MLB: Golden Age of Middle Infielders
Not too long ago it seemed like the shortstop position, along with second base, was dead in MLB. In the recent years we’ve seen that trend head in the exact opposite direction.
It is difficult to discern when this “golden age” of middle infielders in MLB really began. Was it Troy Tulowitzki and his flashiness in Colorado? No, that was too early. Was it Manny Machado (despite his move to third base) along with the emergence of Carlos Correa? No, that’s probably too recent. Despite the inability to pinpoint exactly when this golden age began, there’s no question that it exists.
The current favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year is Corey Seager. Despite questions about his ability to stick at shortstop as he moved through the minor leagues, he’s played the position well for nearly an entire season now. His fielding has been adequate, but his ability at the plate is what has truly made him great. His .313/.371/.523 slash line and subsequent 142 wRC+ have him among some of the best hitters at any position.
Seager’s division rival Giants have a fantastic shortstop of their own. Brandon Crawford is best known for his defensive abilities. At a position like shortstop, that’s incredibly important for any team wanting to succeed. Everything that Crawford is able to provide with the bat is an added bonus. Hitting .267/.334/.422 with an above average 102 wRC+ isn’t too shabby for a tack on talent.
Other shortstops around the league are doing things similar to Crawford and Seager. Addison Russell has shined with his glove at shortstop since being moved there during the 2015 season. This season, Russell has gotten better at the plate and it’s helped him reach 4.2 fWAR. Carlos Correa won the 2015 Rookie of the Year award in the American League because of his, you won’t believe it, offensive and defensive ability at shortstop. During 2016 he’s dipped slightly offensively, where he now holds a .272/.362/.453 slash line and 122 wRC+.
Xander Bogaerts and Francisco Lindor are among other big shortstop names that have risen to stardom in recent years. Like the others mentioned, they have a great ability to field their position as well as a big bat. Both Lindor and Bogaerts have been huge contributors to their respective teams’ success this season. Didi Gregorius‘ rise to the big leagues, Jonathan Villar‘s impressive season, and Marcus Semien‘s 26 home runs are all deserving of an honorable mention as well.
Not only have great young shortstops become more and more prevalent in the league and vital to teams’ success, but there’s a similar story at second base. Perhaps this is a natural progression from increased talent at shortstop. When players either can’t make it at shortstop, or their path to the big leagues is blocked, they are often moved to either second or third base. Because second base is technically part of the middle infield, and third base is not, we’ll focus on just second base.
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Jose Altuve got off to a fiery start in 2016, which led to discussion of him in MVP talks. Mookie Betts, Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout have made it much more difficult to make a case for Altuve. Nonetheless, Altuve has had himself quite a season and ascended in the ranks as one of the best hitters in all of baseball. His slash line is a ridiculous .337/.395/.536 with 151 wRC+. For a small guy, he packs a whole lot of surprising power. He’s been able to use that power, along with a great ability to get on base, to be one of the most valuable players in all of baseball this season.
Speaking of power, Brian Dozier has come out of nowhere for a Twins team that not many have paid attention to all season long. He has 42 home runs currently, but it doesn’t seem like he’s finished despite it being the final week of the season. Others like Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler and other MVP candidate Daniel Murphy have been incredible at second base as well.
This immense group of talent at just two positions throughout the league is once in a generation. We may never see a group of middle infield talent quite as good as the one currently on the field. Debates will continue about who the best shortstop is, who the best second baseman is, and even who the best player is. Those debates can be fun to participate in, but they shouldn’t be the focus of this “golden age” that we’re seeing.
Rather than intense debates, we can simply enjoy what we get to watch on the field. Corey Seager making a goofy face as he hits a home run, Brandon Crawford making a dazzling play at shortstop, and Jose Altuve’s small frame rounding the bases at a high rate of speed. These are all things we should enjoy while we can. It’s what makes baseball so great.