Arod/Jeter greatest left side INF ever?

No, they haven't played a game together yet, and no, we don't even know for SURE that Arod will indeed be at 3rd, or whether Jeter will offer to switch during Spring Training.

But I think it's fair to bring this up: has there ever been a better left side of the INF in the history of the game? If so, who?

[Endymion]

Your right, A-Rod and Jeter still have to play together, but we can try and throw this out...

1982 Brewers had Yount at SS and Molitor at 3B. Both future hall of famers having great seasons.

I think a lot of it depends on how Jeter ages and if the two of them start having cat fights about whose team it is.

Yankees will be something to watch this year. It's amazing, after the A-Rod pickup, Sheffield is almost an after thought this year!

[BuzzBuzzard]

Come on now. Everyone knows that the combination of Hubie Brooks and Frank Taveras was the best left side ever.

Kidding aside, let's not overstate the one sided value Jeter brings to the equation. He's defensively challenged.

[nyy26wc]

Most RCAA, season, left side of the infield--

1   1898   Orioles     120    Hughie Jennings (55), John McGraw (65)
2   1899   Orioles     118    Bill Keister (17), John McGraw (101)
3   1908   Pirates     115    Honus Wagner (95), Tommy Leach (20)
4   1948   Indians     109    Lou Boudreau (71), Ken Keltner (38)
5   1982   Brewers     104    Robin Yount (64), Paul Molitor (40)
6   1904   Pirates      96    Honus Wagner (92), Tommy Leach (4)
T7  1887   Orioles      91    Oyster Burns (66), Jumbo Davis (25)
T7  1897   Orioles      91    Hughie Jennings (55), John McGraw (36)
9   1953   Indians      90    George Strickland (8), Al Rosen (82)
10  1902   Pirates      89    Honus Wagner (62), Tommy Leach (27)

Since 1900--

1   1908   Pirates     115    Honus Wagner (95), Tommy Leach (20)
2   1948   Indians     109    Lou Boudreau (71), Ken Keltner (38)
3   1982   Brewers     104    Robin Yount (64), Paul Molitor (40)
4   1904   Pirates      96    Honus Wagner (92), Tommy Leach (4)
5   1953   Indians      90    George Strickland (8), Al Rosen (82)
6   1902   Pirates      89    Honus Wagner (62), Tommy Leach (27)
7   1903   Pirates      86    Honus Wagner (69), Tommy Leach (17)
8   1955   Braves       86    Johnny Logan (19), Eddie Mathews (67)
9   1980   Royals       85    U.L. Washington (-1), George Brett (86)
10  1938   Giants       80    Dick Bartell (-1), Mel Ott (81)

Rodriguez and Jeter have had 3 seasons in which they combined for over 100: 101 in 1999, 108 in 2000, 104 in 2001. In 2003, they combined for 77.

[KCBOOMER]

Maybe the Yanks should have signed Hans Wagner and moved him to 3B??

[JamesI]

Way to early to make this claim.

[sweaver]

Looks like Honus Wagner and Tommy Leach are the duo to shoot for.

[SmedIndy]

Or Jennings / McGraw, since they did play baseball in the 1890's.

[gyb13]

well, taking only offense into account, jennings/mcgraw is pretty good.... i especially like it that they were both excellent with the bat, rather than, say, the wagner/leach combo, which was very one-sided

[sweaver]

Tommy Leach was an excellent hitter and one of the best players in the league, though he was naturally overshadowed by an all-time great....

[wijamie]

I'm going to go against conventional logic here and predict that Rolen/Renteria will have more RCAA in '04 than Rodriguez/Jeter. They had 67 combined in '03.

I guess that begs another question...which combo would you rather have? I think I'd still take A-Rod/Jeter, but not by much.

[nyy26wc]

Originally Posted by wijamie

I'm going to go against conventional logic here and predict that Rolen/Renteria will have more RCAA in '04 than Rodriguez/Jeter. They had 67 combined in '03.

I guess that begs another question...which combo would you rather have? I think I'd still take A-Rod/Jeter, but not by much.

I'm starting another thread, to discuss that topic.

[nyy26wc]

Originally Posted by nyy26wc

I'm starting another thread, to discuss that topic.

That thread is at http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/...570#post170570

[PianoMonkey]

Obviously ARod/Jeter is one of the best offensive left INF of all time, but defensively?

You have a perennial gold glove contender at SS playing THIRD BASE and a below average to well-below average defender playing short. Which is both idiotic and undoubtedly short lived. Nevertheless, until Jeter starts fielding like Nomar (or even, for that matter, Bill Buckner :-)) (or, better, until he starts fielding SECOND BASE!) I'd give it to Wagner/Leach, with that golden season from Molitor and Yount in 2nd.

[sweaver]

Defensively, that would probably be Belanger and B. Robby (or Aparicio and B. Robby) but that wasn't the question....