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Vote for your MLB all-time starting lineup: Shortstops

Wagner, Jeter
Honus Wagner (left), Derek Jeter (right). (Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Reuters)

Over the next two weeks, amNewYork Metro 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:

  • Leave your choice under the corresponding article on amNewYork Metro’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
  • 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. 

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 AMNewYork 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

AMNY 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

AMNY 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

AMNY 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)

AMNY 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)

AMNY 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

AMNY 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

AMNY 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

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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

AMNY 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)

AMNY 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

AMNY average: 24.57

Accolades: 2x (’82, ’89) AL MVP, 3x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 3x Silver Slugger, Hall of Fame