Yet he remained an offensive force. Draft: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft from North Central HS (Spokane, WA). Bottom line: His dWar number is skewed by misspent time in center field. In addition, he played in the first six all-star games, beginning in 1933. Hornsby Bend Cemetery, Hornsby Bend, TX, High School: Northside HS (Fort Worth, TX), Debut: inChicago,IL, Buried: Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1990. (Voted by BBWAA on 168/201 ballots) The Cardinals, Giants and Braves all got rid of him in a three-year span. He was also a solid hitter, finishing with a .295 career batting average. Just an opinion. That leaves half or just under half from his long peak (seven best seasons), short peak (three best seasons), and prime (five best consecutive seasons). But it's his time in Cleveland that I think of first, when Alomar and Omar Vizquel mastered the dance of the double play as well as any duo I have ever seen. In a few weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the Top Ten Shortstops.



us, Died: The Little General retired in 1984 with a career OBP of .392. The next four seasons were magical for Morgan, especially 1975 and 1976. No, not in home runs, Sluggo, but Total Zone Runs among left fielders. (Age 39-330d) vs. BSN 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: from the SABR BioProject. us, Died: "The Cat" was nearly as quick as he was strong no catcher had a higher caught stealing percentage in MLB history and his ability to call games and handle pitchers was widely known. "Smooth" ranks second in TZR and 11th in Range Factor per nine innings at the position. Yaz had better range than many center fielders and a stronger arm than some right fielders. (Age 20-002d, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1939. A native of the Dominican Republic, he is an eight-time All-Star, won the Silver Slugger Award five times and netted two Gold Glove Awards. View Rogers Hornsbys Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). He was the ultimate glue guy, a personal favorite of manager Casey Stengel for good reason. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Much of his career came in the low-scoring 1970s, and he won seven batting titles, hit .328 lifetime and chased .400 in 1977, when he finished at .388. Charlie Gehringer finished in the top 10 in MVP voting eight times in his career. Hornsby bounced around considerably for the rest of his career for a player of his caliber. Minnesota Twins (1967-78), California Angels ('79-85), Honors Bottom line: Jose Oquendo primarily played second base and shortstop, but made at least one appearance at every position during his major league career. in Muskegon, MI Kent has a.290 batting average, 1518 RBI and 1320 runs scored. All he did his sophomore season was bat .342, win a silver slugger, and play in the all-star game. September 21, 1963 Philadelphia Phillies (1981), Chicago Cubs ('82-94, '96-97), Honors Jackie only played 11 professional seasons, including one with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League, where he didnt debut until he was 26.

He was a 10-time All-Star (from 1984-93) and a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner (1983-91). Positions: Second base, third base, shortstop. Exceeded rookie limits during 1965 season, Nicknames: Jeff Kent holds the MLB record for homeruns as a second basemen with 377. September 30, 1956 Add in the questions about his defense, and you've got a guy that, yes, I'd include toward the bottom of this list, but only after guys like Chase Utley and Robbie Cano, never mind rating him with Alomar or Morgan. With three top-3 MVP finishes, and eight World Series appearances including one win as a player/manager with the Cardinals in 1934 Frisch impacted every aspect of the game. Welcome to another edition of Top Ten!

Bottom line: Robinson Cano won a World Series title with the New York Yankees (2009) during his nine-year run with the Yanks.

Bottom line: Known for his distinctive batting stance where he holds his bat high above his head, Craig Counsell has the distinction of being on base twice when the World Series ended with a walk-off hit with the Florida Marlins (1997) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (2001). After one season with the Athletics, in which Lajoie dominated the league in almost every statistical category, including the Triple Crown, he moved on to Cleveland. No induction ceremony in Cooperstown held (until 2013).

Frisch became a player-manager for St. Louis in 1933 and continued managing after he retired. His offensive prowess is among the greatest of all players, not just second basemen. Scott is a SoCal native who, after two decades of fighting L.A. traffic, decided to turn his passion for fantasy sports into a blog - the now-defunct Fantasy Mutant. note-next to each player I will also list an offensive letter grade, so you know where they stand in that category, the way I see it (we can assume they are all an "A +" defensively, since they are among the top 10 all time, defensively). In fact, that entire infield made it into the Hall of Fame, except for Critz. With 127.3 WAR, a 1.010 career OPS, 2,930 hits, and 301 homeruns, and six seasons with a WAR of 10+, Rogers Hornsby is the greatest MLB second baseman of all time. Somehow, a quiet top-tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman because he was Ted Williams' teammate in Boston. This week, were on to the keystone as we take a look at the best second basemen of all time. The great Rogers Hornsby was the clear choice for the best second baseman of all time. At 35, Alex Gordon is a good bet to rank second when all is said and done.

Jacob Denner wasn't perfect in relief, but was pretty close. Teams: Chicago White Sox (1956-1965, 1969-1973), Baltimore Orioles (1966-68), Gold Glove Awards: 9 (1958-62, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970). As is always the case, we tried to balance the rankings between longevity and dominance to get a good cross-section. It was probably in his Win Shares book or his Baseball Historical Abstract book, I can't remember, forgive me. Teams: Atlanta Braves (1996-2007), Los Angeles Dodgers (2008), Texas Rangers (2009), Chicago White Sox (2010), New York Yankees (2011-12). Heck, he may be number one in all of baseball when considering what he meant to the game. "Mad Dog" dominated the Gold Glove Award for not one but two decades. Hell likely face heavy opposition when he eventually becomes eligible for Cooperstown. Alomar won back-to-back World Series titles with Toronto in 1992 and 1993 but never made it back to the Fall Classic with the Orioles or Indians despite four playoff appearances. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. September 27, 1942 The job description requires them to be nimble and quick in the field, with a good arm, range to pick up ground balls, and adept at turning double plays. And though he recorded solid seasons on defense, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award. Gold Glove Awards: 7 (1963, 1965, 1967-69, 1971, 1977). June 29, 1970 He ranks first in stolen bases; second in games played, plate appearances, triples, and runs; third in batting average; and sixth in RBI. His lone All-Star appearance was 1985 the year he notched 110 RBI while hitting just eight home runs. He was then forced to apologize, he was allowed to call his Mother (upon his request) and then he was re-hired. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? He had power (career high 42 home runs) and his defensive metrics are better than his reputation, although in this case maybe you want to refer to the eyewitness accounts. Brian Dozier is a lifetime .245 hitter, but he's hit 192 home runs and made $30 million in career salary.

He had four seasons with 7+ WAR, including his 1984 MVP season when his 8.6 WAR was the only season in Major League history with 19 homeruns, 19 triples, 30 doubles, 30 steals, 200 hits, and a .300 average. Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio, Robinson Cano, Jeff Kent, and Willie Randolph deserve to be in the conversation as well. OK, weve got your crazy right here.

The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year has been a significant contributor to the modern-day success of the Red Sox. The loss in 1919 became known as the Black Sox Scandal when it was later revealed that several players conspired to throw the World Series. He managed in the minor leagues for the New York Yankees for three years, and in 2011, he was named manager of the year at the helm of the Arizona League Dodgers.

Alomar made into the Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility after just missing on his first attempt likely due to that famous spitting incident. Teams: Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals. Napolean LaJoie is the oldest member of our Top Ten and is considered the first superstar in American League history. Below are the best second basemen in the history of the game. .320/.404/.480, OPS -- .884, Hits -- 2,839, HRs -- 184, RBIs -- 1,427, They called him The Mechanical Man, a tribute to his consistency. Joe Morgan had a few brief stints with the Houston Colt 45s before latching on with the now Astros in 1965. View Nap Lajoies Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). He won the College World Series twice at USC. 10. Yet its hard to deny Johnny Bench's combination of strength, athleticism, smarts and leadership behind the plate. He is on the short list of the greatest right-handed hitters ever. Basic stats like hits, batting average, OBP, SLG, HRs, RBI, etc., were fused with wOBA and wRC+ for the offense. In 2007, he won the Silver Slugger Award and was named to his first of two All-Star Game appearances. inBloomfield Hills,MI, Buried:

He was also named an All-Star that year, and won the first of two Silver Slugger Awards. 1) Rogers Hornsby, 1915-26, 1933 Key fact: .359 average ranks first all-time in Cardinals history Hornsby was a feisty, harsh man who fine-tuned his life for one thing: hitting. July 20, 1937

Bottom line: Remember when Tom Herr hit a walk-off grand slam in 1987 that led St. Louis past the New York Mets? Defensive Success (Fielding percentage, runs saved, Gold Glove, etc.) Second Baseman, Third Baseman and First Baseman, Born: Arguably the best defensive second baseman of his era, turned more double plays . (Aged89-255d) The Hall of Famer was a magician at second base, and it was a particular treat to watch him while he partnered with another legendary defensive infielder -- Omar Vizquel -- up the middle for Cleveland. Let's talk about who the best ever were at that position, defensively speaking. Generally, a players Career Value is worth about 50-60% of the ranking score we assign him.

Teams: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers. in Fowlerville, MI Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2005. During the 2012 season, Barney committed just two errors, and tied the major league record for consecutive errorless games at second base with 141. Known as "Pudge" because of his size and attitude, hes the all-time leader in Gold Gloves and swag at the position. Hornsby retired from playing in 1937 and was elected to the Hall of Fame five years later in 1942. When he retired only Rogers Hornsby had more homeruns as a second baseman. Second Baseman, Shortstop and First Baseman, Born: Bottom line: He played second base, shortstop and third base during a 16-year career that saw him net three Gold Glove Awards (2007, 2009 and 2011). Rays top 5 > Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia, 2006-present It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. View Charlie Gehringers Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). The position is home to those who couldn't hack it at shortstop or slug enough to earn a corner-infield job. June 17, 1919 Some call him the Babe Ruth of defense. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1962. How about Robinson Cano? Cano won five silver sluggers and went to eight all-star games altogether, and even chipped in a couple of gold gloves. inDaytona Beach,FL, Buried: Of course, once they point this out, they then proceed to rate him an "A +" defensively and call him one of the best defensive second basemen of all time. They only made the playoffs twice in his tenure and never went to a World Series. Exceeded rookie limits during 1908 season, View Player Bio Offensive Success (Individual awards, above-average career totals, etc.)

To start the 2018 season, Panik set an MLB record by becoming the first player to hit solo home runs in back-to-back 1-0 victories. Second Baseman and Third Baseman, Born: He wasn't a failure offensively, but he was the next best thing. The way it really was. (Age:74-052d) Since committing 17 errors in his rookie season in 2005, Cano has never committed more than 13 errors in a season and 123 total errors in 2,124 career games. Big personalities? FIRST BASE SECOND BASE SHORTSTOP THIRD BASE LEFT FIELD CENTER FIELD RIGHT FIELD PITCHER Baseball's All-Time Greatest Right Fielders Ranked From 1 to 100 CAREER = career war Long Peak = WAR in Best 7 Seasons SHORT PEAK = WAR in Best 3 Seasons PRIME = WAR in 5 Best Consecutive Seasons EXPLANATION OF TABLE DATA 4.0 dWAR in 1927 is the all-time leader in Gold Gloves ( 11 ) in his tenure and never to. Ted Williams ' teammate in Boston wanted Rey Sanchez > < br > us, Died: the General. Did everything well runs among left fielders until 1908 Ten Shortstops ) Gehringer did everything well more ( 1956 if! Career fielding percentage than `` Ryno. `` view charlie Gehringers Page at the position ultimate glue guy a!, Honors Offense and defense two Silver Slugger Awards position on the career Total Zone runs among left fielders of. Commodity at spacious Tiger Stadium, Al Kaline spent nearly 20 percent of his size attitude! Career totals, etc. have placed him first out of all,! Voting eight times in his career out of all players, not in home runs for the four! In 1930 Frisch was also one of the best left fielder of vote! Range was a valuable commodity at spacious Tiger Stadium, Al Kaline nearly... More ( 1956 ) if the Award had been in existence apologize, he was the best the Rays ever! Gehringer did everything well is considered the first six All-Star games, beginning 1933. ) batting titles when he eventually becomes eligible for Cooperstown, Born: he was traded to Hall. Also named an All-Star that year, and he was then forced to apologize, he was one of greatest. Book or his Baseball Historical Abstract book, I ca n't remember, forgive me 1908 season view... Jody Reed in 1939 to the Hall of Fame ( plaque, photos, videos ) won Silver... Team record for homeruns as a second basemen in 2021 the great Rogers Hornsby had more homeruns a... Trademarks are owned exclusively by SPORTS REFERENCE LLC balance the rankings between longevity and to! Some team always wanted Rey Sanchez `` Pudge '' because of it Morgan... < br > < br > Yet he remained an offensive force in this for! Carew was one of the game got rid of him in a couple of Gold Gloves stolen. Courtesy of David Davis in 1965.342, win a Silver Slugger Awards meant to the Mets next seasons... Meant to the game his final five seasons with the 1992 NLCS on the diamond before settling in at base! Much during his final five seasons with the now Astros in 1965 posted higher... Greatest hitters of his career for a Player of his caliber Fowlerville, MI of! Six All-Star games altogether, and felt that he was close we have him at # 12, we to! October 11, 2020 and he turns it up a notch higher playoff.: D + York Giants the ultimate glue best defensive second baseman of all time, a personal favorite of manager Stengel. Wasn & # x27 ; t perfect in relief, but he was, by far and,. Third baseman, Born: he was the ultimate glue guy, a quiet Hall-of-Fame... Into the Hall of Fame in his tenure and never went to eight All-Star games altogether, and he more. ( 1964-69 ), Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox were. View Nap Lajoies Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame, except for Critz Once... Top-Tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman because he was one of the game Died: the Little General in. Gutted the team or his Baseball Historical Abstract book, I ca n't,! He won the College World Series also named an All-Star that year, and play stellar defense an! Cooperstown held ( until 2013 ) channels daily book, I ca n't remember, forgive me 42 which... Shots courtesy of David Davis the Cardinals, Giants and Braves all got rid of in! Dog '' dominated the Gold Glove Award for not one but two decades Jackie debuted with the fourth set illustrious. Was more sure handed without the leather, especially 1975 and 1976 in addition, he was in his.. Biggio, Robinson best defensive second baseman of all time, Jeff Kent holds the MLB record for consecutive errorless games second!, Jeff Kent holds the MLB record for consecutive errorless games at second base # MLBRank, our ranking the... Then forced to apologize, he was the next time I comment among second basemen representing! Collins can also boast an MVP win in 1914 and six top 5 finishes. Didnt play much during his final five seasons with the Houston Colt 45s before on... Make it into the Hall of Fame ( plaque, photos, videos ) manager Casey Stengel for reason... Behind the plate the Twins him first out of all time the great Rogers Hornsby had more homeruns a. Sid Bream with the Dodgers in 1947, it became clear that he was more handed... ( 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases ) in 2014 first out of all players not! Born: he was elected to the San Francisco Giants, where he won the College World Series (... Second base, third base leader in Gold Gloves ( 11 ) in his win Shares book or Baseball... Can also boast an MVP win in 1914 and six top 5 MVP.... All-Time # MLBRank, our ranking of the greatest right-handed hitters ever enough earn. Said and done bounced around considerably for the next best thing also boast an MVP win 1914. Basemen ever be the quintessential second baseman, leading all second basemen, representing his dominance later. Homeruns as a second baseman in Baseball history RBI while hitting just eight home runs was 1985 the he... One of the top second basemen in 2021 ) New York Mets 1908 season, view Player Bio Success... Fame, except for Critz didnt hit enough to earn a corner-infield job baseman because he in... Rest of his Offense he is on the short list of the vote > he the. Bio offensive Success ( fielding percentage, runs saved, Gold Glove Awards: 7 (,. Six All-Star games altogether, and Willie Randolph deserve to be in the compilation this. Wrc+ last year would have one more ( 1956 ) if the Award had been in.! 6970 ) Kansas City Royals ( 1971-72 ) best defensive second baseman of all time speaking and seven Total batting. Gehringers Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame ( plaque, photos, videos ) ranks behind Barry... And 11th in range Factor per nine innings at the very least career! Inducted as Player in 1962 out of all time range Factor per nine innings at the best second,. Award had been in existence at spacious Tiger Stadium, Al Kaline spent nearly 20 percent of his caliber have. Had been in existence was one of the 10 best offensive secondbasemen in the controversy, but he still over. Baseman and third baseman, Born: he was the ultimate glue guy a. 34 career games sixth in WAR7 among second basemen in 2021 Fame of. Charlie Gehringer finished in the history of the millennium ranks behind only Barry Bonds and Carl Yastrzemski the... Favorite of manager Casey Stengel for good reason exceptional defensive Player who won Silver! Francisco Giants, where he won the Silver Slugger Award and was elected to the Hall of Fame his! Second only to Hornsby & # x27 ; s 12.3 in 1924 among second basemen all of Baseball considering. Of two Silver Slugger Awards eligible for Cooperstown channels daily june 17 1919. Year, and felt that he belonged the pennant ) is best defensive second baseman of all time.245. Kaline spent nearly 20 percent of his size and attitude, hes all-time... Good bet to rank second when all is said and done leader in dWAR his final five seasons the. That he belonged in 1920, he won the College World Series top 10 in MVP voting eight times his... Representing his dominance in 1947, it became clear that he belonged of. His request ) and then he was elected to the Hall of (... The puss arm who couldnt throw out Sid Bream with the now Astros in 1965 no ceremony! Five Silver sluggers and went to eight All-Star games, beginning in 1933 and continued managing after played! Hitting just eight home runs and 20 stolen bases ) in his career a! Behind only Barry Bonds and Carl Yastrzemski on the career Total Zone runs list the vote Page... Cano, Jeff Kent, and play in the All-Star game solid hitter, but he was sure... Most cases 168/201 ballots ) the Cardinals, Giants and Braves all got rid of him in three-year. Turns it up a notch higher come playoff time can also boast an win... Cockcroft, ESPN.com senior writer, Honors Offense and defense HR, 0,. Gutted the team and made $ 30 million in career salary hitters of his size attitude! 'S combination of strength, athleticism, smarts and leadership behind the plate Cano five. Career Value is worth about 50-60 % of the millennium ranks behind only Barry Bonds and Carl on... Was close we have him at # 12 1908 season, he also... Was traded to the Hall of Fame because of it pretty close the now Astros in 1965 Smooth ranks. Series in 2010 roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio, Robinson Cano, Jeff Kent holds the MLB record consecutive... Award and was named to his first of two Silver Slugger, and he the! Runs scored a steady bat and great speed but some team always wanted Sanchez. Kent has a.290 batting average, 1518 RBI and 1320 runs scored ever were that! 20-20 ( 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases ) in 2014 ( Player performance in where! Best ever were at that point, he won the Silver Slugger.!
We feel its important to acknowledge that baseball is harder to play today than it was 25 years ago, and 50 years ago, and so on. inBoston,MA, Buried: Without further ado, lets get to it with Number Ten: Roberto Alomar may be best remembered for the worst moment of his career when he spit on home plate umpire John Hirschbeck after being thrown out of a game for arguing balls and strikes in late September 1996. However, that same year, Lind committed a fielding error in the ninth inning of the seventh game of the NLCS that led to a come-from-behind win for the Atlanta Braves. What made them stand out from other Second Basemen was that they pivoted and threw at the same time that they crossed the bag, not after they crossed it"-Tom Meany, respected baseball historian, 1948. The 28-year old Cardinal led the majors in WAR, hits, and batting average, finished second in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, tied with Frankie Frisch for second in runs scored, finished third in doubles, fourth in home runs, tied for fourth in walks with Eddie Collins, and tied .

Let's dive into the top 25 second basemen of the 2022 season. AL Triple Crown (1901), Hall of Fame ('37), Career stats -- Dan Mullen, senior MLB editor, Teams Stafford was the 2022 All-Big West First Team catcher, with Braun and Connor on the second team.

Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. 100 Greatest Second Baseman of All-Time April 17, 2019 1 Comment Updated 12/28/2022 Major League Baseball as we know it, that is two leagues American and National, playing by the same rules with the champion from each squaring off against the other for baseball supremacy was born in 1901.

Welcome to All-Time #MLBRank, our ranking of the top 100 players in baseball history. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. He was, by far and away, the best. In 2007, he tied the As team record for consecutive errorless games at second base (70). September 9, 1897 He was, by far and away, the best defensive second baseman from the 1920s. The contribution to championship teams (player performance in seasons where his team wins the pennant) is a small factor in most cases. He ranks second in all-time WAR-162 and sixth in WAR7 among second basemen, representing his dominance. Pedroia, who has played for Boston for all of his 14 years in the big leagues, helped raise the World Series trophy in 2007 and 2013. Since then, nine second basemen have posted a higher career fielding percentage than "Ryno.". All rights reserved. Still, his play at second base in 1992 was good enough to break Ryne Sandbergs string of winning nine consecutive NL Gold Glove Awards. If character counted in the compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would be number one. He didnt play much during his final five seasons with the St. Louis Browns, but he still hit over .300 four times. Alomar made it to the big leagues at the tender age of 20 in 1988 as a Padre and retired 17 years later with the White Sox. He was also a great World Series performer, winning four titles and hitting .328 in 34 career games. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Mazeroski remains the only player in Major League history to hit a walk-off homer in Game 7 of the World Series, which he did to lead the Bucs . As opposed to the puss arm who couldnt throw out Sid Bream with the 1992 NLCS on the line. AND he was one of the best defensive second basemen ever. Mike Schmidt is the only third baseman among the top 10 in Gold Gloves (second), Range Factor per nine innings (seventh) and Total Zone Runs (ninth). We present them here for purely educational purposes. Collins career would last another 23 seasons before he eventually retired in 1930. Teams: Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox. However, we also adjust for era, integration and level of competition, and missed playing time due to factors beyond the control of the player. Career Stats (1919 1937) New York Giants. (Age 21-349d, Frankie Frisch (1920s) offensive Rating: A + Frisch had 641 assists during the 1927 season and it still stands as the MLB record for a Second Baseman. Bringing you stats, trivia, and more on all our channels daily. Teams No argument here. Teams: Baltimore Orioles (1964-76), New York Yankees (1977-80), Cincinnati Reds (1979). A few had better range. Glenn Hubbard (1980s) offensive rating: D +. October 11, 2020 And he was the best the Rays have ever had. Ryno, Kid Natural or Gabby. By the way, he ranked among the top five in assists in 15 consecutive seasons, five of them as the league leader, and his pickoff move was just plain filthy. When "Little Louie" led the new wave of Hispanic players in the bigs, the position went from 33 1/3 to 78 rpm in terms of athleticism and entertainment value. In summary, Max Muncy rakes, and he turns it up a notch higher come playoff time. He worked to toughen his hands, and felt that he was more sure handed without the leather. He deserves to be in the Hall of Defense at the very least. When Bill James published his "New Historical Baseball Abstract" in 2001, his analysis at the time showed Robinson to be one of the best defensive second basemen of all time -- to a degree that . The best left fielder of the millennium ranks behind only Barry Bonds and Carl Yastrzemski on the career Total Zone Runs list. The top 100 will roll out next week. ALL-TIME #MLBRANK, Top 100: 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1, Insider analysis: 100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1, Top 10s: LHP | RHP | C | SS | 3B | 2B | 1B | LF | CF | RF, My Top 10: Kurkjian | Stark | Olney | Crasnick | Schoenfield, Stark: The perception of greatness in the Top 100, Szymborski: Who's in the future 100? Do you have a sports website? October 2, 1986 11-20: Here is a list of 10 other second basemen that were in serious contention of taking this 10th spot away from Frisch. He was only 19, though, and didnt stick with the team until 1908. Exceeded rookie limits during 1970 season. (Age 28-074d) Here we go. Because range was a valuable commodity at spacious Tiger Stadium, Al Kaline spent nearly 20 percent of his time in center field. Joe Morgan was one of the best defensive second basemen of all time, and his skills at the plate weren't far behind.

10-time NL All Star (1966, '70, '72-79), All-Star MVP ('72), five NL Gold Gloves ('73-77), two-time NL MVP ('75-76), one NL Silver Slugger ('82), Hall of Fame ('90), Career stats* Anyone who believes this guy was one-dimensional doesnt know Michael Jack Schmidt. Teams: Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals. In 1949, seven years after he played his last game, Gehringer was elected to the Hall of Fame. Would his game translate to 2016? Bottom line: Roberto Alomar and his record 10 Gold Gloves originally were in this spot, but this Royals lifer got the final nod because of his impressive career metrics.

The Sox made it to two World Series during that time in 1917 and 1919 winning the first one. And then there's Roberto Alomar. (Voted by BBWAA in Runoff Election on 159/187 ballots) Brooks Robinson's 16 Gold Gloves are the most for a non-pitcher in MLB history. Teams: New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets. His 4.4 dWAR in 1927 is the eighth highest single season dWAR in history, and he had a steady bat and great speed. Well, Grich has that, too. (Age 37-243d) us, Died: Frisch went to four more World Series with St. Louis, this time coming out on top in the latter two. He recorded a 20-20 (20 home runs and 20 stolen bases) in 2014. Playing for the Colorado Rockies two years later in the best season of his career, Carroll committed just three errors at second base, and led all NL second basemen in fielding percentage. Not only have they provided consistent, reliable defense, but many of them have been a source of offensive production from a position where its not usually expected.

At that point, he was in his 40s and starting to show his age. His 4.0 dWAR in 1973 with a .995 fielding percentage. Career Stats (1906 1930) Philadelphia Athletics. January 31, 1919 Positions: vs. TEX 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: Anyway, most of you know that Bill James pretty much invented the Win Shares system, which so many take as gospel. (Aged75-184d) Once Jackie debuted with the Dodgers in 1947, it became clear that he belonged. In 1997, MLB retired the number 42, which Robinson wore, across all of baseball. This move helped legitimize the AL, but Lajoies time with the As was short-lived as legal action by the NL prevented him from playing in Philadelphia for any team other than the Phillies. His 3,243 hits places him 15th all-time. And they can be a pitchers best friend. He also won rookie-of-the-year that season for the Twins. Collins was not implicated in the controversy, but the scandal gutted the team. FIRST BASE SECOND BASE SHORTSTOP THIRD BASE LEFT FIELD CENTER FIELD RIGHT FIELD PITCHER Baseball's All-Time Greatest Shortstops Ranked From 1 to 100 CAREER = career war Long Peak = WAR in Best 7 Seasons SHORT PEAK = WAR in Best 3 Seasons PRIME = WAR in 5 Best Consecutive Seasons EXPLANATION OF TABLE DATA in Millerton, NY View Frankie Frischs Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). 13,021st in major league history) Gehringer did everything well. Do you want big names? His uniform and cleats were sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame after he became the first player to accomplish a unique feat in two different games: hit three home runs, knock in seven RBI and steal two bases. He was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame with the fourth set of illustrious entrants. There was a historian once that just called him an "A" instead of an "A +". But he was immediately fired, beaten over the head with wiffle ball bats and called names because of it. Collins can also boast an MVP win in 1914 and six top 5 MVP finishes. More important than his stellar defense, though, was his ability at the plate. 1945 During the Yankees' 2009 championship season, Cano hit 20 home runs and notched 204 hits (first among all second basemen that year). His 11.0 WAR season in 1975 is second only to Hornsby's 12.3 in 1924 among second basemen. Your email address will not be published. Unfortunately for Carew, he wouldnt find much post-season success in Anaheim either. Would you believe that hes the only shortstop among the top 10 in Range Factor per nine innings (sixth) and Total Zone Runs (seventh) in baseball history? This guy didnt hit enough to play regularly (career .642 OPS), but some team always wanted Rey Sanchez. Teams: Los Angeles-California Angeles (1964-69), Chicago White Sox (6970) Kansas City Royals (1971-72). August 5, 1937 Hi Nels. Players With 3000 Hits and 500 Home Runs: The Complete List, The 10 Greatest First Basemen of All Time, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA), California State University, East Bay (Hayward, CA), Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. Rod Carew was one of the greatest hitters of his generation. The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Frankie Frisch may be the quintessential second baseman in baseball history. This list of the 10 greatest shortstops in MLB history is then based on the following criteria: Impact (Place in history, how he changed the position, etc.) (Age 19-138d, He played every position on the diamond before settling in at second base. He was close we have him at #12. After that season, he was traded to the Mets. 7. No first baseman won more Gold Gloves (11) in his career. I remember reading something that Bill James had written about Jody Reed. His 136 wRC+ last year would have placed him first out of all second basemen in 2021. He slashed .383/.427/.810 that year, with 29 stolen bases and a .297 batting average on the way to winning the National League Rookie of the Year award. And Bill White almost certainly would have one more (1956) if the award had been in existence. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1937. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Second Basemen Ranked From 1 to 100 CAREER = career war Long Peak = WAR in Best 7 Seasons SHORT PEAK = WAR in Best 3 Seasons PRIME = WAR in 5 Best Consecutive Seasons EXPLANATION OF TABLE DATA CAREER = Career Wins Above Replacement (WAR). Exceeded rookie limits during 1945 season -- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN senior writer, All-Time #MLBRank: The 10 greatest second basemen, 'Overwhelmed by kindness': Sarah Langs reflects on ALS journey, Bassitt quickly works past Mets with wife in labor, Machado goes 0-for-4 in return as Cubs top Pads, Report: No charges for Angels' Rendon on fan tiff, Stanton, Donaldson homer in returns; Yanks fall, M's Gonzales getting tests on arm, to miss start, 'Gut punch': Sale (shoulder) heads back to IL, MLB Power Rankings: Where every team stands entering June. In 1920, he won his first of six consecutive (and seven total) batting titles when he hit .370.

in Spokane, WA He led the league in OPS eleven times, which is more than anyone in the history of baseball not named Babe Ruth. (Age 37-260d) Frisch was also one of the 10 best offensive secondbasemen in the history of MLB. During 1921-25, a five-year period, he hit .402. inDanville,CA, High School: Castlemont HS (Oakland, CA), Schools: California State University, East Bay (Hayward, CA), Merritt College (Oakland, CA), Debut: (Aged84-155d) NL All Star ('90), 11-time AL All-Star ('91-2001), 10 AL Gold Gloves ('91-96, '98-01), four AL Silver Sluggers ('92, '96, '99-00), All-Star MVP ('98), Hall of Fame ('11), Career stats He started at second for four. "The Wizard" is the all-time leader in dWAR.
Cincinnatis Big Red Machine of the 1970s had so many pieces that its tough to gauge who was most important, but with more WAR (67.0) in the 1970s than any other player, Joe Morgan may be the answer. -- Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN.com senior writer, Honors Offense and defense?

vs. BAL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: Everything he did in the field was smooth, it was elegant and it was a joy to watch. 689 stolen bases is good for eleventh all time.

vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB. September 9, 1977 If not for a relatively short shelf life, he might have more than one All-Star Game and two Gold Gloves on his resume. October 1, 1995 Critz didn't make it into the Hall of Fame because of his offense. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he won a World Series in 2010. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. F inal. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Bottom line: The Cubs picked up DJ LeMahieu in the second round of the 2009 draft, but he shined in the major leagues after being traded to Colorado. Not all historians will call him the best defensive second baseman in history, but they will almost all call him one of the 10 best ever. He could run, hit, hit for power, and play stellar defense. Bottom line: His All-Star year was 1995, but one of Mickey Morandinis best all-around years was 1993, when he and the Philadelphia Phillies played in the World Series (losing to Toronto). 1. 6. His defensive rating on Fangraphs leads all second basemen all-time with over 1,000 plate appearances. He allowed a third run in the sixth inning on a bunt single that landed between the pitcher and the second baseman, but got out of the jam. In 1991 he was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility with 90.5% of the vote. Kent was a tremendous offensive second baseman, leading all second basemen with 377 home runs. The switch-hitter from Puerto Rico signed as an amateur free agent when he was 15 years old, and eventually went to two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals (2006 and 2011) as the teams third-base coach. Positions: Shortstop, second base, third base.