The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox share the most bitter rivalry in the American League. Ever since 1918, when the Red Sox dealt Babe Ruth over to the Yankees and failed to win another World Series until 2004 (while the Yanks captured 26 during that span), the teams have hated each other. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, the Yankees almost always edged the Bosox for the pennant. Now both teams had some very talented players in their lineups, but since the Yankees always won, their players generally won comparisons with the Red Sox. The most contested player comparison of this time was the general consensus that the Yankees’ shortstop, Phil Rizzuto, was better than Vern Stephens, that of the Red Sox.
Phil Rizzuto was the Yankees’ main shortstop from 1941 though 1953, excepting three seasons during World War II. He was a fine defensive shortstop and an okay hitter who had one big, MVP type season (when he captured the Award in 1950). To the surprise of many, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.
Vern Stephens was a contemporary shortstop of Rizzuto’s, active from 1941 through 1955. He was a lot bigger and stronger than Rizzuto was, and consequently hit for a lot more power. Stephens spent the majority of his career with the St. Louis Browns franchise, but is best remembered for his five seasons in Boston. He never received one vote for the Hall of Fame.
The fact that Rizzuto was inducted and Stephens wasn’t is just ridiculous. Absolutely absurd (see two previous posts, WHY I THINK VERN STEPHENS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN and Lucky Hall of Famer Number 19 - Phil Rizzuto).
The main arguments in Rizzuto’s favor are that he was a better shortstop and that he didn’t receive the benefits that playing in Fenway Park have on hitters’ statistics. As for the first point, I will not deny that Rizzuto was a top notch defensive shortstop. In his 13 Big League seasons, he turned 100 or more double plays eight times. He also had a career fielding percentage of .968. The only problem is that Stephens was a very underrated fielder. Stephens had the strongest arm of any shortstop in the league, while Rizzuto had one of the weakest. As a result, Stephens made more assists than Rizzuto did. Rizzuto, on the other hand, was more speedy and nimble than Stephens was, and consequently made more putouts. Stephens also played 322 games at third base, and did well at the hot corner, too. Rizzuto, with his iffy arm and smaller frame, surely could not have played third base in the Majors. That said, I don't think Rizzuto had much of a leg up on Stephens on defense.
As for the second point, it is true that Stephens’s offensive statistics were greatly aided by the effects of Fenway Park for a while. For example, in 1949, Stephens hit more home runs than Rizzuto did in his entire career and additionally drove in 159 runs, the MLB record for a shortstop and as many as Ted Williams drove in that season. However, unlike many others, Stephens was a top hitter if you take away the effects of Fenway. He led the NL in RBI’s in 1944 and in home runs in 1945, despite playing in a relatively pitcher friendly ballpark (Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis). If you double Stephens’s career road statistics, he still comes out a Hall of Famer, while Rizzuto does not.
Another argument in favor of Rizzuto is that he did a lot of little things right - he was a good bunter, occasionally stole a base, and was very good at hitting behind the runner. Stephens rarely did any of these things. The truth is that Rizzuto, while talented in these departments, wasn’t one of the all time greatest in any one of them. Rizzuto is often hyped as the greatest bunter in history - well, in terms of sacrifices, it is evident that he was not in the same league as Ray Chapman or Eddie Collins, among others. He also stole only 149 bases, and no more than 22 in any one season. While his skills in these departments were valuable, it is easy to believe that he was encouraged to bunt so much because he wasn’t such a good hitter. His career slash line was .273/.351/.355, rather abysmal in terms of power and basically average considered as a whole. Stephens, however, was a great hitter - he slashed .286/.355/.460 for an OPS 15% better than Rizzuto’s, which is a huge difference. If Stephens had been less of a hitter, learned to bunt in desperation, and stuck with it, would that make him a Hall of Famer? Certainly not.
One more thing: Rizzuto took approximately one third of his career plate appearances batting eighth.
I think Rizzuto was better.
ReplyDelete-Four of Vern's top seasons were in WWII, when Rizzuto was in the Army. Vern's seasons need to be discounted, and you need to give credit for Rizzuto's missed seasons.
-Rizzuto was a much better fielder than Vern. Yes, Vern had a much better arm, but Rizzuto was so quick he'd still make the play. Also, Vern's fielding at third is irrelevant. Yes, Rizzuto did not have the arm for third, but he was so good at shortstop that you'd never think to put him at third. Vern wasn't a bad shortstop -he was fine. But he wasn't in the same league as Rizzuto defensively.
- Vern was helped a lot by his home park. You talk about this a little, but you kind of dismiss it. Away, Vern hit .267/.332/.423.
That's still very good for a shortstop, but he would never have driven in 159 runs without Fenway and Pesky etc. hitting in front of him. Yankee Stadium didn't help Rizzuto much -he hit .276 at home, .270 on the road.
My opinion is that they were both very good, but Rizzuto was so good defensively that he was better than Vern, despite his weak bat.
BR rates Rizzuto as +116 runs above the average shortstop, for what it's worth.
Why should Rizzuto get credit for the three seasons during WWII, while Stephens shouldn't? After all, Americans needed heros at home, too. Besides, they played with an extraordinarily dead ball in 1943 to save on rubber for the war effort.
DeleteI don't think that Stephens's defense at third is irrelevant. Third base is just as demanding a defensive position as shortstop. I think that Stephens's versatility to play two key positions very well was more valuable that what Rizzuto was able to accomplish at one.
By the way, I also did a post on George Van Haltren. The Thurman Munson article was one that I published back in 2020, but am republishing because it had serious problems with the lining.
DeleteI'm not saying to not count Vern's war-time seasons, just to discount them.
Delete3rd base is not as demanding as short stop. No other position is. Rizzuto probably could have been great at second base, but why bother? He was their short stop.
The best fielders only played at one position. Ozzie and Belanger at short, Brooks at third, etc. If they ever moved off their natural position, it was because they were too old. Vern was moved to third in his thirties because he was getting slow.
Rizzuto was just a way better fielder.
Do you say that shortstop is more difficult than third base from personal experience or from common opinion? Based on my personal experience and observations, my defensive spectrum would be P-C-3B-SS-2B-CF-1B-RF-LF. See Catchers and Third Basemen (January 15).
DeleteI just think that Stephens's offensive advantage outweighs Rizzuto's defensive advantage. If "Rizzuto was just a way better fielder", then Stephens was just a way better hitter. He probably won more games for the Browns and Red Sox with homers than Rizzuto did with defense.
I haven't played much third base, so I'm not sure I'm qualified to have an opinion from personal experience. I do know that shortstops historically are much weaker hitters than third basemen. Because it would be absurd to say that one position is more valuable than another (with the exception of pitcher), shortstops must have significantly greater defensive value.
DeleteTo play shortstop you need to be quick and have an arm (with the partial exception of Rizzuto). To play third, you just need an arm.
BR says Vern Stephens was worth 178 more runs offensively than Rizzuto. Seems fair to me. But Rizzuto was worth 130 more runs defensively, 13 more runs on the basepaths, and 14 runs for avoiding double plays. That still leaves Vern ahead, but if you add the three seasons Rizzuto missed, that puts Rizzuto ahead.
Not using WAR as the be-all, end-all, but I find it useful to put things into one number.
Vern Stephens was the heart of the lowly Browns, hitting with little to no protection in a very pitcherfriendly park yet managing to lead the league in homers and RBI and the Browns to a pennant!
DeleteHe got to a great number of batted balls and was a good enough shortstop to move Johnny Pesky, one of baseballs premier shortstops to third!!
I spoke with Johnny Pesky who told me the move was justified as “Stevie”” had a much better arm than either he, Rizzuto or Boudreau and much better than average range!
I believe the year Stephens hit 39 homers the majority
were hit away from Fenway.
Stephens played on some great teams with Boston as did Rizzuto with New York, which undoubtedly helped both of them.
To me defensively it was a toss up, check the stats!
Offensively it’s a joke!!!
Was Stephens shunned because of his brief encounter with the Mexican League, for which he never played a single inning, was it political, a personality contest, or simply a case of too many great shortstops from the same era or just plain ineptitude or indifference on the part of the voters?
I’m going out on a limb to say everyone in the HOF deserved enshrinement but there are others who should be there and are not, and those who were kept waiting far too long!!!
To name a few, Luis Tiant, Mickey Vernon, Johnny Pesky,
Sal “the barber” Maglie.
Years ago I had a chat with a guy I was told I must speak with as he knew everything about baseball and the subject he chose was “who’s in the HOF that doesn’t belong there” and I gave him my standard thing that for arguments sake, I’ll say everyone there belongs there!!!
He continues on without acknowledging me, to state, “Well two guys who don’t belong there are Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford!!!
I reply, “that must be your idea of some sort of joke!!”
“Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford are two of the all time greats!!!”
He responds with, “On no, not another blanking Yankee fan!!”
I say I guess in a sense you might say that as I’ve followed them and admired and respected them since my first Yankee game in 1948, but actually I’m more a Red Sox and Phillies fan, but really just a baseball fan!!!
My Dad pitched in the NL for over a decade, not including WWII and one of my daughters was a two time college all American softball player.
The gentleman with whom I was conversing then went on th declare that the only reason Yogi and Whitey were so successful was because they played on good teams.
I asked him to consider that perhaps two of the reasons those teams were so great was Zyogi Berra and Whitey Ford!!! Duhhhh!!!
He and I never spoke about baseball again!!!
Vern Stephens absolutely belongs in the HOF!!!