Similar to catcher and second base, shortstop has traditionally been a position that managers prefer a strong defensive player to man. But since Cal Ripken and his 6 foot 4 inch 200 pound frame burst onto the scene in the early 80s we’ve seen plenty of more than capable offensive first players who also played quality defense. Like both catcher
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To say a third baseman needs to be a good hitter is like saying a pitcher has to have a good fastball. The first player associated with the long ball, Frank “Home Run” Baker, was a third baseman. Players like Brooks Robinson and Ken Boyer set the precedence for a good glove to accompany a good bat. Two of the
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The gold standard of second baseman is Rogers Hornsby. Sure Nap Lajoie and Eddie Collins provided offense from the second base position prior to Hornsby’s arrival but their offensive production, as does every other second baseman since Hornsby, pales in comparison. It wasn’t until Joe Morgan joined the Big Red Machine that another second baseman made a similar offensive impact
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Year after year, across the league, first base is a position where some of the games biggest bats play. It started in the late 1800s with Cap Anson, Roger Connor, and Dan Brouthers. With Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera on the back side of hall of fame careers, some are calling todays crop of first baseman second rate. When the
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Catcher is one of the most difficult positions in all of sports. The list of responsibilities for a catcher is extensive. If a player demonstrates quality defensive ability most teams are willing to accept his shortcomings at the plate. The man who can handle both the defensive and offensive aspects equally well is incredibly rare. Players like Johnny Bench, Yogi
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This is the Texas Rangers all-time roster. I decided to select two players for each infield position, six outfielders (regardless of specific position), and one designated hitter for each AL team. Hitters had to have a minimum of 1,500 plate appearance. For pitching, we selected seven starting pitchers, three non-closers, and two closers. Starting pitchers had to start at least
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This is a list of the Texas Rangers best single seasons by position. I decided to select two players for each infield position, six outfielders (regardless of specific position), and one designated hitter for each AL team. Hitters had to play at least 51% of games at their position. For pitching, we selected seven starting pitchers, three non-closers, and two
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