FanPost

Cleveland Third Basemen Quiz


With the success(?) of the previous post, time to move onto a new position, the hot corner.

As last time, name the Top 25 third basemen by games played (not counting 2012 games). No cheating by pulling searches from BRef!!! Guess the player and approximate spot in the Top 25.

Rank

Player

Games Played

1

Ken Keltner (1937-1944, 1946-1949)

1493

2

Bill Bradley (1901-1910)

1193

3

Brook Jacoby (1984-1992)

1109

4

Max Alvis (1962-1969)

935

5

Al Rosen (1947-1956)

933

6

Buddy Bell (1972-1978)

844

7

Toby Harrah (1979-1983)

681

8

Larry Gardner (1919-1924)

602

9

Terry Turner (1910-1918)

601

10

Travis Fryman (1998-2002)

592

11

Rube Lutzke (1923-1927)

554

12

Casey Blake (2003-2005, 2007-2008)

520

13

Willie Kamm (1931-1935)

515

14

Jim Thome (1991-1996, 2011)

493

15

Graig Nettles (1970-1972)

462

16

Odell Hale (1931, 1933-1937, 1939-1940)

435

17

Bubba Phillips (1960-1962)

373

18

Joe Sewell (1928-1930)

270

19

Joe Evans (1915-1918)

259

20

Aaron Boone (2005-2006)

243

21

Johnny Hodapp (1925-1928)

207

22

Jhonny Peralta (2003-2004, 2008-2010)

205

23

Andy Marte (2006-2008, 2010)

190

24

Al E (Fuzzy) Smith (1953-1957)

181

25

Alvaro Espinoza (1993-1996)

178

Postscript

It looks to be 287 different guys who spent at least one game at the hot corner. As we see above, only 22 (23 after 2012) of them cracked the 200 game barrier. We have 12 guys (soon to be 11) with between 100 and 200 games, leaving 253 with less than 100 games.

Another position with longevity with three guys over 1000 games again allowed some reserves to crack the list (Marte, Smith and Espinoza). Hannahan will knock each one of them down by one and if Chisenhall comes back healthy and productive, I'd expect him to crack 200 games near the end of 2013, but definitely by 2014.

Some other interesting names at the hot corner include Mr. Unassisted triple play Bill Wambsganss at #26 (159 games) and Carlos Baerga ay #27 (154). Russell the Muscle Branyan had 90 games over his many tours with Cleveland and classic utility guys such as Enrique Wilson (75), Jeff Manto (62), Jhn Lowenstein (47), John McDonald (47), Jeff Treadway (42), and Mike Fischlin (32). Boy Wonder Lou Boudreau played a bit there (41). Joe Carter, Minnie Minoso, Addie Joss all got into 1 game at third.

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