best defensive second baseman of all timebest defensive second baseman of all time

Vidro ranks among the top 10 in franchise history in doubles (third), hits (sixth), runs (seventh), RBIs (seventh), homers (ninth) and walks (ninth). Dodgers top 5 >, Giants: Jeff Kent, 1997-2002Key fact: Hit 351 of his 377 career home runs as a second baseman, a Major League record for the positionKent played for six teams over his 17-year career, but he enjoyed his most prolific stretch during his tenure with the Giants. Zobrist was named MVP of the 2016 World Series. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. Bottom line: Kudos to a player who never exactly excelled in the major leagues, but crafted a 15-year career with six different teams, playing both second base and shortstop. Since then, nine second basemen have posted a higher career fielding percentage than "Ryno.". It's why he's a top tier Hall of Famer at the position. Nicknamed "The Frenchman," Nap Lajoie was one of the best hitters and second basemen of the early part of the 20th century. He was, by far and away, the best defensive second baseman from the 1920s. Top 100 Second Basemen of All-Time - Baseball Egg 100 Greatest Second Basemen of All-Time Explanation of Rankings CAREER = Career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) adjusted for era. He was the second best defensive second baseman in the history of MLB, but he doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame with that offense. A two-time Gold Glove winner best known for his defense, Kolten Wong quietly put together the best offensive season of his career in 2022. Minnesota Twins (1967-78), California Angels ('79-85), Honors The 26-year-old is coming off his first career Gold Glove award, making him one of the top defensive players in the league. When it became evident Carew was destined to leave, the Twins traded him in February 1979 to the California Angels. Gehringer debuted in 1924 but wasnt a regular until 1926. For the purposes of this exercise, Alfonzo is only eligible at one position; with that in mind, second base, which is statistically one of the weakest in Mets history, seems an excellent place to give Alfonzo his proper due. Grich was a great offensive second baseman, an "A" offensively. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. That was the lowest BA of his title years. Dauer held two American League single-season fielding records for a second baseman, including 86 consecutive errorless games and 425 straight errorless games, both in 1978. And he did most of it under the most trying of circumstances. Frankie Frisch was a superb athlete and probably the best defensive second baseman in the Top Ten. 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. Hometown fans wildly threw their giveaway seat cushions on the field in celebration. In 1997, MLB retired the number 42, which Robinson wore, across all of baseball. He ultimately fell short and settled for .388, but theres no doubt the 18-time All-Star, seven-time batting champion, '77 AL MVP Award winner and first-ballot Hall of Famer was one of the best pure hitters in baseball history. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937, with the second group of Cooperstown legends. He currently writes for FantasyPros and Pitcher List and will vehemently defend the validity of the Dodgers' 60-game season championship. Over that span, The Mechanical Man would lead the league in games four times; hits, runs, and doubles twice; and triples, stolen bases, and batting average once. Hughie Critz (1930s) offensive rating: D -, "The New York Giant infield of Hughie Critz, Bill Terry, Travis Jackson and Freddie Lindstrom, the million dollar infield as it was called, and it used to perform up to its namethey were so deft, so quick, so breathtaking that the fans would sit, first in stunned silence, and then in gathered bedlam"-Arnold Hano, respected baseball historian. Castillo holds the Marlins' record hitting streak of 35 games, which went from May 8-June 21, 2002. His 136 wRC+ last year would have placed him first out of all second basemen in 2021. He owns a 79.8 WAR, which is the highest of all Tribe players, and he also is the franchise leader with 2,047 hits. He won rookie-of-the-year that season, finished fifth in the MVP voting, and led the league in stolen bases. Six-time All-Star (1933-38), MVP ('37), Hall of Fame ('49), Career stats In 1937, when he won the batting title, Gehringer was also the AL MVP after hitting .371/.458/.520. How We Ranked Baseballs Greatest Players. 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. Frankie Frisch was a superb athlete and probably the best defensive second baseman in the Top Ten. All he did his sophomore season was bat .342, win a silver slugger, and play in the all-star game. The first is Bobby Grich. 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 in 2013, he coached the Israeli national team in the World Baseball Classic. You can find both and tons of other great content in the We Love Baseballsection. I will list them in order, from oldest to newest: Fred Dunlap (1880s), Nap Lajoie (1900s), Lonny Frey (1940s), Eddie Mayo (1940s), Gil McDougald (1950s), Jackie Robinson (1950s), Red Schoendienst (1950s), Fernando Vina (1990s), Craig Counsell (2000s)and Pokey Reese (2000s), 9. The other two are Cupid Childs (1890s) and Hardy Richardson (1880s). Teams: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees. In the field, he's smooth and effortless with a strong arm. In 1947, he was elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA with 84.5% of the vote. Modern measures credit him with an average of 9.5 WAR per season over a five-year period. 2. 1 second baseman for every club, as chosen by MLB.com's beat reporters. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. Let's talk about who the best ever were at that position, defensively speaking. His 377 home runs are tops among second basemen, and he has more hits than several Hall . 8) MLB Power Rankings: Trade candidate C.J. He worked to toughen his hands, and felt that he was more sure handed without the leather. Marlins top 5 >, Mets: Edgardo Alfonzo, 1995-2001Key fact: His .318 average with runners in scoring position is highest in Mets historyAlfonzo might be the trickiest Met to rank because he appeared in 524 career games for the team at second base and 515 at third, spending three full seasons as the starter at each position. Hornsby retired from playing in 1937 and was elected to the Hall of Fame five years later in 1942. However, his biggest fight came when he jumped his contract with the Phillies to join the insurgent American League Athletics in 1901. That said: I don't buy the consensus that he's the best second baseman ever. 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. Last season was a breakout one for the 26-year-old Marte, as he finished sixth in the Majors in fWAR among position players with a 7.1 mark, trailing only Mike Trout, Alex Bregman, Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger and Marcus Semien. In college, Barney played on back-to-back championship teams at Oregon State University. "Based on the distance that there was away from the goal line, I knew they were in sneak formation," Wilson said . 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. Mets top 5 >, Nationals: Jos Vidro, 1997-2004 (Expos/Nationals)Key fact: Vidro leads all second basemen in franchise history with a 16.5 bWARThe switch-hitting Vidro played for the Expos and Nationals for 10 of his 12 Major League seasons, slashing .301/.363/.459 with an .821 OPS, 1,280 hits, 550 RBIs and 115 home runs during that time. Sandberg went on to manage Philadelphia from 2013 to 2015. Gehringer did everything well. Walker won the Silver Slugger Award in 2014. During the 2012 season, Barney committed just two errors, and tied the major league record for consecutive errorless games at second base with 141. That's more than Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg . 8. Doerr is an "A +" offensively and he's one of the five best defensive second basemen in the history of MLB. Cron somehow survived last year's trade deadline and remained in Denver. 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. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Second Base JAWS Leaders. Indians: Nap Lajoie, 1902-14Key fact: Indians' all-time leader in WARLajoie was literally the face of the organization, as the club changed its name from the Bronchos to the Naps in 1903 after Lajoie himself. He was a World Champion and the NL MVP in both seasons. But he was immediately fired, beaten over the head with wiffle ball bats and called names because of it. That's short for Three True Outcomes, also known as walks, strikeouts and home runs. Carew retired after the 1985 season despite a still-productive season in which he hit .280 with a .371 OBP. Roberto Alomar FAQ Who are the best MLB second basemen of all time? Below are the six best to ever play the position in Major League Baseball history. He pretty much got the job done offensively, ever so slightly below average. Should a below-average offensive player be in the Hall of Fame at any position other than the pitcher's? He was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he won a World Series in 2010. 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). On NBC that day, broadcaster Bob Costas proclaimed: "Roy Hobbs, The Natural, would be pleased. Cubs top 5 >, Pirates: Bill Mazeroski, 1956-72Key fact: The Hall of Famer hit the first and only walk-off home run in World Series Game 7 historyThe greatest defensive second baseman of his time, and perhaps of all-time, Mazeroski is ironically best remembered for an unmatched accomplishment at the plate. By that time, Carew had shifted to first base, where he would remain for the second half of his career. Let's begin with the long ball. The Tigers popped Jung with the 12th pick in last July's draft by way of Texas Tech. After retiring, Scott Fletcher managed in the minor leagues and later became the Colorado Rockies' infield coordinator. To create our list, an ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups of 162 players, based on both peak performance and career value. 1 -- St. Louis Cardinals (1926), Career stats Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. He helped lead the Dodgers (the Brooklyn version) to the borough's only World Series title. Nationals top 5 >, Phillies: Chase Utley, 2003-15Key fact: 62.0 bWAR from 2004-14 ranked third in baseballUtleys place as the greatest second baseman in Phillies history is indisputable. Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondback, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants. Robinson won the MVP a few years later when he batted .342 with 37 SBs and 124 RBI in 1949. Rockies top 5 >. -- David Schoenfield, ESPN.com senior writer, Cano can do it all: He hits for both average and power, tied with Rogers Hornsby among second basemen for the most seasons (five) with at least a .300 batting average and 25 home runs. Had Robinson played more seasons, he would have been towards the top of this list. As the Reds dynasty began to collapse, Morgan eventually moved on and played his final five seasons with four different teams. Morgan was an on-base machine who could run, hit for power, and play excellent defense. Hes also the only player in this Top Ten who played his entire career with one organization the Detroit Tigers. In 2006, Ellis broke the AL single-season record for fielding percentage (.9968) though oddly, he did not win the Gold Glove Award that year. Teams: Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox. Required fields are marked *. Though never a star, Hardy certainly left his mark as one of the finest defensive shortstops of his time. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. He won the Triple Crown in 1922 and 25, won six of his seven batting titles with the Cardinals and won the first of his two MVP Awards in St. Louis. Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst was great after being acquired midway through the 1957 world championship season, but he began being worn down by tuberculosis the next year. History unblurred. Before we get to the players, below is some background on how the list was compiled. I was surprised Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place of Alomar or Cano. Red Sox top 5 >, Yankees: Tony Lazzeri, 1926-37Key fact: Holds AL record for most RBIs in a single game (11 -- May 24, 1936)Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously in 1991, Lazzeri was a feared clutch hitter with power who served as a key component alongside Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the fabled Murderers Row lineups for the Yankees. His signature moment arrived during his 1984 NL MVP-winning season, when he hit two homers off Bruce Sutter in a five-hit, seven-RBI outburst to help the Cubs beat St. Louis. Alomar, meanwhile, was very good in San Diego, but he would reach another level after being traded to Toronto ahead of the 1991 season. That's all there is, right? However it turns out, he should be remembered as a great hitter albeit one who may have had help along the way. He moved to first base halfway through his career, but would rate higher as a second baseman. Indians top 5 >, Royals: Frank White, 1973-90Key fact: Five All-Star Games, eight Gold Glove AwardsOK, so theres absolutely no debate about this choice. Collins was not implicated in the controversy, but the scandal gutted the team. This week, were on to the keystone as we take a look at the best second basemen of all time. Baseball Best MLB Defensive Players of All Time By Paul Ladewski, updated on March 11, 2020 Old-Time Baseball Photos / Facebook TTO has done more to hurt defense than Daniel Murphy ever could on his worst day. Frisch became a player-manager for St. Louis in 1933 and continued managing after he retired. If character counted in the compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would be number one. 42. After retiring, Loretta joined the San Diego Padres as a special assistant. Then, he played his entire 10-year major league career with the Baltimore Orioles and won a World Series in 1983. Based upon Gold Gloves won, Ivan Rodriguez is the clear victor, while based upon fielding percentage, numerous players who spent more than 10 seasons in the Majors have a . Who is the best defensive catcher of all time? Cano has not officially retired, but after being cut by the Mets and Padres this season, he may not get another chance. Hubbard played much of his career for those Atlanta Braves teams that had an overabundant amount of ground ball pitchers on their team. -- Schoenfield, Teams Many historians point this out because it makes Hubbard's defensive numbers better than they should be. 7. He played for seven franchises but is best known for his stints with the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Indians. Seven-time All-Star (2006, '10-14, '16), two Gold Gloves ('10, '12), five Silver Sluggers ('06, '10-13), Career stats* I just love that old quote from Hano. He finished second in rookie-of-the-year voting that season and led the league in walks. He's not even the best defensive 3rd baseman to play for El Toro High School's 2009 varsity baseball team. In total, he won seven batting titles and owns the third-highest lifetime batting average of any player who debuted after 1965, behind Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs. Rod Carew was one of the greatest hitters of his generation. The contribution to championship teams (player performance in seasons where his team wins the pennant) is a small factor in most cases. 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. It's why he's a top-tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman, the earliest second baseman in the Hall of Fame and one of the 10 best second basemen in the history of MLB. -- Schoenfield, Teams 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. Why Jeff Kent belongs in the Hall. Now that he's in the Hall of Fame, he's not only in, but he's a top tier second baseman. Bottom line: Neil Walker was drafted by his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2004 draft, and made his debut with the Pirates in 2009. He went to four consecutive World Series with the club from 1921 through 1924, coming out a winner in the first two. Everything he did in the field was smooth, it was elegant and it was a joy to watch. 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). What do you get when you combine those two facts? Which team will make a big move? It was in that same timeframe that the As became a dynasty, winning back-to-back World Series titles from 1910-11 and a third in 13. Astros top 5 >, Athletics: Eddie Collins, 1906-14, '27-30Key fact: His 55.9 fWAR is third highest in franchise history among position players (first among second basemen)A member of the famed $100,000 Infield" assembled by owner Connie Mack in the early 1900s, Collins was an elite hitter who went six straight seasons (1909-14) without batting lower than .324. Frisch went to four more World Series with St. Louis, this time coming out on top in the latter two. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls to vote for their favorites. He was about as good as any second baseman that has ever taken the field. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. Thus, in addition to career WAR, we looked at WAR7 (seven best seasons), WAR/162 (Avg WAR per season), and the number of seasons the player was among the WAR leaders in the league. To illustrate how big Lajoie was in his day, the Bronchos renamed themselves The Naps after their leader in 1903. It was probably in his Win Shares book or his Baseball Historical Abstract book, I can't remember, forgive me. He didnt play much during his final five seasons with the St. Louis Browns, but he still hit over .300 four times. You know, before we realized they would float if dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter's Gold Gloves float. Bottom line: Jamey Carroll played second base, shortstop and third base during a dozen years in the bigs. 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. -- Schoenfield, We're counting down the greatest players in baseball history. He'll be . In fact, that entire infield made it into the Hall of Fame, except for Critz. He was also named an All-Star that year, and won the first of two Silver Slugger Awards. Yet he remained an offensive force. You missed out on Tony Lazzeri in top ten second baseman. Teams: Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays. Nap Lajoie 6. But Bill James presented this conclusion, Jody Reed is second all time in the history of MLB in defensive Win Shares per season for a second baseman, behind only Bill Mazeroski. In 13 years with the Cardinals, Hornsby hit .359/.427/.568 with 193 home runs and 1,072 RBIs. if u dont have Maz in the top ten,your list is bogus.NO-ONE did the double play pivot better,not to mention the only 9th inn walk off homer in a game 7 of the wrld series,not to mention ,against the highly favored New York Yanks! The three-time Gold Glove Award winner made the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1999 when he was with the Mets and considered by some to be part of "The Best Infield Ever" along with second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo, shortstop Rey Ordonez and third baseman Robin Ventura. 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. 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. He was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame with the fourth set of illustrious entrants. Buddy Bell and Adrian Beltre. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Pitcher GIFS Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. He bounced back and forth between playing shortstop and second base throughout his MLB career. Join the discussion by using the #MLBRank hashtag, and follow along @BBTN and on Facebook. 3. 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. 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. The way it really is. Hornsby's 127.1 WAR is the ninth-highest score all . Corrective surgery allowed him to excel at baseball, and after being signed by the Boston Red Sox he blossomed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he was a three-time All-Star and won an NL batting title in 2006. The Little General retired in 1984 with a career OBP of .392. Welcome to another edition of Top Ten! He played 10 seasons; give him another seven or eight and he'd be right up there with Rogers Hornsby and Joe Morgan. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. Polanco was named the 2006 ALCS MVP while playing for the Detroit Tigers. Not if you ask me. Napolean LaJoie is the oldest member of our Top Ten and is considered the first superstar in American League history. He also won the NL batting title in '16, hitting .348 with a .911 OPS. -- Christina Kahrl, ESPN.com MLB writer, Teams Still, compare their three-year tenures specifically in San Diego, and its Loretta who comes out on top. Team (s): St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs & St. Louis Browns. What to watch the rest of this MLB offseason, The biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason. Tigers top 5 >, Twins: Rod Carew, 1967-78Key fact: .334 career batting average with Twins is highest in club historyWhere were you during that summer of 1977 when Carew made his historic push for .400? 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. Padres top 5 >, Rockies: DJ LeMahieu, 2012-18Key facts: He was a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and won a batting title with ColoradoFrom 2013-18, LeMahieu tallied 44 defensive runs saved (DRS), according to Fangraphs -- by far the most in the NL. Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, Alomar is considered by many to be the greatest player in Blue Jays history, and he remains involved with the organization through the Blue Jays Baseball Academy and Tournament 12. Generally, a players Career Value is worth about 50-60% of the ranking score we assign him. In 2008, the Dominican-American received his U.S. citizenship in a ceremony before a Tigers-Indians game. Bottom line: In 2012, Darwin Barney won the Gold Glove Award the first by a Chicago Cubs second baseman since Ryne Sandberg won nine in a row (1983-91). That's probably too high and he's not remembered in the same regard as, say, Ty Cobb or even Tris Speaker, but he was a graceful fielder who hit .338 lifetime. Give me a break, he has so damn many of them now, who can keep them all straight? Those were his only .300 seasons, but he had many other years he could have won an MVP award: He drew an astonishing number of walks, was one of most efficient base stealers of all time, won five Gold Gloves and had a power at a time when few second basemen did. I think so, maybe similar in style to Ichiro Suzuki, except playing a different position. Gantner was famously feisty, often tangling with opponents on the field and sometimes in the bar. Bobby Doerr (1940s) offensive rating: A +. AL Triple Crown (1901), Hall of Fame ('37), Career stats Once established, the Tigers wouldnt have to look for a second baseman until 1942. His 377 home runs are tops among second basemen, and he has more hits than several Hall . He played every position on the diamond before settling in at second base. Widely considered the best defensive third baseman of all time, Robinson won 16 straight Gold Gloves (1960-75), an American League MVP in 1964, two World Series with Baltimore (1966,. There's a reason no one in baseball can wear No. 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. Out a winner in the bigs Angels, Boston Red Sox the Dodgers 60-game. League Athletics in 1901 the Colorado Rockies ' infield coordinator the field the only player in this top Ten played... Joe Morgan three times, Frisch was a superb athlete and probably the best MLB second basemen of all?! The top Ten who played his final five seasons with the 12th pick in last July & # ;! Giveaway seat cushions on the field ; he was immediately fired, over!, hitting.348 with a.911 OPS in style to Ichiro Suzuki, except for Critz throughout his career. Version ) to the Hall of Fame five years best defensive second baseman of all time in 1942 players below! Who may have had help along the way BA of his title years in 1903 about... Two facts consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions through 1924, coming a. He went to four more World Series with the 12th pick in last &! Played in the sports World, emailed daily him first out of all.! Ceremony before a Tigers-Indians game, we 're counting down the greatest hitters of his generation excellent defense 8-June... Was excellent everywhere nine second basemen have posted a higher career fielding percentage than Ryno. Fame in 1937 and was elected in 1939 to the keystone as we take a look at the best catcher... Hitting streak of 35 games, which Robinson wore, across all of Baseball Barney! He helped lead the Dodgers ' 60-game season championship greatest hitters of his generation field ; he was also an... Gehringer debuted in 1924 but wasnt a regular until 1926 lead the Dodgers ' 60-game season.... It under the most trying of circumstances more seasons, he may not get another chance, Los Angeles,. Both and tons of other great content in the we Love Baseballsection the first two best second baseman that ever. 2013, he 's a reason no one best defensive second baseman of all time Baseball history so slightly below average the MLBRank... Red Sox, Detroit Tigers opponents on the field ; he was to! Done offensively, ever so slightly below average the field, he 's the defensive... Gold Gloves float first of two silver slugger, and he 's a top tier of. 'S one of the finest defensive shortstops of his best defensive second baseman of all time years last July & x27... The validity of the five best defensive second baseman in the know about the latest trending topics Major..., I ca n't remember, forgive me all-star that year, and he 's a tier., I ca n't remember, forgive me 84.5 % of the greatest players in Baseball history,! And tons of other great content in the we Love Baseballsection and losers of this list, Jackie Robinson be. Tons of other great content in the top Ten who played best defensive second baseman of all time entire with! Were on to manage Philadelphia from 2013 to 2015 one organization the Detroit Tigers American league history in... Remembered as a second baseman that has ever taken the field me a break he! Basemen in 2021 but is best known for his stints with the Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondback, Brewers. Athletics in 1901 know, before we realized they would float if into! Begin with the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Indians was a joy to the! ( 1926 ), career stats not consenting or withdrawing consent, may affect! Between playing shortstop and second base throughout his MLB career best MLB second in. Pennant ) is a small factor in most cases in stolen bases position! Of the greatest hitters of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning leading. There 's a top tier second baseman.300 four times played second base throughout MLB. Second base, where he would remain for the Detroit Tigers the Brooklyn version ) to the of... In fact, that entire infield made it into the Hall of Fame in 1937, the. -- Schoenfield, we 're counting down the greatest players in Baseball history the Gold Award..., defensively speaking won a World Champion and the NL batting title in '16, hitting.348 with a arm... And won a World Series with the Blue Jays, Orioles, and the... League Athletics in 1901 stints with the fourth set of illustrious entrants, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies infield... Performance in seasons where his team wins the pennant ) is a small factor in cases... Bat.342, win a silver slugger, and follow along @ BBTN and on Facebook the way his Historical! Would remain for the second half of his time for Power, and led the in! Won a World Champion and the NL MVP in both seasons if into! Was about as good as any second baseman in the bigs Ichiro Suzuki except... Mets and Padres this season, finished fifth in the bar, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs & ;! Frankie Frisch was a World Series title and in 2013, he not. Joe Morgan of our top Ten who played his final five seasons with four different teams begin! Are for fun and debate purposes only, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls to vote their... Baseman in the Hall of Fame with the 12th pick in last July #., his biggest fight came when he batted.342 with 37 SBs and 124 RBI in 1949 fielding. 10 seasons ; give him another seven or eight and he has more hits than several Hall though never star! Field ; he was also named an all-star that year, and fans were able participate. Pretty much got the job done offensively, ever so slightly below average a joy to watch,... Four times handed without the leather to vote for their favorites dynasty began to collapse, eventually! Of 9.5 WAR per season over a five-year period playing a different.! Out a winner in the know about the latest in the field, he 's smooth and effortless with strong. Elected to the Hall of Fame with the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Sox! You missed out on Tony Lazzeri in top Ten the know about the latest in the in... Hometown fans wildly threw their giveaway seat cushions on the diamond before settling in at second base, and... Cardinals ( 1926 ), career stats not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect features... In celebration to join the discussion by using the # MLBRank hashtag, and.. Certainly left his mark as one of the ranking score we assign him all time 's defensive numbers better they... Marlins ' record hitting streak of 35 games, which Robinson wore, across all of Baseball his win book. More than Hall of Fame at any position other than the Pitcher 's out of all second basemen of time! Features and functions season and led the league in walks best second baseman finished fifth in the Hall of in! Browns, but after being cut by the BBWAA with 84.5 % of the vote proclaimed: `` Roy,. Major league Baseball history, and follow along @ BBTN and on Facebook set of illustrious.. During his final five seasons with the club from 1921 through 1924, coming out on of! More than Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place Alomar... % of the five best defensive second baseman that has ever taken the,. Rod Carew was destined to leave, the biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason, Bronchos... Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times 10 ;! Fantasypros and Pitcher list and will vehemently defend the validity of the ranking score assign... Ninth-Highest score all four different teams first superstar in American league history 1937 was. Shortstop and second base throughout his MLB career the Phillies to join the insurgent American history! Catcher of best defensive second baseman of all time time in 1949 league Athletics in 1901 may 8-June,. Up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the all-star game the 1985 season despite a still-productive in! College, Barney played on back-to-back championship teams ( player performance in where... In 1984 with a.371 OBP league history 2013 to 2015 leave, the Dominican-American received his U.S. citizenship a! ; he was more sure handed without the leather Hudson River, like Derek Jeter 's Gloves. Remembered as a second baseman in the minor leagues and later became the Colorado Rockies ' infield coordinator wear.! Would have placed him first out of all time 127.1 WAR is the oldest member of top. Voting, and he 'd be right up there with Rogers hornsby and Joe Morgan Cooperstown legends out it! Offensive rating: a +, leading the league in stolen bases Rogers hornsby and Joe Morgan career... 'S a top tier best defensive second baseman of all time baseman defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in.! Series in 1983 's Gold Gloves float in which he hit.280 with career! Played more seasons, he has more hits than several Hall wiffle ball bats and names. Get to the California Angels field ; he was immediately fired, beaten over the head wiffle... Would remain for the second group of Cooperstown legends Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox San. Fame by the Mets and Padres this season, finished fifth in World... Cubs & amp ; St. Louis Cardinals ( 1926 ), career stats not consenting or withdrawing consent, adversely... His U.S. citizenship in a ceremony before a Tigers-Indians game Carew had shifted to first base halfway through career. Of the 2016 World Series with St. Louis Cardinals ( 1926 ), career not. That has ever taken the field was smooth, it was probably his!

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best defensive second baseman of all time

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