Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter

Ranking the Shortstops

There was a time when Nomar Garciappara seemed destined for Cooperstown and better numbers than his rival Derek Jeter. A few years later, Jeter is clearly the better of the two, while ironically, the greatest shortstop in baseball history is playing alongside him in the Yankee infield, at third base.

♦  Most heroic, Travis ⇒
♦  Biggest overachiever, Eckstein ⇒
♦  Most disappointing career, Templeton ⇒

1.   Alex Rodriguez
2.   Honus Wagner
3.   Barry Larkin
4.   Lou Boudreau
5.   Robin Yount
6.   Luke Appling
7.   Arky Vaughan
8.   Derek Jeter
9.   Joe Cronin
10.   Cal Ripken Jr.
11.   Alan Trammell
12.   Willie Wells
13.   Hughie Jennings
14.   George Davis
15.   Vern Stephens
16.   Pee Wee Reese
17.   Phil Rizzuto
18.   Luis Aparicio
19.   Ozzie Smith
20.   Nomar Garciaparra
21.   Joe Sewell
22.   Cecil Travis
23.   Omar Vizquel
24.   Maury Wills
25.   Davey Concepcion
26.   Dave Bancroft
27.   Bobby Wallace
28.   Jim Fregosi
29.   Bill Dahlen
30.   Miguel Tejada
31.   Marty Marion
32.   Alvin Dark
33.   Joe Tinker
34.   Bert Campaneris
35.   Garry Templeton
36.   Julio Franco
37.   Art Fletcher
38.   Dick Bartell
39.   Tony Fernandez
40.   Dick Groat
41.   Billy Jurges
42.   Jack Glasscock
43.   Johnny Logan
44.   Johnny Pesky
45.   Rabbit Maranville
46.   Jay Bell
47.   Rico Petrocelli
48.   Ray Chapman
49.   Eddie Joost
50.   Travis Jackson
Where's Ernie?
Cubs' slugger Ernie Banks won two MVP Awards as a shortstop. But he played more games and far more innings at first base than he did at SS. He had six seasons at SS with 120+ games, and eight at 1B. He ranks 7th at first base.
Best of the Unranked
Herman Long
Shawon Dunston
Monte Ward
Billy Rogell
Roger Peckinpaugh
Leo Cardenas
Pop Lloyd
Larry Bowa
Donie Bush
Player/Manager SS's
Joe Cronin
Leo Durocher
Pop Lloyd
Jack Glasscock
Hughie Jennings
Lou Boudreau
Solly Hemus
Marty Marion
Don Kessinger
Best with the Glove
Ozzie Smith
Chico Carrasquel
Omar Vizquel
Mark Belanger

Little Shortstops not named Pee Wee
Freddie Patek
David Eckstein
The White Sox have had three shortstops who've played at least 1,500 games for them: Luke Appling, Ozzie Guillen, and Luis Aparicio... Brooklyn's Pee Wee Reese received MVP votes in 13 of his 16 seasons... Joe Tinker is one of just three Hall of Famers who died on his birthday.
Biggest Flake
Whether he was wearing a raincoat on the field, playing pranks on his teammates, or pantomiming the motion of his pitcher, Rabbit Maranville was always entertaining on the field. He wasn't too shabby with the glove either, which led him to the Hall of Fame.
Rabbit Maranville's page ⇒

"It will take Alan a couple of years to get everything together, and when he does he'll control the game. The great shortstops all control the game."
— Sparky Anderson, 1980

Alan Trammell's page ⇒
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