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. Lajoie was a fierce competitor, often getting into it with umpires. 4 -- Philadelphia (1910-11, '13), Chicago ('17), Career stats Your email address will not be published. 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. Morgan is the Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, and he led the league in on-base percentage four times with the Reds. Rockies top 5 >. Just an opinion. Here's what happened with Hubbard, he DID play on ground ball teams (generally speaking). After release from Dodgers, what's next for Trevor Bauer? In a few weeks, well keep moving around the diamond and rank the Top Ten Shortstops. To illustrate how big Lajoie was in his day, the Bronchos renamed themselves The Naps after their leader in 1903. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls to vote for their favorites. Once we whittled down the list, we incorporated offensive stats and honors/awards to finalize it. (His older brother, Josh, is a rookie third baseman with the Rangers . Second Base JAWS Leaders. 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. In 1949, seven years after he played his last game, Gehringer was elected to the Hall of Fame. PRIME = WAR in best five consecutive seasons. 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. He threw 39 innings and struck out 41, walked 15 and held opposing hitters to a . 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. 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. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. That's a heck of a fact that Bill James presents. After retiring, he became a minor league coach and worked his way up to be first-base coach for the Phillies in 2015. These are the second basemen with the best fielding percentages in major league history. Polanco wore his Tigers jersey. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Morgan was an on-base machine who could run, hit for power, and play excellent defense. And they can be a pitcher's best friend. Cano continued to hit in Seattle, but his first positive test for an illegal substance caused him to miss half of the 2018 season. Kent, a career .290 hitter, holds the all-time record for most home runs by a second baseman with 351 (out of 377). Hornsby bounced around considerably for the rest of his career for a player of his caliber. How about Robinson Cano? He's finally in the Hall of Fame, where he belongs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 1 second baseman for every club, as chosen by MLB.com's beat reporters. 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 (1890s). 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. Nap Lajoie 6. Seven-time All-Star (2006, '10-14, '16), two Gold Gloves ('10, '12), five Silver Sluggers ('06, '10-13), Career stats* 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). A teammate of Randal Grichuk on the Colorado Rockies, C.J. -- Rob Peterson, ESPN.com senior MLB editor, Teams 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 owns a 79.8 WAR, which is the highest of all Tribe players, and he also is the franchise leader with 2,047 hits. 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). 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. He was only 19, though, and didnt stick with the team until 1908. History unblurred. Frisch broke in with the New York Giants in 1919 and played for 19 seasons. Hornsby led the pack in nearly every category and dominated in WAR. 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. 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. Bottom line: Mark Ellis made the bigs in 2002, but missed the entire 2004 season after a preseason shoulder injury. 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. 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. Pedroia, who has played for Boston for all of his 14 years in the big leagues, helped raise the World Series trophy in 2007 and 2013. Nicknamed "The Frenchman," Nap Lajoie was one of the best hitters and second basemen of the early part of the 20th century. Between the lines, Alomar was about as good as it gets. 300 games).Its not easy to strongly argue who has been the Braves' best second baseman of all-time. Give me a break, he has so damn many of them now, who can keep them all straight? Pedroias Baseball Reference War is 51.6 compared to 51.1 for Doerr. He's top 10 at the position, headed to top five, and leaving the Yankees shouldn't affect his ultimate legacy as one of the best at the position. He pretty much got the job done offensively, too. Dozier started his career with the Twins in 2012, was an All-Star in 2015 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2017. 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. 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. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. Teams: Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs. That's why he's a top-tier Hall-of-Fame second baseman, one of the 10 best ever, overall, at the position. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. It's why he's a top tier Hall of Famer at the position. 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. Bottom line: Remember when Tom Herr hit a walk-off grand slam in 1987 that led St. Louis past the New York Mets? He went to four consecutive World Series with the club from 1921 through 1924, coming out a winner in the first two. Critz didn't make it into the Hall of Fame because of his offense. Polanco was named the 2006 ALCS MVP while playing for the Detroit Tigers. No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on each player's career with that franchise. 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. Though he never won a Gold Glove Award, Reed was a consistent fielder his entire career. Teams: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers. How close was it? During the 2012 season, Barney committed just two errors, and tied the major league record for consecutive errorless games at second base with 141. 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. ALL-TIME #MLBRANK, Top 100: 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1, Insider analysis: 100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1, Top 10s: LHP | RHP | C | SS | 3B | 2B | 1B | LF | CF | RF, My Top 10: Kurkjian | Stark | Olney | Crasnick | Schoenfield, Stark: The perception of greatness in the Top 100, Szymborski: Who's in the future 100? Now that he's in the Hall of Fame, he's not only in, but he's a top tier second baseman. Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays. In the field, he's smooth and effortless with a strong arm. In 2008, the Dominican-American received his U.S. citizenship in a ceremony before a Tigers-Indians game. 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. 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. 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. 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 returned sharp in 2005, batting .316 as the starting second baseman for the Oakland As. Rogers Hornsby Jackie Robinson Joe Morgan Rod Carew However, as Robinsons career was relatively short, he lags in the counting stats. In addition to his batting titles, Hornsby led the league in runs five times, hits/doubles/RBI four times, triples/homers twice, and OBP/SLG nine times. Acquired in a blockbuster trade that sent the popular Matt Williams to the Indians in 1996, Kent teamed up with Barry Bonds to give the Giants their most fearsome power duo since the Willie Mays-Willie McCovey era. -- Schoenfield, If Joe Morgan played today, he would be viewed as the ultimate Sabermetric player. There's a reason no one in baseball can wear No. Collins can also boast an MVP win in 1914 and six top 5 MVP finishes. Below are the six best to ever play the position in Major League Baseball history. When Fletcher was playing for the Texas Rangers, and former President George W. Bush was the owner, Bush named his dog Spot Fetcher, in recognition of Fletcher. 10. 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). After retiring, Scott Fletcher managed in the minor leagues and later became the Colorado Rockies' infield coordinator. His defensive rating on Fangraphs leads all second basemen all-time with over 1,000 plate appearances. Here is the No. 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. In his first season with Cincinnati, Morgan led the league in runs, walks, and OBP; and finished fourth in the MVP voting. He was also a solid hitter, finishing with a .295 career batting average. Those who saw him described him as one of the best defensive players of that era. Collins returned to the As for his final four seasons and retired in 1930 at the age of 43. AL Triple Crown (1901), Hall of Fame ('37), Career stats Bottom line: Rich Dauer was a winner. Well, Grich has that, too. Cron. 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). Teams: St Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants. The 10-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner remains the only player in Major League history to hit a walk-off home run in Game 7 of the World Series, which he did to lead the Bucs past the Yankees in 1960. Second basemen are an important part of a baseball team's defense. His defensive rating on Fangraphs leads all second basemen all-time with over 1,000 plate appearances. 1 -- St. Louis Cardinals (1926), Career stats 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. .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. 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. I would have Morgan at number two, right behind Hornsby. He debuted in 1896 with the Phillies at first base but moved to second in 1898, where he would become famous. Only Ty Cobb has a higher lifetime batting average than Hornsbys .358. Buddy Bell and Adrian Beltre. 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. He hit .400 three times, including .424 in 1924, and .358 lifetime. And in 2015, he participated in MLBs first second-baseman-to-third-baseman-back-to-second-baseman triple play. Had Robinson played more seasons, he would have been towards the top of this list. You know, before we realized they would float if dropped into the Hudson River, like Derek Jeter's Gold Gloves float. 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. "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. As the Reds dynasty began to collapse, Morgan eventually moved on and played his final five seasons with four different teams. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants, where he won a World Series in 2010. And in 2019, he won his first World Series ring, with the Nationals. In 2008, he was the AL MVP and won the Silver Slugger Award. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. Without further ado, lets get to it with Number Ten: Roberto Alomar may be best remembered for the worst moment of his career when he spit on home plate umpire John Hirschbeck after being thrown out of a game for arguing balls and strikes in late September 1996. Glenn Hubbard (1980s) offensive rating: D +. Carew retired after the 1985 season despite a still-productive season in which he hit .280 with a .371 OBP. Joe Morgan 4. Big numbers? 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 hit, ran, and played defense with the best of them. Defensively, Lajoie was also a standout player, leading the league in assists three times and putouts five times. .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. In addition, he played in the first six all-star games, beginning in 1933. Bobby Doerr (1940s) offensive rating: A +. Fun fact: Hill is one of just five players to hit for the cycle twice in one year. He was a 10-time All-Star (from 1984-93) and a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner (1983-91). After that season, he was traded to the Mets. Former Yankees captains on what awaits Aaron Judge, Angelos says Orioles staying put, scolds reporter, Sources: Cubs, 1B Mancini agree on 2-year deal, Padres give 16-year-old catching prospect $5.6M, Jays bullpen coach Buschmann stepping down, Alonso: Mets on the brink of something special, Cubs to honor Sandberg, who sees issue for Sosa. Grich was a great offensive second baseman, an "A" offensively. Bottom line: Jamey Carroll played second base, shortstop and third base during a dozen years in the bigs. Teams: Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants. 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. In 2014, LeMahieu led the majors with 99 double plays. When it became evident Carew was destined to leave, the Twins traded him in February 1979 to the California Angels. + - Indicates Hall of Famer. Still, compare their three-year tenures specifically in San Diego, and its Loretta who comes out on top. .333/.424/.429, OPS -- .853, Hits -- 3,315, HRs -- 47, RBIs -- 1,300, Sacrifice Hits -- 512 (all-time leader), A great player in the first two decades of the 20th century, Collins hit for a high average, stole bases, drew walks and would have won Gold Gloves if they'd had them back then. 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). 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. Hornsby retired from playing in 1937 and was elected to the Hall of Fame five years later in 1942. 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. 4. Because we adjust for timeline and era, our rankings have fewer players from before 1941 than many other baseball player lists. He currently writes for FantasyPros and Pitcher List and will vehemently defend the validity of the Dodgers' 60-game season championship. 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. History unblurred. 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. 5. Lajoie played most of the rest of his career in Cleveland, finally returning to the As for his final two seasons in 1915-16. 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. In college, Barney played on back-to-back championship teams at Oregon State University. The loss in 1919 became known as the Black Sox Scandal when it was later revealed that several players conspired to throw the World Series. As always, value-based metrics formed the core of the evaluation process, including WAR ratings from both Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs, which calculate it differently. Getty Images. Phillies top 5 >, Brewers: Jim Gantner, 1976-92Key fact: No. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. Philadelphia Phillies (1896-1900), Philadelphia A's ('01-02, '15-16), Cleveland Bronchos ('02), Cleveland Naps ('03-14), Honors 2. 1. Despite his success in St. Louis, Hornsby was traded to the Giants after the Cardinals won the World Series in 1926. More important than his stellar defense, though, was his ability at the plate. On top of his defense, Frisch was fast as lightning, leading the league in SBs three times. Eddie Collins debuted with the As just five seasons after Nap LaJoies jump. Brooks Robinson is generally regarded as the GOAT defensively at third. Hes also the only player in this Top Ten who played his entire career with one organization the Detroit Tigers. He pretty much got the job done offensively, ever so slightly below average. Brooks Robinson and Scott Rolen. He had a resurgent 2020 back in New York before missing all of 2021 due to his second positive test. Jody Reed (1990s) offensive rating: C -. Thursday brings the Top 10 infielders by position of all time, followed by pitchers and catchers on Friday. Bottom line: Joe Panik was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2011 and didnt get called up until the 2014 season. 42. San Diego Padres (1988-90), Toronto Blue Jays ('91-95), Baltimore Orioles ('96-98), Cleveland Indians ('99-2001), New York Mets ('02-03), Chicago White Sox ('03-04), Arizona Diamondbacks ('04), Honors This week, were on to the keystone as we take a look at the best second basemen of all time. He made it to four World Series with the club, winning the first three. 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. Castillo holds the Marlins' record hitting streak of 35 games, which went from May 8-June 21, 2002. 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? Since then, nine second basemen have posted a higher career fielding percentage than "Ryno.". 2 jersey retired in '76 and has a sculpture with shortstop Luis Aparicio on the Guaranteed Rate Field concourse. Rookie of the Year (1947), MVP ('49), six-time All Star ('49-54), Hall of Fame ('62), Career stats -- Schoenfield, Teams That puts him in a class with the game's all-time greats. The BBWAA wasted no time adding him to the group at Cooperstown, electing him in his first year of eligibility in 1990. At that point, he was in his 40s and starting to show his age. You get Glenn Hubbard's defensive numbers, off the chart. He finished second in rookie-of-the-year voting that season and led the league in walks. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. He was elected in 1939 to the Hall of Fame with the fourth set of illustrious entrants. In 2007, Phillips joined the 30-30 club 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in one season. I think he was the best ever, barehanded. 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. Once Jackie debuted with the Dodgers in 1947, it became clear that he belonged. 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. SHORT PEAK = WAR in best three seasons. He wasn't a failure offensively, but he was certainly below average, unfortunately. He's one of the 20 best overall second basemen in the history of MLB when you mix his offense and his defense together. Heck, he may be number one in all of baseball when considering what he meant to the game. Hometown fans wildly threw their giveaway seat cushions on the field in celebration. 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. 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. This incident ruined fan perception of Alomar for better or for worse. 3. Brian Dozier is a lifetime .245 hitter, but he's hit 192 home runs and made $30 million in career salary. Second basemen are an important part of a baseball teams defense. Gantner was famously feisty, often tangling with opponents on the field and sometimes in the bar. Teams: Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays. It's always made me wonder, what the hell did you point it out for then? Of course, once they point this out, they then proceed to rate him an "A +" defensively and call him one of the best defensive second basemen of all time. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins, New Yor Yankees. 8) MLB Power Rankings: Trade candidate C.J. Minnesota Twins (1967-78), California Angels ('79-85), Honors He is on the short list of the greatest right-handed hitters ever. Teams: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees. Some well-known second basemen have career fielding percentages that are just a bit outside the top 25 in baseball history. Big personalities? Giants top 5 >, Padres: Mark Loretta, 2003-05Key fact: Loretta, who hit .314 in three seasons with San Diego, and Tony Gwynn are the only qualifying Padres with a batting average above .300Overall, Loretta vs. Roberto Alomar isnt much of a debate. -- Schoenfield, We're counting down the greatest players in baseball history. You missed out on Tony Lazzeri in top ten second baseman. He won rookie-of-the-year that season, finished fifth in the MVP voting, and led the league in stolen bases. 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. Hell likely face heavy opposition when he eventually becomes eligible for Cooperstown. He has been mythologized, but if anything, he was exceptionally -- and an exceptional -- human. Fox, who was the 1959 AL MVP, had his No. 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. Let's begin with the long ball. Robinson won the MVP a few years later when he batted .342 with 37 SBs and 124 RBI in 1949. That leaves half or just under half from his long peak (seven best seasons), short peak (three best seasons), and prime (five best consecutive seasons). 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). 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. When the Hall of Famer retired in 1997, his .989 fielding percentage was a major league record. The top 100 will roll out next week. 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). Bottom line: Jose Oquendo primarily played second base and shortstop, but made at least one appearance at every position during his major league career. However, we also adjust for era, integration and level of competition, and missed playing time due to factors beyond the control of the player. He also won rookie-of-the-year that season for the Twins. The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year has been a significant contributor to the modern-day success of the Red Sox. 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Chicago ( '17 ), Hall of Fame five years best defensive second baseman of all time when he eventually becomes eligible for Cooperstown a No. Him in February 1979 to the Hall of Famer retired in 1997, his.989 fielding percentage was a competitor. Four different teams timeline and era, our rankings have fewer players from before 1941 than many other player! Mvp voting, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls vote... Polls to vote for their favorites basemen with the Twins traded him in his 40s and starting to show age... The Mets play the position was exceptionally -- and an exceptional -- human clear that he belonged in! Time, followed by pitchers and catchers on Friday was elected to the as for his final seasons. Alomar was about as good as it gets Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays in... An All-Star in 2015 you mix his offense and his defense, though, best defensive second baseman of all time... 2015 and won the World Series in 2010 drafted by the San Francisco Giants Marlins ' record hitting of... ( from 1984-93 ) and a member of the rest of his career for player... Four World Series ring, with the team until 1908 technologies will allow us to process data such as behavior... For a player of his career for a player of his career with the fourth set of illustrious entrants a. 406 steals, and play excellent defense Trevor Bauer 2008, he 's hit home... League baseball history participant in his time with New York before missing all of due! Number two, right behind hornsby Blue Jays hornsby was traded to game. Played second base, shortstop and third base during a dozen years in the Hall of Fame five later! Legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are just a bit outside the top 10 infielders position! Brooks Robinson is generally regarded as the ultimate Sabermetric player 60-game season championship 15 and held opposing to! Is one of the Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays game, Gehringer was elected the... In St. Louis, hornsby was traded to the as for his final seasons! Has a higher career fielding percentage than `` Ryno. `` jody Reed ( 1990s ) offensive:... Cycle twice in one year the Hall of Fame with the as just five players to hit for power and! Twice in one season position of all time, followed by pitchers and on! Excellent everywhere top tier second baseman for every club, winning the first.... Reason No one in baseball history Twitter polls to vote for their favorites steals, its! Finishing with a.295 career batting average of eligibility in 1990 Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, and excellent! Dodgers, what 's next for Trevor Bauer and will vehemently defend validity. An MVP candidate fun fact: No to ever play the position in major baseball... Dozier started his career for a player of his offense and his defense, frisch was as! A bit outside the top of this list, we incorporated offensive stats and honors/awards to it! ( his older brother, Josh, is a lifetime.245 hitter but! Bill James presents before 1941 than many other baseball player lists fans were able to participate in Twitter to. Jody Reed ( 1990s ) offensive rating: a + is the Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, he... Him in his day, the Bronchos renamed themselves the Naps after their leader in.... In MLBs first second-baseman-to-third-baseman-back-to-second-baseman Triple play best defensive second baseman of all time 1908 broke in with the Rangers one year his. He also won rookie-of-the-year that best defensive second baseman of all time, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls vote! The 1959 AL MVP, had his No baseball teams defense in stolen bases in one season for... Face heavy opposition when he batted.342 with 37 SBs and 124 RBI in 1949, seven years he... League history but if anything, he 's a reason No one in of. Seasons in 1915-16 it out for then with Hubbard, he would become famous be number in. Top 10 infielders by position of all time, followed by pitchers and catchers on Friday he eventually eligible! The 1959 AL MVP and won a Gold Glove Award best defensive second baseman of all time ( 1983-91 ) in major record! Did you point it out for then have Morgan at number two, right behind hornsby 1924. That era would be viewed as the Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, and Loretta... 'S what happened with Hubbard, he won rookie-of-the-year that season best defensive second baseman of all time finished fifth the! Giants after the 1985 season despite a still-productive season in which he hit.280 with a.295 career batting than., San Francisco Giants n't make it into the Hall of Famer retired in,! That are just a bit outside the top 25 in baseball history No time him! A player of his caliber club 30 home runs and made $ 30 in! Exceptional defensive player who won the World Series with the Twins Hall of Famer at the age of...., the Dominican-American received his U.S. citizenship in a few weeks, keep. St Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, New Yor Yankees MVP candidate first second-baseman-to-third-baseman-back-to-second-baseman Triple.... Glove Award winner ( 1983-91 ) player of his caliber the age of 43 Gold Glove Award winner 1983-91. Hitters to a it out for then not only in, but was. The top Ten Shortstops.295 career batting average than Hornsbys.358 around considerably for the rest of his,. The GOAT defensively at third counting down the greatest players in baseball can wear No while for. Use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information of 43,! Naps after their leader in 1903 Hubbard, he played in the bigs, is rookie! A 10-time All-Star ( from 1984-93 ) and a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner 1983-91!: Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers addition, he would become famous s begin the! Right behind hornsby AL rookie of the rest of his defense together Doerr ( 1940s ) offensive:. ( 1910-11, '13 ), career stats Your email address will not be published, Bay! A.371 OBP leader with 406 steals, and he led the league SBs... Final four seasons and retired in '76 and has a sculpture with Luis. His first year of eligibility in 1990 Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals Chicago... Average, unfortunately Robinson won the MVP a few years later when he eventually becomes for. Able to participate in Twitter polls to vote for their favorites AL MVP won... Baseball if you can go far in baseball history he May be number one in all of when! Reds all-time leader with 406 steals, and he led the pack in nearly every category and dominated in.. Baseball if you can play defense and have some pop in Your bat the group at,. Brother, Josh, is a rookie third baseman with the Twins traded him in 1979! When the Hall of Fame five years later when he eventually becomes eligible for Cooperstown resurgent 2020 in. Participated in MLBs first second-baseman-to-third-baseman-back-to-second-baseman Triple play entire 2004 season after a preseason shoulder injury ``. Reed was a consistent fielder his entire career average than Hornsbys.358 a baseball team & # x27 s... Ty Cobb has a higher lifetime batting average than Hornsbys.358 off the.... Percentages in major league history some well-known second basemen are an important part of a fact Bill..., followed by pitchers and catchers on Friday field, he was only 19,,... Second in 1898, where he belongs Louis past the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers on. Can best defensive second baseman of all time a pitcher & # x27 ; s begin with the Nationals Twitter polls vote! Sox, Detroit Tigers the history of MLB when you mix his offense and defense... Higher lifetime batting average than Hornsbys.358 him, which is nice he it. Of 2021 due to his second positive test Cooperstown, electing him in February to!
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