MLB All-Time Defensive Team and Their Collectible Rookie Cards
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In any sport, defense matters, and baseball is no different.
A lot of times, understanding a players value defensively, you can only see it on the stat sheet, and not in the field. In baseball, you see it in real time. Tracking down a deep fly ball while crashing into the wall, a shortstop ranging behind second base to steal a clear hit away from a batter, to a catcher throwing out a runner at second base, who clearly had an excellent jump at first. Every game there is a play that can factor into the outcome of the final score.
Today we are given credit to those defensive stalwarts. Today we are going around the horn, and recognizing the best to ever do it defensively at their respective position. Today, we will uncover some all-time greats, and in case you want to chase their cards, what rookie cards are available.
Here we go, with my opinion of greatest defensive players at each position.
Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez
Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez was a great all around player, but defensively, he put fear into those he played against. Pudge was known to have one of the quickest and most accurate arms behind the plate. Per Wikipedia, Rodriguez threw out nearly 46% of the runners trying to steal a base. This is incredible to note, considering during his playing days, the leagues average was about 31%. Pudge would go onto collecting 13 Gold Gloves in his career.
The 14 time All-Star managed to collect 2,844 hits, and 311 home runs, while driving in over 1,300 RBIs.
Incredibly, you can pick up a Ivan Rodriguez Topps Traded RC PSA 10 for around $40.
First Base: Keith Hernandez
An arguement can be made that Keith Hernandez should be in the MLB Hall of Fame. If you are the best ever at your position, you should be recognized for it. Keith Hernandez is the greatest defensive first baseman to ever play the position. With 11 Gold Gloves, Hernandez is the only one in double digits.
Hernandez was not too shabby up at the plate either. He would go onto winning a batting title, and 2 Silver Slugger awards, on his way to over 2,100 hits in his career. The 1x MVP would carry a .296 batting average for his career.
A 1975 Topps RC, PSA 7 can respectively be had for under $50.
Second Base: Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar was a smooth playing second baseman. A player who made plays look effortlessly, would eventually rack up 10 Gold Gloves. Once Alomar got over to Cleveland, he hooked up with shortstop Omar Vizquel, forming one of the greatest defensive duos ever.
Alomar was just as great with his bat, as he was with his glove. The 12x All-Star went onto hitting a career .300, and scored an incredible 1,504 runs. Because of what he did both on the field, and in the batters box, Alomar would finish in the top 5 in MVP votes, 5 times.
The 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie is arguably his most desirable card to obtain. If you are patient, you can get this PSA 10 for around $50.
Third Base: Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson was a vacuum at third base. There have been other third baseman that have tried to take the crown, but non have done it at such of an elite level, for as long. Robinson would go onto winning 16 Gold Gloves, more than anyone else except for a pitcher I will name later.
Robinson was a threat at the plate as well. Finishing in the Top 5 in MVP votes 5 times, Robinson would win it in 1964. The 18x All-Star would finish with 2,848 hits, and over 1,300 RBI's.
While you can spend thousands of dollars on a pristine Brooks Robinson, an SGC 5 or 6 are still very nice to look at and own. Recently this SGC 5.5 sold for under $1,000.
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith
They didn't call him the "Wizard" for what he did with the bat, it was for what he did in the field. Ozzie Smith was a migician in the field. He made hard plays look routine, and impossible plays look spectacular. No one wanted to hit it to the left side of the field, as they knew their fate was doomed. Ozzie would go onto winning 13 Gold Gloves
The 15x All-Star would go onto having over 2,400 hits, over 1,200 runs, and steal 580 bases.
With only 5 pristine PSA 10's in the world, we will focus on a more realistic PSA 7. A graded PSA 7 can be had for around $150.
Left Field: Barry Bonds
Before becoming the home run hitting machine we grew to love, Bonds was a 5 tool player, who manned Left Field as good as anyone else before or after him. With great speed, and a solid glove, Bonds would end up receiving 8 Gold Gloves throughout his career.
The greatest player of all-time was a defensive wizard in the field, and once a student, became the professor at the plate. He would go on to hitting the most home runs of all-time, with 762. The 7x MVP was a 14x All-Star who would finish with 2,935 hits and 1,996 RBI's.
This card in a PSA 10 typically sells for around $650-$750.
Center Field: Willie Mays
While I personally want to give this award to Ken Griffey Jr., I need to respect what Mays did defensively. Mays checked the box in all aspects of what he was able to bring in center. He could run as fast as anyone, had a cannon for an arm, and had an incredible glove. It doesnt hurt the 12x Gold Glove winner, to have the greatest catch of all-time as well.
Mays also goes down as one of the greatest all around players as well. Mays would finish with over 3,000 hits, 660 home runs, and over 1,900 RBI's.
This card is iconic in the sports card world, and with 79 graded an 8 by PSA, this goes for a pretty penny. This card recently sold for over $176,000.
Right Field: Roberto Clemente
Ichiro Suzuki may be the greatest defensive right fielder I have ever seen, but Clemente still holds out as the greatest ever. Clemente was known to play shallow, and still had the ability to catch up to any deep fly ball. The 12x Gold Glove winner was known to have a cannon for an arm, and arguably was the most feared outfielder ever.
Clemente was a 15x All-Star, and a career .317 hitter. He would go onto winning 4 batting titles, and 1 MVP during his career.
This card recently graded a PSA 8, sold for an incredible $91,500. You can get a PSA 2 like the picture above for around $2,000-$3,000.
Pitcher: Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux pitched for 23 years, and won the Gold Glove Award 18 times. Hitters didnt want to bunt on him, and surely didnt want to hit the ball up the middle, as it nearly guaranteed to be an out. Maddux took as much pride in fielding, as he did in setting up the next hitter.
One of the greatest pitchers of all-time, Maddux would go onto winning the Cy Young award 4 times. Maddux would finish with 355 wins, and an incredible 3.16 ERA, while striking out over 3,000 batters.
To be able to pick up one of the greatest pitchers of all-time for around $120, with a grade of 10, seems like an awesome deal.
