MLB Network: Belanger. The best Shortstop

[NashLumber]

I like this list, has probably been referred to in this thread. Out of the top 6, four had been in the Orioles infield.

 

1. Ozzie Smith 44.2

2. Mark Belanger 39.5

3. Brooks Robinson 39.1

4. Cal Ripken Jr. 35.7

5. Joe Tinker 34.3

6. Luis Aparicio 31.8

 

3 shortstops plus Brook Robinson. Definitely a source of pride for the organization.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WAR_def_career.shtml

[tntoriole]

On 9/10/2020 at 10:54 PM, Tony-OH said:

The man was once worth 4.9 dWAR in a season. He was special. I wish I could have watched him in his prime. I only remember the guy at the end of career, and barely at that.

I was lucky enough to see him play and he just was so smooth, he just absorbed every ball so effortlessly...

[yeoledugger]

I just watched the Belanger documentary - worth viewing.  I learned that Belanger was an equally gifted H. S. basketball player who respected Bob Cousy’s playing style. Belanger was planning to attend Boston College under the tutelage of Cousy as head coach. But Cousy delayed his NBA retirement one more year and Belanger chose instead to sign with the O’s. Such is fate. One criticism - I found that the background music was too loud and made it difficult at times to follow some of the commentary.

[Frobby]

5 hours ago, NashLumber said:

I like this list, has probably been referred to in this thread. Out of the top 6, four had been in the Orioles infield.

 

1. Ozzie Smith 44.2

2. Mark Belanger 39.5

3. Brooks Robinson 39.1

4. Cal Ripken Jr. 35.7

5. Joe Tinker 34.3

6. Luis Aparicio 31.8

 

3 shortstops plus Brook Robinson. Definitely a source of pride for the organization.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WAR_def_career.shtml

I’ll just make the point again that Smith played about 40% more innings than Belanger.    

[NashLumber]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I’ll just make the point again that Smith played about 40% more innings than Belanger.    

Such is fate. In '65 and '66, HOF SS Aparicio was blocking him (just 19 games total). Played in 69 games in '67. And in '81 Weaver had him in just 64 games. In LA in '82, he was a backup to Bill Russell in 54 games.

[Frobby]

38 minutes ago, NashLumber said:

Such is fate. In '65 and '66, HOF SS Aparicio was blocking him (just 19 games total). Played in 69 games in '67. And in '81 Weaver had him in just 64 games. In LA in '82, he was a backup to Bill Russell in 54 games.

He couldn’t hit.    Even in his prime Earl sat him pretty often.