Sport Magazine - April, 1980
Rating the Shortstops
By Vin Gilligan
“If I were given a blank piece of paper and asked to build a contender,” said Birdie Tebbetts, since 1936 a major-league player, manager and general manager, and now a superscout for the New York Yankees, “I would start with a fine catcher and a fine shortstop. They are the key defensive positions. The strange thing is that exceptional shortstops have always been scarce, but for some reason there is just an outstanding crop now. I can’t remember anything like it.”
Tebbetts’ feelings are echoed by rival superscout Frank Malzone of the Boston Red Sox, who points out that the quality of the current vintage is all the more amazing because playing shortstop requires a greater range of athletic talents than any other position in baseball. Says Malzone: “A shortstop needs quickness, a strong arm, the surest of hands, speed, lateral agility, reflexes and jumping ability. He should also have a quarterback’s leadership qualities. A shortstop needs every athletic attribute except strength.”
How does this exceptional group of shortstops rate? SPORT asked a 13-man panel, six of them voting members, to evaluate shortstops in seven categories and to give insights into shortstop play. Panelists could award up to ten points per category, with five denoting average major league caliber and ten signifying the best in baseball.
The American League panelists were: Bobby Wine, a former Gold Glove shortstop and now coach for the Philadelphia Phillies; Dal Maxvill, former Gold Glove shortstop and now coach for the Cardinals; and Darrel Chaney, who for 11 seasons was a shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.
Also contributing to this seminar were shortstops Mark Belanger, Baltimore Orioles; Larry Bowa, Phillies; Rick Burleson, Red Sox; Bucky Dent, Yankees; Bud Harrelson, Phillies; Ozzie Smith, San Diego Padres; and Garry Templeton, Cardinals. Each of the experts was asked to discuss the fundamental attributes of the position.
Rating Then On the Basis of:
Catching A Ground Ball
Tony Kubek- The best at reacting are Belanger and Bowa. Other guys get more tough hops because they don’t recognize what the ball is doing as quickly, so they don’t get to the right spot soon enough for the easy hop.
Don Kessinger- The basics of reacting are straightforward. Before the pitch you should be on the balls of your feet, weight forward, glove low. You catch the ball coming up and well in front of your body. Catch it back between your legs and you can’t visually follow the ball into your glove and the result is that you will be tied up for the throw.
Larry Bowa- A good jump is vital. The ball moves so fast on AstroTurf that if you don’t pick up the speed and spin instantly, you get handcuffed. I can pick up topspin on contact.
Garry Templeton- A guy who plays on a bad grass field will be underrated. L.A. is the worst and it’s hurt Bill Russell’s (Los Angeles Dodgers) reputation.
Bucky Dent- The Milwaukee and Minnesota infields are terrible, but it hurts Roy Smalley for the Twins more than Robin Yount for the Brewers because Robin has much better range.
Eddie Brinkman- The carpet can spoil guys. There isn’t time to really charge balls, so you lose aggressiveness and can end up fielding flat-footed. It’s hurt Fred Patek (now with the California Angels).
Kubek- Alfredo Griffin (Toronto Blue Jays) and Mario Mendoza (Seattle Mariners) are gliders. Burleson is the other extreme. He’s
not pretty to watch and he attacks every ball like he’s mad at it. But he goes into the hole better than anyone.
Positioning
Dent- People talk about how much Tim Foli improved last year and I’d bet a lot of it had to do with (Pittsburgh Pirate Coack) Al Monchak. Al was my coach with the White Sox and drilled into me that positioning is the single most important factor in shortstop play. Positioning is telling yourself how this batter will hit this pitch from this pitcher with this count on him in this game situation. Other factors you put into the equation are the batter’s speed, the baserunner’s speed, field conditions and what play the opposing manager may have on in that situation.
Bowa- Precise positioning is more important on AstroTurf. Grass slows the ball enough so you can run down some positioning mistakes, but if you’re not positioned properly on artificial turf, the ball will be by you.
Templeton- This is where Dave Concepcion and Bowa have a big advantage over me. Positioning comes from experience.
Kubek- For a younger guy, Smalley is excellent at positioning. I think this comes from Gene Mauch, who really stresses playing the situation and the count.
Belanger- Roy is good at positioning in terms of being on line with the ball, but he’s poor at playing the proper depth. He has so much trouble getting to balls, and he’s tied up when he catches them because he plays way to shallow.
Bowa- The runner’s speed affects how deep you play. For a fast guy, I move in an extra step or two. With a rocket like Templeton, it’s foolish to play in the hole because he’s going to beat that long throw. So I shade him toward second and take away some hits up the middle.
Dent- With a fastball pitcher like Ron Guidry, you play more up the middle because most guys aren’t going to pull him. With a control pitcher, you move toward the line.
Harrelson- I was accused of playing better behind Tom Seaver (when both were with the New York Mets), the implication being that I was putting out more because we’re friends. I did play better, but it was because of Tom’s super control. I could anticipate- cheat- an extra step or two because if the catcher called for a knee-high fastball on the outside corner, I knew the pitch would be right there. I could get so in tune with Tom that I could see the ball being hit and begin reacting to it before the batter made contact. It’s like watching a movie in your mind.
Bowa- That sounds crazy, but it’s exactly right. When Steve Carlton has his good stuff, I’m watching that same movie.
Belanger- Dave McNally was great in that respect- super control. Now it’s Scott McGregor. Don Stanhouse was the worst. He screwed around so much out there- and was so unpredictable- that he cut my range in half.
Bowa- Charts have really helped me. We chart every ball hit by a batter against a pitcher.
Kubek- Good charts reduce the time it takes a young guy to learn the hitters.
Bowa- A great third baseman like Mike Schmidt (Phillies) has a big effect on positioning. He goes to his left so well that, if necessary, I can cheat two or three steps to my left and plug up the middle.
Brinkman- When the third baseman is no so good, the temptation is to try and cover for him. Butch Hobson plays so shallow for Boston that he puts a lot of pressure on Burleson.
Burleson- If I could get Butch off the line and back deeper, then I could play the middle more. But you have to adjust for the
limitations of the people playing around you.
Range
Harrelson- Range is the composite of many things: reflexes, instincts, lateral agility, anticipation, eyesight, foot speed, hand-eye coordination.
Kessinger- To a degree, artificial turf has made a shortstop’s range more like a third baseman’s, emphasizing reflexes, positioning and first-step quickness.
Wine- Bowa lacks real good physical range, but because he’s superb at positioning, anticipation and getting a good jump, he reaches as many balls as anyone. Templeton and Smith compensate with speed and quickness.
Bowa- I disagree. I have as much physical range as Smith and, for that matter, Concepcion. But Templeton has more than anyone else.
Templeton- That’s why I like grass. It gives my physical range more of an edge.
Wine- Ivan DeJesus (Chicago Cubs) gets overlooked, but he can go get ‘em. Foli (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Chris Speier (Montreal Expos) have very limited physical range.
Kubek- Dent does, too. But he realizes his physical limitations and has worked hard to develop the mental aspects. Same with Alan Trammell (Tigers). Burleson relies on quickness and working the count, but I’m not sure he does it as well as the others.
Burleson- The most effective thing I do is to get my momentum moving with the pitch rather than with the hit. I begin taking little steps as the pitcher is about to release the ball and I adjust my direction to the location of the pitch. Because I’m already in motion, I can get that quick first step so important to range.
Darrel Chaney- Bowa, Harrelson and especially Concepcion have the best range getting to pop-ups in short left. On leaping ability to catch line drives, Templeton can jump the highest, but Concepcion times them better and probably catches more of them.
Smith- A big glove gives you an extra couple inches in range. I don’t know why so many shortstops don’t take advantage of that.
Once you’re used to the big glove you can handle the ball just as quickly as with a small one.
Arm Strength
Harrelson- Artificial turf has put a tremendous emphasis on arm strength. The ball doesn’t slow down so it allows you to play much deeper and still get your man.
Smith- Templeton has the strongest arm, much stronger than mine. So I work on quickness. I try to eliminate every possible milli-second from the catch to the release. An instant gained through quickness is just as good as one gained through arm strength.
Kubek- Quickness is the great equalizer. Burleson has a much stronger arm than Belanger, but on most plays Mark’s ball gets to first as soon or sooner than Burly’s because of quickness.
Burleson- I know. Mark handles a ball faster than anyone.
Brinkman- Some guys’ progress seems to be arrested by their confidence in their arms. Yount pops to mind. He has a great arm, but he seems complacent. He just hasn’t progressed like his potential promised he should.
Kubek- The sad thing is to see a good arm diminished. Freddy Patek’s injuries have really taken their toll.
Brinkman- Belanger has lost a little on his arm, too.
Smith- Concepcion has been an innovator. He has adapted his arm to the characteristics of the turf and has come up with a new play. On a ball deep in the hole, where he’d never have time to stop and set, Dave jumps, twists and throws in the air. No one can get enough on the ball like that to reach first, so Davey throws on a perfect line and gets his man with a perfect bounce off the turf. It’s a spectacular play.
Bowa- You better believe I’ll be working on that one.
Arm Accuracy
Maxvill- Consistent accuracy is vital. Accuracy comes from confidence; confidence comes from endless repetition.
Belanger- Balance, rhythm and footwork while catching the ball have a lot to do with how accurate the throw will be. A guy like Dent really worked at it and Yount didn’t.
Wine- Throwing errors are usually a big portion of a young shortstop’s mistakes. They have a tendency to throw the ball away on hurried tries when there is no chance of getting the runner. So you stress when not to throw.
Brinkman- Mendoza catches the ball to his side. Not only does this increase the chances of a bad throw, but he is not getting his body in front of the ball to knock it down in case of a bad hop. That can kill you when you have a situation with men on base.
Kubek- Griffin is having all kinds of trouble with his footwork and it’s hurting his accuracy. I’ve been working with him and he’s very coachable with a bunch of talent.
Wine- Templeton has trouble with accuracy, but it’s strange because he makes the great play and then throws away an easy two-bouncer.
Maxvill- Garry’s problem stems from catching routine balls one-handed. He comes up with the ball, but throws off-balance and with his momentum going toward home plate instead of first base. So he is needlessly throwing without a set and flipping the ball across his body which results in throwing errors.
Templeton- It took me awhile to get through my head what Dal was talking about. I guess I was stubborn. As soon as I began trying
to do things Dal’s way it helped a lot.
Lateral Agility & Acrobatics
Wine- Foli, Speier and Russell don’t have the physical gifts to make the great acrobatic plays. Smith and Concepcion are impressive, but Templeton is the best. He makes all kinds of circus plays and can throw the ball hard while in the air from all kinds of positions.
Smith- I built my whole game around agility and quickness. I do a lot of diving and scrambling for balls. I work to keep my reflexes as sharp as possible. Most guys take lazy infield practice. I have my coach hit balls as hard as he can to either side of me.
Brinkman- Griffin has tremendous athletic ability and great lateral movement. But he has a tendency to be flashy when he doesn’t have to be and that sometimes leads to errors.
Chaney- Pepe Frias (Braves) showboats, too, and Concepcion used to.
Harrelson- It’s easy to be overimpressed by super gymnastic plays, but reliability is the name of the game at short. That’s why DeJesus
impresses me. He has the abilities to be flashy but he tones it down and makes plays the safest, most straightforward way. You’ve got to like that.
Mental Attributes: Instincts & Judgment
Kessinger- Intelligence is helpful for any player, but for catchers and shortstops it is essential. They are in the game every pitch, continually evaluating situations.
Brinkman- Instincts- that professional anticipation- is so important, but to a degree it can’t be taught. Belanger, Trammell and Smalley have them, but Griffin, Mendoza and Yount don’t.
Kubek- I think most of what people call “instinct” is actually preplanning. You have to work every factor and possibility through your mind like a computer so you know what you are going to do with the ball before it is hit.
Wine- Templeton and Smith aren’t there yet, but DeJesus is excellent for his age.
Bowa- Being cool and relaxed is a big part of it. Even if you just made three errors in a row or are in a batting slump, you have to keep your concentration.
Templeton- Guys have fielding slumps at the same time as batting slumps. If you’re having trouble seeing a pitched ball you’re going to have trouble being real sharp seeing and fielding a batted ball.
Kubek- One mental attribute I really like in Templeton is that he wants that ball. That’s something all the great ones have. You need that cockiness that makes you want the ball hit to you.
Templeton- I’m a champ at being cocky. That’s one thing everyone agrees on. But you have to have the confidence that you can get
any ball hit anywhere near you. It may sound weird, but when I’m out there I tell myself that my range is unlimited- from foul line to foul line.
Double Plays
Belanger- People make too much of double-play combinations by implying that some magic chemical interaction makes a partnership great. A good DP combination is just the sum of two individual talents.
Kubek- It helps being really used to a guy. Bobby Richardson and I teamed for nine years on the Yankees and we instinctively knew where each other was and often saved that split second that makes the difference in getting the man at first.
Bowa- The main thing you have to adjust to in a partner is where he wants the toss and where you want it. I like a high, hard toss and Manny Trillo is better at that than anyone I’ve ever played with.
Wine- When you’re taking the throw you should not get to the bag too quickly, but instead meet the ball at the bag. If you get there too quickly, you can only adjust to a bad throw by stopping. You want to make the play in one motion so your momentum will be carrying you toward first to get more on the throw.
Kubek- I disagree with that. You should get to the bad as quickly as possible and then react to where the throw is. A guy who glides across has his momentum committed, and if that throw is off he has trouble handling it.
Kessinger- I agree with Tony. By getting to the bag as quickly as you can, you also react to the runner’s slide. Guys who slide across tend to get hurt more.
Dent- Right now the best DP combination in the American League is Trammell and Lou Whittaker.
Harrelson- Bowa and Trillo are the best in the National League. But the best second baseman on the pivot is Doug Flynn (New York Mets). He’s like Bill Mazeroski, a blur.
Maxvill- Flynn is gutsy, too. He doesn’t hear footsteps. The best DP combination I’ve ever seen was Mazeroski and Gene Alley on the Pirates.
Kubek- I’d put Mazeroski and Alley second. First would be the Yankee’s Bobby Richardson and what’s his name.
The Shortstops Rate Themselves
Templeton- Concepcion is still better than me but in another year I’ll be better than him.
Harrelson- Bowa is the best day-in-day-out shortstop I’ve seen. Templeton has the talent to be the best ever if he can ever harness it. Ivan DeJesus is the most underrated.
Bowa- Concepcion and I are the best right now and modesty forbids my saying who is better. Templeton has more talent than Smith, but in the long run, I think Ozzie will be the better defensive shortstop.
Belanger- Burleson is excellent and Trammell is awfully good for his age. Yount has so much talent, but he hasn’t improved.
Dent- Burleson is awfully good, but Belanger is the Cadillac.
Burleson- I won the Gold Glove because Belanger didn’t play full time. Mark is still the ultimate shortstop.
National League Shortstop Rankings
|
|
Overall |
Mechanics |
Positioning |
Range |
Arm Strength |
Arm Accuracy |
Agility |
Mental Attributes |
|
Bowa, Phils |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Templeton, Cards |
2 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
8 |
|
Concepcion, Reds |
3 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
DeJesus, Cubs |
4 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
Smith, Padres |
5 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
|
Foli, Pirates |
6 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
4 |
|
Russell, Dodgers |
7 |
9 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
8 |
3 |
|
Reynolds, Astros |
8 |
6 |
10 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
|
Speier, Expos |
9 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
10 |
5 |
|
Taveras, Mets |
10 |
9 |
8 |
8 |
6 |
10 |
6 |
10 |
American League Shortstop Rankings
|
|
Overall |
Mechanics |
Positioning |
Range |
Arm Strength |
Arm Accuracy |
Agility |
Mental Attributes |
|
Belanger, Orioles |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
|
Burleson, Red Sox |
2 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
|
Trammell, Tigers |
3 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
|
Dent, Yankees |
4 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
3 |
|
Smalley, Twins |
5 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
5 |
11 |
5 |
|
Yount, Brewers |
6 |
9 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
8 |
|
Griffin, Blue Jays |
7 |
11 |
10 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
1 |
10 |
|
Patek, Angels |
8 |
8 |
3 |
8 |
10 |
8 |
9 |
6 |
|
Mendoza, Mariners |
9 |
10 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
9 |
2 |
11 |
|
Garcia, Orioles |
10 |
6 |
8 |
9 |
7 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
|
Veryzer, Indians |
11 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
11 |
7 |
10 |
7 |