Glove Love: Major League Baseball's All-Time Fielding Team

Defense.

We understand how important this skill in every game that's played around the world. From football to soccer, lacrosse to boxing.

In baseball, players are often overlooked for their defense at certain positions, and are often praised only for the offensive skills. 

If Ted Williams, who many consider to be the greatest hitter the game has ever seen, but a mediocre defensive left fielder to boot, can get elected to the Hall of Fame without a cynical word—why couldn't second baseman Bill Mazerowski, the former Pittsburgh Pirate, inducted into Cooperstown in 2001, not escape criticism?

Mazerowski was considered the finest fielding second baseman in his era, though is largely remembered for the walkoff homerun that won the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees. But cries of cronyism prevailed when the Veterans Committee elected him to the Cooperstown. After all, how could a lifetime .260 hitter make it to the Hall of Fame?

In honor of Maz, I have decided to assemble the all-time greatest fielding team in baseball history by position.

First Base: Keith Hernandez

The former St. Louis Cardinal and New York Met first bagger made the position important for defense. True, Charles Comiskey revolutionized first base in the late 1800s, but Hernandez's great range and powerful arm, and his ability to charge homeplate on bunts made him unique. Sure, his cross-town rival Don Mattingly was close, and was clearly a better hitter, but Hernandez was more innovative and had the position down to a science. Eleven gold gloves is still a record.

Honorable mention: Mattingly, Comiskey Gil Hodges, J.T. Snow, Willie McCovey, Vic Power.

Second Base: Bill Mazerowski

Mazerowski simply dominated his position. Soft hands and great range characterized his career along with eight Gold Gloves. Actually, believe it or not, when I saw Pokey Reese play the position for the Reds several years back, I had never seen the kind of range that he displayed at the position. But I couldn't give it to a guy who didn't do it over an extended period of time. Robert Alomar won more Gold Gloves than anyone at second base, but I was never overly impressed with him.

Honorable mention: Joe Morgan, Frank White, Willie Randolph, Roberto Alomar, Ryne Sandberg, Bobby Richardson, Tommy Herr, and, believe it or not, Doug Flynn. 

Shortstop: Ozzie Smith

What a shock. No one could match the "Wizard of Oz" for his range, soft hands, and acrobatic moves. Ozzie was simply the best ever. With thirteen Gold Gloves, no one even competes. Interestingly, the second best I ever saw at that position was a player that only won one Gold Glove, the current White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillen. Go figure.

It was "Doc" Adams of the New York Knickerbockers who invented the shortstop position in 1848, not to add an extra infielding position but rather to "assist in relays from the outfield."

Honorable mention: Guillen, Omar Vizquel, Dave Concepcion, Rey Ordonez, Edgar Renteria, Mark Belanger and Tony Fernandez, Rabbit Marranville.

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