Wall-Banging Shortstops

Continuing the power-hitting shortstops theme, I am interested in determining who hit the most career doubles at the position.

Looking only at games played at SS, we rule out Robin Yount and Alex Rodriguez. Each has over 500 career doubles but both split them at two different defensive positions.

We run into issues with a few old-time greats, Joe Cronin and Honus Wagner. Both guys hit over 500 doubles but they played in seasons that Baseball-Reference is missing many box scores and thus splits.  Cronin probably hit just under 500 as a SS and Wagner is estimated to have 550 doubles at the SS position.  Honus is very likely the all-time leader for doubles by a shortstop but since we don’t know for certain I have left he and Cronin off this list.

The nearly 100% accurate list follows:

Career Doubles Hit While Playing Shortstop

1. Derek Jeter – 514

2. Cal Ripken – 470

3. Jimmy Rollins – 441

4. Orlando Cabrera – 440

5. Barry Larkin – 438

6. Edgar Renteria – 435

7. Miguel Tejada – 434

8. Omar Vizquel – 426

9. Luke Appling – 422 *est*

10. Ozzie Smith – 400

Preserving Michael Young’s legacy

Dave Cameron and Carson Cistulli each wrote compelling pieces from opposite angles about the Phillies acquisition of long-time Texas Ranger Michael Young.

A third angle to look at the Young signing is what if he had retired last month and passed up a $6,000,000 payday in 2013.  The short answer is that he would have gone down as one of the most uniquely productive hitting shortstops the game has ever seen.  Only 4 SS in the history of MLB have shown the power and average that Young has displayed over his dozen seasons.

The grand list of shortstops with a .300 BA, 400 2B and 150 HR.

Player             BA  2B  HR From   To
Joe  Cronin       .301 515 170 1926 1945
Derek  Jeter      .313 524 255 1995 2012
Alex  Rodriguez   .300 512 647 1994 2012
Michael  Young    .301 415 177 2000 2012

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com