MLB Iron Man Team: The Most Durable Players at Every Position
Cal Ripken Jr. and Lou Gehrig embody what it truly means to be an Iron Man. Their resilience and ability to play through marathon season after marathon season have made them iconic figures in the history of baseball.
Ripken's record for consecutive games played will in all likelihood stand as long as we live, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any iron men out there today.
A number of players take the field virtually every day in an effort to contribute to their team's successes as spring turns to summer and summer turns to fall.
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
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Catcher is one of the most physically taxing positions in baseball (just ask Joe Mauer). It takes a great deal of physical conditioning to crouch behind the plate inning after inning and day after day.
Yet Ivan Rodriguez has made it look relatively easy throughout his career. In 21 seasons, he has appeared in less than 100 games only three times and has caught over 2,400 during that span.
First Base: Todd Helton
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Some critics out there may give Todd Helton's statistics less notice since he plays in the relatively hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field.
While the thin air certainly doesn't hurt, just as important to Helton's success has been his durability.
Since his debut in 1997, he has played in 1,960 games in 15 seasons. The 2008 season in which Helton appeared in only 83 games is the only significant blemish on an otherwise reliable resume.
From 1998 until 2009, that 2008 season was the only time in which he appeared in less than 140 games.
Second Base: Dan Uggla
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Since he just made his Major League debut five years ago, Dan Uggla's sample size may be slightly smaller than other candidates at the position.
In his five seasons with the Marlins, Uggla missed only 34 games.
Averaging over 30 home runs per season and an OPS over .800 during that span, it's clear that his lack of rest didn't hamper his production.
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Shortstop: Derek Jeter
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Derek Jeter's consistency has led the New York Yankees to multiple World Series rings and has put him up there with some of the best shortstops to play the game.
After appearing in only 15 games in 1995, Jeter found a permanent home with the team the following season.
Since 1996, he has appeared in less than 148 games in a season only once (119 games played in 2003). Spending so much time in the lineup can bring a player's numbers back a bit, but not Jeter.
His .313 career average and 2,962 hits only add to the legacy that he'll leave behind when he eventually hangs up his cleats.
Third Base: Chipper Jones
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Chipper Jones has been the face of the Atlanta Braves since his first full season of action in 1995 when he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.
The six time All-Star has played in 2,297 games with the Braves, and last season was the only year in which he failed to play in at least 100 games.
With better than a 95 percent fielding percentage at third base, Jones has provided the Braves with a solid option in the field and has flexed his muscle with the bat with a .305 career batting average and .939 OPS.
Left Field: Ryan Braun
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When the Milwaukee Brewers drafted Ryan Braun fifth overall in the 2005 MLB Draft they knew that they had something special on their hands.
Since his debut in 2007 he hasn't let his team down. Averaging 145 games played per season he's been an offensive power for his team.
The 2007 Rookie of the Year has three times been an All-Star and has three Silver Slugger awards on his trophy shelf. He has three times driven in over 100 runs and has three seasons with 30-plus home runs to his name.
Center Field: Curtis Granderson
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Since playing in 159 games in 2006, it's been hard to keep Curtis Granderson off the field. From 2006 to 2009, Granderson appeared in an average of 154 games per season with the Detroit Tigers.
He played in 136 games during his first season with the Yankees last season and struggled to a .247 batting average and .792 OPS. He's gotten off to a better start this time around, with a .279 average and .994 OPS thus far in 2011.
Granderson turned 30 just before this season got underway and will no doubt continue to improve as he matures into a more well-rounded player.
Right Field: Ichiro Suzuki
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Since leaving Japan for the Seattle Mariners in 2001, Ichiro has been one of the most dependable outfielders in baseball.
An All-Star in every season, Ichiro has appeared in over 1,600 games and has never played in less than 145 games in a season. In fact, he's sat an average of missing only three games per season.
At 37, it's hard to believe that he'll continue to remain as healthy as he has, but he certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down just yet.
Starting Pitcher: C.C. Sabathia
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Considering the amount of criticism that C.C. Sabathia has received throughout his career for his "lack of conditioning," he sure has managed to take the mound with effectiveness along the way.
Sabathia has started at least 28 games in every season he's been in the league and has averaged better than 220 innings per season along the way.
His 2007 effort was perhaps his best season as a Major Leaguer. Sabathia pitched over 240 innings en route to a 19-7 record and the Cy Young Award.
Since moving to the Bronx Sabathia has been just as good, compiling a 43-17 record with a 3.23 ERA.
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