Strongest Reds Position Historically

by obc2 on Oct 13, 2009 9:32 PM EDT

I'm posting this fairly rapidly based on rankings from Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract (revised 2001 edition) where Mr James ranked the top 100 ballplayers at each position. Its been almost a decade since publication and there would be several edits and additions to the rankings at this place and time, but i found the results interesting nonetheless.

What position is the strongest in Reds history?

Sadly, i didnt read each entry and cross check everyone who might have played for the Reds...but i did a fairly poor eyeball check and referenced my memory on who played for the Reds. Some played only a couple years and i tried to delete anyone that wasnt really a starting ballplayer for the Reds. Here. We. Go.

Catcher

2- Bench

22 - Lombardi

35 - E. Bailey

53 - J. Edwards

First Base

13 - Perez

34 - Big Klu

47 - Lee May

78 - Dan Driessen

Second Base

1 - Morgan

30 - Bid McFee

45 - Bill Doran

49 - Manny Trillo

52 - J. Temple

53 - Tony Cuccinello

71 - Don Blasingame

78 - Juan Samuel

94 - Ronnie Oester

Shortstop

6 - Larkin

24 - Tony Fernandez

26 - Concepcion

50 - Leo Cardenas

53 - Roy McMillian

62 - Dennis Menke

Third Base

19 - Buddy Bell

21 - Heinie Groh

36 - Terry Pendleton

79 - Bob Bailey

87 - Ray Knight

Left Field

21 - Sherry Magee

34 - George Foster

51 - Kevin Mitchell

53 - Hal McRae

68 - Greg Vaughn

71 - Ron Gant

74 - Selbach

Center Field

7 - Junya

15 - Edd Roush

18 - Vada Pinson

21 - Cesar Cedeno

33 - Eric Davis

58 - Gus Bell

Right Field

3 - Frank Robinson

5 - Pete Rose

14 - Dave Parker

31 - Ken Griffey Sr

44 - Paul O'Neill

90 - Dante Bichette

So whattya think? I figured it would be shortstop, but two other positions have four Reds ranked in the top 35 of their position alltime. (and center has five if you really count Cedeno)

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Comments

RF looks pretty strong to me.

But l’d drop Dante and add Jay Bruce to the list.

Wear something sexy to my funeral.

by Pops Daniels on Oct 14, 2009 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

Bichette's not even supposed to be here today!

by Brendanukkah on Oct 14, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions

The problem with RF is that all of those players got a large portion of their value at a different position or on a different team

besides maybe Griffey.

I’d go with catcher. It’s not deep, but it’s strong.

Definitely a good argument.

by Slyde on Oct 14, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

LF

you forgot Adam Dunn!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Oct 14, 2009 10:09 AM EDT reply actions

SS is pretty decent

and 2B has a lot of names, but a couple of them should be disregarded: Manny Trillo and Juan Samuel. I’d completely forgotten about Trillo’s legendary 17 game, 42 plate appearance stint with the Reds back in 1989, his final season.

I did remember Samuel and his year of suckitude in 1993, though. A .642 OPS in 289 at-bats. Nice.

My fantasy football team this year? Lippincott's Shorts

by cesarhernandez on Oct 14, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions

Wow - that OPS is almost as low as...

…actually, it’s much better than…ya’ know…

Keep your shit off my whimsy.

by PeteyHendrix on Oct 14, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I feel compelled

to disregard any list that ranks Tony Fernandez ahead of Dave Concepcion.

The man who will one day be President is, at this moment, lying in his cradle, trying to find some strategic way to get his big toe in his mouth.

-Mark Twain

by poojols on Oct 14, 2009 9:53 PM EDT reply actions

Centerfield

Those first three names all qualify as definite Reds royalty, and even discounting Cedeno’s short career with the Reds, Eric Davis and Gus Bell, to me, also really defined their eras with the team.

by Concepcionforhall on Oct 14, 2009 10:19 PM EDT reply actions

Geronimo

was no slouch either. One of the best defensive CFs of his day, he should be in there for depth.

by ctnyc on Oct 22, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Geronimo was a terrible hitter...he had a .307 average in 1976

Jay Bruce will become a major league baseball STAR, starting in April, 2010.....

by Madville on Oct 22, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Catcher easily has the most formidable 1-2 punch

in Bench and Lombardi, but I think CF has it with Junior, Roush and Davis. Two HoFers and all three world beaters at the position in their prime.

Roush ’23: 41 2B, .351/.406/.531/.938
Davis ’87: 37 HR, 100 RBI, 50 SB; .293/.399/.593/.991
Griffey, Jr: 35 HR, 92 RBI; .301/.369/.576/.946

Add mid-50s Gus Bell for good measure.

Yeah, those guys and the Cincinnati Reds. They're a terrible football team. / Because they're a baseball team? / Exactly. You know who's the worst football team? The Philadelphia Flyers. - Best Show

by RijoSaboCaseyWKRP on Oct 15, 2009 12:41 PM EDT reply actions

How about a pitchers list?

Dont have the BJ Handbook here at work with me, but it woudl be interesting to see who the Reds all time pitchers would be.

Using Baseball Ref and sorting by ERA+ with a minimum of 00 games pitched this is what comes up:

Relievers:
Scott Williamson
John Franco
Rob Dibble
Bill Henry

Starters:
Jose Rijo
Bucky Walters
Dolph Luque
Bob Ewing
Ewell Blackwell

Not too impressive. Are any of those pitchers Hall of Famers? Of that list (relievers and starters combined) the more recent players other than Soto are Gary Nolan #13, Gullett #18, Mario Soto #27,

by backtocali on Oct 15, 2009 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

I refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of any list that doesn't include Eppa Rixey!

by Brendanukkah on Oct 15, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Noodles Hahn!

People always asking, 'Uncle Jemima, why you sell booze?' I say 'sell whatchu know' and I knows about booze.

by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Oct 15, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

no love for Dolph Luque?

easily the best name for a pitcher or Miami Vice bad guy

"And then there was the USAID guy in Kandahar who drove a giant pink Cadillac, which the locals set on fire one day. If you wanted to destroy something symbolic during a riot, you just could not do better than that. Good stuff." - Ghosts of Alexander

by Cy Schourek on Oct 15, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Paul Derringer

Jim Maloney
Jim O’Toole!

Definitely a good argument.

by Slyde on Oct 15, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Paddy O'Sullivan

Sully McGee
Billy Bailey!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Oct 15, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Seamus O'Shaughnessy

Patrick McGillicutty
Áine McBlarneylover!

Definitely a good argument.

by Slyde on Oct 15, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Red O'Halloran

Crikey McPotatofamine
Liam Neeson!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Oct 15, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Is Cincy a big Irish Town?

by backtocali on Oct 15, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

there are some Irish

but it’s more a German town.

Definitely a good argument.

by Slyde on Oct 15, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds a lot like Milwaukee

Probably has its share of Polish too, with growing hispanic population in the city, and perhaps 20% or so African American.

by backtocali on Oct 15, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

I live in the suburbs

so I’m not sure if there are any nonwhite people in Cincinnati.

Definitely a good argument.

by Slyde on Oct 15, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Punch Rockgroin

Gristle McThornbody
Fizzbitch McLanahan!

by Cy Schourek on Oct 15, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Bill Doran?

He was the 45th best 2B of all time? I remember him as being okay, but not spectacular.

Checking baseball-reference, it looks like he was pretty good as a young guy in Houston, he had the simultaneous fluke of a 1990 (not that I’m complaining), and was otherwise nothing special. And his defense was below average.

However, he was the product of my wife’s alma mater, a reunion of which will quite possibly allow me to attend my first GABP game next summer. So, he’s got that going for him.

by bbjones on Oct 16, 2009 2:07 AM EDT reply actions