10. Lou Whitaker
Whitaker is one of the most underrated infielders ever. In a 19-year career, with the Detroit Tigers, he had a .276 average, 244 home runs, 1084 RBI, 1386 runs scored, 2369 base hits and 143 stolen bases. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1977.
He was also a very good defensive second basemen, winning three consecutive gold gloves in the mid 80's and was one of the best hitting infielders of his time. He won four Silver Slugging Awards and was selected to the All-Star team five times, starting at second for three of them.
9. Rod Carew
Carew was one of the greatest hitters of all-time. In his 19-year career with the Twins and Angels, he had a .328 average, 92 home runs, 1015 RBI, 1424 runs scored, 3053 base hits and 353 stolen bases. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1967 and was selected to 18 All-Star teams, starting at second for eight of them.
He won seven batting titles in his career, including four consecutive from 1972 until 1975. His best season came in 1977 when he won the AL MVP award, hitting .388 along with 14 home runs, 100 RBI's and 128 runs scored. Finally, he ranks 22nd all-time in total hits.
8. Craig Biggio
Biggio was one of the grittiest and biggest hustlers of all-time. In his 20-year career with the Houston Astros he had a .281 average, 291 home runs, 1175 RBI, 1844 runs scored, 668 doubles, 414 stolen bases and 3060 base hits. He was selected to the All-Star team seven times, starting at second for four of them.
He won five Silver Slugger Awards and was a very good defensive infielder, winning four consecutive Gold Gloves in the mid 90's. However, he never won a championship. Finally, he was one of the most revered people in baseball and won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2007.
7. Jeff Kent
Kent was one of the best offensive second baseman ever, leading all second basemen in home runs with 377. He also has a .290 average, 1518 RBI, 1320 runs scored, 560 doubles and 2461 base hits. He was selected to the All-Star team five times, starting at second for four of them.
His best season came in 2000 with the Giants where he had a .334 average, 33 home runs, 125 RBI's, 114 runs scored and 12 stolen bases and won the NL MVP award. However, he was an average defensive player, had problems in the dugout and never won a championship, losing in his only World Series appearance.
6. Eddie Collins
Collins was one of the best hitters ever. He had a .333 career average in his 25-year career with the Athletics and White Sox. He had only 47 home runs, but he drove in 1300 runs, scored 1821 times, stole 744 bases and had 3315 base hits. He was also a great winner, leading the Athletics to the World Series six times, winning four of them.
He was never selected to the All-Star team because there wasn't an All Star game during his prime. However, he won the AL MVP in 1914 with the Athletics, with a .344 average and a .452 on-base percentage. He ranks seventh all time in career stolen bases and finished in the top five in MVP voting five times.
5. Jackie Robinson
24 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Scott Eisenlohr 8 months ago
If he stays health, Chase Utley will be one of the greatest alltime second basemen. But he is not there, yet. Good story.
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K.C. Goad 8 months ago
Based on numbers how is Sandberg not the best second baseman? Number are way better then Morgan.
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Marcel Mansour 8 months ago
K.C., Sandberg and Morgan are extremely close, but I gave the edge to Morgan because of his two World Series rings and two MVP awards compared to one MVP and only two playoff appearances for Sandberg. However, I understand what you're saying.
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Nick Caso 8 months ago
I think Hornsby is better than Morgan. He is ahead in almost every category.
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Marcel Mansour 8 months ago
I understand what you're saying Nick, but I just don't think Hornsby would've been as close to as good as he was had he played in Morgan's era. Also, one major negative for Hornsby was that he was an average defensive player, while Morgan was one of the best ever winning five consecutive gold glove awards in the mid 70's.
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Nick Caso 8 months ago
Ok I will give you that. But Morgan also played on the Big Red Machine, so I feel as if some of his numbers may be inflated. He was a great player however I do not think he was as good as his numbers indicate. But great article
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Lucky Riff 8 months ago
Wouldn't change a thing. Nice.
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Steven Jarjees 8 months ago
This is a great list. You cant go wrong with putting either Hornsby or Morgan at the top. I agree with you that Morgan is at the top though.
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Marlon Oram 8 months ago
Godd list. I think either way would've been good for first. Also I think Utley will crack the top ten in another 5-10 healthy years.
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Brad Webster 8 months ago
I'd have to say Utley, but I don't understand how you can ask this question, and not specify what you're looking for. In order to be considered among the elite second basemen of all time, you'd have to be among the best defensively. Utley has maybe the best swing in the game, he's as clutch as it gets, and he's pretty swift with the glove, too. I can't look at numbers and decide whether Joe Morgan, Rogers Hornsby or Eddie Collins even belongs on this list because I've never seen any of them play. I think Luis Castillo belongs in the conversation.
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TAB BAMFORD 8 months ago
First off, to Brad, Luis Castillo is nowhere near the conversation about greatest 2nd basemen of all time. He's been above average for his generation... and that's giving him a lot of credit.
In regards to the list, I'm not sure I could put Biggio over Carew, and I definitely would have put Jackie Robinson higher than 5.
My top ten would have been:
10. Craig Biggo/Lou Whitaker/Tommy Herr tie - all overshadowed in their generations, but still greats
9. Jeff Kent - offense compensated for him being an out-of-position first baseman
8. Nellie Fox - THE most underrated 2nd baseman of all time
7. Rod Carew - Tony Gwynn of the 70s
6. Eddie Collins - stud early in the century for the White Sox
5. Robbie Alomar - best of his generation, who defined the Web Gem next to Vizquel
4. Ryne Sandberg - best of his generation offensively and defensively
3. Joe Morgan - won rings in Cincy, and if you didn't know that listen to him on ESPN talk about himself
2. Rogers Hornsby - arguably #1, sick numbers
1. Jackie Robinson - his number back up a top-3 pick, his impact on the country pushes him over the top
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Isaac Barrow 8 months ago
While I think you should flop Hornsby and Morgan, you make good arguments.
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Buddy Munson 8 months ago
This isn't even close. The Rajah was head and shoulders above Joe Morgan. The man AVERAGED .400 for a five year stretch from 1921-1925. He has the highest batting average EVER in a single season at .424. As far as home runs go, he probably would have been close to 500 if he played in the small stadiums around baseball today. He has the highest career average for a right handed hitter at .358 and only Ty Cobb at .367 is above him as the all-time leading batting average period. 2 time triple crown winner, 2 time MVP (first 9 years of his career, there was no MVP award), only player in history to lead his league for a decade (1920's) in average, home runs, and RBI's (decade triple crown). In 1962 as a scout for the Mets, he was asked about the current crop of young pitchers and how he would do against them. He said he would hit about .280-.290 against them. Reporter asked him why so low? He answered, I'm 66 years old, what do you expect?
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Cody Swartz 7 months ago
I would pick Morgan over Hornsby. Yes, Hornsby was an amazing hitter, but Morgan was a stud defensively while Hornsby was a below-average defender. He was said to have let the shortstop take all the steal attempts at second base, because he didn't want to get spiked.
And Morgan won two World Series during his career, while Hornsby has none. Morgan was called by Bill James - the most knowledgeable baseball man I have ever known - to be the greatest percentage player in history. He could hit, hit for power, walk, steal, play defense, and he was a winner.
He never tore up the league like Hornsby but he was a better all-around player for a longer period of time. And Hornsby's quote in 1962, while funny, is entirely irrelevant to his success as a player.
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Bruce Grossberg 7 months ago
The highest batting average in a single seasson is .440 by Hugh Duffy in 1894.
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mike m 8 months ago
i think nothing in the stone age should count with the last 50 years ? no one now will not hit the babe calling where his hr is going.or some one is going to win 600 gomes.
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Jonny Solovy 8 months ago
Good stuff. tough category, tough to make everyone happy. Jackie Robinson has to be number 1 or 2. And Kent, for his offensive abilities, has to be in top 5 by that alone!
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Cody Swartz 7 months ago
Interesting list, Marcel. Definitely different than my list... I would put Morgan first, Hornsby second. Biggio at eighth should be higher. And Eddie Collins should definitely be higher than sixth.
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Cody Swartz 7 months ago
Also, Jeff Kent seventh? Wow. I don't know if he's even good enough to be in the Hall of Fame, and everyone else on this list deserves the Hall.
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Buddy Munson 7 months ago
While my funny comment may have been "irrelevent", the same could be said about World Series rings. What do those have anything to do with how well you play the game? The Bill James comment is as well. He may well be the most knowledgeable baseball man he has ever KNOWN.....did he KNOW Rogers Hornsby? Doubt it. Also, Hornsby won a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 1926. 4 games to 3 over the New York Yankees. As far as defense goes, if you look at Hornsby's early years with St. Louis, they bounced him around from Short, 2B, & 3B. It wasn't until his 6th or 7th season before they put him at second and left him there.
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Cody Swartz 7 months ago
You asked, What do World Series rings have anything to do with how well you play the game?
Are you serious? Because that's how teams win World Series... by players who play well.
And what would knowing Rogers Hornsby do for this ranking? We are judging him by his numbers, not by his personality or anything. Knowing the person himself is completely irrelevant. With an a.
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Buddy Munson 7 months ago
That's just it! YOU mentioned the personality deal with your Bill James comments. So, I guess because Ernie Banks didn't win a World Series ring he is less of a player than he would have been had he won one? In baseball, you are one of 24 players on a team. LOTS of things can happen during a season that helps or hurts a team from winning or losing a World Series. This conversation is about INDIVIDUAL players being the best at their position. Period! The Sporting News in 1998 put out a list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players ever. Hornsby - #9......Morgan - #60
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Bruce Grossberg 7 months ago
Marcel, I'm gonna have to take it a little easier on you now that i see that you're only 16 years old. You're doing a pretty good job given that fact.
As far as the 2B list, it's not too bad, except you entirely missed the boat on Eddie Collins, who is more likely #1 then #6. Bill James ranks Collins at #2. I've got him at #1, but it's very close between him, Hornsby, Lajoie and Morgan.
Speaking of Lajoie, WHERE IS HE?
I thought you were real impressed with triple crown winners? Check out 1901 Lajoie. He was by far the best hitter of his day, and also the best fielding 2Bman of his day. He was kind of like the A-Rod of his day.
Yes Whittaker is underrated, be he's nowhere near as good as Lajoie, Charlie Gehringer, or Frankie Frish, all who are missing from your list.
Here's the REAL LIST, as I see it:
1 - Eddie Collins
2 - Rogers Hornsby
3 - Nap Lajoie
4 - Joe Morgan
5 - Jackie Robinson
6 - Charlie Gehringer
7 - Ryne Sandberg
8 - Craig Biggio
9 - Rod Carew
10 - Frankie Frisch
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Bruce Grossberg 7 months ago
Marcel, you need to pick up a copy of "The New Bill James Historical Abstract." You'll love it. He ranks the top 100 players at each position. It was publsihed in 2001, you can probably pick up a cheap used copy on Amazon.com.
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