• The Greatest Fielding 3B Of All-Time Is…

    Posted by on December 2nd, 2012 · Comments (10)

    First, start with this list -

    Rk Player Rfield From To Age G
    1 Brooks Robinson 292 1955 1977 18-40 2896
    2 Adrian Beltre 187 1998 2012 19-33 2115
    3 Scott Rolen 175 1996 2012 21-37 2038
    4 Buddy Bell 174 1972 1989 20-37 2405
    5 Clete Boyer 160 1955 1971 18-34 1725
    6 Robin Ventura 156 1989 2004 21-36 2079
    7 Graig Nettles 141 1967 1988 22-43 2700
    8 Mike Schmidt 128 1972 1989 22-39 2404
    9 Gary Gaetti 127 1981 2000 22-41 2507
    10 Wade Boggs 104 1982 1999 24-41 2440
    11 Terry Pendleton 100 1984 1998 23-37 1893
    12 Matt Williams 91 1987 2003 21-37 1866
    13 Aurelio Rodriguez 90 1967 1983 19-35 2017
    14 Jeff Cirillo 85 1994 2007 24-37 1617
    15 Ken McMullen 80 1962 1977 20-35 1583
    16 Ken Boyer 74 1955 1969 24-38 2034
    17 Evan Longoria 71 2008 2012 22-26 637
    18 Tim Wallach 66 1980 1996 22-38 2212
    19 Joe Crede 63 2000 2009 22-31 888
    20 Ken Keltner 60 1937 1950 20-33 1526
    21 Bill Bradley 58 1901 1915 23-37 1304
    22 Doug DeCinces 56 1973 1987 22-36 1649
    23 Ryan Zimmerman 52 2005 2012 20-27 990
    24 Willie Kamm 50 1923 1935 23-35 1693
    25 Art Devlin 46 1904 1913 24-33 1313
    26 Eric Soderholm 45 1971 1980 22-31 894
    27 Jimmy Collins 45 1901 1908 31-38 955
    28 Eric Chavez 44 1998 2012 20-34 1491
    29 Larry Gardner 44 1908 1924 22-38 1923
    30 Red Rolfe 40 1931 1942 22-33 1175
    31 Jack Hannahan 37 2006 2012 26-32 505
    32 Corey Koskie 37 1998 2006 25-33 989
    33 Scott Brosius 37 1991 2001 24-34 1146
    34 Sal Bando 37 1966 1981 22-37 2019
    35 Home Run Baker 35 1908 1922 22-36 1575
    Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
    Generated 12/2/2012.

    .
    And, then, sort it by Fielding Runs/Game and you get this leader board:

    Rk Player Rfield From To Age G Rfield/G
    1 Evan Longoria 71 2008 2012 22-26 637 0.1115
    2 Brooks Robinson 292 1955 1977 18-40 2896 0.1008
    3 Clete Boyer 160 1955 1971 18-34 1725 0.0928
    4 Adrian Beltre 187 1998 2012 19-33 2115 0.0884
    5 Scott Rolen 175 1996 2012 21-37 2038 0.0859
    6 Robin Ventura 156 1989 2004 21-36 2079 0.0750
    7 Jack Hannahan 37 2006 2012 26-32 505 0.0733
    8 Buddy Bell 174 1972 1989 20-37 2405 0.0723
    9 Joe Crede 63 2000 2009 22-31 888 0.0709
    10 Mike Schmidt 128 1972 1989 22-39 2404 0.0532
    11 Terry Pendleton 100 1984 1998 23-37 1893 0.0528
    12 Jeff Cirillo 85 1994 2007 24-37 1617 0.0526
    13 Ryan Zimmerman 52 2005 2012 20-27 990 0.0525
    14 Graig Nettles 141 1967 1988 22-43 2700 0.0522
    15 Gary Gaetti 127 1981 2000 22-41 2507 0.0507
    16 Ken McMullen 80 1962 1977 20-35 1583 0.0505
    17 Eric Soderholm 45 1971 1980 22-31 894 0.0503
    18 Matt Williams 91 1987 2003 21-37 1866 0.0488
    19 Jimmy Collins 45 1901 1908 31-38 955 0.0471
    20 Aurelio Rodriguez 90 1967 1983 19-35 2017 0.0446
    21 Bill Bradley 58 1901 1915 23-37 1304 0.0445
    22 Wade Boggs 104 1982 1999 24-41 2440 0.0426
    23 Ken Keltner 60 1937 1950 20-33 1526 0.0393
    24 Corey Koskie 37 1998 2006 25-33 989 0.0374
    25 Ken Boyer 74 1955 1969 24-38 2034 0.0364
    26 Art Devlin 46 1904 1913 24-33 1313 0.0350
    27 Red Rolfe 40 1931 1942 22-33 1175 0.0340
    28 Doug DeCinces 56 1973 1987 22-36 1649 0.0340
    29 Scott Brosius 37 1991 2001 24-34 1146 0.0323
    30 Tim Wallach 66 1980 1996 22-38 2212 0.0298
    31 Willie Kamm 50 1923 1935 23-35 1693 0.0295
    32 Eric Chavez 44 1998 2012 20-34 1491 0.0295
    33 Larry Gardner 44 1908 1924 22-38 1923 0.0229
    34 Home Run Baker 35 1908 1922 22-36 1575 0.0222
    35 Sal Bando 37 1966 1981 22-37 2019 0.0183

    Wow. I knew that Longoria was good. But, I had no idea he was that good with the leather. And, of course, those O’s teams were maybe the best fielding team of all-time with Brooks Robinson, Mark Belanger and Paul Blair.

    Filed under Baseball History,Greatest Fielding,Season Finders · ·

    Comments on The Greatest Fielding 3B Of All-Time Is…

    1. Corey
      December 2nd, 2012 | 10:08 am

      Wow. I knew that Longoria was good. But, I had no idea he was that good with the leather.
      ——————–
      Keep in mind that Longoria’s current Fielding Runs/Game stat doesn’t include the his decline years yet (but Brooks Robinson’s does) where defense will most assuredly go down. We have to see where he ends up down the line. This also applies for each one of these themed posts.

      Also, older guys are handicapped by this because when they are too old to play defense they can now be shifted over to the DH role.
    2. redbug
      December 2nd, 2012 | 11:05 am

      To me, Nettles came right after Robinson.

      I remember a playoff game where Guidry wasn’t at his best (maybe an injury?). Nettles was a vacuum. Nettles should’ve been given the W.
    3. Steve L.
      December 2nd, 2012 | 11:11 am

      @ redbug:
      IIRC, that was the 1978 World Series.
    4. Steve L.
      December 2nd, 2012 | 11:12 am

      @ Corey:
      Has anyone on this list, post-1973 players, seen a lot of time at DH? I doubt it since the filter I used was played 80% of career games at 3B.
    5. Evan3457
      December 2nd, 2012 | 11:18 am

      Steve L. wrote:

      @ redbug:
      IIRC, that was the 1978 World Series.

      It was both the 1978 ALCS and an even better one in the 1978 World Series.

      In the World Series, it was game 3, and it turned the whole series. Game 4 in the ALCS.
    6. Corey
      December 2nd, 2012 | 12:03 pm

      Steve L. wrote:

      Has anyone on this list, post-1973 players, seen a lot of time at DH? I doubt it since the filter I used was played 80% of career games at 3B.

      I meant what I said as more of a forward looking statement. I could totally see Longo shifting to a DH role later in his career.
    7. Raf
      December 2nd, 2012 | 12:56 pm

      Steve L. wrote:

      @ Corey:
      Has anyone on this list, post-1973 players, seen a lot of time at DH? I doubt it since the filter I used was played 80% of career games at 3B.

      The only 3B I can remember seeing extensive time @ DH was Edgar Martinez, and he wasn’t a great defensive 3B. Brett was another one, IIRC. I didn’t think he was that bad (couldn’t have been worse than Wade Boggs) and I am a bit surprised not to see him on the list.

      I do agree with the overall point that as more games are played, the numbers will be normalized a bit.
    8. #15
      December 2nd, 2012 | 3:41 pm

      Since we are talking 3rd baggers… and it’s topical… Please bring back Chavy.

      I like #20 on the leader board…. A-Rod… You go girl!

      Puff’s stats were probably hurt by playing too long out a need for cash.
    9. KPOcala
      December 8th, 2012 | 11:20 pm

      @ redbug:The game you’re referring to Guidry was gassed because he was starting on short rest because of the one day playoff w/Boston. That was an unreal series that Nettles had. I don’t remember anyone having one better. I didn’t see the series that made Brooks famous, but I’ve read that he was a black hole…..
    10. KPOcala
      December 8th, 2012 | 11:23 pm

      @ Raf: How is Boggs even on the list?

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