All-Time Positional Rankings

[HoustonGM]

So, I'm "gearing up" to hopefully become a voter for the Hall of Merit at Baseball Think Factory. I've got a lot of work to do before, though, and I'm starting off with ranking their inductees at each position, which they've done previously. After I do that, I've got to get on ranking the rest of the guys that I think have any shot, as their elections consist of submitting a ranked 15 player ballot. So, I figured, as I'm doing the position rankings, I'll post them for you guys to see/discuss. I started with third base (the position with the least inductees) just to get my feet wet. I'm abstaining from ranking the Negro Leaguers right now, as I don't consider myself knowledgeable enough, and haven't started digging into all the information they (the HoM electorate) have made available.

Anyway, below are my temporary third base rankings. I say temporary because I'm still reading through tons of info from the HoM on these guys. My 1-4 are set in stone, but below that is subject to change once I wade through more info. I don't really have any peak, prime, or career preferences. I love a great long career (Paul Molitor), and I love a great peak without much career (Frank Baker), and I also love a decent sized career with a great prime (Ron Santo).

1. Mike Schmidt
2. Eddie Mathews
3. Wade Boggs
4. George Brett
5. Jud Wilson
6. Frank Baker
7. Ron Santo
8. Heinie Groh
9. Dick Allen
10. Brooks Robinson
11. Paul Molitor
12. Jimmy Collins
13. Ezra Sutton
14. Darrell Evans
15. John Beckwith
16. John McGraw
17. Stan Hack
18. Graig Nettles
19. Ken Boyer

[kenny1234]

Would you have voted for all 17?

[kellys11]

Brooks Robinson needs to be moved up. The guy may have been the best defensive 3rd baseman ever adn could hit.

[reflections]

Brooks Robinson needs to be moved up. The guy may have been the best defensive 3rd baseman ever adn could hit.

The guy right above Brooks could be argued to have been the best defensive 3rd baseman, and that was when gloves were crap. And he could also hit too.

[HoustonGM]

Would you have voted for all 17?

Not sure on that yet, but I my first instinct is towards yes. (But, later on, I'll explain why that's different than a "yes" vote on the Hall of Fame)

Brooks Robinson needs to be moved up. The guy may have been the best defensive 3rd baseman ever adn could hit.

He had a couple very good years with the bat, but overall was just a slightly above average hitter. I originally had him lower but have moved him up a few times.

The guy right above Brooks could be argued to have been the best defensive 3rd baseman, and that was when gloves were crap. And he could also hit too.

I think the best defensive third basemen is between Robinson and Jimmy Collins.

By the way, I updated them slightly, adding in the two Negro leaguers, who are more "temporary" than any of the other rankings as I'm still only partially through the HoM threads on these guys.

[bucher34]

No Ventura? If you haven't already noticed from previous threads I am very big on the guy.

[HoustonGM]

No Ventura? If you haven't already noticed from previous threads I am very big on the guy.

I'm ranking only the guys that the HoM has inducted. Ventura's first year on the ballot is next year.

[KowboyKoop]

A lot of times, Royals fans call George Brett the greatest 3B of all time...and I just laugh and laugh and laugh. It's amazing to me how far ahead of the pack Schmidt and Matthews are, IMO...they are in their own elite tier, I'd say.

[HoustonGM]

A lot of times, Royals fans call George Brett the greatest 3B of all time...and I just laugh and laugh and laugh. It's amazing to me how far ahead of the pack Schmidt and Matthews are, IMO...they are in their own elite tier, I'd say.

Without a doubt. I also think Brett and Boggs are basically interchangeable. I've flip-flopped them back and forth a few times now.

[justanewguy]

How can the Hall of Merit have Graig Nettles but not Ron Cey?

[justanewguy]

A lot of times, Royals fans call George Brett the greatest 3B of all time...and I just laugh and laugh and laugh. It's amazing to me how far ahead of the pack Schmidt and Matthews are, IMO...they are in their own elite tier, I'd say.

Agreed. George Brett was a great player, but Schmidt and Matthews are ridiculous. Schmidt is easily among the greatest *players* of all time, let alone greatest 3B. He was even the best player in baseball for a few seasons out of his career.

Matthews was/is insanely underrated, both when he played, and still to this day.

Those guys are no-brainers for 1-2 in this list.

[reflections]

Not sure on that yet, but I my first instinct is towards yes. (But, later on, I'll explain why that's different than a "yes" vote on the Hall of Fame)


He had a couple very good years with the bat, but overall was just a slightly above average hitter. I originally had him lower but have moved him up a few times.


I think the best defensive third basemen is between Robinson and Jimmy Collins.

By the way, I updated them slightly, adding in the two Negro leaguers, who are more "temporary" than any of the other rankings as I'm still only partially through the HoM threads on these guys.

That's what I love about baseball, there is so much history you always bound to forget a name or two.
Love the addition of the 2 Negro Leaguers, although I would have added Ray Dandridge over Beckwith.

[HoustonGM]

How can the Hall of Merit have Graig Nettles but not Ron Cey?

Career length. Besides that, skimming through the Ron Cey discussion, it seems a fair amount of the voters, while admitting Cey was a very good defender at third, believe Nettles was MUCH better.

In Nettles case, he got in in 2006, which didn't have any very strong first ballot candidates except Will Clark, who was overwhelmingly the top choice. Nettles was third, but just barely ahead of Reggie Smith and Bucky Walters. He's one of the weaker guys in the HoM (and when the HoM ranked their third basemen, they ranked him 17th with Boyer 18th. McGraw wasn't in yet.)

[dps]

Nettles and McGraw are both under-rated, IMO, though in some ways they're opposites--Nettles' peak wasn't very high, but he was good for a long time, whereas McGraws had a short career, but a really high peak (fueled partly by what was an extremely high walk rate for the time).

[justanewguy]

I smell Anti-Ron Cey bias.