OT - Best 3B ever?

[EvilKing00]

So I know a lot of people consider Mike Schmidt the best 3B ever. Some have a few other ideas... Schmidt was my opinion as well, till just now.

I was just looking through some all time players stats and I have most deff changed my mind and im surprised.

IF we are keeping A rod off the list - cause his numbers are the best

Chipper Jones IMO is the best 3B of all time.

Hes 2d in RBI to A rod
hes 4th in HR Schmidt has 548 and chipper has 468
hes 5th in hits with 2726 - Schmidt has just over 2200
hes 2ed in runs behind arod
jones average is 303 - compared to Schmidt 267

So if arod is fine by you... yea hes got the best numbers, chipper is right behind him and look out Beltre is coming up quick.

As a die hard met fan, who jeered larry every chance I could get and who got tix to city field for chippers last day out of total respect for his greatness I can say I know he should be a 1st ballot HOF but didn't realize hes the best 3B ever.

[39special]

Schmidt was a much better fielder.He won 10 gold gloves.Chipper had 0
Chipper was a great player,but IMO Schmidt was the greatest all time 3rd baseman.

[bnorth]

For me it is Wade Boggs by a mile.
7 100 run/200 hit seasons in a row
4 batting titles in a row with 5 total
5 years in a row of leading the league in OBP
6 years in a row leading the league in IBB this is a crazy stat considering he was not a HR hitter.
3010 hits
578 doubles
.328 lifetime BA
He is my all-time favorite player so I might have a little(LOL) favoritism going on.

[drcy]

Realize that Schmidt played in a different offensive time than Jones. Schmidt won 6 of his 8 home run titles while hitting under 40 home runs each. He won two titles while hitting 36. His power numbers are much more impressive compared to Jones than comparing the numbers one to one. The 70s-80s was a different power era than the 1990s-2000s.

Unlike many mother's basement statisticians, I also think fielding is part of the game and Schmidt is better than Jones and Boggs in that area.

I'd pick Schmidt.

A fair knock against Schmidt is he didn't have a good batting average, but he definitely was a power hitter. And that he won 3 MVPs and was in the top 10 in voting 9 times (that's half the number of years of a lengthy career), says he was considered top by his contemporaries.

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by drcy

Realize that Schmidt played in a different offensive time than Jones. Schmidt won 6 home run titles while hitting under 40 home runs each. He won two titles while hitting 36. His power numbers are much more impressive compared to Jones than comparing the numbers one to one.

I'd pick Schmidt.

yea Schmidt had 80 more HR than chipper, but chipper average is 303 - compared to Schmidt 267 big difference.

Also another stat - Chipper was 3rd all time in total bases, with 4755, behind arod and brett, Schmidt right behind chipper with 4404

AND chipper had the 2de best OBP ever behind, Arod - with 401 life time OBP that's pretty awesome, Schmidt was 9th all time for 3b with 380.

Look over all the numbers its sadly really impressive, to hope one day im talking about Wright like this, lol

[colco]

To go along with what Drcy said about the era difference, ops+ attempts to account for this and Schmidt leads 147 to 141 over Jones (for those who don't know it measures your offense compared to a league average baseline of 100.)
WAR also gives an advantage to Schmidt who tops 100 on his career with Jones being at about 85 wins above replacement. Similar on offense and much better defensively, I'll take Schmidt any day of the week.

Jack

[Peter_Spaeth]

Schmidt, with Mathews and Brett also in the discussion.

[brewing]

Originally Posted by colco

I'll take Schmidt any day of the week.

And twice on Sunday, it's not even close.

[39special]

You also have to look at the defensive numbers. Schmidt was so much better.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Schmidt. Power and defense.


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[Joem36]

Schmidt...

[Bigdaddy]

It's hard to argue with Schmidt, however if I was a GM and had to pick one 3B to play his career with my team, I'd pick Brett. His all-around play, intensity, and knack for the big hit in the big moments makes him my pick.

[cincyredlegs]

I think most people go with who they saw as a kid or adult. I get that. I guess they way I look at it is if you were an owner and could pick any player to play 3B, who would it be.

If you look strictly at defense, it is hands down Brooks Robinson.
If you look strictly at offense, it is probably Schmidt with Brett a close 2nd.

I never saw Brooks play in his prime but he would be my vote. What he lacked in offense compared to Schmidt and Brett, he made up in defense. Ask the 70 Reds about hitting to him in the series. I am not sure if you could ever calculate it but it would be interesting to know how many runs he saved by his sensational play at 3B.

Mark

[Scocs]

Oliver Marcelle!

[peterb69]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

It's hard to argue with Schmidt, however if I was a GM and had to pick one 3B to play his career with my team, I'd pick Brett. His all-around play, intensity, and knack for the big hit in the big moments makes him my pick.

This says it all

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

The Stache - Great argument and research.


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[Peter_Spaeth]

Maybe Chipper had the edge in two-out doubles with men on first and third on Sundays in June?