Pittsburgh Pirates Countdown: Top Five Second Basemen

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Over the past couple of weeks, we have been looking back at the five best players in Pittsburgh Pirates history in a position by position review. We began with catchers, and moved on to first base last week. This week, we head over to second base.

In the Pirates long history, there have been quite a few solid players to man the position. While the Pirates have only had one Hall of Fame second baseman in Bill Mazeroski, that does not diminish the accomplishments of the other players to come before. In fact, the list of Pirates second basemen is deep enough where players like Rennie Stennett, he of the seven hit regular season game, and Freddie Sanchez, who won a batting title, did not make the list. However, we can consider them Honorable Mentions.

As in the previous top five lists, we used Fangraphs.com list for all time Pittsburgh Pirates Wins Above Replacement as a guide. Some players may not be on this list, even if they are in the top five all time in that category, such as Stennett.

We hope you enjoy this list as much as we enjoy creating these for you. As always, if there is a player that you feel should have been included, or if you feel a player should have been rated higher, let us know in the comments!

Next: A Pirate for the modern day

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5. Neil Walker (2009-present)

Neil Walker had been on the radar for Pirates fans from the moment he was drafted. Taken with the eleventh overall pick in the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft, Walker immediately became one of the Pittsburgh Pirates top prospects, making Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list from 2005 through 2008. Walker was rated as high as 43rd overall prior to the 2006 season, and appeared as though he could be a possible All-Star player.

While Walker has yet to make an All-Star Game thus far in his career, he has still been a solid player for the Pirates overall. Thus far in his young career, Walker has put together a .273/.340/.432 batting line, hitting 77 home runs. While he has not displayed the capability of stealing double digit bases like he did in the minors, Walker has still been decent enough on the basepaths.

Last season, at age 28, Neil Walker put together the best season of his career. He produced a .271/.340/.467 batting line, good for an OPS+ of 127. His 23 home runs marked the first time that he had eclipsed the twenty home run mark in the majors. Although it was good enough to earn Walker the Silver Slugger award, last year may just be a sign of things to come, as he has entered his prime.

Neil Walker has already had a solid enough career to earn a spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates five best second basemen of all time. A few more years like last season, and he will climb that list.

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3. Claude Ritchey (1900-1906)

Maybe I just have an unhealthy obsession with 1800’s baseball, but Claude Ritchey had one of the more interesting nicknames I have run across. Called ‘Little All Right’ due to his short stature (5’6 1/2″) and his skills on the diamond, Ritchey was one of the players that came over to the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Louisville Colonels sent virtually all of their top players over to the Pirates.

For Pittsburgh, Ritchey continued to be a solid, steady player offensively. At a time when baseball was in the midst of the a Dead ball Era, Ritchey posted a solid .277/.351/.350 batting line, displaying an excellent ability to get on base.

Where Claude Ritchey truly shined for the Pirates, however, was on the defensive side. Ritchey was one of the best fielding second basemen of his era, leading the National League in fielding percentage four times during his six years with the Pirates, while routinely ranking in the top three in virtually every defensive category. If there was a Gold Glove award back then, Ritchey would have been a perennial candidate.

‘Little All Right’ was more than just all right. Claude Ritchey was a solid second baseman, and a marvel defensively.

Next: Perhaps the best offensive second baseman in Pirates history

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2. George Grantham (1925-1931)

If we look at Fangraphs.com’s batting runs list, George Grantham is the greatest hitter at second base in Pittsburgh Pirates history, and it is not even close. His total of 158.9 batting runs added is more than 100 points better than Neil Walker, who ranks second on the list at 48.4. Considering that Grantham played in the 1920’s and 1930’s, that difference is truly impressive.

At a time when players like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were making the home run a vital part of a team’s offensive attack, Grantham was a decent power hitter at second base. He had double digit home runs four of his seven years with the Pirates, and never hit fewer than eight bombs in a season.

In his time with the Pirates, George Grantham produced a .315/.410/.491 batting line with 74 home runs and 58 stolen bases. He had his best year in 1930, hitting at a .324/.413/.534 rate with 18 home runs and 34 doubles. While Grantham was not great defensively, he had a bit of versatility, allowing him to play at first, third and the outfield as well.

George Grantham was a very good hitter, and quite the solid player overall. However, he is only the second best second baseman on the list.

Next: The Hall of Famer

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1. Bill Mazeroski (1956-1972)

Bill Mazeroski was a very good second baseman. He went to seven All-Star Games, won eight Gold Glove Awards and finished as high as eighth in the MVP vote. He had one of the more memorable moments in World Series history, becoming the first player to win a World Series on a walkoff home run.

Offensively, Mazeroski was a relatively solid player. He had a bit of pop, as his 19 home runs in 1958 were the most in Pittsburgh Pirates history at the position before Neil Walker topped that mark last year. Overall, Mazeroski produced a .260/.299/.367 batting line with 138 home runs. These numbers were only worth an OPS+ of 84, far below league average.

Where Bill Mazeroski made his Hall of Fame case, aside from that glorious home run, was on the defensive side of the ball. His eight Gold Gloves, the most of any second baseman at the time he retired, and second only to Ryne Sandberg in National League history, were certainly well deserved. For his career, Mazeroski ranks first in defensive runs saved at second with 148 and in double plays with 1706 twin killings. Mazeroski was frequently the league leader across the board in virtually every defensive metric imaginable. If a player like Ozzie Smith could get in the Hall, Mazeroski certainly deserved it.

While Bill Mazeroski was not the hitter that other players on this list were, his defensive value more than made up for it. Mazeroski is still the greatest Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman of all time.

Next: Pittsburgh Pirates Countdown: Top Five First Basemen