Pittsburgh Pirates Countdown: Top Five Second Basemen

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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.

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