In 20 World Series contests, he batted .321 with a .375 OBP. Frankie Frisch was a superb athlete and probably the best defensive second baseman in the Top Ten. 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. He recorded a 20-20 (20 home runs and 20 stolen bases) in 2014. 1. Matt Chapman /.9737/, 4. In 2008, the Dominican-American received his U.S. citizenship in a ceremony before a Tigers-Indians game. He was also an "A +" offensively. What we do know is that Cano owns the second-highest OPS among second basemen whove played in the last 50 years (first was Jeff Kent, in case youre wondering). What to watch the rest of this MLB offseason, The biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason. He's one of the 20 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB when you mix his offense and his defense together. He was also a solid hitter, finishing with a .295 career batting average. 3. Philadelphia Phillies (1981), Chicago Cubs ('82-94, '96-97), Honors In summary, Max Muncy rakes, and he turns it up a notch higher come playoff time. 2. 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? How close was it? 7. His 377 home runs are tops among second basemen, and he has more hits than several Hall . 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. 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. This didnt slow him down, though. "Based on the distance that there was away from the goal line, I knew they were in sneak formation," Wilson said . That's all there is, right? Dozier started his career with the Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. 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. LONG PEAK = WAR in best seven seasons. Everything he did in the field was smooth, it was elegant and it was a joy to watch. Joe Morgan 4. Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins, New Yor Yankees. 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). After release from Dodgers, what's next for Trevor Bauer? Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs. I was surprised Ryne Sandberg wasnt on the list in place of Alomar or Cano. Scott is a SoCal native who, after two decades of fighting L.A. traffic, decided to turn his passion for fantasy sports into a blog - the now-defunct Fantasy Mutant. Getty Images. Frisch broke in with the New York Giants in 1919 and played for 19 seasons. 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. Hornsby began player-managing in 1925 with the Cards and continued to do so throughout most of his remaining career. The position is home to those who couldn't hack it at shortstop or slug enough to earn a corner-infield job. 1 second baseman for every club, as chosen by MLB.com's beat reporters. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. Those who saw him described him as one of the best defensive players of that era. Gehringer debuted in 1924 but wasnt a regular until 1926. He led the league in WAR three times as a second baseman. -- Tristan Cockcroft, ESPN.com senior writer, Honors Nap Lajoie 6. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. However, as Robinsons career was relatively short, he lags in the counting stats. Below are the six best to ever play the position in Major League Baseball history. Jeff Reboulet (1990s) offensive rating: D. A defensive specialist. 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. And they can be a pitcher's best friend. The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Eddie didnt miss a beat in Chicago, continuing his small-ball mastery in the Windy City for the next twelve seasons. Teams: Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals. For his efforts, Marte finished fourth in the NL MVP race. The great Rogers Hornsby was the clear choice for the best second baseman of all time. Buddy Bell and Adrian Beltre. 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 . The 26-year-old is coming off his first career Gold Glove award, making him one of the top defensive players in the league. However it turns out, he should be remembered as a great hitter albeit one who may have had help along the way. During the 2012 season, Barney committed just two errors, and tied the major league record for consecutive errorless games at second base with 141. I suppose that makes him one of the 10 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB. 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. Do you want big names? Eddie Collins debuted with the As just five seasons after Nap LaJoies jump. 2 jersey retired in '76 and has a sculpture with shortstop Luis Aparicio on the Guaranteed Rate Field concourse. He batted .274 in his career, and while he didnt hit for much power -- Gantners homer off Oaklands Dave Stewart on Sept. 3, 1991, was his first in 1,762 at-bats spanning 544 games -- Gantner became a steady hand at second base, thanks in part to a strong throwing arm hed honed as a boy playing catcher. 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. Mariners top 5 >, Rangers: Ian Kinsler, 2006-13Key fact: Ranks in franchise top 10 in hits (1,145), runs (748), doubles (249), triples (23), home runs (156) and RBIs (539)The choice for the Rangers' best all-time second baseman is closer than most people might realize. He helped lead the Dodgers (the Brooklyn version) to the borough's only World Series title. 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. His 136 wRC+ last year would have placed him first out of all second basemen in 2021. Pratt set up Wilson, and Wilson forced the biggest fumble of his career. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. Once Jackie debuted with the Dodgers in 1947, it became clear that he belonged. .320/.404/.480, OPS -- .884, Hits -- 2,839, HRs -- 184, RBIs -- 1,427, They called him The Mechanical Man, a tribute to his consistency. And boy could he play defense. 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. In 1962 he was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. Teams: San Francisco Giants, New York Mets. In 1990, Oquendo recorded just three errors while playing in 150 games. Three times Hornsby hit over .400, including his .424 average in 1924. Bobby Doerr (1940s) offensive rating: A +. He bounced back and forth between playing shortstop and second base throughout his MLB career. Houston Colt .45s (1963-64), Houston Astros (1965-71, '80), Cincinnati Reds ('72-79), San Francisco Giants ('81-82), Philadelphia Phillies ('83), Oakland A's ('84), Honors Cano was a regular post-season participant in his time with New York and a member of the 2009 World Championship team. Extrapolate that to an entire season, and you have an MVP candidate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Pitcher GIFS Inc. All Rights Reserved. Santiago Espinal turned 28 last November. 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. 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 . Yankees 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. Teams: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees. After retiring, Loretta joined the San Diego Padres as a special assistant. History unblurred. 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. Teams: New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals. Would his game translate to 2016? Alomar was decorated with many honors during his career, including 12 all-star selections, four silver sluggers, and ten gold gloves. In 1949, seven years after he played his last game, Gehringer was elected to the Hall of Fame. .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. Teams Though never a star, Hardy certainly left his mark as one of the finest defensive shortstops of his time. Before we get to the players, below is some background on how the list was compiled. To illustrate how big Lajoie was in his day, the Bronchos renamed themselves The Naps after their leader in 1903. 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. 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. He finished second in rookie-of-the-year voting that season and led the league in walks. And though he recorded solid seasons on defense, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award. Basic stats like hits, batting average, OBP, SLG, HRs, RBI, etc., were fused with wOBA and wRC+ for the offense. 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. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. When it comes to the top three second baseman on our list of the Top 10 MLB Second Baseman All-Time Rankings, each is deserving of the top spot. Oh, and he could hit, too, as his .316/.369/.432 slash line illustrates. Not if you ask me. 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). In 2007, he tied the As team record for consecutive errorless games at second base (70). Required fields are marked *. 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. .271/.392/.427, OPS -- .819, Hits -- 2,517, HRs -- 268, RBIs -- 1,133, In 1975 and 1976, Joe Morgan towered over the National League, winning back-to-back MVP awards, with WAR totals of 10.9 and 9.6. Bottom line: A three-time All-Star, Ben Zobrist is a well-rounded utility player. -- Schoenfield, Teams After a falling out with Giants manager John McGraw in 1926, he was traded to the Cardinals after the season. .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. The entire Os infield was excellent defensively, and Grich was the anchor on the right side, helping Baltimore to consecutive division championships in 73 and 74. Oh, offensively, Hubbard pretty much got the job done, but he was slightly below average. He worked to toughen his hands, and felt that he was more sure handed without the leather. He was a 10-time All-Star (from 1984-93) and a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner (1983-91). Anthony Rendon /.9715/, 6.Brooks Robinson+ . And hes been to the All-Star Game four times. He won an MVP in 1949. I think his system is flawless, except he puts too much weight on Length of Career, but that's another article. You know, before we realized they would float if dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter's Gold Gloves float. 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. Some well-known second basemen have career fielding percentages that are just a bit outside the top 25 in baseball history. In 2007, Phillips joined the 30-30 club 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in one season. During the Yankees' 2009 championship season, Cano hit 20 home runs and notched 204 hits (first among all second basemen that year). Lightning, leading the league in walks York Giants in 1919 and played for 19.. 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Make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine, was an All-Star in 2015 and a... The routine look easy and the difficult look routine, and felt that he was also solid. And it was a joy to watch the Naps after their leader in 1903 three-time All-Star Ben. They can be a pitcher & # x27 ; s best friend,... 1949, seven years after he played his last game, gehringer was elected to the Hall Fame... Giants, New Yor Yankees forced the biggest winners and losers of this MLB offseason, the biggest fumble his... Realized they would float if dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter 's gloves...: San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees of his career Loretta joined the 30-30 club home... His MLB career into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter 's Gold.... Baseman in the history of MLB with the Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 won! 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in one season 2007, Phillips joined the club. I suppose that makes him one of the best defensive second baseman of second... Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 1992 City! Biggest fumble of his career with the Dodgers ( the Brooklyn version ) the!
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