Best SS in MLB

[Texas Rangers]

I asked this question a couple years ago, but I will ask it again: Who do you all consider the best SS in the MLB currently?

Contributing factors:
Offensive numbers.
Defensive numbers.
Fundamentals.
Key plays and/or hits.
Team leadership.
Also, consider the fact that which SS will take you to the playoffs.

-Try to exclude your personal feelings or the players off-field role.
-Think of the players whole career.

I will throw in the top 7 in the poll and a write-in option.

A-Rod is not an option.

[JMC Bomber]

Rafael Furcal

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6404

[OleMissCub]

Hanley Ramirez by a mile.

[Texas Rangers]

Rafael Furcal

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/player...e?statsId=6404

Furcal is having a good season, but i would not place him as the best CURRENT SS in the MLB.. Tejada (looking behind the steroids talk) was my vote. Fielding % is way up there. Ramirez has it all but i don't know if he could lead the Marlins to the playoffs.

[Zagi-CRO]

Han-Ram, apsolutely!!
Then Furcal and Tejada.

Stats till May/13th

MVB
10.03	Rafael Furcal	Dodgers	0.366
9.08	Hanley Ramirez	Marlins	0.325
7.88	Miguel Tejada	Astros	0.338
7.63	Jose Reyes	Mets	0.264
7.26	Ryan Theriot	Cubs	0.331
6.91	Cristian Guzman	Nationals	0.298
6.77	Yunel Escobar	Braves	0.314
6.64	Stephen Drew	Diamon	0.269
6.62	Michael Young	Rangers	0.286
6.46	Jeff Keppinger	Reds	0.324

[NYMets523]

Also, consider the fact that which SS will take you to the playoffs.

Sorry, but that's a stupid requirement. This isn't football or basketball where 1 player can take their team to the playoffs all on their own. It's also May.


To answer the question, Hanley Ramirez by far. Reyes has not been hitting well, Jeter is over-the-hill, Rollins is grossly overrated (the Phillies played better without him than with him), Furcal is having an excellent year but is on the DL and not as good as Hanley, Tejada is good but not the player he used to be.

[John Shoemaker]

IMO the best shortstop in baseball today plays third base for the Yankees - A-Rod

[BlueBlood]

Furcal's fielding is only about an error below the league average right now. His OPS+ is a whopping 168. No other choice for me.

[cardsfanatic]

Sorry, but that's a stupid requirement. This isn't football or basketball where 1 player can take their team to the playoffs all on their own. It's also May.

Ummm, ok? In basketball, perhaps. In Football? I'd wager football is even more of a team effort than baseball. When a batter goes to the plate it's just him. His teammates can't help him out at all. In football, with rotations and packages, 45-50 different players touch the field. If the line doesn't block the QB doesn't do crap. Which then it's like a stack of dominos. The QB can't do anything, the HB can't do anything, the WR's can't do anything. So much in football relies on the rest of the guys doing their job. One player on a football team isn't going to take anyone to the playoffs. Period.

Sorry about the tangent but it just boggled my mind when I read that.

Anyway, for several years I would have answered this question as Derek Jeter but I think Hanley Ramirez has planted himself firmly in this spot. What I do find funny here is that all those years where I said Jeter, people would sheep their way into the discussion "lolerz but he sucks at defense!" yet, here Hanley Ramirez sits pretty much like a Derek Jeter in his prime and everyone fawns over him. Because Han-Ram isn't exactly a good fielder either and Derek Jeter has several better offensive seasons on the books than Han-Ram. I guess being Yankee captain buys you some hate.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Ummm, ok? In basketball, perhaps. In Football? I'd wager football is even more of a team effort than baseball. When a batter goes to the plate it's just him. His teammates can't help him out at all. In football, with rotations and packages, 45-50 different players touch the field. If the line doesn't block the QB doesn't do crap. Which then it's like a stack of dominos. The QB can't do anything, the HB can't do anything, the WR's can't do anything. So much in football relies on the rest of the guys doing their job. One player on a football team isn't going to take anyone to the playoffs. Period.

Sorry about the tangent but it just boggled my mind when I read that.

Anyway, for several years I would have answered this question as Derek Jeter but I think Hanley Ramirez has planted himself firmly in this spot. What I do find funny here is that all those years where I said Jeter, people would sheep their way into the discussion "lolerz but he sucks at defense!" yet, here Hanley Ramirez sits pretty much like a Derek Jeter in his prime and everyone fawns over him. Because Han-Ram isn't exactly a good fielder either and Derek Jeter has several better offensive seasons on the books than Han-Ram. I guess being Yankee captain buys you some hate.

You must have missed that Flintstones episode where Fred went to old Princetone to learn accounting.

"You did it, Fred! A new record,"
"Hooray for me."

Ramirez probably at this time.

[NYMets523]

Ummm, ok? In basketball, perhaps. In Football? I'd wager football is even more of a team effort than baseball. When a batter goes to the plate it's just him. His teammates can't help him out at all. In football, with rotations and packages, 45-50 different players touch the field. If the line doesn't block the QB doesn't do crap. Which then it's like a stack of dominos. The QB can't do anything, the HB can't do anything, the WR's can't do anything. So much in football relies on the rest of the guys doing their job. One player on a football team isn't going to take anyone to the playoffs. Period.

Sorry about the tangent but it just boggled my mind when I read that.

I was referring to soccer.

[YankeeFanUK]

Ronaldo nigh on single handedly gave MAN UTD the premiership again this year ...one man can make a huge difference

[dl4060]

Anyway, for several years I would have answered this question as Derek Jeter but I think Hanley Ramirez has planted himself firmly in this spot. What I do find funny here is that all those years where I said Jeter, people would sheep their way into the discussion "lolerz but he sucks at defense!" yet, here Hanley Ramirez sits pretty much like a Derek Jeter in his prime and everyone fawns over him. Because Han-Ram isn't exactly a good fielder either and Derek Jeter has several better offensive seasons on the books than Han-Ram. I guess being Yankee captain buys you some hate.

Most of the discussions I saw which referenced defense were strictly in regards to his defense, not whether or not he was the best player in the league. Not saying there were not people who said Jeter could not be the best because of his glove, I just saw less of that. Lots of discussions of Jeter tend to digress into whether or not he is overrated, and whether or not he is overrated, or whether or not he is a good defensive player. I always considered Jeter to be a below average SS, but with Nomar getting hurt and having to move from the position and Arod going to third I saw Jeter as the best of the lot. It is perfectly logical to have criticized Jeter's defense and still vote for Hanley now. In 2006 I thought Jeter was the best SS in baseball, defense and all. Any argument I would have made about his defense would have been something separate. If you hit the way Jeter did at his best you don't need to be Ozzie Smith, though that would be nice.

Jeter certainly has a larger body of work than Hanley does, but for the last year and a half Hanley has clearly been better.

It will be interesting to see how the Hanley/Beckett trade is viewed in several years.

Hanley reminds me more of Nomar before his injuries than Jeter. A bit more of a free swinger, more power, and a better overall hitter. This year his plate discipline has improved quite a bit, which Nomar's never really did. Hanley's 2007 season would have fit right in with Nomar circa 98-00. Hopefully he will have better luck staying on the field.

Both Jeter and Nomar peaked relatively early, I will be curious to see how Hanley ages.

Do players who stay at short tend to peak early? I've always thought there might be something to that. Ripken did, although he came back at age 30 to have his best year. I've always thought it would make sense, with all the wear and tear. I have never looked into it, or read a study of it.

[Old Sweater]

For the past 20 years it has been li'll "O" hands down.

The best pair of hands to ever play the SS position. IMO<<<<


Off to a great start with the Giants this year and "Omar the Great" should have the hits record for SS's at seasons end.

[holyroman]

For the past 20 years it has been li'll "O" hands down.

The best pair of hands to ever play the SS position. IMO<<<<


Off to a great start with the Giants this year and "Omar the Great" should have the hits record for SS's at seasons end.

If we were talking about the best pair of hands (defensive skills), Adam Everett would be in the discussion but there is this little thing about having to hit the ball he never learned.