Do the Red Sox have 3 of the Top 10 best of all time at one position

pmcollectour · May 22, 2012 9:36AM

Or do they ?

Do the Red Sox hold the title as the only team that has 3 of the Top 10 of all time at a certain position ?

Which other team can claim to have 3 of the Top 10 at one position throughout their history ?

Do Ted Williams, Manny Ramirez, and Carl Yazstremski belong in the Top 10 of all time left fielders ?

We could include Stan Musial, Ricky Henderson, Barry Bonds, Joe Jackson, Willie Stargell, Al Simmons, and Billy Williams.
I'm sure I missed a few, but certainly Yaz, Teddy Ballgame, and Manny belong in the Top 10 in my opinion.

So the question is, what other team has 3 of the Top 10 of all time at a certain position ?

Barndog · May 22, 2012 9:51AM

I find it funny that Manny is mentioned as a fielder. He was terrible as a fielder.

hhmag70 · May 22, 2012 10:17AM

Joe D - Mantle - R Henderson in center for the NYY.

pmcollectour · May 22, 2012 10:32AM

I think we should recognize players where they played the most, and the position they played the most.

For example, Willie Stargell should be recognized more as a left fielder because he played there more then at first base.
Manny Ramirez played most of his years for the Red Sox. Ricky Henderson (although he did play for the Yankees), played
mostly left field, and mostly for the A's more then any other team.

zendude · May 22, 2012 1:11PM

If you were to say which team had the best all-time outfield spanning the history of the franchise I'd say the Giants with:

LF Barry Bonds
CF Willie Mays
RF Mel Ott

PSASAP · May 22, 2012 3:38PM

How about the Pirates all-time infield of Pie Traynor at 3rd, Honus Wagner at short, Bill Mazeroski at 2nd.all, and Willie Stargell at 1st, all HOFers.

NVbaseball · May 23, 2012 9:14PM

Musial played a plurality of games at firstbase, Mize and Pujols (and McGwire)?

MCMLVTopps · May 23, 2012 10:18PM

Better you had written Jim Rice instead of Manram. Manram was a disaster in left field compared to Rice !! Besides, Williams, Rice and Yaz are all in the HOF.

markj111 · May 24, 2012 1:41AM

<< Better you had written Jim Rice instead of Manram. Manram was a disaster in left field compared to Rice !! Besides, Williams, Rice and Yaz are all in the HOF. >>

Two of them actually deserve it.

NVbaseball · May 24, 2012 1:48AM

<< Better you had written Jim Rice instead of Manram. Manram was a disaster in left field compared to Rice !! Besides, Williams, Rice and Yaz are all in the HOF. >>

But then that wouldn't be three of the top 10 leftfielders in history

Mickey71 · May 24, 2012 3:19AM

Manny was a hitter only. A great hitter; but below average in everything else. And way below average in the "hustling" category. Plus, got caught twice for roids....Come on.

estang · May 28, 2012 7:43AM

After a bit of research, I've come up with the following. EDITED TO ADD: Updated based upon feedback...

4 Hall of Fame players at one position:

Giants 1B: Bill Terry (HOF), Willie McCovey (HOF), Roger Conner (HOF), Johnny Mize (HOF)

3 Hall of Fame players at one position:

Red Sox LF: Ted Williams (HOF), Carl Yax (HOF), Rice (HOF) --- all games played with same franchise
Yankees CF: Earle Combs (HOF), Joe Dimaggio (HOF), Mickey Mantle (HOF) --- all games played with same franchise
Tigers RF: Sam Crawford (HOF), Harry Heilmann (HOF), Al Kaline (HOF)
Yankees RF: Babe Ruth (HOF), Reggie Jackson (HOF), Dave Winfield (HOF)
Cardinals RF: Enos Slaughter (HOF), Stan Musial (HOF), Lou Brock (HOF) -- he played RF as a Cardinal in 51 games...

2 Hall of Fame players at one position with notable 3rd player:

Yankees C: Bill Dickey (HOF), Yogi Berra (HOF), Thurman Munson (MVP) or Jorge Posada
Pirates RF: Paul Waner (HOF), Willie Stargell (HOF), Bobby Bonilla
Pirates SS: Honus Wagner (HOF), Arky Vaughn (HOF), Dick Groat
Cardinals 1B: Albert Pujols (future HOF), Jim Bottomley (HOF), Mark McGwire
Braves 3B: Eddie Matthews (HOF), Bob Horner (ROY), Chipper Jones (TBA HOF, ROY, HOF)
Twins 1B: Killebrew (HOF), Carew (HOF), Morneau (MVP) or Hrbek (2 WS)

Mickey71 · May 28, 2012 8:22AM

This is now just getting sick and twisted.........I saw Bobby Bonilla's name.

NVbaseball · May 30, 2012 6:01AM

<< After a bit of research, I've come up with the following: >>

Good start. Some positions are wrong. Tigers rightfield would be Kaline, Heilmann and Crawford. Second best behind Yankees, O'Neill would replace Jackson if the latter counts for the A's

We could come up with a definitive rule for team and position and pick a franchise for each position. Guess Tigers at second with Gehringer and Whitaker. Mariners at DH with Martinez and Sheets

(side note I just realized: Red Sox centerfield dominates among best ever not in the Hall-of-Fame: DiMaggio, Smith and Lynn. Don't think any other team could come up with any two who can exceed any of those players)

Tabe · May 30, 2012 8:49AM

<< After a bit of research, I've come up with the following:

11. Mariners CF: Ken Griffey Jr (future HOF), Ichiro Suzuki (future HOF), Mike Cameron
>>

Ichiro is a RF. He's played only 260+ games there in his entire career and started a majority of games in CF in just one season.

Tabe

Tabe · May 30, 2012 8:52AM

How about the Tigers at catcher?

Mickey Cochrane, Bill Freehan, and Lance Parrish? With a bit of Pudge Rodriguez thrown in?

Or the Tigers at 2B?

Charley Gehringer, Lou Whitaker and...uh....a third guy?

Tabe

estang · June 3, 2012 2:02AM

After a bit of research, I've come up with the following. EDITED TO ADD: Updated based upon feedback...

4 Hall of Fame players at one position:

Giants 1B: Bill Terry (HOF), Willie McCovey (HOF), Roger Conner (HOF), Johnny Mize (HOF)

3 Hall of Fame players at one position:

Red Sox LF: Ted Williams (HOF), Carl Yax (HOF), Rice (HOF) --- all games played with same franchise
Yankees CF: Earle Combs (HOF), Joe Dimaggio (HOF), Mickey Mantle (HOF) --- all games played with same franchise
Tigers RF: Sam Crawford (HOF), Harry Heilmann (HOF), Al Kaline (HOF)
Yankees RF: Babe Ruth (HOF), Reggie Jackson (HOF), Dave Winfield (HOF)
Cardinals RF: Enos Slaughter (HOF), Stan Musial (HOF), Lou Brock (HOF) -- he played RF as a Cardinal in 51 games...

2 Hall of Fame players at one position with notable 3rd player:

Yankees C: Bill Dickey (HOF), Yogi Berra (HOF), Thurman Munson (MVP) or Jorge Posada
Pirates RF: Paul Waner (HOF), Willie Stargell (HOF), Bobby Bonilla
Pirates SS: Honus Wagner (HOF), Arky Vaughn (HOF), Dick Groat
Cardinals 1B: Albert Pujols (future HOF), Jim Bottomley (HOF), Mark McGwire
Braves 3B: Eddie Matthews (HOF), Bob Horner (ROY), Chipper Jones (TBA HOF)
Twins 1B: Killebrew (HOF), Carew (HOF), Morneau (MVP) or Hrbek (2 WS)

NVbaseball · June 3, 2012 11:33AM

<< he played RF as a Cardinal in 51 games... >>

That's pretty disingenuous. If Brock and Stargell count as rightfielders, then what about the Dodgers with Frank Robinson, Duke Snider, Hack Wilson, Babe Herman and Willie Keeler (along with Casey Stengel)?

Though you actually might have been pretty close. If we count only primary franchise and primary position, I think Cardinals leftfield with Musial, Brock, Medwick and Hafey might be the only position that can claim four Hall-of-Fame players (of course only one of them could be considered top 10)

Do the Red Sox have 3 of the Top 10 best of all time at one position

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