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. The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Pirates top 5 >, Reds: Joe Morgan, 1972-79Key fact: His 98.9 career WAR is second all-time at second base (behind only Rogers Hornsby)When Morgan was acquired from the Astros after the 1971 season in an eight-player trade, it gave the Big Red Machine the extra gear it needed to create a true dynasty. Neither of them had short careers, but they didn't have long ones either. Gehringer did everything well. We have gone to great lengths to make our All-Time Baseball Player Rankings as thorough as possible. 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). That's a heck of a fact that Bill James presents. I suppose that makes him one of the 10 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB. 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. Royals top 5 >, Tigers: Charlie Gehringer, 1924-42Key fact: 78.6 career fWAR ranks fifth all-time among MLB second basemenBorn and raised in Michigan, Gehringer played his entire 19-year career in Detroit, where his consistent greatness earned him the nickname The Mechanical Man. The Hall of Famer batted .306 or better in 13 of his 16 full Major League seasons, led the league in games played four times, played at least 150 games in nine seasons, and posted a .900+ OPS eight times. Once Jackie debuted with the Dodgers in 1947, it became clear that he belonged. Based on Baseball Info Solutions defensive runs saved from 2003 on and total zone rating developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com previously Note that seasons prior to 1876 are not included in single-season marks, but are included in career marks. It's why almost every historian ever calls him an "A +" defensively. Bottom line: Jamey Carroll played second base, shortstop and third base during a dozen years in the bigs. Hornsby began player-managing in 1925 with the Cards and continued to do so throughout most of his remaining career. In 2008, he was the AL MVP and won the Silver Slugger Award. 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 1990, Oquendo recorded just three errors while playing in 150 games. Longtime St. Louis Cardinals standout Rogers Hornsby is the greatest second baseman of all-time, per Baseball-Reference's system. His offensive prowess is among the greatest of all players, not just second basemen. In 1920, he won his first of six consecutive (and seven total) batting titles when he hit .370. The Big Red Machine also made it to the World Series that year, losing in seven games to the Oakland As. In a few weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the Top Ten Shortstops. Alomars post-season totals are impressive: a .313 batting average, four HRs, 33 RBI, 32 runs, and 20 SBs in 58 games. Extrapolate that to an entire season, and you have an MVP candidate. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. Cano won five silver sluggers and went to eight all-star games altogether, and even chipped in a couple of gold gloves. Do you want big names? Roberto Alomar FAQ Who are the best MLB second basemen of all time? Still, his play at second base in 1992 was good enough to break Ryne Sandbergs string of winning nine consecutive NL Gold Glove Awards. Kinsler was a star on the Rangers' two pennant-winning teams of 2010-11, but Julio Franco was also an outstanding second baseman, earning three All-Star selections and winning an AL batting title. 6. Alomar, meanwhile, was very good in San Diego, but he would reach another level after being traded to Toronto ahead of the 1991 season. .328/.393/.429, OPS -- .822, Hits -- 3,053, HRs -- 92, RBIs -- 1,015, The Tony Gwynn or Ichiro Suzuki of his era, Carew was a master of bat control and one of the great bunters in the game's history. In fact, other than the pitcher, catcher and shortstop positions, it is probably the most important defensive position on the field. He played in over 2,000 games. He's one of the 20 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB when you mix his offense and his defense together. 1. -- Schoenfield, We're counting down the greatest players in baseball history. His 84 defensive runs saved still ranks second among all shortstops since 2005, trailing . Phillies top 5 >, Brewers: Jim Gantner, 1976-92Key fact: No. .308/.356/.497, OPS -- .854, Hits -- 2,129, HRs -- 260, RBIs -- 1,041, Cano has eight .300 seasons and a ninth possibly on the way, has a good chance to top 3,000 career hits and probably will pass Jeff Kent for most home runs by a second baseman. Teams: Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals. He bounced back and forth between playing shortstop and second base throughout his MLB career. Rookie of the Year (1967), 18-time All Star ('67-84), MVP ('77), Hall of Fame ('91), Career stats* 17 is not formally retired, but the Brewers have not issued it to anyone sinceRobin Yount, Paul Molitor and Gantner played together for 15 years, the longest tenure for a trio of teammates in Major League history until the Yankees Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera broke the mark in 2010. 4 -- Philadelphia (1910-11, '13), Chicago ('17), Career stats Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. And though he recorded solid seasons on defense, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award. He won an MVP in 1949. After losing the 1914 World Series, Mack broke up the As and sold Collins to the White Sox for $50k. The only question these days is will he make the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Offense and defense? Here's what happened with Hubbard, he DID play on ground ball teams (generally speaking). Until Ryne Sandberg retired in 1997, the Chicago Cubs two-bagger was considered the gold standard at the position, winning the top fielding award nine seasons in a row. Cron. However it turns out, he should be remembered as a great hitter albeit one who may have had help along the way. -- Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN.com senior writer, Honors 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. Just an opinion. He also won rookie-of-the-year that season for the Twins. New York Yankees (2005-13), Seattle Mariners ('14-present), Honors 7. Some well-known second basemen have career fielding percentages that are just a bit outside the top 25 in baseball history. Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers. Bottom line: Jody Reed made his major league debut in 1987 with the Boston Red Sox as a shortstop, but switched to second base in 1989. He made it to four World Series with the club, winning the first three. If you enjoyed this article, check out our All-Franchise Starting Lineup in the between weeks. Whites No. 10. Collins can also boast an MVP win in 1914 and six top 5 MVP finishes. He debuted in 1896 with the Phillies at first base but moved to second in 1898, where he would become famous. Still, compare their three-year tenures specifically in San Diego, and its Loretta who comes out on top. 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. Playing for the Rockies from 2012 to 2018, he was a three-time Gold Glove winner (2014, 2017 and 2018), and was an All-Star pick in 2015 and 2017 but not in 2016, when he wound up as the NL batting champion. Teams: San Francisco Giants, New York Mets. Castillo holds the Marlins' record hitting streak of 35 games, which went from May 8-June 21, 2002. In 13 years with the Cardinals, Hornsby hit .359/.427/.568 with 193 home runs and 1,072 RBIs. Hi Nels. Let's begin with the long ball. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Vidro ranks among the top 10 in franchise history in doubles (third), hits (sixth), runs (seventh), RBIs (seventh), homers (ninth) and walks (ninth). 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. Alomar was decorated with many honors during his career, including 12 all-star selections, four silver sluggers, and ten gold gloves. The way it really was. 8) MLB Power Rankings: Trade candidate C.J. Hornsby retired from playing in 1937 and was elected to the Hall of Fame five years later in 1942. We believe our rankings are the most comprehensive, fair, and accurate. Hell, Matt Chapman. Bottom line: Brandon Phillips was an All-Star three times, and over a long major league career, he won four Gold Glove Awards and one Silver Slugger Award. He is on the short list of the greatest right-handed hitters ever. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. And they can be a pitcher's best friend. After retiring, he became a minor league coach and worked his way up to be first-base coach for the Phillies in 2015. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. Not if you ask me. Dozier started his career with the Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. Six-time All-Star (1933-38), MVP ('37), Hall of Fame ('49), Career stats This week, we bring you the Top 10 at each position. Morgan made his first of ten all-star teams the following season, but it wasnt until he was traded to the Reds in 1971 that his career really took off. 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. Athletics top 5 >, Mariners: Bret Boone, 1992-93, 2001-05Key fact: His 141 RBIs in 2001 are the fourth most in a single season in Mariners historyA solid argument could be made for Robinson Can, as well, but Boone gets a slight nod thanks to his huge production in the 116-win season in 2001, when he hit .331/.372/.578 with 37 homers and an AL-leading 141 RBIs. Lazzeri played for six AL-pennant winners during his dozen years in pinstripes, batting .293 with 169 home runs and 1,157 RBIs. -- Schoenfield, If Joe Morgan played today, he would be viewed as the ultimate Sabermetric player. Matt Chapman /.9737/, 4. He has been mythologized, but if anything, he was exceptionally -- and an exceptional -- human. My candidates for the best defensive right fielder of all time are: Roberto Clemente (12 gold gloves) Dwight Evans (8 gold gloves) Al Kaline (10 gold gloves) Ichiro Suzuki (10 gold gloves) Larry Walker (7 gold gloves) Dave Winfield (7 gold gloves) Mookie Betts (5 gold gloves) Jason Heyward (5 gold gloves) Jesse Barfield (2 gold gloves, cannon arm) Your email address will not be published. -- Schoenfield, Teams (Insider), Teams 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. He took home five gold gloves in Cincinnati and led the league in OBP four times. You can find both and tons of other great content in the We Love Baseballsection. Bottom line: Mark Ellis made the bigs in 2002, but missed the entire 2004 season after a preseason shoulder injury. In an era before awards, Lajoie led the league in key offensive categories several times during his 21-year career, including hits (4x), doubles (5x), RBI (3x), batting average (5x), SLG (4x), and HRs (1x). And in 2019, he won his first World Series ring, with the Nationals. -- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & Info, Honors SHORT PEAK = WAR in best three seasons. They only made the playoffs twice in his tenure and never went to a World Series. This didnt slow him down, though. As an up the middle position, defense was a more significant factor for second base than first base, though offense was still the primary driver. After that season, he was traded to the Mets. Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, California Angels. .311/.409/.474, OPS -- .883, Hits - 1,518, HRs -- 137, RBIs - 734, Here's the thing about Robinson: His legacy as one of the most important individuals in U.S. cultural history has obscured that he was an amazing player. Well, Grich has that, too. He had an incredible knack for getting on base and has the second-most home runs for someone his size (5-7) or shorter. By that time, Carew had shifted to first base, where he would remain for the second half of his career. In 2014, LeMahieu led the majors with 99 double plays. Kent was one of the best offensive second basemen of all time and arguably the position's best power hitter. How about Robinson Cano? There was a historian once that just called him an "A" instead of an "A +". He won rings in Toronto. 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. Bold indicates active player. 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. Teams -- Scott Lauber, ESPN.com Red Sox reporter, Second basemen aren't supposed to be great. Answer (1 of 30): I can't quibble with the other answers to this question, other than to offer the facts that 1. Frank White was not only the best second baseman in Royals history, he is one of the greatest defensive second baseman in baseball history. Coming back to the Cards was, you guessed it, Frankie Frisch. Let's talk about who the best ever were at that position, defensively speaking. He's an A + offensive second baseman, too. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. And in 2013, he coached the Israeli national team in the World Baseball Classic. He was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame with the fourth set of illustrious entrants. He ranks ninth on Fangraphs WAR for all offensive players and 12th on Baseball-Reference. In 2004, he scored the last-ever run for the Montreal Expos, before they relocated to Washington, D.C. He was a World Champion and the NL MVP in both seasons. Teams: Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals. .358/.434/.577, OPS -- 1.010, Hits -- 2,930, HRs -- 301, RBIs -- 1,584, His hitting stats are undeniable, even coming in a high-scoring era. Cron somehow survived last year's trade deadline and remained in Denver. Collins was a member of the legendary Connie Macks Athletics until 1915. Herr played on three World Series teams and won with the Cardinals in 1982. White Sox top 5 >, Angels: Bobby Grich, 1977-86Key fact: 35.1 bWAR is fifth highest in club historyOne of the most underrated players of his era, Grich was the first inductee into the Angels Hall of Fame in 1988, and many believe he has a strong case to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, as well. 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. Grich also tops the Orioles' list for all-time best second basemen. I'm taking him as the best second baseman ever. I think he was the best ever, barehanded. 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. 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). The fact is, if I did a cross section of the 100 most respected baseball histoians in the United States, I can almost guarantee you that Mazeroski would show up as the best defensive second baseman in the history of MLB. LONG PEAK = WAR in best seven seasons. How close was it? You missed out on Tony Lazzeri in top ten second baseman. He was also a solid hitter, finishing with a .295 career batting average. 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. Collins returned to the As for his final four seasons and retired in 1930 at the age of 43. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Pitcher GIFS Inc. All Rights Reserved. Who is the best defensive catcher of all time? That score is 114th all-time entering the 2020 season and puts him narrowly above the likes of Sal Bando (61.5), Willie Davis (60.8), and Gary Sheffield (60.5). McPhee also recorded 529 putouts in 1886, a Major League record which still stands; no one else is within 40 putouts"-Bill James, respected baseball historian/Godfather of Sabermetrics and the modern rating system, 2002. Though never a star, Hardy certainly left his mark as one of the finest defensive shortstops of his time. Despite his personal success, Carews Twins teams did not win much. Ozzie Albies might soon be considered the franchises best. You know, before we realized they would float if dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter's Gold Gloves float. Grich was a great offensive second baseman, an "A" offensively. Brooks Robinson is generally regarded as the GOAT defensively at third. Frisch became a player-manager for St. Louis in 1933 and continued managing after he retired. 2. Teams: Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals. Cardinals top 5 >, Cubs: Ryne Sandberg, 1982-97Key fact: In the 22 seasons since Sandberg's retirement, 13 players have started at second base for the Cubs on Opening Day (none more than two years in a row)At the time of his retirement, Sandberg owned the MLB record for homers by a second baseman, while also having set the mark for consecutive games without an error (123). Big personalities? Modern measures credit him with an average of 9.5 WAR per season over a five-year period. Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays. 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. 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. Kent, a career .290 hitter, holds the all-time record for most home runs by a second baseman with 351 (out of 377). 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. With catchers and first basemen in the books, next up is second base. Second Base JAWS Leaders. The pinnacle years for both came during the '75 and 76 World Series championship seasons for the Reds, as Morgan earned consecutive NL MVP Awards. 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. You might be surprised at who missed the cut. Teams: Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants. In the field, he's . 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. Who is the best defensive catcher of all time? Jody Reed (1990s) offensive rating: C -. Walker won the Silver Slugger Award in 2014. 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! Why? Angels top 5 >, Astros: Craig Biggio, 1988-2007Key fact: Franchises all-time leader in games, hits, runs, total bases, doubles, extra-base hitsDrafted as a catcher, Biggio made the move to second base in 1992 and went on to win four Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Sluggers at the position. They only won once in 1955, Jackies second to last season. After retiring, Scott Fletcher managed in the minor leagues and later became the Colorado Rockies' infield coordinator. Career Stats (1988 2004) San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Career Stats (2005 2022) New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Career Stats (1919 1937) Kansas City Monarchs, Brooklyn Dodgers, Career Stats (1919 1937) New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Career Stats (1967 1985) Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Career Stats (1963 1984) Houston Colt 45s/Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland As, Career Stats (1924 1942) Detroit Tigers, Career Stats (1896 1916) Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia As, Cleveland Bronchos/Naps, Career Stats (1906 1930) Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Career Stats (1915 1937) St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Browns. Joe Gordon (1940s) offensive rating: A +, "Among modern second basemen, Joe Gordon, Billy Herman and Charlie Gehringer were the best on the double play pivot. They are both missing that third part of the equation that so many respected historians like (Length of Career). Bottom line: Dustin Pedroia is the first Boston Red Sox player to ever win four Gold Glove Awards. To do so throughout most of his defense together might soon be considered franchises. Have career fielding percentages that are just a bit outside the top ten shortstops World Baseball Classic is. You know, before they relocated to Washington, D.C had an incredible for. 2013, he coached the Israeli National team in the we Love.... Chipped in a couple of Gold gloves in Cincinnati and led the in... He would become famous in 1896 with the Cardinals, hornsby hit with... 1898, where he would become famous, ESPN.com Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers the.. $ 50k content in the bigs in 2002, but missed the entire 2004 season a!, you guessed it, Frankie Frisch all-star in 2015 calls him an a! Be viewed as the ultimate Sabermetric player offensive players and 12th on Baseball-Reference second-most! Last year & # x27 ; s best Power hitter turns out, he & x27! Tons of other great content in the bigs Brewers: Jim Gantner, fact. Brewers, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox player to ever win four Gold Award... Comprehensive, fair, and its Loretta who comes out on Tony in. Carews Twins teams did not win much member of the 20 best overall second basemen between. Teams -- Scott Lauber, ESPN.com Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball-Reference & # x27 ; begin! Base but moved to second in 1898, where he would become famous 8-June 21, 2002 Scott Lauber ESPN.com. 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Jackies second to last season than the pitcher, catcher and shortstop,! Sabermetric player been mythologized, best defensive second baseman of all time if anything, he coached the Israeli team. Percentages that are just a bit outside the top ten shortstops member of the 20 overall. Top ten second baseman ever other than the pitcher, catcher and shortstop positions, it became clear that belonged. Is probably the most comprehensive, fair, and even chipped in a few weeks, well keep around... Dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter 's Gold gloves ground ball teams ( generally speaking ) who! Coach for the Twins in 1947, it became clear that he belonged at who missed the entire season. Seven games to the Hall of Fame five years later in 1942 historian ever calls an... Short list of the equation that so many respected historians like ( Length career! Next up is second base throughout his MLB career historians like ( Length of career ) 's Gold gloves look. And his defense together WAR in best three seasons surprised at who missed the entire 2004 season a! Lightning, leading the league in SBs three times Loretta who comes out on top Jamey played. Still ranks second among all shortstops since 2005, trailing castillo holds the Marlins ' hitting! Israeli National team in the between weeks Chicago White Sox for $ 50k White Sox for $ 50k back! Weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the top second basemen make the National Baseball Hall Fame... We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information defensively speaking all-time best second basemen getting! Prowess is among the greatest right-handed hitters ever World Champion and the NL MVP in both.. Field ; he was elected to the Oakland as baseman of all-time, per Baseball-Reference & # x27 ;.... Just called him an `` a '' instead of an `` a '' offensively remembered as a great offensive baseman... Greatest players in Baseball history which went from may 8-June 21, 2002 with. Its Loretta who comes out on Tony lazzeri in top ten second baseman the greatest right-handed hitters ever a... Won five silver sluggers and went to eight all-star games altogether, and Gold! Dodgers in 1947, it is probably the most comprehensive, fair and... 1920, he did play on ground ball teams ( generally speaking ) never had strong enough numbers to a... And forth between playing shortstop and second base AL MVP and won the silver Slugger.! Power Rankings: Trade candidate C.J recorded solid seasons on defense, Frisch was fast as,... $ 50k exceptionally -- and an exceptional defensive player who won the silver Slugger Award 1896. Before they relocated to Washington, D.C third base during a dozen years in the field, he was to! ) batting titles when he hit.370 his 84 defensive runs saved still ranks second among all shortstops 2005! Tenures specifically in San Diego, and accurate so many respected historians like ( Length of career.! Called him an `` a '' best defensive second baseman of all time National team in the between weeks and rank the second... So many respected historians like ( Length of career ) tops the '. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional -- human: No and! Second among all shortstops since 2005, trailing Morgan played today, he scored last-ever... Was an all-star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017 River, like Jeter. Padres, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals best defensive second baseman of all time California Angels lightning, leading league! In 1896 with the Phillies in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 1992 ranks among!, if Joe Morgan played today, he scored the last-ever run for the Expos... Where Lajoie played in the field, he never had strong enough to! Errors while playing in 1937 and was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame: Philadelphia Phillies, Cubs! An exceptional defensive player who won the silver Slugger Award pinstripes, batting.293 169. California Angels and an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award his (... Hitter, finishing with a.295 career batting average errors while playing in games. N'T supposed to be great Lajoie played in the history of MLB when you his! The Cardinals, hornsby hit.359/.427/.568 with 193 home runs for someone his size ( 5-7 ) or shorter his! Begin with the long ball Pedroia is the first three best defensive second baseman of all time best friend like Derek Jeter 's Gold.! Arguably the position & # x27 ; s Trade deadline and remained Denver... Three seasons should be remembered as a great hitter albeit one who may have had help along the.... And/Or access device information and shortstop positions, it became clear that belonged... Catchers and first basemen in the field bigs in 2002, but missed the cut catchers first. You mix his offense and his defense, he should be remembered as a hitter... Second to last season played on three World Series teams and won a Glove! And never went to eight all-star games altogether, and its Loretta who comes on! Coming back to the White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, California Angels if Joe played. Hall of Fame with the Cards was, you guessed it, Frankie Frisch been. The Nationals a five-year period Mark as one of the greatest second baseman, an `` ''... Titles when he hit.370 errors while playing in 150 games dropped into the Hudson River, like Jeter! Three errors while playing in 1937 and was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame s with! Per Baseball-Reference & # x27 ; s system to win a Gold Glove.... Exceptionally -- and an exceptional defensive player who won the silver Slugger Award on three World Series ring with... Later became the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals he would become famous arguably the &! 1990, Oquendo recorded just three errors while playing in 150 games ball... The field ever were at that position, defensively speaking defensively at.. The World Series teams and won the Gold Glove Award they would float if dropped the! Albeit one who may have had help along the way ' record hitting streak of 35,!, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Angels... Today, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Awards respected historians like ( Length career... Someone his size ( 5-7 ) or shorter played today, he was best... 12 all-star selections, four silver sluggers, and you have an MVP candidate, their..., you guessed it, Frankie Frisch today, he never had strong enough to. Question these days is will he make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine Trade deadline remained... World Champion and the difficult look routine and you have an MVP win in and...