The Baseball Scholar

4 responses to “100 Greatest Third Baseman of All-Time”

1. 

   Don Rockwell

   April 28, 2019 at 9:50 pm

   Respectfully, putting Brooks Robinson at #10 seems to contradict your very first sentence – assuming you’re ranking in order, you’re placing an enormous premium on, not just hitting, but specifically *power hitting*, in your selection … which is fine, as long as you realize you’re doing that.

   Cheers,
   DR

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2. 

   Ray R.

   May 19, 2019 at 3:04 am

   I agree with the previous comment, looks like you didn’t factor In defense and longevity. Robinson being 10th is a disgrace. He is 3rd all time for any position player (greatest defensive 3rd baseman). He played 800 games over Rolen (5 full mlb season). If you are not on the field, you can’t help your team win. Rolen was a good player, but didn’t get enough at bats due to numerous injuries. Also find your placement of Adrian Beltre too low. He is 10th all time in dWar for any position player (2nd to Robinson for 3rd baseman); 1st among 3rd baseman in hits, rbi, and total bases; 3rd among 3rd baseman in home runs (yes, has more than Jones). Adrian was a good to great two way player; whereas, Jones was only an offensive player (has a negative dWar). There is a reason Adrian has a much higher JAWS score over Jones.

   Also need to look at how many games were played at 3rd base. Defensive games at 3rd base – Robinson (2870), Beltre (2759), Boggs (2215), Schmidt (2212), Mathews (2181), Rolen (2023), Chipper Jones (1992), Brett (1692), and Home Run Baker (1548). Robinson has played the most games at 3rd base (he has played the most games at any one single position). Compare Robinson to Home Run Baker – 1300 game differential. Beltre has played basically 800 more games at 3rd base over Jones and 1067 over Brett (6.6 full mlb seasons is not an insignificant number). I propose one needs to play the position to be one of its greatest. Therefore, Robinson and Beltre have been undervalued.

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   1. 

      Jay S Friedman

      November 12, 2021 at 11:54 am

      I agree with the previous posters that you seem to place a premium on hitting. As such you have left out the great Billy Cox at 3rd, active on the Brooklyn Dodgers during the late ’40s and early ’50s. Casey Stengel considered him to be a better fielder than even Brooks Robinson.

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3. 

   Anonymous

   June 9, 2025 at 3:53 pm

   Came to say the same thing as the others here about Brooks Robinson. I guess defense doesn’t matter.

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