All-Time Gold Glove team

[JackPMiller]

This was asked on a baseball board, of who would put by position on your team as the best 9 defensive players.

This is what I got.
C - Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez
1B - Keith Hernadez
2B - Roberto Alomar
SS - Ozzie Smith
3B - Mike Schmidt(I needed to put a Phillies player in there somewhere)
OF - Roberto Clemente
OF - Willie Mays
OF - Andre Dawson
P - Greg Maddox

 

[Pats Fanatic]

How about these
P - Jim Kaat
C - Johnny Bench
1B - Kieth Hernandez
2B - Ryne Sandberg
3B - Mike Schmidt
SS - Omar Vizquel
OF - Roberto Clemente
Willie Mays
Carl Yastrzemski

 

[taltos]

I would have no problem with either of those lineups except that I would like to see Brooks Robinson in at 3B and Bobby Richardson in at 2B. Paul

 

[gomezcat]

I'm a bit of a newbie to baseball. How much does a batter's defensive ability influence whether they make it to a starting lineup? What I mean is, if someone was an excellent outfielder or baseman with a below average batting record, would they still get picked?

 

[Johnny Mac]

Depends on the team, position, etc. But, generally speaking, teams will take less on offense for great defense at SS, catcher, center, or second, whereas first, third, and the corner outfield spots are expected to be your power bats, and teams will trade that for less on defense. Just look at the Red Sox last year. They felt their lineup was strong enough, so they put the light-hitting Alex Gonzalez at SS, because his defense is pretty amazing.

 

[gomezcat]

Depends on the team, position, etc. But, generally speaking, teams will take less on offense for great defense at SS, catcher, center, or second, whereas first, third, and the corner outfield spots are expected to be your power bats, and teams will trade that for less on defense. Just look at the Red Sox last year. They felt their lineup was strong enough, so they put the light-hitting Alex Gonzalez at SS, because his defense is pretty amazing.

Thanks for the answer, Johnny.

 

[sdaniels7114]

The Mendoza line is a rough indication of just how low an average can go. That doesn't really apply to the better-financed teams or the really cheap ones though.

 

[shakadave]

C - Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez*
1B - Danny Cater
2B - Roberto Alomar (Joe Morgan #6 all time)
SS - Omar Vizquel (Ozzie Smith wins most overrated of all time)
3B - Mike Schmidt (Gaetti 4th)
OF - Roberto Clemente (Dwight Evans 5th among all right fielders; Ichiro 3rd)
OF - Willie Mays (Eric "Willie Mays" Davis 6th among CFers)
OF - Carl Yastrzemski (glove --- and barehand --- not arm)
P - Kenny Rogers

*Also wins the Gold Glovers' Gold Glove among all members of this list.