NL Third Baseman: Mike Schmidt
What, you say? The Braves homer isn't voting for Eddie Mathews?? What devilry is this? Well, if he was up against Ken Boyer or Ron Cey then yeah, he'd get the vote. The best third baseman of all time is a little tougher competition. Besides, I checked off 3 Braves (and 3 others who played for them at some point in their career) on my ballot, so I don't really need to go overboard. Poking around the archives will also show a few more reasons why Mike gets my vote. Oh go ahead, I don't even have 50 posts yet. it won't kill ya.AL Third Baseman: Brooks Robinson
American League third baseman wasn't any easier of a decision for me. Brooks or Brett? How do you choose? I suppose I could have went with Frank Malzone, but that would have been a cop out. Seriously though, how do you choose between the best fielding third baseman and the best hitting third baseman? The Pride of Baltimore or the King of Kansas City? They both have a bushel off All Star appearances and an MVP. Brooks has the truckload of Gold Gloves, but George has one too, plus 3 Silver Sluggers. Thankfully 1974 Topps bails me out with their dual All Star cards. One thing George does not have is a card with Ron Santo! Santo should be in the Hall with George, Brooks, Mike and Eddie, but missed out by five stinking votes in the Veterans committee voting this year. Of course the fact he wasn't voted in long before now is inexplicable considering he was easily one of the top 5 third basemen of all time when he retired. Of course playing out his career for a lousy Cubs team doesn't do much to garner votes. Playing in the shadow of Ernie Banks also probably didn't help. Having your playing days overlap with Eddie and Brooks' careers wasn't the best of timing either. Then coming up on the ballot while Schmidt and Brett were tearing up their respective leagues, well, that's just not fair. Hopefully whatever permutation of the Veterans' committee gets trotted out next gets their heads out of their collective asses and votes the guy in next go-around, whenever that is. Of course we will probably see Brooks post on his blog long before that ever happens.NL First Baseman: Orlando Cepeda
Baby Bull gets the 1st base vote on my ballot. I don't give a crap about the drug charges, I don't care that he only went 1-27 batting in the All Star Game (he's due!!!) and all the nitwits who consider him a member of the Hall of Very Good can take some advice from President Wilbur Daffodil-11 Swain for all I care. Cha-Cha could knock the cover off the ball and deserves a much better legacy than he's gotten.
AL First Baseman: Moose Skowron
Mooooooooooooose! The Yankees' stout 1st basemen was actually named after Benito, not Bullwinkle. Moose was clutch in the postseason. After recording the last out in the 1957 World Series, Skowron returned the following year to pwn the Braves with the winning hit in game 6 and a three run bomb in game 7 to help the Yanks to victory. Then in 1962, Moose scored the only run in the classic game 7 between the Yankees and Giants. As a reward, he was shipped off to the Dodgers and promptly hit .385 in the Series to help beat his former team. Moose is one of those players that makes the need for a Hall of Damn Good Blue Collar Players and Not Elitist Pricks Like What They Got in That Other Place so very obvious. A Hall of Fame for players like Santo. And Al Rosen. And Hank Bauer and Elroy Face. Alan Trammell, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso. Dale Murphy, Bill Freehan, Rocky Colavito. I'll even invite Orlando and all the other players the Hall snobs want purged. Hell, if I had my way Joe Morgan and the rest of the obstructionist Veterans committee members could sit all alone in that other place giving each other the stink-eye, each certain that he is the better player while Ty Cobb chases the members of the BBWAA around the joint, spiking the crap out of anyone who ever sent in a blank ballot. In the meantime all the worthy players can party in the Blue Collar HOF.
Honorable Mentions:
1982 Pete Rose
1975 Dick Allen
1960 Eddie Mathews
1982 George Brett
Next up: Dayf enters his Happy Place and lists Outfielders without excessive whining and griping
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