• The Greatest Fielding Catcher Of All-Time Is…

    Posted by on December 6th, 2012 · Comments (3)

    First, start with this list -

    Rk Player Rfield From To Age G
    1 Ivan Rodriguez 146 1991 2011 19-39 2543
    2 Jim Sundberg 114 1974 1989 23-38 1962
    3 Gary Carter 112 1974 1992 20-38 2295
    4 Bob Boone 106 1972 1990 24-42 2264
    5 Yadier Molina 86 2004 2012 21-29 1082
    6 Brad Ausmus 80 1993 2010 24-41 1971
    7 Johnny Bench 75 1967 1983 19-35 2158
    8 Charles Johnson 73 1994 2005 22-33 1188
    9 Rick Dempsey 71 1969 1992 19-42 1766
    10 Steve Yeager 70 1972 1986 23-37 1269
    11 Del Crandall 70 1949 1966 19-36 1573
    12 Ron Karkovice 62 1986 1997 22-33 939
    13 Clay Dalrymple 62 1960 1971 23-34 1079
    14 Charlie O’Brien 58 1985 2000 25-40 800
    15 Butch Wynegar 54 1976 1988 20-32 1301
    16 Tom Pagnozzi 50 1987 1998 24-35 927
    17 Kirt Manwaring 47 1987 1999 21-33 1008
    18 Tony Pena 46 1980 1997 23-40 1988
    19 Mike LaValliere 46 1984 1995 23-34 879
    20 Ray Schalk 46 1912 1929 19-36 1762
    21 Randy Hundley 42 1964 1977 22-35 1061
    22 Rick Wilkins 41 1991 2001 24-34 720
    23 Sherm Lollar 40 1946 1963 21-38 1752
    24 Lance Parrish 39 1977 1995 21-39 1988
    25 Mike Scioscia 38 1980 1992 21-33 1441
    26 Jody Davis 38 1981 1990 24-33 1082
    27 Jeff Mathis 37 2005 2012 22-29 497
    28 Jason LaRue 36 1999 2010 25-36 922
    29 Dan Wilson 33 1992 2005 23-36 1299
    30 Russell Martin 32 2006 2012 23-29 925
    31 Bruce Benedict 32 1978 1989 22-33 982
    32 Thurman Munson 32 1969 1979 22-32 1423
    33 Mike Ryan 32 1964 1974 22-32 636
    34 Henry Blanco 31 1997 2012 25-40 921
    35 Matt Wieters 31 2009 2012 23-26 509
    36 Paul Lo Duca 31 1998 2008 26-36 1082
    37 Benito Santiago 31 1986 2005 21-40 1978
    38 Yogi Berra 31 1946 1965 21-40 2120
    39 Humberto Quintero 30 2003 2012 23-32 422
    40 Mike Matheny 30 1994 2006 23-35 1305
    41 Steve Lake 30 1983 1993 26-36 476
    42 John Stearns 30 1974 1984 22-32 810
    43 Ed Bailey 30 1953 1966 22-35 1212
    44 Jose Molina 29 1999 2012 24-37 768
    45 Carlos Ruiz 29 2006 2012 27-33 733
    46 Jake Gibbs 29 1962 1971 23-32 537
    47 Alberto Castillo 27 1995 2007 25-37 418
    48 Carlton Fisk 27 1969 1993 21-45 2499
    49 Bill Freehan 27 1961 1976 19-34 1774
    50 Buddy Rosar 24 1939 1951 24-36 988
    Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
    Generated 12/6/2012.

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

    Rk Player Rfield From To Age G Rfield/G
    1 Yadier Molina 86 2004 2012 21-29 1082 0.0795
    2 Jeff Mathis 37 2005 2012 22-29 497 0.0744
    3 Charlie O’Brien 58 1985 2000 25-40 800 0.0725
    4 Humberto Quintero 30 2003 2012 23-32 422 0.0711
    5 Ron Karkovice 62 1986 1997 22-33 939 0.0660
    6 Alberto Castillo 27 1995 2007 25-37 418 0.0646
    7 Steve Lake 30 1983 1993 26-36 476 0.0630
    8 Charles Johnson 73 1994 2005 22-33 1188 0.0614
    9 Matt Wieters 31 2009 2012 23-26 509 0.0609
    10 Jim Sundberg 114 1974 1989 23-38 1962 0.0581
    11 Clay Dalrymple 62 1960 1971 23-34 1079 0.0575
    12 Ivan Rodriguez 146 1991 2011 19-39 2543 0.0574
    13 Rick Wilkins 41 1991 2001 24-34 720 0.0569
    14 Steve Yeager 70 1972 1986 23-37 1269 0.0552
    15 Jake Gibbs 29 1962 1971 23-32 537 0.0540
    16 Tom Pagnozzi 50 1987 1998 24-35 927 0.0539
    17 Mike LaValliere 46 1984 1995 23-34 879 0.0523
    18 Mike Ryan 32 1964 1974 22-32 636 0.0503
    19 Gary Carter 112 1974 1992 20-38 2295 0.0488
    20 Bob Boone 106 1972 1990 24-42 2264 0.0468
    21 Kirt Manwaring 47 1987 1999 21-33 1008 0.0466
    22 Del Crandall 70 1949 1966 19-36 1573 0.0445
    23 Butch Wynegar 54 1976 1988 20-32 1301 0.0415
    24 Brad Ausmus 80 1993 2010 24-41 1971 0.0406
    25 Rick Dempsey 71 1969 1992 19-42 1766 0.0402
    26 Randy Hundley 42 1964 1977 22-35 1061 0.0396
    27 Carlos Ruiz 29 2006 2012 27-33 733 0.0396
    28 Jason LaRue 36 1999 2010 25-36 922 0.0390
    29 Jose Molina 29 1999 2012 24-37 768 0.0378
    30 John Stearns 30 1974 1984 22-32 810 0.0370
    31 Jody Davis 38 1981 1990 24-33 1082 0.0351
    32 Johnny Bench 75 1967 1983 19-35 2158 0.0348
    33 Russell Martin 32 2006 2012 23-29 925 0.0346
    34 Henry Blanco 31 1997 2012 25-40 921 0.0337
    35 Bruce Benedict 32 1978 1989 22-33 982 0.0326
    36 Paul Lo Duca 31 1998 2008 26-36 1082 0.0287
    37 Mike Scioscia 38 1980 1992 21-33 1441 0.0264
    38 Ray Schalk 46 1912 1929 19-36 1762 0.0261
    39 Dan Wilson 33 1992 2005 23-36 1299 0.0254
    40 Ed Bailey 30 1953 1966 22-35 1212 0.0248
    41 Buddy Rosar 24 1939 1951 24-36 988 0.0243
    42 Tony Pena 46 1980 1997 23-40 1988 0.0231
    43 Mike Matheny 30 1994 2006 23-35 1305 0.0230
    44 Sherm Lollar 40 1946 1963 21-38 1752 0.0228
    45 Thurman Munson 32 1969 1979 22-32 1423 0.0225
    46 Lance Parrish 39 1977 1995 21-39 1988 0.0196
    47 Benito Santiago 31 1986 2005 21-40 1978 0.0157
    48 Bill Freehan 27 1961 1976 19-34 1774 0.0152
    49 Yogi Berra 31 1946 1965 21-40 2120 0.0146
    50 Carlton Fisk 27 1969 1993 21-45 2499 0.0108

    I would have expected to see Johnny Bench higher here. But, it’s still nice to see someone like Charlie O’Brien get some props on this list, nonetheless.

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

    Comments on The Greatest Fielding Catcher Of All-Time Is…

    1. Raf
      December 6th, 2012 | 7:35 pm

      You’d think Ivan Rodriguez, Gary Carter & Jose Molina would’ve placed higher. Don’t see Jamie Quirk there either.
    2. KPOcala
      December 8th, 2012 | 11:13 pm

      Surprise to see Bench so low. I think it would be more fun to see all the list that Steve compiled limited up to age 29. This way you’d see what some of these guys were really before they got hurt. For example I don’t remember seeing Munson when he first came up, but people whom I respect said he was great, ditto Yogi Berra. And catchers, really, like pitchers, usually are overworked in their youth and are shot by thirty. Just like pitchers you’ve got the exceptions, I-Rod of course, but other exceptions as well…….
    3. KPOcala
      December 8th, 2012 | 11:16 pm

      @ Raf: Raf, Jamie Quirk?!!

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