The main reason for this is there are three candidates who received strong support but are being left off of Mount Otsego. Two of those players, though, most likely missed out due to their own mistakes, although most would say that one of them clearly made more unforgivable decisions than the other. The third runner-up, however, is one who we could sympathize with, that is if this was truly a major honor, and if he was actually still alive.

Without further adieu, here are the Mount Otsego honorees out in left field:

Rickey Henderson

Stan Musial

Ted Williams

Carl Yastrzemski

Of course, those of you who have been following this thread know that the players on the outside looking in are Barry Bonds, Joe Jackson and Al Simmons, and that Simmons is the one who didn’t hurt his own case with poor off-field decisions.

Next up, of course, is center field, but that won’t be this week, as we’ll be taking a little break from this series.

Let me make one clarification, though, before we continue. In the ”black mark” category, I am not referring to Pete Rose. We’ve decided to go with the idea of adding a utility category for players whose careers don’t easily allow them to fit into a particular position. Rose will be considered as part of that category.

And now, on to the candidates.

Chas’ Picks

Barry Bonds
When I nominated Alex Rodriguez for the Mount Otsego of shortstops, his name wasn’t even mentioned in the passionate debate that ensued. I don’t think we’re going to be able to ignore Barry Bonds as easily, though. Considering his career at face value, there is no way we could justify not bestowing this honor on the all-time home run king. In addition to topping the career list for round-trippers, he is the all-time leader in walks and intentional walks, and is 6th in OBP and slugging percentage, 5th in adjusted OPS, 4th in RBI and total bases, and 3rd in runs. Add to that 514 SB, 8 Gold Gloves, 13 Silver Sluggers, 14 All-Star selections and seven MVPs, and there is no way we can deny him his place on the mountain. Or can we?

Ed Delahanty
“Big Ed” was one of the greatest hitters of the 19th century. He played for 16 seasons from 1888 to 1903 and compiled a career batting average of .346, producing 1599 runs scored and 1464 RBI in just 1835 games. He led the league in slugging percentage and doubles five times, home runs twice, RBI three times, and extra base hits four times. His tragic death in 1903 at the age of 35–he was swept over Niagara Falls in what was believed to have been a drunken accident–is also the subject matter of a song that appears on the best baseball album ever, 2008′s Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails, by indie rocker Steve Wynn and R.E.M. sidekick Scott McCaughey, otherwise known as The Baseball Project. [Link is to a youtube video of the band performing on Letterman]

Rickey Henderson
Of all of the major career marks, Rickey’s 1406 stolen bases just may be the most impressive of all, especially considering it’s approximately 50% more than the second name on the list. But, Henderson wasn’t just the “Man of Steal”, he was the greatest leadoff hitter in the game’s history, holding the all-time mark for runs (2295) and ranking second to Bonds in walks (2190). 297 HR, a .401 OBP, 10 All-Star selections, an MVP and a Gold Glove, and it all adds up to an icon whose likeness wouldn’t look out of place on top of Mount Otsego.

Stan Musial
“Stan the Man” was Ted Williams’ counterpart in the National League, and every bit the Splendid Splinter’s equal. But, when discussing the greatest hitters of all-time, how often do we hear arguments for Musial’s name to top the list? Whether that is an injustice to him or not–considering his .331 lifetime batting average, 3630 hits, 475 HR, 1949 runs, 1951 RBI, seven batting titles, 20 All-Star selections, and three MVPs (plus four second place finishes)–it seems unlikely that anyone could not rate the oldest living Hall of Famer as one of the four greatest left fielders in history.

Tim Raines
Tim “Rock” Raines is more deserving of the Hall of Fame than several left fielders who are already in the Hall, including Jim Rice and Lou Brock. But, I’m not going to spend a lot of time trying to convince you of that here. You can read this if you want to learn more about how I feel about Raines’ Hall of Fame snub. However, if you want to discuss the relative merits of Raines vs. Brock, or dispute the fact that Brock is the worst first-ballot Hall of Famer and, quite possibly, the most over-rated player in baseball history, bring it on.

Al Simmons
“Bucketfoot Al” batted .300 with 100 or more RBI in each of his first 11 major league seasons. He reached the 200-hit mark six times (including 253 in 1925), and batted .380 or higher four times. With career totals of 2927 hits, 1507 runs, 307 HR, 1827 RBI and a .334 batting average, Simmons clearly is one of the greatest left fielders to ever play the game. Adding to his resume the fact that he batted .329 and slugged .658, with 6 HR, 6 2B, 17 RBI and 15 runs scored in 19 World Series games, and it’s hard to imagine that there could be four players at his position that are better than he is.

Smitty’s Six

Joe Jackson
To most people, “Shoeless Joe” Jackson will always be remembered as the guy who first appeared out of the cornstalks in Iowa. The fact is, Jackson belongs on the side of Mount Otsego when discussing left-fielders. Nicknamed “Shoeless Joe” because he took his new cleats off his feet during a game because of a blister, Jackson had a 12-year career in Major League Baseball despite being banished in 1920 by Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis for his “association” in the Black Sox scandal. Jackson finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .356, with 1772 hits and 785 RBI. At .356, he has the third highest career batting average in major league history. In 1911, Jackson batted .411, which is the highest batting average in a single season for a rookie player. To this date, Jackson still holds White Sox franchise records for triples in a season and career batting average.  Whether he was innocent or guilty of association with the Black Sox scandal is up for debate between baseball historians. Whether Jackson should be on the side of Mount Otsego…well that is a conversation for this site.

Jim Rice
For most Red Sox fans, Jim Rice’s recent election to the Baseball Hall of Fame was overdue. For others, there are questions about whether he should be there. But there is no doubt that Rice belongs in this conversation. Rice finished with a career batting average of .298, 2452 hits, 382 HR and 1451 RBI. The eight-time All-Star was the American League MVP in 1978.  Rice and Ty Cobb are the only players in the American League to lead the league in total bases three years in a row. He batted over .300 seven times, drove in 100 runs eight times, and had 11 seasons with 20 or more home runs. It should be noted that, while Rice won only one MVP award, he finished in the top five in the voting five other times. Defensively, Rice finished his career with comparable fielding percentage (.980) and outfield assists (137) to Ted Williams’ numbers: .974 fielding percentage and 140 assists.

Willie Stargell
Talk about the greatest left fielders of all-time and any Pirates fan would tell you that “Pops” Stargell belongs in the conversation. The seven-time All-Star finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .282, 2232 hits, 475 HR and 1540 RBI. Stargell, known for swinging a sledgehammer in the on-deck circle, was part of two World Series champions. In 1979, he won the National League MVP, the NLCS MVP, and the World Series trophies in the same year. To date, Stargell is the only player to ever accomplish the feat. Many baseball historians will say that his numbers suffered from playing in Forbes Field for the first 8 season of his career. Probably exaggerating to make his point, teammate Roberto Clemente estimated that Stargell hit about 400 fly balls to the warning track in left field at his home park. Left-center field at Forbes was measured at 457 feet.

Billy Williams
When you have a discussion about the greatest left fielders of all-time, Billy Williams has to be in the conversation. The former Rookie of the Year was a six-time All-Star selection who finished with a .290 career batting average, 426 HR, 2711 hits and 1475 RBI. “Sweet Swinging Billy Williams” played with Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins and Ron Santo to form some good Cubs teams that never played in a postseason game.

Ted Williams
“The Splendid Splinter” not only comes up in conversations regarding the greatest left fielders of all-time, Williams also comes to mind when discussing the greatest players to ever play baseball. The two-time MVP led the American League in hitting six times and won the Triple Crown twice. Williams finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .344, 521 HR and 1839 RBI. “The Kid” is the last player to hit over .400 for a season (.406 in 1941), and both of his Triple Crowns wrapped around his first of two tours of duty in the military service (1942-1946 and 1952-1953).  Based on the evidence of when he won both Triple Crowns, it is easy to surmise that Williams potentially lost four seasons at the peak of his career.

Carl Yastrzemski
Imagine having to replace one of the greatest hitters in the game and responding to that pressure by putting up Hall of Fame numbers yourself. “Yaz” did just that, replacing Ted Williams in left field and finishing his 23-year career with a lifetime batting average of .285, 3419 hits, 452 HR and 1844 RBI. He was an 18-time All-Star and won seven Gold Gloves during his career. Yaz won the 1970 MVP award and is also the last major league player to win the Triple Crown. In 1968, when pitchers held a significant advantage over hitters, he finished the year as the only American League player to hit over .300, at a meager .301.

Now that we’ve thrown a dozen names out there, bring it on folks. Let’s talk all-time greats out in left field.

I honestly expected a little more support for Wade Boggs, and that there would be serious discussion about which two of the trio of Boggs, George Brett and Brooks Robinson would make the cut, in addition to the two obvious choices (Mike Schmidt and Eddie Mathews). But, that turned out not to be the case, so without further adieu, I present you the Mount Otsego third basemen:

 
George Brett

Eddie Mathews

Brooks Robinson

Mike Schmidt

Next up are the left fielders. That post should be up over the weekend, so please be sure to check back.

Smitty and I apologize for the delay.

Ernie Banks

Cal Ripken Jr.

Honus Wagner

Robin Yount

Third Base is the most under-represented position in terms of number of members in the Hall of Fame, with 13. By comparison, there are over 20 Hall of Famers at a number of other positions, including first base, shortstop, center field and right field. Additionally, only six of these guys didn’t need the Veterans Committee or the Negro Leagues Committee to gain election.

We’re taking a slightly different approach this week. Smitty and I are each making a case for six different players, whereas in previous entries, we simply presented our six selections each without regard for who the other picked. The overlap in our picks could have been interpreted as the guys we were collectively supporting. Not that we think this influenced your opinions, but we feel that, by doing it this way, the commenting will begin with a clean slate. Some candidates will be more obvious than others, of course, but this won’t be reflected in the fact that both Smitty and I nominated them.

Smitty’ Six

Wade Boggs
Finally, a Red Sox player. Then again, he went on to play with the Yankees and eventually the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, so I’m not sure if the Red Sox can fully claim him as their own. Either way, Boggs has to be considered one of the greatest hitting third basemen ever to play the game.  The five-time batting champion finished his career with a .328 batting average, 3010 hits, 137 HR and 1014 RBI. Interestingly enough, Boggs was able to reach the 3000 hit club despite not playing a major league game until the age of 25. He also finished his career as a 12-time All-Star and won two Gold Gloves. Boggs also participated in the longest game in professional baseball history with the Pawtucket Red Sox. The game against the Rochester Red Wings lasted 33 innings over two days and featured two future Hall of Famers.

George Kell
A lot of people might disagree with me, but George Kell belongs in the discussion when talking about the greatest third basemen of all-time. During the 1940s and 1950s, Kell was considered the best third baseman in the American League. He batted over .300 nine times, finishing with a career batting average of .306, 2054 hits and 870 RBI. A 10-time All-Star selection, Kell finished first in the league in assists and total chances four times during his career. He also led in fielding percentage seven times, finishing with a career fielding percentage of .969.

Eddie Mathews
For most of Eddie Mathews’ career, Hank Aaron stole the spotlight. Not for this article, as Mathews is considered by many to be one of the greatest third basemen to ever play the game. He finished with a career batting average of .271, 512 HR and 1453 RBI. Ty Cobb was once qouted as saying, “I’ve only known three or four perfect swings in my time. This lad has one of them.” Mathews was a nine-time All-Star selection and finished with a career fielding percentage of .956 at third base.

Graig Nettles
One of the best fielding third basemen to ever play the game, Nettles was also solid offensively. While he had a low career batting average of .248, he also had 390 HR and 1314 RBI. A six-time All-Star selection who won two Gold Gloves, Nettles finished with a career fielding percentage of .961.

Scott Rolen
I am not a fan of putting active players on this list, but I believe Scott Rolen deserves consideration. Rolen, still playing with the Toronto Blue Jays, has career numbers of a .283 batting average, 276 HR, 1081 RBI, and 1732 hits. He is a five-time All-Star and has won seven Gold Gloves. In fact, only two third basemen have won more Gold Gloves at the position. Pretty elite company if you ask me.

Mike Schmidt
When you start talking about the greatest third basemen in Major League Baseball history, Mike Schmidt should either be at the top or near the top of everyone’s list. If career numbers of a .267 batting average, 548 HR and 1595 RBI aren’t enough, how about adding that he was a 12-time All-Star selection, 10-time Gold Glove winner and three-time National League MVP? Add in a career fielding percentage at the hot corner of .955 and Captain Cool shouldn’t be denied a place on Mount Otsego.

Chas’ Picks

George Brett
Referred to by teammate Frank White as “…the greatest clutch hitter I’ve played with or against,” Brett compiled a .627 slugging percentage in 166 postseason at bats, 40% of which were against the Yankees. Of course, he’s not to be regarded as simply an excellent postseason player, having collected over 1500 runs and 1500 RBI to go with his 3154 career hits, 317 HR, and .305 batting average.  He was also selected to play in 13 consecutive All-Star games (1976-1988) and won three batting titles, including in his MVP season of 1980. It was in that magical season, that he made a run at .400, falling 10 points short with what was, at the time, the highest single season average since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.

Chipper Jones
If we’re going to consider an active player, in my opinion, it should be this guy. Flying a little under the radar, Jones has put together some incredible numbers over the course of his 15+ year career: 2335 hits, 1408 runs, 416 HR, 1405 RBI, .310 batting average, .408 OBP, 145 OPS+ (45% better-than-average on-base plus slugging percentage). Not necessarily a stellar defender, but not a liability either, as his career fielding percentage is slightly above average for the position. Jones also has played in six All-Star games, won the MVP in 1999, and last year at age 36, he posted career highs in batting average (.364) and OBP (.470).

Paul Molitor
Although “The Ignitor” played more games at DH than anywhere in his career, third base was the defensive position he manned the most. His 3319 career hits included four seasons of 200 or more and three seasons leading the league. Add to that 234 HR, 504 SB, 1782 runs (three times leading the league), and a .368 batting average and .615 slugging percentage in 117 postseason at bats, and you have a serious candidate for Mount Otsego. Despite the time spent as a DH, Molitor was actually a pretty good defender at both third and second base, who was relegated to DHing due to injuries. He was also a seven-time All-Star who won the World Series MVP for Toronto in 1993.

Brooks Robinson
I probably don’t have to tell you that “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” won 16 Gold Gloves, the most ever by anyone at any position other than pitcher. After Clete Boyer revolutionized third base play by being the first to position his body lower to the ground for better lateral movement, Robinson perfected the art. While not known for his bat, he still collected 2848 hits and 268 HR, while finishing in the top five in AL MVP voting five times, winning the award in 1964. Robinson finished in the top six in the league in hits eight times, was selected to 15 All-Star teams, and won the 1970 World Series MVP.

Ron Santo
If you polled SABR members as to who is the mostly widely overlooked player for Hall of Fame consideration, I would bet that at least a third of them would answer Ron Santo. Long before he endeared himself to Cubs’ fans with his colorful radio broadcasts, he was a nine-time NL All-Star who led the league in walks four times, OBP twice, and is the only third baseman in history to post eight consecutive seasons with 90 or more RBI (1963-1970). He won five consecutive Gold Gloves from 1964 to 1968, finished his career with 342 HR and 1331 RBI, and at the time of his retirement in 1974, was second or third among third basemen in home runs, slugging percentage, RBI, total bases and walks. So, forget Mount Otsego for a moment. Why is Ron Santo not in the Hall of Fame?

Pie Traynor
Long before there was Lou Merloni, Harold “Pie” Traynor was the pride of Framingham, Massachusetts. Playing alongside Arky Vaughan in Pittsburgh for part of his career, Traynor batted over .300 10 times and compiled a lifetime batting average of .320. He also drove in over 100 runs seven times in his career, and struck out only seven times in 540 at bats in 1929. There were no Gold Gloves back in his day, but he was considered by many to be the greatest defensive third baseman of his time. Unlike Vaughan, however, Traynor was elected to Hall of Fame by baseball writers in 1948.

Now that we’ve made the case for 12 of the best to ever play the position, it’s time to hear from you. What faces do you think should represent the position of third base on Mount Otsego?

Derek Jeter
At this position, only three guys—Honus Wagner, Arky Vaughan and Alex Rodriguez—have a higher win shares per year average than Jeter. He’s also the captain, and undisputed leader, of a team that won four World Series in a five year stretch. His 2607 career hits put him within range of overtaking Lou Gehrig this year for the most by any Yankee in history. Additionally, Jeter adds 1502 runs, 214 HR, 1028 RBI, 287 SB, a .315 lifetime batting average, .386 OBP and three Gold Gloves to his resume. Lastly, he’s played almost an entire season in the postseason, and the numbers are outstanding: 123 games, 85 runs, 153 hits, 17 HR, 16 SB, .309 BA, .377 OBP, and he won the 2000 World Series MVP.

Cal Ripken Jr.
The Iron Man was more than just an exceptionally durable, hard-working player and an excellent leader among his peers. He was simply a great player, who amassed 3184 hits, 431 HR, 1695 RBI and 1647 runs, while winning two MVPs, two Gold Gloves, and being named to 19 consecutive All-Star teams during a 21-year career. He’s also second all-time among shortstops in career win shares.

Alex Rodriguez
This one is going to be a bit controversial, but not because he has played third base for the past 5+ years, of course. On that subject, he’s still played 500 more games at short than at third, and—despite the fact that we’re talking hypothetically about carving these players’ heads in stone on a fictitious mountain—I consider Mount Otsego to be a living, breathing entity. That is, if we decide to revisit this concept in a few years, we can easily decide to replace one guy with another, or even to move someone from one spot on the mountain—i.e. position—to a different one. Regarding the real controversy, you have every right to decide against him, but if it wasn’t for the steroid issue, he would no doubt belong on the mount. Therefore, he needs to be part of the discussion. Oh yeah, the numbers: 561 HR, 1631 RBI, 1621 runs, 2430 hits and 147 OPS+, not to mention the three MVPs, two Gold Gloves and the fact that only Ripken, Wagner and Robin Yount have more career win shares. All this, and he doesn’t turn 34 until next month.

Arky Vaughan
The greatest left-handed hitting shortstop of all-time, Vaughan was Honus Wagner’s successor as the best at the position. He played 12 outstanding years until serving in World War II from 1944 to 1946. Unfortunately, he was in his mid-30s upon returning and the time he missed cost him, as he never regained a full-time job. Still, he amazingly accumulated 356 win shares, averaging close to 30 per year during the dozen seasons that made up his prime. Only Rodriguez and Wagner can match that level of performance. A lifetime batting average of .318, on-base percentage of .406, 2103 hits, 1173 runs, 926 RBI and a 136 OPS+ are among his statistical accomplishments. He also was named to nine consecutive All-Star teams from 1934 to 1942.

Honus Wagner
John Peter Wagner is arguably among the 10 greatest players of all-time, and there’s little doubt that he’s tops among those who manned this position. Bill James’ Black Ink Test ranks players based on the number of times they led the league in various categories, with more important categories weighted more heavily. It’s called Black Ink because leading numbers are typically represented in boldface type. Although it was easier to lead the league during the time frame that Wagner played, it’s still pretty amazing to look at his hitting record and see how covered in black it is. I’ll let Smitty rattle off Honus’ numbers, although I’m confident his case needs very little support.

Robin Yount
Yount made his major league debut at the age of 18, so when he switched to the outfield, due to a shoulder injury in his late 20s, he had already spent 11 years as a shortstop. He finished his career having played 200+ more games at short than in the outfield, and ranks third all-time at the position in win shares. He finished his 20-year career with 3142 hits, 251 HR, 271 SB, 1632 runs, 1406 RBI, two MVPs, a Gold Glove, and a first-ballot Hall of Fame election.

Smitty’s Six

Ernie Banks
Mr. Cub certainly deserves to be on this list. The 11-time All-Star finished his career with a .274 career batting average, 512 HR and over 1600 RBI. Banks was a two-time MVP who also won the Gold Glove award in 1960. To date, Banks still holds Cubs records for games played (2528), at bats (9421) and total bases (4706).

Cal Ripken Jr.
Do I need to add more? The Iron Man himself revolutionized the shortstop position as he proved that taller, bigger shortstops could be successful at the major league level. 2632 consecutive games played, 19-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, 3184 hits, 431 HR, 1695 RBI, and two-time MVP. Can I stop now?

Ozzie Smith
The Wizard is not on this list because of what he did with his bat, but rather what he did with his glove. He was a 13-time Gold Glove winner, with a career .262 batting average, 2460 hits and 580 stolen bases. Smith was also a 15-time All-Star, and as Bud Harrelson was once quoted as saying: “The thing about Ozzie is, if he misses a ball, you assume it’s uncatchable. If any other shortstop misses a ball, your first though is, ‘Would Ozzie have had it?’”

Arky Vaughan
Vaughan is possibly the greatest shortstop you have never heard of. It wasn’t until I started researching the shortstop position that I actually found out about him. He’s considered by many, including Bill James, to be the second greatest shortstop to ever play the game, behind Honus Wagner. With a career batting average of .318, 2103 hits and 926 RBI, Vaughan also lost three years of playing time due to WWII. He was also a nine-time All-Star.

Honus Wagner
The Flying Dutchman is considered by many—including Bill James—to be the greatest shortstop ever to play the game. Wagner was one of the first five players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His peers, such as Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, considered him the greatest player of their time. A .327 career batting average, 3415 hits, and 1732 RBI, Wagner also had 722 stolen bases and 252 triples during his 21-year career. Plus, his T206 card is one of the rarest and most expensive baseball cards in the world. That says something, right?

Robin Yount
Yount spent most of his career at shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers until a shoulder problem forced him into the outfield. He finished with a career batting average of .285, 3142 hits, 251 HR and over 1400 RBI. He was a three-time All-Star, who also won a Gold Glove, and was a two-time MVP. In fact, Yount is one of four players in Major League Baseball history to win the MVP trophy at two different positions.

Can you name the other three? Without looking it up, of course. Oh, and don’t forget to chime in with your opinions of who are the greatest shortstops of all-time.

Eddie Collins

Rogers Hornsby

Joe Morgan

Jackie Robinson

Two of these guys–Morgan and Hornsby–were pretty much unanimous, and despite pretty good support for Nap Lajoie and Ryne Sandberg, Collins and Robinson were pretty clear picks for the remaining two heads as well.

Next up are the shortstops, so study up–if you so desire–and get ready for what could be our most interesting Mount Otsego discussion to date.

Jimmie Foxx

Lou Gehrig

Hank Greenberg

Eddie Murray

Second Base is another tough one, a position that includes 18 Hall of Famers and a few others who may well be on their way to induction once their names are on the ballot.

Chas’ Picks

Craig Biggio
5th all-time in career Win Shares for a second baseman with 428, Biggio also averaged 24.9 over a 15-year stretch from 1991-2005 (6th among second basemen). His offensive numbers include 291 HR, 414 SB, 1844 runs (13th all-time), and 3060 hits, and, of course, he’s second all-time in HBP. He also won five Silver Slugger awards, four Gold Gloves, and was a seven-time All Star.

Eddie Collins
The all-time leader in Career Win Shares (572) among second basemen, Collins also averaged 32.2 (30 is considered an MVP-caliber season) over the 15-year period from 1909 to 1923. He accumulated 3315 hits (10th all-time), 1821 runs (15th), 744 SB (7th) and 1300 RBI, as a leadoff hitter, while batting .333 with a .424 OBP over a 25-year career. The pride of Dutchess County (NY) was also one of the greatest World Series performers in history, hitting .328 in 34 games over six fall classics, four of them victories, despite batting only .226 while many of his teammates were throwing the 1919 series.

Rogers Hornsby
Despite the fact that Bill James calls Hornsby one of the four biggest horse’s asses, among players, in major league history—Ty Cobb, Dick Allen and Hal Chase are the others—there’s no denying he’s among the greatest second basemen of all-time. 502 Career Win Shares (3rd among second basemen), including a 15-year run (1916-1930) during which he averaged 31.6, and an OPS+ of 175 qualify him as the SABRmetric darling at his position. Add to that a .358 career batting average (2nd all-time), 301 HR, 1584 RBI, 1579 runs, and seven NL batting titles—including six straight from 1920-1925—and you have a pretty serious lock for Mount Otsego.

Nap Lajoie
One of the greatest players from the turn of the century, and Ty Cobb’s greatest rival, Napoleon compiled 496 Career Win Shares (28.3 per year from 1898-1912), 3242 hits (13th all-time), 1599 RBI and 1504 runs, while batting .338 with a 150 OPS+ over a 21-year career. He won the Triple Crown in the American League’s inaugural year of 1901, and captured the AL’s first four batting titles, adding a fifth in 1910. Lajoie also led the league in on-base percentage twice, slugging percentage four times, doubles five times and RBI three times.

Joe Morgan
Let’s face it, this discussion is really going to be about who is going to join Collins, Hornsby and the greatest modern second baseman, Joe Morgan, on Mount Otsego. The fact that most people consider Morgan to be the greatest ever at the position, over the likes of those two legendary figures, is argument enough. But, his credentials don’t end there. 268 HR, 689 SB, 1650 runs, a .392 OBP, 518 Win Shares (28.3 per year from 1969-1983), 2 MVPs, 5 Gold Gloves, and 10 All-Star selections, and you’ve got a pretty clear cut automatic pick.

Jackie Robinson
We all know what Jack Roosevelt Robinson’s major claim to fame is, but, of course, he was much more than just a guy who was capable of turning the other cheek. Despite losing a few prime major league years to racial segregation, Robinson ranks 5th among second basemen in Win Shares per year with 25.7. In his abbreviated 10-year career, he was a six-time All Star and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, winning the award in 1949. He also won the Rookie of the Year in 1947, led the NL in stolen bases twice and finished in the top five six times, and his uniform number (42) is retired throughout baseball.

Smitty’s Six

Eddie Collins
One of the greatest 2nd basemen to play the game, Collins played from 1906 through 1930 with both the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago White Sox. He finished his career with a .333 batting average, over 3,000 hits (3,315 to be exact) and 744 SB. He was the 1914 American League MVP, still holds the major league record for 512 career sacrifice hits, and was the first major leaguer to steal more than 80 bases in a season. He still holds the single-game record for steals with six. Considered by Bill James—from a win share perspective—to be the greatest second baseman of all-time.

Roger Hornsby
The only major leaguer to win the Triple Crown twice. Not enough? How about a career batting average of .358, 2,930 hits and 301 home runs. Hornsby was the NL MVP twice and won 7 batting titles. His batting average in the 1924 season of .424 is the highest in the history of the game. When I say Cardinals, you say Hornsby. Cardinals — ???

Bobby Doerr
Considered by Ted Willliams to be the “Silent Captain of the Boston Red Sox”, Doerr played most of his career overshadowed by Williams, Joe Cronin and Jimmy Foxx. Doerr finished with a career batting average of .288, 223 HR, 2,042 hits and 1,247 RBI, and was also a nine-time American League All Star.

Joe Morgan
When you talk about the best second basemen in the history of the game, Joe Morgan almost immediately comes to mind. Morgan finished with a career batting average of .271, 268 HR, 2,517 hits and 689 SB. Was an integral part of the Big Red Machine in the 1970′s and was the first second basemen to win back-to-back National League MVP crowns. Morgan was also a 10-time All Star and a four-time Gold Glove winner. We won’t hold his career as a broadcaster against him.

Nap Lajoie
The pride and joy of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Lajoie finished his career with a batting average of .338, 3,242 hits, 1,504 runs and 83 HR. The 83 homers don’t seem like a lot, but considering that Lajoie played from 1896 – 1914, 83 home runs was a lot. Lajoie won the 1901 Triple Crown.

Ryne Sandberg
I can almost see Wally smiling from ear-to-ear. The fact is Sandberg belongs on this list. He finished his career with a .285 batting average, 282 HR, 2,386 hits and 1,061 RBI, and was a 10-time All Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner.  Sandberg was the 1984 National League MVP, and his fielding percentage of .989 is a major league record at second base.

What’s your opinion? Please let us know.

Johnny Bench

Yogi Berra

Roy Campanella

Ivan Rodriguez

Thanks for all of your contributions. I know I came away from the discussion feeling like I was under-appreciating Campanella, and that I hadn’t given enough consideration to Josh Gibson.

So, now it’s time to get on to the next discussion, of a position well stocked with power hitters–including 8 of the 25 members of the 500 home run club–and well represented in the Hall of Fame, with 21 honorees.

That position, of course, is First Base.

Smitty’s Six

Jeff Bagwell
To me, Jeff Bagwell flew under the radar for most of his career, but not anymore.  The 1991 NL Rookie of the Year, four-time All-Star and 1994 NL MVP, Bagwell was part of the Killer B’s lineup that made the Houston Astros a playoff contender for most of the 1990’s. Career numbers of .297 batting average, 449 HR and 1,529 RBI rank him amongst the elite of first basemen. Bagwell was certainly a model of longevity, hitting more than 30 HR in nine seasons and had over 100 RBI in 8 seasons. He also stole 202 bases during his career and was the first first basemen—say that 10 times in a row—to become a member of the 30/30 club. Bagwell’s career Win Shares were 388.

Jimmie Foxx
The three-time MVP split his career between the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox. He was considered to be one of the first power hitters in Major League Baseball. Lefty Gomez once described him as having “muscles in his hair”. He hit over 50 HR twice, including 58 in 1932 with the A’s. His 50 homers was a season high for the Boston Red Sox until David Ortiz eclipsed the mark in 2006. With a lifetime batting average of .325, 534 HR, 1,922 RBI and 435 career Win Shares, you can put Mr. Foxx’s name next to Mr. Gehrig’s.

Lou Gehrig
Speaking of Mr. Gehrig, just mentioning the name—Lou Gehrig—says it all. His 2,130 consecutive games played stood as a record until Cal Ripken eclipsed it 1995. His 23 career grand slams still stand as a record in Major League Baseball. Throw in the two-time MVP’s lifetime batting average of .340, 493 HR, 1,995 RBI, and he is a shoo-in for this side of the mountain. Gehrig’s career Win Shares were 489.

Hank Greenberg
Hank might be one the most controversial picks for me, but I think he should be there. Greenberg missed more than three seasons due to World War II. That didn’t prevent Greenberg from putting up career marks of .331 batting average, 331 HR, and 1,276 RBI. Greenberg owns the 8th highest slugging percentage in major league history, and was a 2-time American League MVP. His career Win Shares were only 267, but I am not holding that against him.

Willie McCovey
You can call him “Stretch” or you can call him “Big Mac”. But when you have a cove named after you, you can’t be doing things half bad. With a career batting average of only .270, McCovey also hit 521 HR and 1,555 RBI. He was a six-time All-Star who won the Rookie of the Year award in 1959 and the MVP in 1969. McCovey also played a good portion of his career when pitching dominated the major leagues, thanks to a raised pitcher’s mound. McCovey’s career Win Shares were 408.

Eddie Murray
“Steady Eddie” is considered by many to be one of the best switch hitters in the history of the game. Position-wise he was just as steady, winning 3 Gold Glove awards. Career marks of .287 batting average, 3,255 hits, 504 HR and 1,917 RBI put him in the upper echelon of first basemen. His career home runs are second amongst switch hitters, behind only Mickey Mantle. Murray’s career Win Shares were an impressive 437.

Chas’ Picks

Jeff Bagwell
One of two players on my short list who were born on the same day, Bagwell has to be considered among the first basemen with the greatest all-around games.  449 career HR, 202 SB, a .408 OBP, and a very good defensive player (one Gold Glove), he also measures up in the SABRmetric categories (388 Win Shares, 149 OPS+). Additionally, he is 6th all-time among first basemen in the Bill James created Hall of Fame Standards–a statistical measure of a player’s HOF worthiness–with a score of 59 (50 represents an average Hall of Famer).

Jimmie Foxx
“Double X” was a nine-time All Star, and the first player in major league history to win back-to-back MVP awards, a feat that only 10 players have accomplished since. Incidentally, until Frank Thomas and Barry Bonds became the 10th and 11th to do it, the original nine all fit nicely into a multi-part trivia question, with each of the nine positions on the field being represented. Foxx also posted some tremendous offensive numbers (534 HR, 1922 RBI, 1751 runs, 163 OPS+), his 435 Win Shares are third all-time among first basemen, and his 72 HOF Standards mark is matched only by Lou Gehrig.

Lou Gehrig
No justification is really necessary here, as “The Iron Horse” tops the all-time list of first basemen in Win Shares (489), HOF Standards (72), and OPS+ (179). He also finished in the top five in MVP voting eight times, winning twice, and accumulated 493 HR, 1995 RBI (5th all-time) and 1888 runs (10th) in an incredible 17-year career that, amazingly, was not overshadowed by Babe Ruth.

Harmon Killebrew
Killebrew still ranks in the top ten all-time in home runs with 573, despite a recent assault on that list that some may consider artificial. He was an 11-time All-Star, and finished in the top five in MVP voting six times, winning once. His lifetime batting average was only .256, but he makes up for it by ranking 15th all-time in walks and 9th in homers, resulting in a 143 career OPS+. He also adds 374 Win Shares to his Mt. Otsego resume.

Eddie Murray
A model of consistent excellence over a 21-year career, Murray ranks second all-time among first basemen with 437 Win Shares, was an eight-time All Star, three-time Gold Glover, and finished in the top six in MVP voting seven times. He’s also one of only four players in history with 500 career HR and 3000 career hits, and ranks 9th all-time in RBI with 1917.

Frank Thomas
“The Big Hurt” was born on May 27, 1968–the same day as Jeff Bagwell–and, although he was a DH more than half his career, he still played almost 1000 games at first base. His offensive numbers are rivaled by only Murray among modern first basemen (.301 BA, .419 OBP, 156 OPS+, 521 HR, 1704 RBI). He finished in the top eight in MVP voting nine times, winning twice, something even Murray can’t say. Thomas also ranks 5th all-time among 20th century first basemen in Win Shares (405) and HOF Standards (60). Cap Anson’s 63 drops him to 6th overall in the latter category.

What do you have to say? We’d like to know.

Just to remind you of how this is going to work…each week, Smitty and I will briefly make our individual cases for the six players that we feel are worthy of nomination. We then ask our loyal readers/contributors to chime in with your opinions, and we’ll continue to discuss and debate the candidates until the next Friday. At that point, we’ll announce the four heads to be included on the Pickin’ Splinters Baseball Mount Rushmore, and start the process all over again for the next position.

From this point forward, though, we’re no longer using the term Mount Rushmore. This is about baseball, and if there was a perfect place for such a monument to the greatest game there is, it would be on a mountain overlooking Otsego Lake in Cooperstown. Therefore, we’re calling this fictitious monument, and this series, Mount Otsego.

Please also note that all lists of players are in alphabetical order by last name.

Chas’ Picks

Johnny Bench

Most frequently referred to as the greatest all around catcher of all-time, Bench compares favorably to anyone else offensively (389 HR, 1376 RBI, 1091 Runs, 126 OPS+) and defensively (10 Gold Gloves, 43% Caught Stealing). He also won two MVPs, was named to 14 All-Star teams, and is third all-time among catchers in Win Shares with 356.

Yogi Berra
The all-time leader among catchers in Win Shares with 375, Berra also maintains the remarkable distinctions of having been selected to 15 consecutive All-Star games and playing for 10 World Series championship teams. He also won three MVPs and racked up some pretty impressive offensive numbers (358 HR, 1430 RBI, 1175 Runs, 125 OPS+).

Mickey Cochrane
“Black Mike” was arguably the greatest catcher of the first half of the 20th century. He played only 11 full seasons, and finished in the top ten in MVP voting five times, winning the award twice, in 1928 and 1934. He also batted .320 all-time, with a .419 OBP and 128 OPS+, and led the Athletics to five World Series appearances–and three championships–in the seven seasons spanning 1929 to 1935.

Carlton Fisk
Although some might argue that longevity padded his numbers, that quality in a catcher has to be considered more valuable than for any other non-pitching position. Fisk ranks second all-time among catchers in Win Shares with 368, was selected to 11 All-Star teams and accumulated 376 HR, 1330 RBI and 1276 Runs in his remarkable career.

Mike Piazza
Defensively, he may be a little below average, but it would be virtually impossible to argue that Piazza is not the greatest offensive catcher of all-time (427 HR, 1335 RBI, 1048 Runs, .308 BA, 10 Silver Sluggers, 142 OPS+). For that reason, and the fact that he was a 12-time All-Star, he belongs in this discussion.

Ivan Rodriguez
Arguably the greatest defensive catcher of all-time (13 Gold Gloves, 47% Caught Stealing), I-Rod has also put up some impressive offensive numbers (298 HR, 1225 RBI, 1262 Runs, 124 SB, 7 Silver Sluggers) and has appeared in 14 All-Star games.

Smitty’s Six

Johnny Bench
Arguably the best catcher in the history of the game, Bench was both tremendous behind the plate with 10 consecutive Gold Gloves, and at the plate with 389 career HR and over 2,000 hits. He also won the MVP award twice.

Yogi Berra
AFLAC commercials aside, Yogi belongs on this list. Tied for most MVPs by a catcher with three, Yogi also was an All-Star 18 times and was part of Yankee teams that made it to 14 World Series. His career hitting statistics were a benchmark for many catchers who followed him.

Roy Campanella
Would have easily eclipsed Yogi’s hitting standards had a car crash not left him paralyzed at the age of 35. Campanella won the MVP award three times as well and was one of the first African-American players in MLB. Interesting note: Campanella was the first African-American manager in MLB history, when he took over for Walter Alston during a 1946 game after Alston had been ejected.

Bill Dickey
This lifelong New York Yankee (yes, a Red Sox fan putting another Yankee on this list) was not only great offensively–although mostly overshadowed by the likes of Gehrig and Ruth–but was considered one of the best defensive catchers of his time. His batting average in 1936 of .362 was the highest single-season batting average by a catcher until it was tied by Mike Piazza in 1997. Dickey also hit over .300 in 10 of his first 11 years in the majors.

Carlton Fisk
Fisk is the benchmark for all catchers in longevity, playing the position in parts of four decades, with over 2,499 games played. Hit over 376 home runs, 2,356 hits and 1,330 RBIs. Fisk was an 11 time all-star and the winner of a gold glove in 1972.

Ivan Rodriguez
For the record, I am not a fan of picking someone for Mount Rushmore when he is still playing. But this version of Pudge has been one of the greatest at the position and rivals Johnny Bench as the greatest. Pudge has won the Gold Glove award 13 times, was the 1999 AL MVP, and has been an All-Star 14 times. He helped lead the Marlins to a World Series championship in 2003 and is currently sitting two short of 300 career HR. I think he’ll make it to that mark.

Alright now, so it’s time to hear what you think. Bring on your opinions and let the debate begin.