30, 2023 in New York. AP File Photo

Seth Wenig

Born: Nov. 29, 1969

New York Yankees (1995-13)

Rivera is baseball's all-time leader in saves with 652. He led MLB in saves three times, including a career-high of 53 in 2004. Named an all-star 13 times, he helped the Yankees to five World Series championships and was named MVP of the ALCS in 2003 and World Series in 1999. Totaled 1,173 career strikeouts and just 286 walks. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.