Greatest Fielders Per Position by Decade

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I ask the people of the Republic of the Fever who they think are the best fielders per position per decade. No need to rank, just rattle off the best 3 or 5 at each position. List as many decades/positions as you want. This is part of my effort to understand historical fielders more, so feel free to add any comments.

[redban]

For the 1990s, you have to mention these 4 (Olerud, Ventura, Alfonzo, and Ordonez)

Best_Infield_Ever.jpg

[BigRon]

I'll give the 1950s a go.

C Roy Campanella- basically as good defensively as anybody who played catcher- hurt his last few seasons but I'll still go with him- Crandall probably would be second
1B Vic Power- he was very flashy but also excellent- great hands, quickness for a first baseman- Gil Hodges was also excellent
2B Nellie Fox- Mazeroski was even better but he didn't come up til mid-56 so I didn't include him
SS Roy McMillan- Reese may have been comparable through the early 50s, but not for the decde
3B Ken Boyer- Boyer also played CF for a year or 2, but he was outstanding at 3B- Robinson didn't really play regularly until the end of the 50s, so Boyer is my choice
LF Minnie Minoso
CF Willie Mays- the best of a sizable group of excellent defensive CFers
RF Al Kaline- Clemente was also outstanding, but hemade a lot of mistakes in his early seasons- Kaline didn't
P Harvey Haddix

[dgarza]

1980s
C : Bob Boone, Gary Carter, Tony Pena, Jody Davis, Mike Scioscia, Jim Sundberg
1 : Keith Hernandez, Pete O'Brien, Eddie Murray
2 : Frank White, Willie Randolph, Lou Whitaker, Johnny Ray, Julio Cruz
SS : Ozzie Smith, Ozzie Guillen, Alan Trammell, Cal Ripken, Scott Fletcher
3 : Buddy Bell, Tim Wallach, Wade Boggs, Terry Pendleton, Gary Gaetti
RF : Jesse Barfield, Andre Dawson, Glenn Wilson, Tony Armas, Tony Gwynn
CF : Dwayne Murphy, Willie Wilson, Devon White, Gary Pettis, Chet Lemon
LF : Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Gary Ward
P : Phil Niekro, Rick Reuschel, Ron Guidry
DH : Carl Yastrzemski, Darrell Evans, Rance Mulliniks

[Reds5]

1970's
C- Johnny Bench
1B- George Scott
2B-Joe Morgan
SS-Dave Concepcion
3B-Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson
RF- Dave Parker, Dwight Evans
CF- Garry Maddox
LF- Joe Rudi
P- Jim Kaat

[GiambiJuice]

1970's
C- Johnny Bench
1B- George Scott
2B-Joe Morgan
SS-Dave Concepcion
3B-Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson
RF- Dave Parker, Dwight Evans
CF- Garry Maddox
LF- Joe Rudi
P- Jim Kaat

I take it you're a Reds fan? :-)

I give Mark Belanger the clear nod at SS over Concepcion.

[dgarza]

I take it you're a Reds fan? :-)

I give Mark Belanger the clear nod at SS over Concepcion.

Belanger was the guy, that's for sure.

And I would add that Morgan is well over-rated. He had a good 4-5 year peak, but the rest of his career was not nearly as good. Willie Randolph and Bobby Grich were the real deal. (Morgan's 1970s WAR Runs Fielding is an even 0.)

[BigRon]

Belanger was the guy, that's for sure.

And I would add that Morgan is well over-rated. He had a good 4-5 year peak, but the rest of his career was not nearly as good. Willie Randolph and Bobby Grich were the real deal. (Morgan's 1970s WAR Fielding Runs is an even 0.)

I pay almost no attention to defensive WAR numbers- I really don't think they've figured it out yet- but I agree that Randolph and Grich- and possibly a couple of other guys- were better defensively than Morgan. Morgan to me was a C+ defender for his career, maybe a B- at most. He was better at his peak, but not outstanding.

[StanTheMan]

1980's

SS Ozzie Smith, Ozzie Smith, Ozzie Smith and Osborne Earl Smith
1B - Hernandez was brilliant

[dgarza]

If we can call 2000-2009 a decade, then the current "decade" of 2010-2019 would look like this [yes, I'm going to do 2010-2012]...
C : Matt Wieters, Yadier Molina, Humberto Quintero
1 : Daric Barton, Albert Pujols, James Loney
2 : Ben Zobrist, Sean Rodriguez
SS : Brendan Ryan
3 : Evan Longoria, Adrian Beltre
RF : Jason Heyward
CF : Austin Jackson, Chris Young
LF : Brett Gardner
P : ?

[brett]

Clete Boyer 60s.

Belanger SS 70s for sure (37.6 WAR, over 39 for defense and positon)

Boudreau 40s SS with Joe Gordon darn close.

Todd Helton 2000s

I'd also second:
Frank White
Hernandez
Smith

Oh and Scott Rolen

Andrew Jones

[StanTheMan]

Scott Rolen indeed! Yadi Molina is a monster. I think I recall reading that he has TWICE as many pick offs as anybody else during the years he has played. Terrific at gunning down base stealers as well.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I'll take a stab at the 1900s:
C- Roger Bresnahan, Ossee Schrecongost, Johnny Kling
1B- Hal Chase
2B- Eddie Collins, Nap Lajoie? Jimmy Williams?
3B- Jimmy Collins,
SS- Honus Wagner, Bill Dahlen, Bobby Wallace, George Davis
LF-?
CF- Ginger Beaumont, Ty Cobb
RF- Sam Crawford? Socks Seybold?
P- Ed Walsh

[brett]

I'll take a stab at the 1900s:
C- Roger Bresnahan, Ossee Schrecongost, Johnny Kling
1B- Hal Chase
2B- Eddie Collins, Nap Lajoie? Jimmy Williams?
3B- Jimmy Collins,
SS- Honus Wagner, Bill Dahlen, Bobby Wallace, George Davis
LF-?
CF- Ginger Beaumont, Ty Cobb
RF- Sam Crawford? Socks Seybold?
P- Ed Walsh

I'd have to have Joe Tinker at second base.

[brett]

McPhee would be my second baseman for 1880s and 1890s probably too.
Max Carey for 1910s CF.