1. What made them stand out from other Second Basemen was that they pivoted and threw at the same time that they crossed the bag, not after they crossed it"-Tom Meany, respected baseball historian, 1948. This week, were on to the keystone as we take a look at the best second basemen of all time. 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. As is always the case, we tried to balance the rankings between longevity and dominance to get a good cross-section. Kent slashed .297/.368/.535 and averaged 29 home runs and 115 RBIs over his six years in San Francisco. Cron somehow survived last year's trade deadline and remained in Denver. 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. 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. 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. During 1921-25, a five-year period, he hit .402. Fox, who was the 1959 AL MVP, had his No. 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 The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Because of how different eras of baseball have been played, it's difficult to nail down the best defensive catcher of all time. Last season was a breakout one for the 26-year-old Marte, as he finished sixth in the Majors in fWAR among position players with a 7.1 mark, trailing only Mike Trout, Alex Bregman, Christian Yelich, Cody Bellinger and Marcus Semien. Bottom line: Jose Lind was an exceptional defensive player who won the Gold Glove Award in 1992. 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. In 1947, he was elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA with 84.5% of the vote. 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. And though he recorded solid seasons on defense, he never had strong enough numbers to win a Gold Glove Award. Nicknamed "The Frenchman," Nap Lajoie was one of the best hitters and second basemen of the early part of the 20th century. Seven-time All-Star (2006, '10-14, '16), two Gold Gloves ('10, '12), five Silver Sluggers ('06, '10-13), Career stats* It's why he's a top tier Hall of Famer at the position. Which team will make a big move? He hit north of .300 in five times while winning seven Silver Sluggers. Minnesota Twins (1967-78), California Angels ('79-85), Honors His lone All-Star appearance was 1985 the year he notched 110 RBI while hitting just eight home runs. These glovemen in the middle of the infield made the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. Despite his personal success, Carews Twins teams did not win much. .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. Join the discussion by using the #MLBRank hashtag, and follow along @BBTN and on Facebook. Bottom line: Mark Ellis made the bigs in 2002, but missed the entire 2004 season after a preseason shoulder injury. -- Schoenfield, Teams His offensive numbers werent quite as good as Cano & Alomar, but if there was a way to quantify leadership, hed probably leap both of them! All-Star game appearances, MVP awards, and seasons where the player finished in the Top Ten in MVP voting covered the honors. There are three second basemen that often present themselves before me as should-be Hall-of-Fame second basemen. I remember reading something that Bill James had written about Jody Reed. Eddie didnt miss a beat in Chicago, continuing his small-ball mastery in the Windy City for the next twelve seasons. Let's begin with the long ball. He was the all-time home run leader among second baseman until Jeff Kent passed him. 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. Bottom line: Mark Loretta was a dependable fielder over a 15-year MLB career that saw him play on six different teams. The great Rogers Hornsby was the clear choice for the best second baseman of all time. 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). Bill Mazeroski (1960s) offensive rating: C -. 17. Here we go. And in 2013, he coached the Israeli national team in the World Baseball Classic. I'm glad he's in, but what took you so long, Veteran's Committee? Hell, Matt Chapman. The position is home to those who couldn't hack it at shortstop or slug enough to earn a corner-infield job. 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. Teams: Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox. 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. He won 10 Gold Gloves while, oh by the way, hitting .300 with speed AND power. Once established, the Tigers wouldnt have to look for a second baseman until 1942. Reds top 5 >, D-backs: Ketel Marte, 2017-presentKey fact: Selected as the 2019 NL All-Star starter at second baseIn a close race with Jay Bell, Marte gets the nod here. 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. It might be the only number as big as the game itself. 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. 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. He was, by far and away, the best defensive second baseman from the 1920s. Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers. 1. His offensive prowess is among the greatest of all players, not just second basemen. Rogers Hornsby 2. Would his game translate to 2016? 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. After that season, he was traded to the Mets. Table of Contents Who are the best MLB second basemen of all time? We believe our rankings are the most comprehensive, fair, and accurate. -- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & Info, Honors He helped lead the Dodgers (the Brooklyn version) to the borough's only World Series title. Modern measures credit him with an average of 9.5 WAR per season over a five-year period. 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. Baseball Best MLB Defensive Players of All Time By Paul Ladewski, updated on March 11, 2020 Old-Time Baseball Photos / Facebook TTO has done more to hurt defense than Daniel Murphy ever could on his worst day. He made his first of six consecutive MLB all-star games that season and led the league in stolen bases and batting average. It didnt matter where Lajoie played in the field; he was excellent everywhere. He made it to four World Series with the club, winning the first three. Alomar was decorated with many honors during his career, including 12 all-star selections, four silver sluggers, and ten gold gloves. 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. Kent was one of the best offensive second basemen of all time and arguably the position's best power hitter. Though he never won a Gold Glove Award, Reed was a consistent fielder his entire career. 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. 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. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937, with the second group of Cooperstown legends. Zobrist was named MVP of the 2016 World Series. Castillo holds the Marlins' record hitting streak of 35 games, which went from May 8-June 21, 2002. 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 was also a solid hitter, finishing with a .295 career batting average. A broken finger finally forced him to wear a glove in 1896, and that year he fielded .978, a record fielding percentage for a second baseman until well into the 1900s. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. There it is. Hes also the only player in this Top Ten who played his entire career with one organization the Detroit Tigers. The top second basemen make the routine look easy and the difficult look routine. If character counted in the compilation of this list, Jackie Robinson would be number one. Bottom line: Robinson Cano won a World Series title with the New York Yankees (2009) during his nine-year run with the Yanks. The way it really was. 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 Heck, he may be number one in all of baseball when considering what he meant to the game. He's an A + offensive second baseman, too. Hornsby got a taste of the show in 1915 and was a regular with the Cardinals the following season. Adrian Gonzalez (Tied) Adrian Gonzalez was a five-time All-Star. Of course, Grich won Gold Gloves back when they meant a bit more than they do today. He has been mythologized, but if anything, he was exceptionally -- and an exceptional -- human. Gehringer debuted in 1924 but wasnt a regular until 1926. His 136 wRC+ last year would have placed him first out of all second basemen in 2021. Alomars post-season totals are impressive: a .313 batting average, four HRs, 33 RBI, 32 runs, and 20 SBs in 58 games. 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 his first season with Cincinnati, Morgan led the league in runs, walks, and OBP; and finished fourth in the MVP voting. When it became evident Carew was destined to leave, the Twins traded him in February 1979 to the California Angels. He was only 19, though, and didnt stick with the team until 1908. Jose Vidro, Expos/Nationals (1997-2006) Key fact: Vidro leads all second basemen in franchise history with a 16.5 bWAR. 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. His 2003 and 04 seasons are the most prolific for any second baseman in franchise history. I would have Morgan at number two, right behind Hornsby. Its a fair argument, but as we mentioned when discussing Roger Clemens, its hard to know who did what throughout the games history. Despite his success in St. Louis, Hornsby was traded to the Giants after the Cardinals won the World Series in 1926. Yankees top 5 >. Cano has not officially retired, but after being cut by the Mets and Padres this season, he may not get another chance. He was the AL second baseman in the first six All-Star Games, when he was already in his 30s. .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. 1/9 Tommy Edman, St. Louis Cardinals - 96. He seemed destined to be a Yankee for life but shocked the baseball world in 2013 when he left New York to sign a $240M contract with the Mariners. However, his biggest fight came when he jumped his contract with the Phillies to join the insurgent American League Athletics in 1901. LONG PEAK = WAR in best seven seasons. The reason that I'm telling you this is so YOU don't make the same mistake as that guy did. There was a historian once that just called him an "A" instead of an "A +". JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. You might be surprised at who missed the cut. .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. Numbers to win a Gold Glove Award on defense, he was, by far away! Somehow survived last year & # x27 ; s begin with the Cardinals the following season fight came when was! Numbers to win a Gold Glove Award cano has not officially retired, but after being cut the. The BBWAA with 84.5 % of the show in 1915 and was a historian once just..., though, and Ten Gold Gloves back when they meant a bit more than they do.. 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