Thursday, June 23, 2022

Chart for Third Basemen

Third basemen have always been in short demand among Hall of Fame voters, as just 13 MLB third sackers are enshrined in Cooperstown. The main reason to expect this would probably be that voters don’t know what to think of third basemen. Is third base a hitter’s position, or a fielder’s position? Should our third baseman be a power hitter or a gold glover? (If you’re special, like Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, or Nolan Arenado, then it is possible to be both). As it is, third base is a unique defensive position, requiring many different skills, such as agility, good reflexes, and a strong arm. Third base is not an easy position to play, and there should be more third basemen in the Hall of Fame. 


Pre-1900 


Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Deacon White            1,560     .312/.346/.393   2,067  1,140   988    24       70       .853 

Lave Cross                 2,277      .292/.329/.383   2,651  1,138  1,378  47      303     .938 


1900-1920 

                                     

                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Jimmy Collins           1,725      .294/.343/.409   1,999  1,055   983    65      194      .929

Frank Baker              1,575      .307/.363/.442    1,838   887     991    96      235     .943 

Heinie Groh                1,676      .292/.373/.384    1774    918     566    26      180     .967 


1920-1940 


                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Fred Lindstrom         1,438     .311/.351/.449    1,747  895     779    103      84      .959 

Pie Traynor                1,941     .320/.362/.435    2,416  1,183  1,273  58      158     .947 

Willie Kamm               1,693     .281/.372/.384    1,643   802      827    29     126     .967 


1940-1960 


                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Eddie Mathews         2,391    .271/.376/.509   2,315   1,509  1,453  512      68      .956 

George Kell               1,795    .306/.367/.414   2,054    880     870     78       51      .969 

Bob Elliott                    1,978    .289/.375/.440   2,061   1,064   1,195  170     60      .947 

Eddie Yost                  2,109     .254/.394/.371   1,863   1215     682    139     72      .957 

Stan Hack                  1,938     .301/.394/.397   2,193   1,239    642     57      165    .957 

Al Rosen                    1,044     .285/.384/.495   1,063     603     717     192     39     .961 


1960-1980 


                                   Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Brooks Robinson     2,896     .267/.322/.401   2,848  1,232  1,357  268     28        .971 

Ron Santo                 2,243     .277/.362/.464   2,254  1,138  1,331  342     35        .954 

Ken Boyer                  2,034     .287/.349/.462   2,143  1,104   1,141  282    105      .952 


1980-2000 


                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

George Brett              2,707    .305/.369/.487  3,154  1,583   1,596  317     201      .951 

Wade Boggs               2,439    .328/.415/.443  3,010  1,513   1,014  118      24       .962 

Mike Schmidt             2,404    .267/.380/.527  2,234  1,506   1,595   548    174      .955 

Buddy Bell                   2,405    .279/.341/.406  2,514  1,151   1,106   201     55       .964 


2000-present 


                                      Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Chipper Jones             2,499    .303/.401/.529  2,726  1,619  1,623  468    150      .954 

Evan Longoria               1,823    .266/.335/.473  1,818   961    1,089  317     58       .966 

Nolan Arenado              1,236    .288/.345/.535   1,357   730     865    269     18       .972

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Chart for Catchers

Catchers pose an interesting challenge to the Hall of Fame: how many should be inducted? There are 17 MLB catchers in Cooperstown (all those listed in boldface), fewer than any other position excepting third basemen (and designated hitters). This doesn’t seem right considering that catchers have by far the toughest responsibility and physically demanding job of any fielder. The job required of a catcher before 1908 is practically inhumane, as he didn’t even have the use of shin guards.

Since catchers are relied on for their defense, they often don’t hit as much as, say, outfielders. As a result, a good hitting catcher will often play other positions so as not to tire himself out by catching every day. For example, Buck Ewing is in the Hall of Fame as a catcher, but he only caught in 636 of 1,315 career games. Mike Piazza, a genuinely lousy defender behind the dish, played 70 games at first base, 113 as a pinch hitter, and 122 as a DH, despite playing only one season in the American League. A catcher who actually catches almost every day, a truly durable athlete, should be expected to hit less, but provides at least as much value to the team. Hence, Ivan Rodriguez is widely considered to be the greatest catcher of all time, and guys like Bob Boone, A.J. Pierzynski, and Yadier Molina should be considered very seriously by the Hall of Fame for eventual induction.


Statistics for active players include totals through 2021. 


Pre-1900 


GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Buck Ewing               636      .303/.351/.456    1,625   1,129  883      71       354*    .931      .379 

Wilbert Robinson**    1,316   .273/.316/.346   1,388   637     722      18       196     .941      .357 

Jack Clements***        1,076   .287/.348/.421   1,231   619     687      77       55       .937      .333 

Duke Farrell                 1,004   .277/.338/.385   1,572   829     916      52       150     .938      .441

Deacon McGuire        1,614   .278/.341/.372    1,750   770     840      45       118     .938      .364 


*most before modern stolen base rule was established in 1898 

**inducted as manager 

***lefthanded catcher 


1900-1920 

                                  

    GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Roger Bresnahan* 974     .279/.386/.377   1,252   682     530     26       212      .971     .467 

Ray Schalk**          1,727  .253/.340/.316   1,345   579     593     11        177      .981     .516 

Johnny Kling           1,169   .272/.319/.357  1,154   475      514     20       124       .971     .480 


*inducted in part for his invention of modern shin guards in 1908 

**inducted in part for standing up to the Black Sox scandal 


1920-1940 

                               

                                GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Mickey Cochrane  1,451      .320/.419/.478   1,652   1,041   830     119      64        .985     .394 

Bill Dickey              1,708      .313/.382/.486   1,969   930     1,209   202      36        .988     .466 

Gabby Hartnett     1,787       .297/.370/.489   1,912   867     1,179   236      28        .984     .561 

Rick Ferrell            1,807       .281/.378/.363   1,692   687     734      28        29        .984     .445 

Ernie Lombardi     1,543       .306/.358/.460   1,792   601     990      190        8        .979     .476 

Al Lopez*                1,918      .261/.326/.337    1,547  613     652       51         46      .985     .541 

Wally Schang          1,435       .284/.393/.401   1,506   769     705       59       121      .967     .458 

Spud Davis             1,282       .308/.369/.430   1,312   388     647       77          6       .984     .418 


*inducted as manager  


1940-1960 

                                 GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Yogi Berra              1,699       .285/.348/.482  2,150   1,175  1,430   358      30       .989      .486 

Roy Campanella*   1,349       .283/.364/.498  1,403   771    1,015    259      35       .988      .556 

Walker Cooper         1,224       .285/.332/.464  1,341   573    812       173      18       .977      .450 

Sherm Lollar             1,573       .264/.357/.402  1,415   623    808       155      20       .992      .468 


*includes incomplete Negro League statistics 


1960-1980 

                           GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Johnny Bench        1,743      .267/.342/.476  2,048   1,091   1,376  389      68       .990      .435 

Ted Simmons         1,771       .285/.348/.437  2,472   1,074   1,389  248      21       .987      .340 

Joe Torre*                 903        .297/.365/.452  2,342   996      1,185  252      23       .990      .406 

Bill Freehan              1,581       .262/.340/.412  1,591   706       758    200      24       .993      .369 

Thurman Munson    1,278       .292/.346/.410  1,558   696      701     113      48       .982      .445 

Tim McCarver          1,387       .271/.337/.388  1,501   590      645     97       61       .990      .344 


*inducted as manager and played 1,304 games at other defensive positions 


1980-2000 

                                   GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Carlton Fisk             2,226    .269/.341/.457  2,356   1,276  1,330   376      128     .988      .338 

Gary Carter              2,056    .262/.335/.439  2,092   1,025  1,225   324      39       .991      .351 

Lance Parrish           1,818     .252/.313/.440  1,782   856     1,070   324      28       .991      .386 

Bob Boone                2,225     .254/.315/.346  1,838   679     826      105      38       .986      .397 


2000-present 

                                   GC Slash Line   H   R RBI HR SB F% CS%

Ivan Rodriguez        2,427    .296/.334/.464   2,844   1,354  1,332   311      127     .991      .457 

Mike Piazza              1,630    .308/.377/.545   2,127   1,048  1,335   427      17      .989      .232  

Jason Kendall            2,025    .288/.366/.378   2,195   1,030  744       75       189    .990      .288 

Jorge Posada           1,574     .273/.374/.474    1,664   900    1,065    275     20       .992     .282 

A.J. Pierzynski         1,936      .280/.319/.420   2,043   807    909       188     15       .995     .245 

Joe Mauer*                921        .306/.388/.439   2,123  1,018  923       143     52       .995     .338 

Victor Martinez**       858        .295/.360/.455    2,153  914    1,178     246     7         .993     .235

Buster Posey            1,093      .302/.372/.460   1,500   663    729       158     23       .995     .329 

Yadier Molina            2,107      .280/.331/.402    2,112   758    998       171     69       .995     .403 

Salvador Perez         1,032      .270/.302/.463    1,161   491   656        200      6        .995     .354 


*played 310 games as a DH and 605 at other defensive positions 

**played 869 games as a DH and 214 at first base 



small discrepancy between games caught (appearances vs standard fielding) - fix for book 

add pb, total games, wp

Requesciat In Pace, Rickey Henderson