Pittsburgh Pirates Top Five Shortstops

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4. Dick Groat (1952, 1955-1961)

Most people remember Dick Groat for being a solid shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He earned two All-Star nods in Pittsburgh, and after his excellent 1960 season which helped lead the Pirates to the World Series, was the National League MVP. Yet Groat was also an excellent athlete, being drafted third overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons of the NBA, averaging 11.9 points per game during the 1952-53 season.

Fortunately for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Groat decided to focus on baseball after the Korean War. While he was not much of a power hitter, he developed into a solid player offensively. Overall with the Pirates, Groat produced a .290/.329/.370 batting line, hitting 30 home runs. However, Groat was quite the doubles machine, hitting 226 two baggers during his time in Pittsburgh.

Defensively, Dick Groat was not considered one of the elite defensive shortstops at his time. In fact, he routinely led the league in errors, doing so four times as a Pirate. However, Groat also led the National League in defensive runs saved at short with 16 in 1960, and ranks 33rd all time with 51 runs saved. Even if he was not a Gene Alley, Groat was better than one may have thought.

Groat is likely remembered now for winning that MVP award in 1960, but he was a solid shortstop during his time with the Pirates. His solid blend of offense and defense may even be a bit underrated in the annuls of baseball.

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