Honus Wagner
(1897-1917)

The Flying Dutchman

Since he retired over 90 years ago, Honus Wagner has been regarded as the greatest shortstop of all time and one of the five or six greatest players ever.  Contemporaries ranked him ahead of the legendary Ty Cobb.  Wagner was the complete player package with no weakness.  He was one of the first five players inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Wagner batted over .300 in seventeen consecutive seasons, winning eight batting titles.  He was a brilliant base runner and his defense was nothing short of spectacular, especially when one considers the very small gloves used by the players.  Despite being somewhat bowlegged, bulky and possessing long arms, Wagner was easily one of the fastest players – he finished his career with over 700 stolen bases.

When he retired in 1917, he held the National League records for career hits, doubles, triples, runs, runs batted in, stolen bases and games played.  He played almost his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading them to two World Series appearances (including the very first World Series in 1903), winning it all in 1909.

Alex Rodriguez
(1994-Present)

A-Rod

While currently playing third base for the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez spent the majority of his career at shortstop, hence his inclusion here at that position.  From 1996, his first full season, until 2003, he amassed not only all-time records for the position but also for anyone who has played the game.  He is the youngest player to hit 300, 400 and 500 home runs.  His average year is .306, 126 runs scored, 44 home runs and 130 runs batted in – and he seems to get better each season.

To put it in perspective, if A-Rod continues his pace for just six more seasons, he will approach 800 home runs by the age of 38.

He is among the hardest working players in the game, constantly striving to be the best he can be.  Before he moved to third base, he was considered to have the best range of any shortstop in the American League, winning two Gold Gloves in the 2002 and 2003 campaigns.  He might have won more had the fielding wiz, Omar Visquel, not been playing.

Rodriguez has won three MVP Awards, one with the last place Texas Rangers, a tribute to the numbers he posted.  He holds the record for most homers in a season by a shortstop and he seems destined to set records for his current third base position.

“He is what baseball needs right now.  He respects the game, has a lot of class and image most people would pay for.  I wish my daughter could marry him, but she’s only two years old.”
- Gary DiSarcina

Barring major injury, we may be watching one of the two or three best ball players in history.  If he retired today, in the prime of his career, he would be a certain first ballot Hall of Famer.  He receives his share of criticism, mainly because he is the highest salaried athlete in all of history, but love him or hate him, all baseball fans should sit back and admire him.  The likes of him come around once in a lifetime.

“He never complained about his team’s bad luck or bad talent, never stopped playing the game for joy, never stopped giving his all, never lost his proud demeanor, and never acted like anything but a winner.  He was a symbol of the Cubs’ fans undiminishing resilience.  If he could be happy to come to the park each afternoon, then so could we.”    - Joe Mantegna

Ernie Banks
(1953-1971)

Mr. Cub

“He never complained about his team’s bad luck or bad talent, never stopped playing the game for joy, never stopped giving his all, never lost his proud demeanor, and never acted like anything but a winner.  He was a symbol of the Cubs’ fans undiminishing resilience.  If he could be happy to come to the park each afternoon, then so could we.”    - Joe Mantegna
                         
The “Mr. Cub” moniker fit Ernie Banks.  He is the best player in Cubs history and one who rejoiced in the game, showing the enthusiasm of a dedicated Little League player.  He often commented that he couldn’t believe he actually got paid to play the game.

Ernie Banks was the first ever power-hitting shortstop, earning him two MVP Awards and a Gold Glove at that demanding position.  From 1955 through 1960, he averaged over 40 home runs and over 100 runs batted in.  He possessed a strong arm but his range at short was somewhat limited.  He was an eleven time All Star and played in that mid-summer classic alongside the likes of Aaron, Mays, Clemente and Mathews.

At mid-career the Cubs moved him to first base where he actually played more games than at short.  But his impact at short was so spectacular that the Hall of Fame inducted him at that position.

The ever smiling Banks was a fan favorite, especially when they heard his most remembered quote, “It’s a great day for a ball game; let’s play two!”.

Cal Ripken Jr.
(1981-2000)

Iron Man

“Cal is a bridge, maybe the last bridge, back to the way the game was played.  Hitting home runs and all that other good stuff is not enough. It’s how you handle yourself in all the good times and bad times that matters.  That’s what Cal showed us.  Being a star is not enough.  He showed us how to be more.”- Joe Torre

It was considered the most secure record in all of sports – Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.  Apparently, no one envisioned someone like Cal Ripken Jr. coming along, who went on to capture the nation’s attention in 1995 as he approached the unapproachable record of the “Iron Horse,” Lou Gehrig.  Baseball needed a boost after a strike-shortened 1994 season when the World Series was cancelled and the 1995 season started late because of the strike.  Baseball needed a Cal Ripken and in 1995 he played his 2,131st consecutive game.

Ripken was a throwback, playing every day and with the same team throughout his career, the Baltimore Orioles.  He was a perennial All Star, a fan favorite and one of the best shortstops in the game.  His defensive play was overshadowed by the flamboyant Ozzie Smith but Ripken had great range, a sure glove and one of the strongest arms in the history of the game.  His arm was so strong that it allowed him to play five to ten feet deeper than others at his position and still throw out runners.

“Cal is a bridge, maybe the last bridge, back to the way the game was played.  Hitting home runs and all that other good stuff is not enough. It’s how you handle yourself in all the good times and bad times that matters.  That’s what Cal showed us.  Being a star is not enough.  He showed us how to be more.”- Joe Torre

“He comes across as the classic hero of Ralph Henry Barbour fiction: the lean, humble, gracefully athletic Superkid who leaped from prep school to the major leagues in a single bound." – Jeff Prugh

Robin Yount
(1974-1993)

Rockin’ Robin

Many players never attain their due on the national stage because they might play for a small-market team that is seldom on television.  That was certainly the case for one of the game’s most underrated players:  Robin Yount.  Playing exclusively for the Milwaukee Brewers, he was one of the last of a dying breed – someone who spent their entire career with one team.

At the remarkable age of 18, the Brewers made him their everyday shortstop, one of the youngest everyday players in history.  He opened the door for other power hitters to play short, such as Cal Ripken and Alex Rodriguez.  His finest season was 1982, when he was named the MVP, leading the league in hits, doubles and slugging – the first American League shortstop to lead the league in slugging.  His efforts paid off for the Brewers, reaching their first World Series, which they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 1989, Yount won his second MVP but this time playing center field.  He played 1,479 games at short and 1,150 in center, the most ever by a player at two positions.  Three years later Yount collected his 3,000th hit, a feat accomplished by only 19 players up to that time.

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