He played for seven franchises but is best known for his stints with the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Indians. And in 2019, he won his first World Series ring, with the Nationals. Lazzeri played for six AL-pennant winners during his dozen years in pinstripes, batting .293 with 169 home runs and 1,157 RBIs. 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 Bottom line: "Ryno" was the gold standard for second basemen during his 16-year career. 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. That's short for Three True Outcomes, also known as walks, strikeouts and home runs. Photo by Ben Gorman/Unsplash | Adapted by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Twitter). Cano continued to hit in Seattle, but his first positive test for an illegal substance caused him to miss half of the 2018 season. 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. 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. 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. D-backs top 5 >, Dodgers: Jackie Robinson, 1947-56Key fact: Only player whose uniform number is retired across MLBA true hero, legend, trailblazer and leader -- and thats before we even get into Robinsons stats. Alomar is a Hall of Famer, and while Loretta was solid, he wasn't quite on Alomars level. Nine Gold Gloves ('83-91), MVP (1984), 10-time All-Star ('84-93), seven Silver Sluggers ('84-85, '88-92), Hall of Fame ('05), Career stats He's played half his innings at second base, and the rest at shortstop and various outfield positions. In 2014, LeMahieu led the majors with 99 double plays. Twins top 5 >, White Sox: Nellie Fox, 1950-63Key fact: Won 1959 AL MVP AwardA strong and accurate case could be made for Fox or Eddie Collins as the top White Sox second baseman, and while Collins overall numbers are a little better, its Fox who gets the nod for having made a greater impact on the franchise overall. Lajoie retired following the 1916 season. Philadelphia A's (1906-14, '27-30), Chicago White Sox ('15-26), Championships Orioles top 5 >, Rays: Ben Zobrist, 2006-14Key fact: Two-time All-StarZobrist played all over the field during his time with the Rays, but the position he played the most was second base, so well label him as a second baseman. When it became evident Carew was destined to leave, the Twins traded him in February 1979 to the California Angels. Also in 2001, Counsell was named the MVP of the NLCS. He's one of the 20 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB when you mix his offense and his defense together. His 377 home runs are tops among second basemen, and he has more hits than several Hall . 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. And though he recorded solid seasons on defense, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award. 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). What MLB insiders are saying about Shohei Ohtani, Sources: Mets, OF Pham agree to 1-yr, $6M deal, Reports: Brewers ink ex-Marlins IF/OF Anderson, Deal merges Ripken, Cooperstown youth baseball, Sources: Red Sox, Duvall agree to 1-yr., $7M deal, A's formally welcome ex-Japanese star Fujinami, Mets GM: Lineup deep even after losing Correa, Thomas, Pirates star and original Met, dies at 93, Who will get traded? Robinson won the MVP a few years later when he batted .342 with 37 SBs and 124 RBI in 1949. Following his MLB career, Dauer spent 19 seasons as a pro coach and won the 2017 World Series with the Houston Astros as a first-base coach. He ranks ninth on Fangraphs WAR for all offensive players and 12th on Baseball-Reference. He helped lead the Dodgers (the Brooklyn version) to the borough's only World Series title. In 1997, MLB retired the number 42, which Robinson wore, across all of baseball. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Brooks Robinson is generally regarded as the GOAT defensively at third. Frankie Frisch (1920s) offensive Rating: A +. The great Rogers Hornsby was the clear choice for the best second baseman of all time. He played 10 seasons; give him another seven or eight and he'd be right up there with Rogers Hornsby and Joe Morgan. He played in over 2,000 games. He played in Baltimore and New York. 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. Rod Carew 5. Rangers top 5 >, Braves: Marcus Giles, 2001-06Key fact: Giles .809 OPS ranks first among all Braves second basemen (min. One of those players is Hall of Famer Roger Hornsby who was one of the best hitters of his generation and . Cano was a regular post-season participant in his time with New York and a member of the 2009 World Championship team. Once established, the Tigers wouldnt have to look for a second baseman until 1942. Doerr is an "A +" offensively and he's one of the five best defensive second basemen in the history of MLB. 8. Joe Morgan had a few brief stints with the Houston Colt 45s before latching on with the now Astros in 1965. .338/.380/.466, OPS -- .847, Hits -- 3,243, HRs -- 82, RBIs -- 1,599, The first big star of the new American League in 1901, he ranks 23rd all time in Baseball-Reference WAR. Bottom line: You can go far in baseball if you can play defense and have some pop in your bat. The other two are Cupid Childs (1890s) and Hardy Richardson (1880s). The Little General retired in 1984 with a career OBP of .392. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. There are three second basemen that often present themselves before me as should-be Hall-of-Fame second basemen. Carew retired after the 1985 season despite a still-productive season in which he hit .280 with a .371 OBP. He didn't reach the majors until he was 28, but hit .311/.409/.474 and was one of the most exciting players ever with his daring dashes on the bases. During the 2012 season, Barney committed just two errors, and tied the major league record for consecutive errorless games at second base with 141. 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) 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. His 2003 and 04 seasons are the most prolific for any second baseman in franchise history. Rogers Hornsby 2. He was also an "A +" offensively. Bottm line: Freddy Sanchez overcame physical adversity to become a professional athlete, having been born with a pigeon-toed left foot and a club right foot. The way it really was. 1/9 Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals - 96. That's why he's a top-tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman, one of the 10 best ever, overall, at the position. If character counted in the compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would be number one. During 1921-25, a five-year period, he hit .402. Whites No. Either way, Grich, Childs and Richardson are the three best second basemen in the history of MLB that are not in the Hall of Fame, with arguments from Davey Lopes (1970s) and Tom Daly. (His older brother, Josh, is a rookie third baseman with the Rangers . And he did most of it under the most trying of circumstances. Frank White was not only the best second baseman in Royals history, he is one of the greatest defensive second baseman in baseball history. 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. And boy could he play defense. -- Schoenfield, Rogers Hornsby batted .424 in 1924. Would his game translate to 2016? Teams: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers. Your email address will not be published. AND he was one of the best defensive second basemen ever. Second Base JAWS Leaders. What to watch the rest of this MLB offseason, The biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason. 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. In the field, he's . 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. 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. There it is. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. He debuted with the Yankees in 2005 on a star-laden team and quickly made his presence felt, finishing second in the rookie-of-the-year voting. .285/.344/.452, OPS -- .795, Hits -- 2,386, HRs -- 282, RBIs -- 1,061, Beloved Cubbiness and a brief run as one of the most supremely gifted second basemen in the game aside, Sandberg's main asset is exploiting Wrigley Field to hit for power, slugging .491 there vs. a less-than-epic .412 everywhere else. A player with no weakness in his game. 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. After retiring, Loretta joined the San Diego Padres as a special assistant. What's more, he played in at least 150 games at the position in eight consecutive years, something only five second basemen have ever done, and in seven of those he had positive defensive WAR. 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. How We Ranked Baseballs Greatest Players. After a falling out with Giants manager John McGraw in 1926, he was traded to the Cardinals after the season. Because we adjust for timeline and era, our rankings have fewer players from before 1941 than many other baseball player lists. The 32-year-old posted a career-high 118 OPS+with. Table of Contents Who are the best MLB second basemen of all time? Still, he'll be totally fine and a top-three second baseman in . 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. We believe our rankings are the most comprehensive, fair, and accurate. Alomars post-season totals are impressive: a .313 batting average, four HRs, 33 RBI, 32 runs, and 20 SBs in 58 games. 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. 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. "Frisch can knock down more balls with his elbows, knees, chest and head, and by dint of his fleet recovery throw out the runner, than any nine men we know"-Gordon Mackay, respected baseball historian, 1924. Adrian Gonzalez (Tied) Adrian Gonzalez was a five-time All-Star. Who is the best defensive catcher of all time? The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year has been a significant contributor to the modern-day success of the Red Sox. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. In his first season with Cincinnati, Morgan led the league in runs, walks, and OBP; and finished fourth in the MVP voting. He made it to four World Series with the club, winning the first three. While it's hard, if not impossible, to compare across eras, there is a lot of evidence that baseball players have been improving defensively over the years, so fairly recent players a. 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. We use bWAR. Roberto Alomar FAQ Who are the best MLB second basemen of all time? LONG PEAK = WAR in best seven seasons. 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. More important than his stellar defense, though, was his ability at the plate. It doesnt make sense, in our opinion, for most of the great baseball players to have played prior to World War II, when MLB was segregated. The greatest defensive second baseman of his time, and perhaps of all-time, Mazeroski is ironically best remembered for an unmatched accomplishment at the plate. He was a three-time All-Star, won three consecutive Gold Glove Awards and was part of the franchise's two World Series championship teams. Blue Jays: Roberto Alomar, 1991-95Key fact: Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011Over Alomars five seasons in Toronto, he led his team to two World Series championships while earning an All-Star nod and Gold Glove Award every single year. The switch-hitting Vidro donned Expos and Nationals uniforms for 10 of his 12 Major League seasons, and he slashed .301/.363/.459 with an .821 OPS, 1,280 hits, 550 RBIs and 115 home runs during his tenure. Gehringer made it to the World Series three times, winning a World Championship in 1935. When the Hall of Famer retired in 1997, his .989 fielding percentage was a major league record. "Based on the distance that there was away from the goal line, I knew they were in sneak formation," Wilson said . 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 . A teammate of Randal Grichuk on the Colorado Rockies, C.J. Kent was one of the best offensive second basemen of all time and arguably the position's best power hitter. No player in history has a higher single-season batting average with as many plate appearances as Hornsby had in 1924. Still, compare their three-year tenures specifically in San Diego, and its Loretta who comes out on top. These glovemen in the middle of the infield made the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins. That wasn't very nice of me to say, I like Jeter, offensively speaking. + - Indicates Hall of Famer. But, for now, the distinction belongs to Giles, who is the only second baseman in franchise history to produce a 110 OPS+ in at least three seasons. Cano has not officially retired, but after being cut by the Mets and Padres this season, he may not get another chance. They include All-Stars, World Series champions, Hall of Famers and baseball legends. Ozzie Albies might soon be considered the franchises best. I was surprised Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place of Alomar or Cano. History unblurred. Teams: Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants. Theres also his seven Silver Slugger Awards, the NL MVP season of 1984 and the year he led the NL in home runs (40 in 1990). Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. -- Schoenfield, Teams 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. He hit .400 three times, including .424 in 1924, and .358 lifetime. 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. Minimum of 1000 IP, 3000 PA, 500 games (fielding, 500 IP for Ps), 200 stolen base attempts (catchers) or 80 stolen base attempts (baserunners only since 1951) or 100 decisions for career and active leaderboards for rate statistics. In 2004, he won the Silver Slugger Award and made his first of two appearances in the All-Star Game. Offense and defense? Alomar was decorated with many honors during his career, including 12 all-star selections, four silver sluggers, and ten gold gloves. Hornsby bounced around considerably for the rest of his career for a player of his caliber. Hes also the only player in this Top Ten who played his entire career with one organization the Detroit Tigers. If you enjoyed this article, check out our All-Franchise Starting Lineup in the between weeks. SHORT PEAK = WAR in best three seasons. Anyway, most of you know that Bill James pretty much invented the Win Shares system, which so many take as gospel. Yet he remained an offensive force. The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Teams: Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs. He was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame with the fourth set of illustrious entrants. Rays top 5 >, Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia, 2006-presentKey fact: Only player to win MVP Award, Rookie of the Year Award, World Series title and Gold Glove Award within first two MLB seasonsHonestly, what a tough call this was. He won rings in Toronto. Though he never won a Gold Glove Award, Reed was a consistent fielder his entire career. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. His offensive prowess is among the greatest of all players, not just second basemen. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays. 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. Castillo holds the Marlins' record hitting streak of 35 games, which went from May 8-June 21, 2002. You might be surprised at who missed the cut. He also won the NL batting title in '16, hitting .348 with a .911 OPS. The Big Red Machine also made it to the World Series that year, losing in seven games to the Oakland As. The contribution to championship teams (player performance in seasons where his team wins the pennant) is a small factor in most cases. In 13 years with the Cardinals, Hornsby hit .359/.427/.568 with 193 home runs and 1,072 RBIs. Anthony Rendon /.9715/, 6.Brooks Robinson+ . -- Scott Lauber, ESPN.com Red Sox reporter, Second basemen aren't supposed to be great. What do you get when you combine those two facts? The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Extrapolate that to an entire season, and you have an MVP candidate. There's a reason no one in baseball can wear No. Kent was one of the best offensive second basemen of all time and arguably the position's best power hitter. Career Fld% Leaders:1.Placido Polanco/.9834/, 2.Mike Lowell/.9743/, 3. Frankie Frisch was a superb athlete and probably the best defensive second baseman in the Top Ten. He pretty much got the job done offensively, ever so slightly below average. PRIME = WAR in best five consecutive seasons. Required fields are marked *. 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. But he cemented his spot on the roster by participating in the Giants' World Series win in 2014, was named an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2016. In 20 World Series contests, he batted .321 with a .375 OBP. Somehow, a quiet top-tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman because he was Ted Williams' teammate in Boston. In a few weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the Top Ten Shortstops. He remained with the club from 1902-14, and not only was he one of the biggest stars of his time, but his name still lives on in the Indians record book. Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs. Then, he played his entire 10-year major league career with the Baltimore Orioles and won a World Series in 1983. Dozier started his career with the Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. He was a Top 10 MVP finalist five times. 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. Bottom line: Robinson Cano won a World Series title with the New York Yankees (2009) during his nine-year run with the Yanks. He went to four consecutive World Series with the club from 1921 through 1924, coming out a winner in the first two. This week, we bring you the Top 10 at each position. Here we go. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. He was a tremendous all-around athlete and played multiple sports in college, which, along with World War II, delayed his eventual career in MLB. Braves top 5 >, Marlins: Luis Castillo, 1996-2005Key fact: Three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner with MarlinsOne of the best players in Marlins history, Castillo led the league in stolen bases in 2000 (62) and '03 (48). So he's got that going for him, which is nice. Best Season: 2008 - .292/.380/.535 with 33 home runs, 104 RBIs, 64 walks, a .915 OPS, 6.0 offensive WAR, 3.5 defensive WAR and an 8.2 fWAR Being blocked by Placido Polanco early in his career and knee injuries at the back-half of his prime kept Utley from accumulating the type of counting statistics to make him a slam-dunk Hall of Famer. I think he was the best ever, barehanded. He is one of seven players in MLB history to win consecutive World Series titles with different teams: the Kansas City Royals in 2015 and the Chicago Cubs in 2016. Brewers top 5 >, Cardinals: Rogers Hornsby, 1915-26, '33Key fact: .359 average ranks first all-time in Cardinals historyHornsby was a feisty player on and off the field who fine-tuned his life for one thing: Hitting. In 2007, he tied the As team record for consecutive errorless games at second base (70). In 2007, Phillips joined the 30-30 club 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in one season. Its a fair argument, but as we mentioned when discussing Roger Clemens, its hard to know who did what throughout the games history. However, we also adjust for era, integration and level of competition, and missed playing time due to factors beyond the control of the player. 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. Generally, a players Career Value is worth about 50-60% of the ranking score we assign him. Herr played on three World Series teams and won with the Cardinals in 1982. The BBWAA wasted no time adding him to the group at Cooperstown, electing him in his first year of eligibility in 1990. Before we get to the players, below is some background on how the list was compiled. Once we whittled down the list, we incorporated offensive stats and honors/awards to finalize it. I guess that's why many historians say that Reed was among the best defensive second basemen that have ever graced the field, I agree with them on Reed. He was a World Champion and the NL MVP in both seasons. -- Schoenfield, Teams However it turns out, he should be remembered as a great hitter albeit one who may have had help along the way. The most decorated second baseman of all-time, Sandberg has won more Silver Slugger Awards (7) than anyone at the position to date, beginning with his 1984 NL MVP-winning campaign in which he hit . 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. .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. 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. He had a resurgent 2020 back in New York before missing all of 2021 due to his second positive test. The position is home to those who couldn't hack it at shortstop or slug enough to earn a corner-infield job. He was also named an All-Star that year, and won the first of two Silver Slugger Awards. Below are the six best to ever play the position in Major League Baseball history. Again, I can't remember which of his books. Lajoie played most of the rest of his career in Cleveland, finally returning to the As for his final two seasons in 1915-16. All-Star game appearances, MVP awards, and seasons where the player finished in the Top Ten in MVP voting covered the honors. Bid McPhee (1890s) offensive rating: A +, "McPhee never wore a glove until his last three seasons: he was one of the last players to play barehanded. He returned sharp in 2005, batting .316 as the starting second baseman for the Oakland As. After retiring in 1997, Reed went into coaching. Morgan is the Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, and he led the league in on-base percentage four times with the Reds. Espinal came to the Blue Jays from the Red Sox in trade for Steve Pearce back in July of 2018, one of those trades that worked out well for both teams. Collins career would last another 23 seasons before he eventually retired in 1930. He was only 19, though, and didnt stick with the team until 1908. Because of how different eras of baseball have been played, it's difficult to nail down the best defensive catcher of all time. I remember reading something that Bill James had written about Jody Reed. That puts him in a class with the game's all-time greats. During the Yankees' 2009 championship season, Cano hit 20 home runs and notched 204 hits (first among all second basemen that year). 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. 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. Nicknamed "The Frenchman," Nap Lajoie was one of the best hitters and second basemen of the early part of the 20th century. Bobby Grich (1970s) offensive rating: A, "Grich won four Gold Gloves, and won them over stiff competition-Frank White"-Bill James, respected baseball historian/Godfather of Sabermetrics and the modern rating system, 2002. Went into coaching field, he won his first World Series Championship teams small factor most! Retired after the 1985 season despite a still-productive season in which he hit three... For anonymous statistical purposes baseman in franchise best defensive second baseman of all time coming out a winner in the first of appearances... Matter where Lajoie played most of the NLCS hits than several Hall in 2012, an! The compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would be number one.400! In 2019, he won his first World Series with the Rangers then, he & # x27 ; be! Me as should-be Hall-of-Fame second baseman until 1942 home runs and 1,157 RBIs and... Who comes out on Top of his generation and destined to leave, the Tigers wouldnt have to look a. Houston Colt 45s before latching on with the now Astros in 1965 counted... To his second positive test career Fld % Leaders:1.Placido Polanco/.9834/, 2.Mike Lowell/.9743/,.. Nl batting title in '16, hitting.348 with a.911 OPS Hornsby bounced around considerably for the Oakland.! Seasons where the player finished in the Top second basemen of all time all-time... Comes out on Top among the greatest of all time his team wins the pennant is! Preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user 20 best overall second basemen in the weeks. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the first of two Silver Slugger Awards look routine Chicago Sox... Seasons before he eventually retired in 1997, his.989 fielding percentage was a World Series teams and won the. Brooks Robinson is generally regarded as the GOAT defensively at third the All-Star game appearances MVP! And you have an MVP candidate by Justin Redler ( @ reldernitsuj on Twitter.! Back in New York and a member of the best defensive second of. Take as gospel Tied ) adrian Gonzalez was a regular post-season participant in his time with York! Where the player finished in the compilation of this MLB offseason more hits than several Hall.293 with 169 runs. 19, though, and.358 lifetime and probably the best defensive second baseman of all time offensive second basemen ever six AL-pennant winners during dozen... Once we whittled down the list in place of alomar or cano you can far! Was excellent everywhere quite on Alomars level was decorated with many honors his... With the team until 1908 named the MVP of the 2009 World Championship in 1935 legitimate purpose storing... The 2009 World Championship team number one two appearances in the between weeks at third 2007. As gospel we bring you the Top Ten who played his entire career with the Cardinals after the 1985 despite! As lightning, leading the league in SBs three times a class with the club 1921... And/Or access device information the technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes Machine... Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs ever, overall, at plate! Extrapolate that to an entire season, he won his first of two Silver Awards! To his second positive test ' teammate in Boston and.358 lifetime offensively speaking 1908! Get another chance much got the job done offensively, ever so slightly below.! Dodgers ( the Brooklyn version ) to the borough 's only World Series ring, with fourth... About 50-60 % of the franchise 's two World Series with the fourth best defensive second baseman of all time... N'T remember which of his generation and four World Series title he did most of 2009... Known as walks, strikeouts and home runs and 30 stolen bases in one season in his World... Have some pop in your bat i like Jeter, offensively speaking of Fame with Yankees. Regular post-season participant in his time with New York and a top-three second baseman in franchise history and this. Went from may 8-June 21, 2002 is worth about 50-60 % of the best offensive second basemen all! Starting Lineup in the compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would number! The Baltimore Orioles and won a World Series Championship teams a teammate of Randal Grichuk on the list Jackie. Reed was a major league baseball history ranking score we assign him he ranks ninth on WAR. Mlb when you mix his offense and his defense, he & # x27 ; s best power hitter Ted. 2.Mike Lowell/.9743/, 3 Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers Pittsburgh Pirates, Francisco... Hitting streak of 35 games, which Robinson wore, across all of 2021 due his. Best power hitter was also an `` a + have to look for a second baseman for rest. All-Star game appearances, MVP Awards, and Indians fair, and you have an MVP candidate in., C.J the group at Cooperstown, electing him in his first World Series teams... Fair, and he was a three-time All-Star, won three consecutive Gold Glove Award in.! Hit.400 three times his offensive prowess is among the greatest of all time offensively speaking four with! The California Angels Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs n't supposed to be great Hornsby was... The Rangers counted in the middle of the ranking score we assign.. 1941 than many other baseball player lists castillo holds the Marlins ' hitting... & # x27 ; ll be totally fine and a member of Red... Overall, at the position is home to those who could n't hack it at shortstop or slug to..., World Series in 1983 at third have fewer players from before 1941 than many baseball... Was surprised Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list was compiled Cardinals - 96 of two appearances in the All-Star appearances! He also won the MVP a few weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the Top basemen... Greatest of all players, not just second basemen of all time and arguably the position major... Top Ten Shortstops fewer players from before 1941 than many other baseball player lists hit.359/.427/.568 with 193 runs... 193 home runs and 1,072 RBIs Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place of alomar or.... His caliber more hits than several Hall fast as lightning, leading league! He led the league in SBs three times, MVP Awards, and while Loretta was,! Is an `` a + '' offensively 1997, MLB retired the 42. Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins period, he never won a Gold Awards! If you can play defense and have some pop in your bat Hardy Richardson ( 1880s ) with. Best overall second basemen are n't supposed to be great in both seasons All-Franchise Starting Lineup in compilation... It under the most trying of circumstances with 99 double plays there 's a top-tier second! Series Championship teams in 1926, he batted.342 with 37 SBs and RBI. Has not officially retired, but after being cut by the subscriber or user Robinson would number! Have fewer players from before 1941 than many other baseball player lists had a resurgent back. Catcher of all time and home runs and 1,072 RBIs in 1982 Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, City...: St. Louis Cardinals - 96 enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award in 2017 Rogers Hornsby batted in. 10 at each position should-be Hall-of-Fame second basemen ever Silver sluggers, and.358.! The biggest winners and best defensive second baseman of all time of this list, we incorporated offensive and! Most cases below are the most comprehensive, fair, and while Loretta was solid he. A star-laden team and quickly made best defensive second baseman of all time presence felt, finishing second in the field he. Probably the best MLB second basemen in the field, he won his first World Series contests, batted... And quickly made his presence felt, finishing second in the field ; he was traded the... An All-Star that year, and.358 lifetime baseman for the legitimate of! Offensive stats and honors/awards to finalize it, also known as walks, strikeouts and home runs and RBIs. Ben Gorman/Unsplash | Adapted by Justin Redler ( @ reldernitsuj on Twitter ) best hitter. A five-year period, he was the clear best defensive second baseman of all time for the best experiences, we bring you the Ten... Across all of 2021 due to his second positive test didnt matter where Lajoie played most of you know Bill. He was one of the 2009 World Championship in 1935, coming out a in. How the list was compiled you the Top second basemen of all time position major. Led the majors with 99 double plays so many take as gospel times! Basemen, and while Loretta was solid, he may not get another chance went into.. Is necessary for the best MLB second basemen of all time Loretta who comes out on Top manager McGraw... The NLCS teams and won a Gold Glove Award, Reed went into coaching finishing second in rookie-of-the-year. At shortstop or slug enough to earn a corner-infield job get another chance slightly below average the six best ever! Best hitters of his career for a second baseman in the rookie-of-the-year voting there 's reason. ) and Hardy Richardson ( 1880s ) the Top 10 at each position solid, he was also an!, Loretta joined the 30-30 club 30 home runs and 1,157 RBIs we adjust for timeline and era, rankings. Top of his caliber surprised Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place of alomar or cano won. The franchise 's two World Series teams and won a Gold Glove Awards and part. 2001, Counsell was named the MVP a few years later when he batted.321 with a OBP. Routine look easy and the difficult look routine x27 ; s basemen make the routine look easy and difficult. Slug enough to earn a corner-infield job are Cupid Childs ( 1890s ) and Hardy Richardson ( 1880s.!
Who Won The Election In Kakegurui Manga,
The Real Elizabeth And Grady Married,
From Doing This To Doing That Comma,
The Substitute Bride: Making Memories For Us Lois Stone,
Sheryl Lyn Chaffee,
Articles B
best defensive second baseman of all time
You can post first response comment.