WHY I THINK EDDIE YOST SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK EDDIE YOST SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Eddie Yost excelled on both sides of the diamond, as he was one of the best defensive third basemen of his era and one of the best leadoff men of the day. Yost was best known for his patience at the plate, as he walked 1,614 times in 9,177 plate appearances (.176 of plate appearances, one of the highest marks of all time). Yost was also a good hitter, but he didn’t reach his full potential as far as statistics are concerned because he played most of his career in Washington and its cavernous park (between 1944 and 1953, he hit 52 of his 55 home runs on the road). Eddie Yost started his career with the Washington Senators in 1944, debuting at the age of 17 and appearing in seven games. He spent the 1945 season risking his life in the United States Navy during the final year of World War II, and returned in 1946 for eight more games. In 1947, Yost got an opportunity to play more often, but the underaged third baseman struggled to a .238 average in 115 games. The Senators had faith in this kid and he started to give them some offense, smacking 32 doubles in 1948 and nine homers in 1949 in addition to his walks. He had a breakout season in 1950 with a .295 average, 11 homers, and a league leading 141 walks. He then led the AL in doubles in 1951 while walking 2.3 times per strikeout (126 to 55). Yost very well could have been the best all around third baseman of the 1950’s, as he scored over 100 runs five times, twice led AL third basemen in fielding, and five times paced the league in walks during the decade. In December of 1958, Yost was traded to the Tigers and he blossomed in Detroit, leading the AL in walks and on base percentage in each of his first two years with the club and shattering his previous career high in homers in 1959. In 1960, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the special expansion draft, and he started to slip as a hitter, batting only .202 in limited action in 1961. Despite age and another pitchers’ park, Yost did a little better in 1962 (.240 average, .412 OBP), but was released on July 29, never again to play in the Big Leagues. Eddie Yost was a good hitter, a fine fielder, and an absolute master at working the pitcher for a pitch he liked or a walk. The Hall of Fame is far short on third basemen, and Yost wouldn’t be a bad choice. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,109 season high: 157 in 1952 led AL: 154 in 1951, 157 in 1952, 155 in 1954 

At Bats career: 7,346 season high: 587 in 1952 

Hits career: 1,863 season high: 169 in 1950 

Doubles career: 337 season high: 36 in 1951 led AL: 36 in 1951 

Triples career: 56 season high: 11 in 1948 

Home Runs career: 139 season high: 21 in 1959 

Runs career: 1,215 season high: 115 in 1959 led AL: 115 in 1959 

Runs Batted In career: 682 season high: 65 in 1951 

Stolen Bases career: 72 season high: 9 in 1959 

Walks career: 1,614 season high: 151 in 1956 led AL: 141 in 1950, 129 in 1952, 123 in 1953, 151 in 1956, 135 in 1959, 125 in 1960 

Strikeouts career: 920 season high: 82 in 1956 

Batting Average career: .254 season high: .295 in 1950 

On Base Percentage career: .394 season high: .440 in 1950 led AL: .435 in 1959, .414 in 1960 

Slugging Percentage career: .371 season high: .436 in 1959 

Total Bases career: 2,729 season high: 241 in 1951 

Sacrifice Hits career: 98 season high: 11 in 1951 and 1954 

Fielding Percentage career: .957 season high: .968 in 1954 led AL 3B: .964 in 1958, .962 in 1959 

Double Plays career: 349 season high: 45 in 1950 led AL 3B: 45 in 1950, 31 in 1956 

Putouts career: 2,436 season high: 212 in 1952 led AL 3B: 189 in 1948, 205 in 1950, 203 in 1951, 212 in 1952, 190 in 1953, 170 in 1954, 164 in 1956, 168 in 1959 

Assists career: 3,663 season high: 347 in 1954 led AL 3B: 347 in 1954, 303 in 1956 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “The Walking Man” 

-never played a single game in the minor leagues

-finished 20th in the AL MVP Award voting in 1950, 23rd in 1953, and 30th in 1951 

-was an all-star in 1952 

-went 1-for-3 on his MLB debut 

-led the MLB in plate appearances (734) in 1952 

-walked over 100 times in a season eight times and hit double digit home run totals in seven 

-three times led the AL in times on base 

-played 829 consecutive games from August 30, 1949 to May 11, 1955 

-was the first Angel ever to come to bat 

-drew a walk in his final MLB plate appearance 

-hit two home runs each off of Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Bobby Shantz and one each off of Satchel Paige, Bob Feller, Allie Reynolds, and Billy Pierce 

-was the first player ever to play 2,000 games at third base and led AL third basemen in games three times 

-retired with 28 career leadoff home runs, the MLB record at the time 

-his 212 putouts at third base in 1952 are the 37th most of all time 

-his 45 double plays at third base in 1950 are the 12th most of all time 

-ranks eleventh in career walks 

-among MLB third basemen, ranks 13th in career games, 16th in double plays, third in putouts, and 19th in assists 

-also played nine games at first base, one at second base, two at shortstop, 16 in the outfield, 94 as a pinch hitter, and four as a pinch runner 

-spent 23 years as a coach (and one game as an interim manager) and won a World Series ring with the Miracle Mets in 1969