Editor’s note: This article first appeared on AMNY.com.
Over the next two weeks, Metro Philadelphia and AMNewYork will be asking you, the readers, to help piece together Major League Baseball’s all-time starting lineup by voting who you think is the very best player at each position.
Each day, you will be given a list of 10 players per position where you can choose one (1) option.
Those looking to vote can submit their choices in several ways:
- Send your vote via email to sports editor Joe Pantorno at joseph.pantorno@metro.us
- Reach out to Pantorno on Twitter @JoePantorno
In our fifth installment today, we take a look at 10 of the top shortstops in MLB history.
- Check out and vote for our starting pitchers here.
- Check out and vote for our starting first basemen here.
- Check out and vote for our starting second basemen here.
- Check out and vote for our starting third basemen here.
Players up for consideration on our all-time shortstop list had to play at least 1,000 career MLB games at the position.
We were left with 135 players who were put through the Metro vacuum, which included:
- Wins Above Replacement (WAR)
- Defensive WAR (dWAR)
- Batting average (BA)
- On-base plus slugging percentage (OPS)
- Home runs (HR)
- Hits
- Runs batted in (RBI)
Taking their ranks within each statistic, an average number was deciphered. The lower the average number was, the better their standing.
Players with additional individual accolades, positive defensive metrics, and postseason successes were given an additional boost — allowing us to come to a list of 10 players that are considered the very best at their position.
Without further ado, here is today’s ballot for you to vote on, in alphabetical order:
Ernie Banks
Years active: 1953-1971
Team: Chicago Cubs
Stats: 67.8 WAR, 5.1 dWAR, .274 BA, .830 OPS, 2,583 hits, 512 HR (23rd all-time), 1,636 RBI
Metro average: 27.85
Accolades: 2x (1958-59) NL MVP, 14x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, Hall of Fame
Barry Larkin
Years active: 1986-2004
Team: Cincinnati Reds
Stats: 70.5 WAR, 14.4 dWAR, .295 BA, .815 OPS, 2,340 hits, 198 HR, 960 RBI
Metro average: 20.42
Accolades: 1995 NL MVP, 12x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove, 9x Silver Slugger, 1x World Series, Hall of Fame
Derek Jeter
Years active: 1995-2014
Team: New York Yankees
Stats: 71.3 WAR, -9.4 dWAR, .310 BA, .817 OPS, 3,465 hits (6th all-time), 260 HR, 1,311 RBI
Metro average: 25
Accolades: 1995 AL Rookie of the Year, 14x All-Star, 5x Gold Glove, 5x Silver Slugger, 5x World Series, 2000 World Series MVP, Hall of Fame
Cal Ripken Jr.
Years active: 1981-2001
Teams: Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 95.9 WAR, 35.7 dWAR (4th all-time), .276 BA, .788 OPS, 3,184 hits, 431 HR, 1,695 RBI (28th all-time)
Metro average: 9.28
Accolades: 1982 AL Rookie of the Year, 2x (1983, 1991) AL MVP, 19x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove, 8x Silver Slugger, 1x World Series, MLB record 2,632 consecutive games played, Hall of Fame
Alex Rodriguez
Years active: 1994-2016
Teams: Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees
Stats: 117.5 WAR (12th all-time), 10.4 dWAR, .295 BA, .930 OPS, 3,115 hits (22nd all-time), 695 HR (4th all-time), 2,086 RBI (3rd all-time)
Metro average: 14.71
Accolades: 3x (’03, ’05, ’07) AL MVP, 14x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove, 10x Silver Slugger, 1995 AL batting champion (.368), 1x World Series
Ozzie Smith
Years active: 1978-1996
Teams: San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals
Stats: 76.9 WAR, 44.2 dWAR (1st all-time), .262 BA, .666 OPS, 2,460 hits, 28 HR, 793 RBI
Metro average: 45.85
Accolades: 15x All-Star, 13x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger, 1x World Series, MLB record-holder for assists, double plays, total chances, Hall of Fame
Alan Trammell
Years active: 1977-1996
Teams: Detroit Tigers
Stats: 70.7 WAR, 22.7 dWAR, .285 BA, .767 OPS, 2,365 hits, 185 HR, 1,003 RBI
Metro average: 18.85
Accolades: 6x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove, 3x Silver Slugger, 1x World Series, 1984 World Series MVP, Hall of Fame
Arky Vaughan
Years active: 1932-1948
Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers
Stats: 78.0 WAR, 12.0 dWAR, .318 BA, .859 OPS, 2,103 hits, 96 HR, 926 RBI
Metro average: 25.14
Accolades: 9x All-Star, 1935 batting champion (.385), batted .300 or better in 12 of his 14 MLB seasons, Hall of Fame
Honus Wagner
Years active: 1897-1917
Teams: Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats: 130.8 WAR (7th all-time), 21.3 dWAR, .328 BA (35th all-time), .858 OPS, 3,420 hits (8th all-time), 101 HR, 1,732 RBI (23rd all-time), 723 stolen bases (10th all-time)
Metro average: 11.57
Accolades: 8x NL batting champion, 13 seasons with a .320 batting average or better, batted .381 in 1900, 8 seasons with at least 40 stolen bases, Hall of Fame
Robin Yount
Years active: 1974-1993
Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 77.3 WAR, 6.8 dWAR, .285 BA, .772 OPS, 3,142 hits (20th all-time), 251 HR, 1,406 RBI
Metro average: 24.57
Accolades: 2x (’82, ’89) AL MVP, 3x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 3x Silver Slugger, Hall of Fame
