The Best Third Baseman in Each MLB Franchise's History

This is the fourth slideshow in my series running down the top players at each position in each team's history, and this one will focus on third basemen.

In case you missed them, the first three slideshows were on catchers, first basemen, and second basemen. Here are the links to those articles:

The Best Catcher in Each MLB Franchise's History

The Best First Baseman in Each MLB Franchise's History

The Best Second Baseman in Each MLB Franchise's History

My only restriction for these rankings is that only the stats that a player had for the team he is representing will be considered.

For example, take the case of Scott Rolen.

He is definitely one of the better third basemen of all time, both offensively and defensively.

However, his career is pretty evenly split between the Phillies and the Cardinals.

So, while he may have had a better career than the player I chose from the Cardinals, he did not have a better Cardinals career.

I was astounded by one team in particular here, and that was the Oakland Athletics, as they have had some fantastic third basemen through the years.

The most difficult choice, by far, was with the Braves, as Chipper Jones and Eddie Mathews are both among the top 10 of all time in my opinion.

On the catcher's slideshow, I wondered if anyone else would represent two teams, as Carlton Fisk was my choice for both the Red Sox and White Sox. Then Eddie Collins joined him, as I chose him at second for the Athletics and the White Sox.

We now have a third player joining them, and that man is Matt Williams.

As always, this has been an unnecessarily long introduction, and I appreciate you sticking it out with me. I look forward to hearing about my notable exclusions, as there are always a few, as well as any other comments you may have.

I want to thank everyone for making this series so successful to this point, and I hope you continue to follow it. With that, let's get on with the slideshow.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Matt Williams

Years With Team: 1998-2003
Stats With Team: .278 BA, 99 HR, 381 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .963
162-Game Average: .278 BA, 27 HR, 104 RBI
Accolades: 1x All-Star

While his tenure with the Diamondbacks was an injury-riddled one, when he was healthy, Williams was a force in the middle of their lineup.

His 1999 season showed what he was capable of if he could stay healthy, as he posted a .303 BA, 35 HR, 142 RBI season and finished third in NL MVP voting.

Statistically, he is third in almost every offensive category as far as his Diamondbacks career numbers are concerned, behind Luis Gonzalez and Steve Finley.

If Chad Tracy could ever settle in as the third baseman instead of moving all over the field, he could take this spot. Troy Glaus was also solid in his one season with the Diamondbacks, hitting 37 HR with 97 RBI.

Atlanta Braves: Chipper Jones

Years With Team: 1993, 1995-Now
Stats With Team: .310 BA, 416 HR, 1406 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .953
162-Game Average: .310 BA, 32 HR, 109 RBI
Accolades: 6x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, 1x MVP

Two of the best to ever set foot at third base came from the Braves in Jones and Eddie Mathews, and that made this an incredibly difficult choice.

Mathews' career numbers with the Braves were .273 BA, 493 HR, 1388 RBI, numbers good enough to make him the choice for virtually any other team.

However, Jones has him beat in everything but HR, and he has a good chance to pass him in that too before his career is over.

Jones is arguably the third best switch hitter of all time, behind Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray.

He has been a consistent hitter since he was first called up, topping the .300 mark in all but four of his full seasons and launching at least 20 HR the past 14 seasons.

Terry Pendleton and his 1991 MVP award deserve a mention here as well.

Baltimore Orioles: Brooks Robinson

Years With Team: 1955-1977
Stats With Team: .267 BA, 268 HR, 1357 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .971
162-Game Average: .267 BA, 15 HR, 76 RBI
Accolades: 15x All-Star, 16x Gold Glove, 1x MVP, Hall of Fame

One of the few players whose defense was so sensational, he could very well have been a .200 hitter and still been an All-Star.

That said, Robinson could hit a little too, as he topped 20 HR six different times, including his MVP season of 1964.

In '64, he hit .317 BA, 28 HR, 118 RBI, all of which were career highs, as he led the American League in RBI.

He also won the World Series MVP in 1970 as he hit .429 BA, 2 HR, 6 RBI during the five-game series against the Reds, while putting on a clinic defensively, robbing the talented Reds lineup of hits time and again.

Harold Klift hit 170 HR over 10 seasons with the the St. Louis Browns and is worthy of a mention here.

Boston Red Sox: Wade Boggs

Years With Team: 1982-1992
Stats With Team: .338 BA, 85 HR, 687 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .962
162-Game Average: .338 BA, 9 HR, 69 RBI
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 6x Silver Slugger, Hall of Fame

Aside from maybe Tony Gwynn, there was no better hitter in the 1980s than Boggs, as he won five batting titles, including four in a row from 1985-1988.

He hit over .300 in 10 of his 11 seasons with the Red Sox and topped the .350 mark five times, with a high of .368.

He also hit 422 doubles in his time with the Red Sox, showing he was more than just a slap hitter. He hit a fluke 24 HR in 1987, as that was his only season in double digits in his 11 seasons with the team.

Six-time All-Star Frank Malzone, as well as Hall of Famer Jimmy Collins, deserve a mention here, as the Red Sox have certainly had some good ones. Even Mike Lowell deserves a nod.

Chicago Cubs: Ron Santo

Years With Team: 1960-1973
Stats With Team: .279 BA, 337 HR, 1290 RBI
Fielding Percentage:
162-Game Average: .279 BA, 26 HR, 98 RBI
Accolades: 9x All-Star, 5x Gold Glove

While Ernie Banks might be Mr. Cub, Santo is the Chicago Cubs. He has poured his entire life into the team, and it is never more evident than in his animated reactions on radio broadcasts.

He was a lock for at least a .280 BA, 25 HR, 90 RBI during his time with the Cubs, and he was the sort of player who gave his all day in and day out.

He topped 30 HR four straight seasons from 1964-1967, as he was one of the game's best power hitters at the time.

Santo had a fantastic career, and while his numbers are borderline Hall of Fame-worthy, his character and great off-the-field contributions should be enough to push him over the top. Here's hoping the next Hall of Fame vote is the time for Mr. Santo.

Aramis Ramirez and Stan Hack deserve a mention here, but the choice had to be Santo.

Chicago White Sox: Robin Ventura

Years With Team: 1989-1998
Stats With Team: .274 BA, 171 HR, 741 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .958
162-Game Average: .274 BA, 22 HR, 96 RBI
Accolades: 1x All-Star, 5x Gold Glove

After a college career at Oklahoma State where he was a three-time All-American and put together a Div. I-record 58-game hitting streak, Ventura went to the White Sox with the 10th pick in the 1988 draft.

By 1990, at the age of 22, he was the unquestioned starter at third for the Sox, and in 1991 he established himself as one of the best in the league with a .284 BA, 23 HR, 100 RBI season and a Gold Glove as well.

While he never quite made the jump to superstar status, he was a solid power hitter, as well as the best I have ever seen at charging a ground ball, barehanding it, and throwing the guy out at first.

Bill Melton and his 154 HR in just eight seasons deserve a mention, as does the recently departed Joe Crede.

Cincinnati Reds: Heinie Groh

Years With Team: 1913-1921
Stats With Team: .298 BA, 17 HR, 408 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .967
162-Game Average: .298 BA, 2 HR, 55 RBI

Considering what a long and successful history the Reds have had, it was slim pickins at this position.

I could have taken the easy way out and put Pete Rose here, but he played mostly outfield with the Reds, so that is where I will put him.

I will not claim to know a whole lot about Groh, but he has decent numbers. He hit over .300 four times and led the NL in OBP and doubles in 1917 and 1918.

The only other guy who I considered here was Chris Sabo, and while his career started off strong with a ROY award, he never really became the star many thought he would.

Cleveland Indians: Ken Keltner

Years With Team: 1937-1944, 1946-1949
Stats With Team: .276 BA, 163 HR, 850 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .965
162-Game Average: .276 BA, 17 HR, 91 RBI
Accolades: 7x All-Star

This was a tough one between Keltner and Al Rosen, and really it was a toss-up, but I went with Keltner because his run production numbers were a little better.

A full-time player by the age of 21, Keltner was a solid run producer with good power and a decent glove as well.

He hit double-digit HR eight times, but his best season came in 1948, which was his last full season.

At the age of 31, Keltner hit .297 BA, 31 HR, 119 RBI, marking a career high for HR and RBI as he capped off a stellar career with a 12th-place MVP finish.

Brook Jacoby made a pair of All-Star appearances and hit 120 HR during his Indians tenure and is worthy of a mention.

Colorado Rockies: Vinny Castilla

Years With Team: 1993-1999, 2004, 2006
Stats With Team: .294 BA, 239 HR, 745 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .965
162-Game Average: .294 BA, 35 HR, 110 RBI
Accolades: 2x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger

Castilla, albeit in large part due to the Coors effect, put up some staggering numbers for the Rockies in the late 1990s.

From 1996-1998 he hit at least .300 BA, 40 HR, 100 RBI, with his 1998 season standing out from the pack.

Thanks to McGwire and Sosa breaking records, Castilla's .319 BA, 46 HR, 144 RBI season went largely unnoticed, as he finished 10th, fourth, and third respectively in the Triple Crown categories.

After making stops with three different teams, Castilla rejoined the Rockies for a year in 2004 and earned himself a big contract with a .271 BA, 35 HR, 131 RBI season as he led the NL in RBI.

Garrett Atkins has had some good seasons but is still far from putting up the sort of numbers that Castilla did.

Detroit Tigers: George Kell

Years With Team: 1946-1952
Stats With Team: .325 BA, 25 HR, 414 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .969
162-Game Average: .325 BA, 5 HR, 81 RBI
Accolades: 5x All-Star, Hall of Fame

While he was not your prototypical power hitting third basemen, Kell posted a fantastic average year in and year out, as he hit over .300 in six of his seven seasons with the team.

He captured the batting title in 1949 when he hit .343. He followed that up with a .340 average the next season, as he led the AL in hits (218) and doubles (56) while also driving in a career-high 101 runs.

The next season, 1941, he again led the American League in hits (191) and doubles (36) while hitting a solid .319.

Travis Fryman deserves a mention, as he was the lone bright spot on some absolutely terrible Tigers teams of the 1990s.

Florida Marlins: Mike Lowell

Years With Team: 1999-2005
Stats With Team: .272 BA, 143 HR, 578 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .974
162-Game Average: .272 BA, 24 HR, 95 RBI
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger

While Miguel Cabrera is arguably the best player the Marlins have ever had, Lowell has to be the pick at third.

Cabrera came up as a shortstop and then spent some time in left field before moving to third, so he was more of a utility guy with the Marlins.

Lowell was a solid run producer, and the Yankees landed three top prospects when they dealt Lowell to the Marlins, none of which panned out.

In his seven seasons with the team, he hit over 20 HR four times and drove in 100-plus twice.

His best season came in 2003, as he hit .276 BA, 32 HR, 105 RBI, winning the Silver Slugger and helping lead the Marlins to a World Series title.

Houston Astros: Doug Rader

Years With Team: 1967-1975
Stats With Team: .250 BA, 128 HR, 600 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .956
162 Game Average: .250 BA, 18 HR, 83 RBI
Accolades: 5x Gold Glove

A tough choice here between Rader and Ken Caminiti, and although Caminiti was a good fielder with a great arm, Rader won five straight Gold Gloves and has to be the pick here.

He was also a lock for 20 HR and 80 RBI at a time when those numbers made you a power hitter.

He struck out a lot and never hit over .257, but his defense and power make him the pick at a weak position in Astros history.

Kansas City Royals: George Brett

Years With Team: 1973-1993
Stats With Team: .305 BA, 317 HR, 1595 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .951
162-Game Average: .305 BA, 19 HR, 95 RBI
Accolades: 13x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger, 1x MVP, Hall of Fame

Brett was one of the finest hitters to ever play the game, and his success and longevity were unbelievable.

He is the only player to win a batting title in three different decades, as he won one in 1976, 1980, and 1990.

His 1980 season was a memorable one. He made a legitimate run at .400, finishing the season at .390 to go along with 24 HR and 118 RBI, as he took home the AL MVP.

He was a first ballot Hall of Famer, with 3,154 career hits, as he hit over .300 in 11 different seasons.

Joe Randa and Kevin Seitzer were both average players, nowhere near the caliber of Brett, but they were next in line in team history.

Los Angeles Angels: Troy Glaus

Years With Team: 1998-2004
Stats With Team: .253 BA, 182 HR, 515 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .952
162-Game Average: .253 BA, 36 HR, 101 RBI
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger

Glaus gets the nod here over Doug DeCinces, who was the Angels' third baseman throughout the 1980s and hit 130 HR.

Glaus had a ton of power, hitting over 40 HR in back-to-back seasons in 2000 and 2001. His 47 bombs in 2000 led the American League.

Perhaps his biggest accomplishments have come in the postseason. He has nine career postseason HR in only 19 games. He took home the 2002 World Series MVP with a line of .385 BA, 3 HR, 8 RBI in seven games.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Ron Cey

Years With Team: 1971-1982
Stats With Team: .264 BA, 228 HR, 842 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .961
162-Game Average: .262 BA, 25 HR, 92 RBI
Accolades: 6x All-Star

Aside from Mike Schmidt, Cey was the best third baseman in the National League throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, as he was a consistent power threat in the middle of some good Dodger lineups.

He hit over 20 HR in seven of his 10 full seasons, with his best season coming in 1977, when he hit 30 HR and had 110 RBI.

Coincidentally, he also registered the lowest average of his career in 1977, hitting only .241. Nonetheless, he finished eighth in NL MVP voting that season.

Adrian Beltre deserves a mention, as he was a solid fielder with great power, especially in his final season with the team, when he led the NL with 48 HR and scored a big free agent contract.

Milwaukee Brewers: Paul Molitor

Years With Team: 1978-1992
Stats With Team: .303 BA, 160 HR, 790 RBI, 412 SB
Fielding Percentage: .950
162-Game Average: .303 BA, 14 HR, 69 RBI, 36 SB
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, Hall of Fame

While he spent the better part of his career at DH, he was mostly used as a third baseman during his time with the Brewers.

Molitor had a whopping 2,281 hits in his 15 seasons with the Brewers, an average of 198 over 162 games.

He had decent power, with double-digit home runs nine different times, and he was also a great base stealer, logging over 30 swipes eight times.

His 3,319 career hits are ninth most all time, and he was a deserving first ballot Hall of Famer.

Jeff Cirillo and four-time All-Star Don Money are worthy of mention, as the Brewers have had some great third basemen during their short tenure as a franchise.

Minnesota Twins: Gary Gaetti

Years With Team: 1981-1990
Stats With Team: .256 BA, 201 HR, 758 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .965
162-Game Average: .256 BA, 24 HR, 90 RBI
Accolades: 2x All-Star, 4x Gold Glove

Gaetti is one of the best third basemen of the last 30 years, as he combined impressive power with great defense and did so for 20 seasons.

He was instrumental in turning around the Twins franchise, as he combined with Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek to form a dangerous middle of the lineup.

During the 1987 season, he hit 31 HR with 109 RBI, and then carried over that success into the playoffs, where he had three HR and nine RBI for the eventual World Series champs.

Eddie Yost, who played for the then Senators, had 101 career HR and is worthy of mention here.

New York Mets: David Wright

Years With Team: 2004-Now
Stats With Team: .313 BA, 134 HR, 528 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .953
162-Game Average: .313 BA, 28 HR, 111 RBI
Accolades: 3x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger

Generally when someone is only 26, he still has some work to do to prove themselves as one of the best. Wright is one of the rare exceptions to that, as he hit the ground running when his career started and is one of the best players in the game today.

He has hit .300 BA, 25 HR, 100 RBI in each of his full seasons thus far, with his best power numbers coming last season with 33 HR and 125 RBI.

The scary thing is that he has room to improve still, and before it is all said and done, I think Wright will be in the same conversation as Brett and Schmidt as the best third baseman of all time.

Howard Johnson put up some big power numbers with the Mets, including an NL-high 38 HR and 117 RBI in 1991, but he also had a career average of .251 and was not the fielder Wright is.

New York Yankees: Graig Nettles

Years With Team: 1973-1983
Stats With Team: .253 BA, 250 HR, 834 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .961
162 Game Average: ,253 BA, 27 HR, 88 RBI
Accolades: 5x All-Star

While A-Rod's numbers jump out at you, Nettles had 33 more HR and 188 more RBI while playing better defense in the process.

I assure you, this pick has little to do with steroids. I truly believe Nettles is deserving of this selection.

He had at least 15 HR in all 11 of his seasons with the Yankees and over 20 HR nine times.

He led the AL in HR in 1976 with 33 and followed that up with a career-high 37 HR and 107 RBI the next season.

Clete Boyer is also worthy of a mention, although his numbers do not stack up to the other two.

Oakland Athletics: Eric Chavez

Years With Team: 1998-Now
Stats With Team: .268 BA, 229 HR, 777 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .969
162-Game Average: .268 BA, 29 HR, 98 RBI
Accolades: 6x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger

This team may be the deepest at this postion, as I had to choose between Chavez, Sal Bando, Carney Lansford, and Hall of Famer Frank "Home Run" Baker.

In the end, though, Chavez was the most complete player, as he combined superior defense with great power.

He won six straight Gold Gloves from 2001-2006. Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment was remaining with the Athletics.

As he watched guys like Giambi, Tejada, Damon, Dye, Zito, Mulder, Hudson, and many more leave because the A's could not afford to pay them, they were more than happy to shell out the money to keep Chavez. That is a compliment in itself.

Had it not been for persistent injuries, we would be talking about him as one of the best ever, but as it is, he is still a very good third baseman.

Philadelphia Phillies: Mike Schmidt

Years With Team: 1972-1989
Stats With Team: .267 BA, 548 HR, 1595 RBI, 174 SB
Fielding Percentage: .955
162-Game Average: .267 BA, 37 HR, 107 RBI
Accolades: 12x All-Star, 9x Gold Glove, 6x Silver Slugger, 3x MVP, Hall of Fame

This pick and George Brett for the Royals were probably the two biggest no-brainers of this entire slideshow.

Schmidt was the power hitter of his generation and one of the best of all time. He led the NL in HR eight times and RBI four times.

He won his first MVP in 1980 when he hit .286 and posted career highs with 48 HR and 121 RBI. He won the award unanimously.

He followed that great season up by taking home his second MVP in the strike-shortened 1981 season, this time with a career-high .316 BA to go along with 31 HR and 91 RBI, both NL highs.

His final MVP award came in 1986 at the age of 36, when he hit .290 and again led the league with 37 HR and 119 RBI.

Not only was he a great hitter, but he was also a perennial Gold Glove winner, and in my opinion is the best third baseman of all time.

Willie Jones, the Phillies' third baseman during the 1950s, had 180 HR and 753 RBI in his 13 seasons as a Phillie and is deserving of a mention. Scott Rolen deserves a mention as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Pie Traynor

Years With Team: 1920-1937
Stats With Team: .320 BA, 58 HR, 1273 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .947
162-Game Average: .320 BA, 5 HR, 106 RBI
Accolades: 2x All-Star, Hall of Fame

Traynor was the first truly great third baseman to play the game, as he set the standard for run producing from the hot corner.

He topped the 100 RBI mark seven times in an era when run scoring was incredibly low.

He also registered double-digit triples in 11 of his 17 seasons and finished his career with an impressive 164 three-baggers.

His batting average was over .300 10 times, with a high of .366 in 1930. However, he never won a batting title during his career.

Bill Madlock and his two batting titles, as well as Richie Hebner's 128 HR, are worthy of mention here.

San Diego Padres: Phil Nevin

Years With Team: 1999-2005
Stats With Team: .288 BA, 156 HR, 573 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .938
162-Game Average: .288 BA, 31 HR, 115 RBI
Accolades: 1x All-Star

At his peak, Nevin was one of the best hitters in the game. That peak was incredibly short-lived, however, due to injury.

In 2000, coming off a breakout 25 HR, 85 RBI season in his first year as a starter, Nevin took the next step as he became one of the league's top power threats with a .303 BA, 31 HR, 107 RBI season.

He followed that up with a very impressive .306 BA, 41 HR, 126 RBI season the following year as he made his only All-Star appearance.

He had just 12 and 13 HR the next two seasons, and while he managed a solid .289 BA, 26 HR, 105 season in his final year with the Padres, he would never approach the numbers he put up in 2001 again.

Ken Caminiti and his steroid-driven .326 BA, 40 HR, 130 RBI MVP season in 1996, as well as Gary Sheffield, who won a batting title in 1992 with a .330 BA, are worthy of a mention.

San Francisco Giants: Matt Williams

Years With Team: 1987-1996
Stats With Team: .264 BA, 247 HR, 732 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .963
162-Game Average: .264 BA, 36 HR, 106 RBI
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove, 3x Silver Slugger

Probably the best third baseman in the National League during his time with the Giants, Williams combined impressive power with a stellar glove.

Williams hit at least 20 HR in all seven of his full seasons with the Giants and topped 30 four different times.

His best season came during the strike-shortened 1994 year, as he finished with 43 HR in just 112 games, putting him on pace to tie Roger Maris' mark of 61 HR—certainly one of the top "what could have been" situations in MLB history.

Jim Davenport, a Giant from the 1960s, as well as Darrell Evans, earn a mention here.

Seattle Mariners: Jim Presley

Years With Team: 1984-1989
Stats With Team: .250 BA, 115 HR, 418 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .949
162-Game Average: .250 BA, 23 HR, 85 RBI
Accolades: 1x All-Star

It was really between Presley and Adrian Beltre, and after what a disappointment Beltre has been, the pick is Presley for sure here.

Despite a short career that was over at the age of 29, Presley had decent power and managed 115 HR in just five-and-a-half seasons with the Mariners.

He had at least 24 HR and 84 RBI during a three-year stretch, with his best season coming in 1986 when he had 27 HR and 107 RBI, making his only All-Star appearance in the process.

St. Louis Cardinals: Ken Boyer

Years With Team: 1955-1965
Stats With Team: .293 BA, 255 HR, 1001 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .952
162-Game Average: .293 BA, 25 HR, 97 RBI
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 5x Gold Glove, 1x MVP

Probably the second best third baseman not currently in the Hall of Fame, behind Santo, Boyer has impressive career numbers and a glove to match.

In 11 seasons with the Cardinals, he topped 20 HR and 100 RBI eight times. He also hit over .300 five times, as he was more than just a power hitter.

His best season run production-wise came in 1964, when he hit 24 HR and had 119 RBI, leading the league in RBI and taking home the MVP in the process.

Scott Rolen and Whitey Kurkowski, who played in the 1940s and had a Cardinals career line of .286 BA, 106 HR, 529 RBI, are worthy of mention.

Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria

Years With Team: 2008-Now
Stats With Team: .286 BA, 43 HR, 146 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .963
162-Game Average: .286 BA, 36 HR, 124 RBI
Accolades: 1x All-Star, ROY

Just 23 years old, Longoria is on his way to being one of the best third basemen the game has ever seen.

There have been few players who were as major league-ready as Longoria was when the Rays called him up last season, as he did not miss a beat making the jump from the minors to the show.

While he disappeared in the World Series, he launched six home runs in the ALDS and ALCS combined and drove in 13.

He is only going to get better and should settle in as a consistent .300, 30, 100 guy with potential for more.

A special mention to Wade Boggs, who collected his 3,000th hit as a member of the Rays and is the only player in team history with his number retired.

Texas Rangers: Buddy Bell

Years With Team: 1979-1985, 1989
Stats With Team: .293 BA, 87 HR, 499 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .964
162-Game Average: .293 BA, 15 HR, 84 RBI
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 6x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger

Rangers history is loaded with a number of high power, low average, poor fielding third basemen—guys like Dean Palmer, Steve Buechele, and Ken McMullen. Bell stands out from the pack with his strong fielding and high average.

In his eight seasons with the Rangers, he was good for at least 10 HR and 60 RBI every year while winning six straight Gold Gloves.

His best offensive season came in 1979, when he hit .299 BA, 18 HR, 101 RBI to go along with 42 doubles, as he finished 10th in the MVP voting.

He also finished sixth in the AL in batting in 1980 with an impressive .329 average and fourth in 1984 with a .314 average.

Although he is inconsistent, Hank Blalock is worth a mention here for his multiple All-Star trips.

Toronto Blue Jays: Kelly Gruber

Years With Team: 1984-1992
Stats With Team: .259 BA, 114 HR, 434 RBI, 80 SB
Fielding Percentage: .955
162-Game Average: .259 BA, 20 HR, 76 RBI, 14 SB
Accolades: 2x All-Star, 1x Gold Glove, 1x Silver Slugger.

Gruber gets the nod over Ed Sprague, mainly becasue of Gruber's monster season in 1990 and his Gold Glove the same season.

After making the All-Star team for the first time in 1989 and finishing that season with a respectable line of .290 BA, 18 HR, 73 RBI, Gruber went nuts in 1990.

He posted an amazing line of .274 BA, 31 HR, 118 RBI with a solid .512 slugging percentage.

While he hit 20 HR the next season, he came nowhere near the numbers he put up in 1990 and was out of baseball by 1993.

Washington Nationals: Tim Wallach

Years With Team: 1980-1992
Stats With Team: .259 BA, 204 HR, 905 RBI
Fielding Percentage: .959
162-Game Average: .259 BA, 19 HR, 83 RBI
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger

A staple at third for the Expos, Wallach averaged 153 games a season in his time with the team, as he was reliable if nothing else.

He had 10 double-digit HR seasons, with his high coming in 1982 when he hit 28 bombs.

His best all-around season, however, was 1987, when he hit .298 BA, 26 HR, 123 RBI and also led the league with 42 doubles. He finished fourth in MVP voting that season as well.

Ryan Zimmerman is currently the face of the Nationals franchise and continues to improve, so he may take over this spot before too long.