The only reason I go with Cynaquil usually is because I don't really like using Vulpix. In Red and Blue it was great, but when the special stat. got turned into Special Attack and Special Defense, It got cheated, as a defensive fire-type is not a good thing. If I had Heart-Gold, however, I would be able to use a Growlithe. I also think that having to wait until after the elite four to get your sixth pokemon is a bit not-good.
I also dislike using Brotodile because I can't use Slowbro if I do, and I love Water-Psychic, and Starmie is way to mainstream, albeit, amphabros is also really mainstream, but I don't have access to another better electric and/or grass type, because I usually structure my teams in this fashion
Fire
Water
Grass/Electric(Depending on what is avaliable)
Rock/Ground(Usually Ground)
Flying(For Fly)
Other
Sometimes I replace the flying slot with an "other" if my Fire/Water/Electric/Grass is part flying.