{"id":741,"date":"2008-10-02T06:00:42","date_gmt":"2008-10-02T13:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2008\/10\/02\/the-25-third-basemen-with-the-best-careers\/"},"modified":"2008-10-02T06:04:26","modified_gmt":"2008-10-02T13:04:26","slug":"the-25-third-basemen-with-the-best-careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2008\/10\/02\/the-25-third-basemen-with-the-best-careers\/","title":{"rendered":"The 25 Third Basemen With the Best Careers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are the 25 third basemen who had the best careers during the 20th century (as measured by the NEWS HOF Gauge).<\/em><\/p>\n

For a third baseman, a NEWS score of 260 is required to say that he has obvious HOF numbers.\u00c2\u00a0 There are only ten third basemen who posted these numbers.\u00c2\u00a0 I should note that third base and catcher are the positions that have the fewest number of players to have posted HOF numbers (ten) according to the NEWS Gauge.<\/p>\n

Please keep in mind that a player may not have obvious HOF numbers but may still be a deserving Hall of Famer for other reasons.<\/p>\n

All numbers include the 2007 season.
\nBold print = Hall of Famer<\/strong>
\nItalic = active player in 2008<\/em>
\nCWS = Career Win Shares
\nCV\u00c2\u00a0 =\u00c2\u00a0 Core Value (sum of win shares for 10 best seasons)
\nNEWS = Career Value\u00c2\u00a0 =\u00c2\u00a0 CV\u00c2\u00a0 +\u00c2\u00a0 .25(CWS – CV)<\/p>\n

The Third Basemen with Hall of Fame Numbers (NEWS = 260)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nPlayer<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n Years<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCV<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nNEWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.<\/strong><\/td>\nMike Schmidt<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n1972-1989 <\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n467<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n338<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n370<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/strong><\/td>\nEddie Mathews<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1952-1968 <\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n450<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		333<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		362<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/strong><\/td>\nGeorge Brett<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n1973-1993<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n432<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n296<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n330<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>Wade Boggs<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1982-1999<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n394<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n291<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n317<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/td>\nRon Santo<\/font><\/td>\n1960-1974<\/font><\/td>\n324<\/font><\/td>\n275<\/font><\/td>\n287<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>Frank Baker<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1908-1922<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n301<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n280<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n285<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.<\/em><\/td>\nChipper Jones<\/font>
\n<\/em><\/td>\n		1993-<\/font><\/em><\/td>\n327<\/font><\/em><\/td>\n269<\/font><\/em><\/td>\n284<\/em><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8.<\/td>\nDarrell Evans<\/font><\/td>\n1969-1989<\/font><\/td>\n363<\/font><\/td>\n253<\/font><\/td>\n281<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>Brooks Robinson<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1955-1977<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n356<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n247<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n274<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10.<\/td>\n<\/font>Stan Hack<\/font><\/td>\n1932-1947<\/font><\/td>\n316<\/font><\/td>\n256<\/font><\/td>\n271<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

As you can see, Mike Schmidt<\/strong> and Eddie Mathews<\/strong> had the best careers as third basemen in the 20th century \u00e2\u20ac\u201c with George Brett<\/strong> and Wade Boggs<\/strong> not too far behind.\u00c2\u00a0 I suspect that these four players being at the top of the list will come as a surprise to very few fans.<\/p>\n

Six of these ten players are in the Hall of Fame.\u00c2\u00a0 Yet, the fifth best third baseman of the century, Ron Santo<\/strong>, is not yet in Cooperstown.\u00c2\u00a0 Santo was the top vote-getter in the Veteran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Committee 2007 election with 69.5%.\u00c2\u00a0 And he is among the ten candidates in the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Post-1942\u00e2\u20ac\u009d group to be considered by the Committee in 2008.\u00c2\u00a0 Hopefully, he will be elected at that time.<\/p>\n

Darrell Evans<\/strong> is one of those truly underrated players.\u00c2\u00a0 Despite being one of only 82 players in the century with a NEWS score of 280, he got only 2% of the vote in his first year on the BBWAA HOF ballot in 1995.\u00c2\u00a0 He can now only be elected by the Veteran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Committee when he becomes eligible.<\/p>\n

Brooks Robinson<\/strong> is considered by many to be the best fielding third baseman of all time.\u00c2\u00a0 And I believe there are many fans who would argue that this fact alone entitles him to his spot in Cooperstown.<\/p>\n

Chipper Jones<\/strong> is still active and could improve on his numbers.\u00c2\u00a0 Indeed, he is having a fine 2008 season.\u00c2\u00a0 It would appear that before he retires he could easily become one of the top five third basemen of the century.<\/p>\n

Note that only two of these top ten third basemen played during the first half of the century: Frank Baker<\/strong> and Stan Hack<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Other Third Basemen in the Top 25<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are the other fifteen players who ranked among the top 25 third basemen of the century in terms of career value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nPlayer<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCV<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nNEWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11.<\/td>\nSal Bando<\/font><\/td>\n283<\/font><\/td>\n251<\/font><\/td>\n259<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12.<\/strong><\/td>\nJimmy Collins<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n274<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n242<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n250<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13.<\/td>\nHeinie Groh<\/font><\/td>\n272<\/font><\/td>\n243<\/font><\/td>\n250<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14.<\/td>\nBob Elliott<\/font><\/td>\n287<\/font><\/td>\n236<\/font><\/td>\n249<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15.<\/td>\nGraig Nettles<\/font><\/td>\n321<\/font><\/td>\n224<\/font><\/td>\n248<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16.<\/td>\nKen Boyer<\/font><\/td>\n279<\/font><\/td>\n235<\/font><\/td>\n246<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17.<\/em><\/td>\nScott Rolen<\/font>
\n<\/em><\/td>\n		246<\/em><\/font><\/td>\n239<\/font><\/em><\/td>\n241<\/font><\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18.<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>Pie Traynor<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		274<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n228<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n240<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19.<\/td>\nRon Cey<\/font><\/td>\n280<\/font><\/td>\n222<\/font><\/td>\n237<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20.<\/td>\nBuddy Bell<\/font><\/td>\n301<\/font><\/td>\n210<\/font><\/td>\n233<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21.<\/td>\nRobin Ventura<\/font><\/td>\n272<\/font><\/td>\n217<\/font><\/td>\n231<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22.<\/td>\nEd Yost<\/font><\/td>\n267<\/font><\/td>\n215<\/font><\/td>\n228<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
23.<\/td>\nLarry Gardner<\/font><\/td>\n258<\/font><\/td>\n211<\/font><\/td>\n223<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24.<\/td>\nKen Caminiti<\/font><\/td>\n242<\/font><\/td>\n212<\/font><\/td>\n220<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
25.<\/td>\n<\/font>Tim Wallach<\/font><\/td>\n248<\/font><\/td>\n202<\/font><\/td>\n214<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Scott Rolen<\/strong> is the only active player on this list.\u00c2\u00a0 And through 2007, he had only played for twelve seasons.\u00c2\u00a0 Barring further injuries, I think he has a decent chance to reach the 260 benchmark.<\/p>\n

There are two third basemen in the Hall of Fame who did not make it into the top 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Player<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCV<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nNEWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
George Kell<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		229<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		192<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n201<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fred Lindstrom<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		193<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		182<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n190<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

This means that there are a total of four third basemen in the Hall who do not have HOF numbers according to the NEWS Gauge: Jimmy Collins, Pie Traynor, Kell and Lindstrom.<\/p>\n

Ken Boyer<\/strong> was on the ballot for the 2007 Veteran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Committee.\u00c2\u00a0 He got only 11% of the vote and does not appear to have any chance of election to the Hall particularly since he was not selected for the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Post-1942\u00e2\u20ac\u009d ballot in 2008.<\/p>\n

For more information on the NEWS <\/st1>HOF<\/st1> Gauge, see BASEBALL\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S BEST: The TRUE Hall of Famers<\/a> <\/strong>on this site.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are the 25 third basemen who had the best careers during the 20th century (as measured by the NEWS HOF Gauge).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prof-hobans-hall-of-fame-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t