WHY I THINK STEVE SAX SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK STEVE SAX SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Steve Sax had a bad reputation as a fielder. In 1983, he committed 30 errors, the most among NL second basemen, as a result of the “yips.” He was very good at fielding batted balls, but he didn’t throw very well early in his career. Fans sometimes wore helmets in the stands to make fun of him. Despite his bad reputation, Sax really was a solid defender and a very good offensive second baseman as well, topping the .300 mark three times. He was also one of the best base thieves of the 1980’s and early 1990’s, as he stole at least 40 bases in a season six times. Steve Sax started his career with the Dodgers in 1981, hitting .277 in 31 games and winning his first World Series ring. He batted .282 and stole 49 bases in 1982 en route to winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award. He established himself as one of the best overall second basemen of the 1980’s, batting .332 with 43 doubles in 1986, which earned him a Silver Slugger award. Sax was an important player on the Dodgers’ World Champion team in 1988, tallying 175 hits in the regular season, eight in the NLCS, and six in the World Series. In the offseason, he signed with the Yankees, and batted over .300 in two of three years in New York. In 1989, Sax seemed to be cured of the yips, as he led AL second basemen in games, double plays, and fielding percentage. In 1992, he was traded to the White Sox and stole 30 bases, but he soon started to decline. After a tough 1993 season, he played his last game in 1994 with the A’s. Steve Sax was a great base thief, an occasional postseason hero, a fine hitter, and a decent fielder whose reputation does him no justice on the way to the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,769 season high: 160 in 1988 

At Bats career: 6,940 season high: 652 in 1991 led NL: 632 in 1988 led AL: 651 in 1989 

Hits career: 1,949 season high: 210 in 1986 

Doubles career: 278 season high: 43 in 1986 

Triples career: 47 season high: 7 in 1982 and 1987 

Home Runs career: 54 season high: 10 in 1991 

Runs career: 913 season high: 94 in 1983 

Runs Batted In career: 550 season high: 63 in 1989 

Stolen Bases career: 444 season high: 56 in 1983 

Walks career: 556 season high: 59 in 1986 

Strikeouts career: 584 season high: 73 in 1983 

Batting Average career: .281 season high: .332 in 1986 

On Base Percentage career: .335 season high: .390 in 1986 

Slugging Percentage career: .358 season high: .441 in 1986 

Total Bases career: 2,483 season high: 279 in 1986 

Sacrifice Hits career: 75 season high: 12 in 1992 

Fielding Percentage career: .978 season high: .987 in 1989, 1990, and 1991 led AL 2B: .987 in 1989 

Double Plays career: 998 season high: 117 in 1989 led AL 2B: 117 in 1989 

Putouts career: 3,617 season high: 367 in 1986 led NL 2B: 367 in 1986 

Assists career: 4,817 season high: 460 in 1989 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-brother of Dave Sax 

-nicknamed “Saxie” 

-finished 13th in the NL MVP Award voting in 1986 and 18th in 1988 

-finished 21st in the AL MVP Award voting in 1989 

-batted .429 with three stolen bases in five all-star games

-was second in the NL batting race in 1986, two points behind Hall of Famer Tim Raines  

-led the NL in plate appearances (704) in 1986 

-batted .276 in 24 career postseason games, including .300 in the 1988 World Series, with seven career thefts 

-was the NL Player of the Month in September 1986 

-led the NL in singles in 1986 (157) and 1988 (147) and led the AL in 1989 (171), setting the Yankees’ single season record 

-was the hardest batter in the AL to strike out in 1991 

-led NL second basemen in games in 1986 and 1988 

-among MLB second basemen, ranks 30th in career games and putouts and 29th in double plays and assists 

-also played seven games at third base, 33 in the outfield, 26 as a DH, 33 as a pinch hitter, and 22 as a pinch runner