An evidence based discussion about the players who've been overlooked for Cooperstown

[1952boyntoncollector]

doesnt help belanger when ripken jr played as long as him a few years later and considered a better player...

[KCRfan1]

I think any of us who follow baseball could name 25 shortstops we would rather have on our team than Belanger, and as a bonus we can exclude HoFr's. Begin at 1970. I'm going to bed now.....

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

doesnt help belanger when ripken jr played as long as him a few years later and considered a better player...

That doesn't say anything negative about Belanger. All it says is that Ripken was a hell of a shortstop, and may have been a better defensive shortstop than I have given him credit for. Belanger also worked with Ripken to help him improve his defense, so maybe some of the credit would go to him, too,

I've always felt he was good. But I don't know if I've consider him one of the greats defensively. I've felt that Ozzie Smith, Omar Vizquel, Alan Trammell and Barry Larkin were the best defensive shortstops from when I started watching baseball. Gary Templeton was pretty good, too, as was Ozzie Guillen.