Who are some of your favorite Major League Baseball shortstops, all-time?

[LA RAM FAN]

As our country's lock down drags on and on and on, I'm getting more and more hungry for live baseball. ANY baseball at this point, I would even watch a game of wiffle ball of players aged 80+, completely covered in protective wear. Anyway, this would be your favorites who played shortstop for their whole careers, or mostly at that position. My picks - 1) Honus Wagner, a great hitter AND great defensive player. I wish I had gotten to see him play. 2) Ozzie Smith, never much of a hitter, but he was THE best defensive player at that position, IMO. Some footage of him making seemingly impossible plays in the field is just amazing to watch. 4) Ernie Banks, although he DID play first base exclusively in his later seasons, he made his name at shortstop. And he had unbelievable power for a player at that position. 5) Cal Ripken, Jr., we all know about his incredible streak of games played, he was also very good defensively, and was a good hitter, as well. So, here are my favorites, who are some of yours?

Can't wait for you to ask what was the best WS you ever watched. Back in the day when the game was played.
Not like today with those 1 year contracts for HR hitters that can't play worth shit. I could rant on that one.

At least you like Americas game. Nothing like baseball.

Thanks. Best World Series IS a very good idea.

86’ is my vote

VERY understandable. I still think Bill Buckner got FAR too bad a rap for that play. He was a very good hitter throughout his career and NORMALLY very good defensively. My own favorite WS is 2001. Being a D-Backs fan since their inception, and living in Phoenix at the time make this an easy choice for me. My second favorite is 2005. I've been a White Sox fan since 1970, this series was beautiful to behold. The White Sox are my favorite team, followed closely by the D-Backs.

Big Unit fan, eh? LOL.
1967 Cards over Red Sox Bob Gibson MVP. Should have beat the Tigers in 1968.

Yep, Randy Johnson WAS a sight to see, and one of the greatest pitchers ever. He's still THE tallest MLB player ever, at 6 foot,10 inches. He must have been something to bat against.

Let’s see we have gone from Pete rose to now pitchers like randy Johnson as the topic now.getting back to the topic now,yeah I never got to see Wagner or Ernie banks either but yeah,sure would love to have had the chance. Thewiard of oz Ozzie smith as well of course,especially when he was with the padres,The fact this thread is about favorite shortstops,I am flabbergasted that Dave conception of the big red machine has not been mentioned but especially really baffled even more so that two really greats were not mentioned,Alan trammel and the iron man cal Ripken.the Ironman who broke Lou Gehrig’s record for most consecutive starts.an incredible feat since he played the most punishing position of all shortstop. I also liked Freddie Patek of the kc royals.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Buddy Harrelson (NY Mets - 1969)
Bucky Dent (NY Yankees - 1978)

Bucky Dent! Yeah!

I was going to mention him as well but I only liked him when he was with the Chicago white Sox,he broke my heart when he hit that three run homer in that one game playoff against the Red Sox and was the principal cause keeping the Red Sox from going to the World Series that year and the fucking Yankees going there for the third year in a row. You knew once the Yankees beat the Red Sox in that game,they were going to win the World Series for the second time in a row you knew the Red Sox were the best team that could beat them.that the yanks and Sox were the the two best teams in baseball that year.carl yamstreski really let the city of Boston down,had his foul ball only gone into the stands,who knows with him getting another chance at gossage,that he might have pulled off another George Brett feat,we’ll probably not that,but maybe a double or something,sucks that well Never know.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

AROD was the all around GOAT. It’s not even a debate

He WAS a great player, no doubt about that. But those stories of his steroidal use will always be there.

The roids hurts his legacy in most circles, but before he bulked up he was an amazing 5 tool player. Barry Bonds was on his level, but I give it to AROD because it’s much harder to play shortstop than left field.

I still have that issue with many roid heads. It made some good ball which can't be denied. Took a lot for me to finally give in about Barry Bonds actions. Still hate him for it.

And I think A-Rod SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame when he's eligible. The allegations of his steroid use seemed kind of sketchy to me. And he didn't really LOOK like someone taking steroids. Barry "Big Head" Bonds, on the other hand, gained at LEAST 60-70 lbs. of bulk and muscle, and his head really DID get bigger. His hat size actually increased, which is HIGHLY abnormal. There's no question in my mind he used steroids.

A-Rod tested positive

Thanks. I just think he never LOOKED like he was juicing, compared to Barry "Big Head" Bonds.

Yeah even though I did not like Alex,I don’t think he juiced as McGuire and liar bonds did.both who disgraced the game same way the cheatriots have disgraced football

 

[QuickHitCurepon]

Bert Campaneris was pretty cool to watch while the A's played when I was a kid.

 

[eddiew]

As our country's lock down drags on and on and on, I'm getting more and more hungry for live baseball. ANY baseball at this point, I would even watch a game of wiffle ball of players aged 80+, completely covered in protective wear. Anyway, this would be your favorites who played shortstop for their whole careers, or mostly at that position. My picks - 1) Honus Wagner, a great hitter AND great defensive player. I wish I had gotten to see him play. 2) Ozzie Smith, never much of a hitter, but he was THE best defensive player at that position, IMO. Some footage of him making seemingly impossible plays in the field is just amazing to watch. 4) Ernie Banks, although he DID play first base exclusively in his later seasons, he made his name at shortstop. And he had unbelievable power for a player at that position. 5) Cal Ripken, Jr., we all know about his incredible streak of games played, he was also very good defensively, and was a good hitter, as well. So, here are my favorites, who are some of yours?

Pee Wee Reese on the Bklyn dodgers and Phil Rizzuto on the yanks were both great

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Jim Fregosi

Nice choice. I liked him, he was a good solid player, and later a good manager, as well. I have an interesting story about Jim Fregosi. My dad took me to a White Sox/Angels game in, I believe, 1969, possibly 1970. The White Sox were absolutely horrible at the time, and my dad was able to afford seats very close to the field, just a few rows up from the visiting team's on-deck circle. Fregosi, who was the Angels' shortstop at the time, came to the on-deck circle. Suddenly this crazy man, who my dad later told me was obviously VERY drunk, began LOUDLY shouting at Fregosi. I distinctly remember him shouting something like, "Hey, FREGOSKI, you're a f*ckin' bum!" "Get your ass off the field, you shouldn't even be in the big leagues!" This went on for the time Fregosi was in the on-deck circle, at one point he gripped his bat VERY tightly and looked like he wanted to come into the stands after the guy. Luckily this didn't happen, and security came to take the guy away. I'll never forget this, even though I was probably just 8 years old at the time. It was the first time I had seen anyone who was obviously drunk in a public place, and most likely the first time I had ever heard the word f*ck, or a variation of it. (This WAS 1969 or '70.) What a crazy experience that was!

I always thought he was an underrated manager as well,had he been the manager of the Yankees back in the ninetys,they still would have won four straight World Series titles and fregosisname would constantly be mentioned as one of the all time greats. Torre wasn’t that good a manager,he just had the talent to make him look good,baseball and football are different than basketball,in basketball it is essential to have a good coach to be a good team, football and baseball not so,you can be great an win all the time without a good coach as long as you have good talent to work with.

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

And I think A-Rod SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame when he's eligible. The allegations of his steroid use seemed kind of sketchy to me. And he didn't really LOOK like someone taking steroids. Barry "Big Head" Bonds, on the other hand, gained at LEAST 60-70 lbs. of bulk and muscle, and his head really DID get bigger. His hat size actually increased, which is HIGHLY abnormal. There's no question in my mind he used steroids.

Barry Bonds an extreme steroid user? Gee, do ya' think?

 

[eddiew]

And I think A-Rod SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame when he's eligible. The allegations of his steroid use seemed kind of sketchy to me. And he didn't really LOOK like someone taking steroids. Barry "Big Head" Bonds, on the other hand, gained at LEAST 60-70 lbs. of bulk and muscle, and his head really DID get bigger. His hat size actually increased, which is HIGHLY abnormal. There's no question in my mind he used steroids.

Barry Bonds an extreme steroid user? Gee, do ya' think?

McGuire gained some weight too

 

[Meister]

AROD was the all around GOAT. It’s not even a debate

He WAS a great player, no doubt about that. But those stories of his steroidal use will always be there.

The roids hurts his legacy in most circles, but before he bulked up he was an amazing 5 tool player. Barry Bonds was on his level, but I give it to AROD because it’s much harder to play shortstop than left field.

I still have that issue with many roid heads. It made some good ball which can't be denied. Took a lot for me to finally give in about Barry Bonds actions. Still hate him for it.

And I think A-Rod SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame when he's eligible. The allegations of his steroid use seemed kind of sketchy to me. And he didn't really LOOK like someone taking steroids. Barry "Big Head" Bonds, on the other hand, gained at LEAST 60-70 lbs. of bulk and muscle, and his head really DID get bigger. His hat size actually increased, which is HIGHLY abnormal. There's no question in my mind he used steroids.

A shot of Barry before and after being juiced

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

VERY understandable. I still think Bill Buckner got FAR too bad a rap for that play. He was a very good hitter throughout his career and NORMALLY very good defensively

Bill Buckner led the league in hitting in 1980 and led the major leagues in doubles the next season.
I'm prejudiced because I went to the same high school as Buckner and was in the same class as his younger
brother, Jim. But one play should not define his career.
His error opened the door for the Mets, but the Red Sox as a whole failed to close it.
The collapse was a team effort.

 

[eddiew]

As our country's lock down drags on and on and on, I'm getting more and more hungry for live baseball. ANY baseball at this point, I would even watch a game of wiffle ball of players aged 80+, completely covered in protective wear. Anyway, this would be your favorites who played shortstop for their whole careers, or mostly at that position. My picks - 1) Honus Wagner, a great hitter AND great defensive player. I wish I had gotten to see him play. 2) Ozzie Smith, never much of a hitter, but he was THE best defensive player at that position, IMO. Some footage of him making seemingly impossible plays in the field is just amazing to watch. 4) Ernie Banks, although he DID play first base exclusively in his later seasons, he made his name at shortstop. And he had unbelievable power for a player at that position. 5) Cal Ripken, Jr., we all know about his incredible streak of games played, he was also very good defensively, and was a good hitter, as well. So, here are my favorites, who are some of yours?

Pee Wee Reese on the Bklyn dodgers and Phil Rizzuto on the yanks were both great

Marty "slats" Marion on the Cards in the Stan Musiel days

 

[rightwinger]

VERY understandable. I still think Bill Buckner got FAR too bad a rap for that play. He was a very good hitter throughout his career and NORMALLY very good defensively

Bill Buckner led the league in hitting in 1980 and led the major leagues in doubles the next season.
I'm prejudiced because I went to the same high school as Buckner and was in the same class as his younger
brother, Jim. But one play should not define his career.
His error opened the door for the Mets, but the Red Sox as a whole failed to close it.
The collapse was a team effort.

The score was tied when the ball went through his legs. No guarantee the Sox would have won

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

I was in the Bay Area during the Bonds juicing years. A bigger prick never put on a major league uniform.
His career was a tribute to steroids.

 

[rightwinger]

I was in the Bay Area during the Bonds juicing years. A bigger prick never put on a major league uniform.
His career was a tribute to steroids.

I hate Bonds but don’t blame him for juicing

In the early to mid 90s if you asked who the best players in baseball were you would have gotten Bonds and Griffey Jr and nobody else close
After 98 with McGuire and Sosa, Bonds wasn’t even mentioned in the top 10. Bonds was clean and he knew they were cheating.

Instead of investigating obvious cheating, MLB made heroes of Steroid players.

Bonds just said.......if this is how the game is played today, I’ll show you steroids.

Bonds just did it better than everyone else

 

[eddiew]

Hank AAron was great and the outfielder on Pitt Clemente who died in a plane crash both not on steriods

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

In the early to mid 90s if you asked who the best players in baseball were you would have gotten Bonds and Griffey Jr and nobody else close
After 98 with McGuire and Sosa, Bonds wasn’t even mentioned in the top 10. Bonds was clean and he knew they were cheating.

Instead of investigating obvious cheating, MLB made heroes of Steroid players.

Bonds just said.......if this is how the game is played today, I’ll show you steroids.

Bonds just did it better than everyone else

That's the sort of rationalizing and justifying that greases up the slippery slope and makes all sorts of
illegal and unethical actions possible.
That's probably what Al Capone thought when he became a bootlegging gangster.
"If all these guys can form gangs and crime syndicates well I guess I should too."

That's how you make society better, right?

I do think MLB was MIA when it came to steroids, not wanting to kill the fan interest in a Sosa vs McGuire home run duel. But Barry Bonds became a big headed freakish monster and you could maybe rationalize
Sosa and McGuire as just big guys who both got hot at the same time and one inspired the other.

No way you could say that about Barry Bonds. Plus unlike Sosa & McGuire, Bonds was an unlikable prick.
I'll never forget how he hit one of his milestone home runs at home and when he came to home plate
only his son (as bat boy) was there to greet him and Bonds absolutely ignored him and walked past him
like he didn't exist.

Have fun never entering Cooperstown, Big Head.

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

Hank AAron was great and the outfielder on Pitt Clemente who died in a plane crash both not on steriods

Roberto Clemente was undoubtedly the best outfielder I've ever seen.

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

The score was tied when the ball went through his legs. No guarantee the Sox would have won

No guarantee claimed.

 

[eddiew]

Hank AAron was great and the outfielder on Pitt Clemente who died in a plane crash both not on steriods

Roberto Clemente was undoubtedly the best outfielder I've ever seen.

I saw Willie Mays

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

I saw Willie Mays

So did I. Many many times as a Bay Area resident, though I always hated the Giants.
I stand by my comments on Roberto Clemente. Mays had more power than Roberto...but that's
about it. Clemente was a better fielder, better arm, better base runner, better hitter. Period!