All time defensive team

by cubfanwill on Apr 19, 2009 9:06 PM CDT

Hey everybody. Let's have some rainout fun. Here is my all time defensive minded team.

Pitcher: Greg Maddux Pretty easy choice really. 18 gold gloves!! Honorable mention goes to Jim Kaat with 16 gold gloves

Cather: Johnny Bench Set the standard for fielding at his position. Honorable mention goes to Pudge

1st base: Keith Hernandez Honorable mention goes to Don Mattingly

2nd base: Ryne Sandberg Honorable mention goes to Joe Morgan

Shortstop: Ozzie Smith Honorable mention goes to Omar Vizquel

3rd base: Brooks Robinson Honorable mention goes to Mike Schmidt

Right field: Roberto Clemente Honorable mention goes to Andre Dawson

Center field: Willie Mays Honorable mention goes to Ken Griffey Jr.

Left field: Barry Bonds

That's my list...your thoughts?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Nice list

But Roberto Alomar was a great second basemen, I’d put him in and give Ryno the Honorable mention. At pitcher, Maddux is a runaway, but for honorable mention, I’d go with more of a household name like Bob Gibson. In right, scratch Dawson and put in Ichiro. Seriously, the man’s 8 for 8 in gold gloves. Everything else would match my list.

"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti

by wrigleyrocker12 on Apr 19, 2009 9:37 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed that second base is one of the few issues,

but I would replace Ryno with Bill Mazeroski.

by Pat19 on Apr 19, 2009 9:45 PM CDT up reply actions

2nd is probably the most questionable

Morgan was not that good a fielder. He gets a bonus for the offense.

While he didn’t have the hitting, it could be argued that Frank White is the best 2nd baseman in the past 30-40 years. He was also playing on the fast turf in Kansas City.

by rlpete on Apr 20, 2009 6:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Frank White

He was on all of the Royals playoff teams and was always great with the glove. He was a decent hitter, but he didn’t walk nearly enough. He hit .255 for his career but only had an OBP of .293.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Apr 20, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed...Robbie Alomar is the greatest defensive 2nd baseman of all time

by BLou on Apr 20, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions

It is hard to think about Barry being one, but he was a great fielder in his time

in 2004, not so much

#34: You'll be missed!

by Chanman25 on Apr 20, 2009 6:47 AM CDT reply actions

Left field

I would consider Carl Crawford or Joe Rudi as alternatives in left field.

"It's a funny old world. Man's lucky if he gets out of it alive." W.C. Fields

by KedzieKid on Apr 20, 2009 9:19 AM CDT reply actions

"Fairly" Recent All-Defensive Team

This would be limited to players who played at some time in the major leagues since 1990:
Pitcher: Greg Maddux
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
First Base: Keith Hernandez (still around in 1990)
Second Base: Ryne Sandberg (slight nod over Alomar)
Third Base: Matt Williams
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith
Left Field: Barry Bonds
Center Field: Torii Hunter
Right Field: Andre Dawson

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Apr 20, 2009 9:20 AM CDT reply actions

You could also give CF to

Devon White.

by rlpete on Apr 20, 2009 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions

Recently...

I would say Rolen is/was the best at 3rd base.

by cubfanwill on Apr 20, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Another thought...

Nettles over Schmidt? Schmidt was good but Nettles may have been better.

by rlpete on Apr 20, 2009 9:52 AM CDT reply actions

Brooks Robinson at 3rd base, hands-down

Mike Schmidt won a lot of Gold Gloves, but he was not nearly in the league of Robinson at 3rd base. Craig Nettles was also a better defensive third baseman than Schmidt.

by BLou on Apr 20, 2009 11:55 AM CDT reply actions

Buddy Bell?

I didn’t see him play much in his prime because he played most of his career in the American League with Cleveland and Texas on teams that missed the playoffs. Before 1990, there wasn’t a lot of American League baseball available to those of us, who didn’t live near AL towns. He won gold gloves over Nettles many times. I don’t know if those gold gloves were justified or not. I was able to see Nettles a lot because he was with postseason teams with the Yankees and that brown and yellow team in the National League. I, myself, that Nettles was a little better defensively than Schmidt. I don’t know where Buddy Bell ranks.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Apr 20, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Thought Nettles Was Better Than Schmidt Defensively

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Apr 20, 2009 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions

As your point was defensive, I'm not so certain about

the catchers listed. Bench set the standard for how a catcher could hit and I-Rod was unusual because of his arm and his bat, but defensive catcher is more than just arm.

How the catcher calls the game, the pre-work with the starting pitcher, passed balls, etc. all plays into it. I would guess that Yadier Molina is a better defensive catcher than either Bench or Rodroguiz ever were.

if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand

by N Oakley on Apr 20, 2009 1:47 PM CDT reply actions

Rick Dempsey

There’s a guy who wasn’t much offensively. He did win the 1983 World Series MVP award with a surprisingly good performance with his bat. Dempsey handled a lot of good and great pitchers with Baltimore. Dempsey was a great receiver. He caught Cy Young award winners, Jim Palmer, Mike Flanagan, and Steve Stone. The Orioles were always in contention in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Apr 20, 2009 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Exactly

Odds are pretty good there is a .220 catcher who was great behind the plate who is the greatest, but didn’t have a 15 year carreer because of his bat.

if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand

by N Oakley on Apr 20, 2009 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions