Brooks Robinson (with Orioles from 1955-1977)
.267/.322/.401, 2896 G, 11782 PA, 104 OPS+ (with Orioles)
The player right behind Ripken in most categories on the Orioles’ all-time leaderboard is Brooks Robinson. He is second on the team in games played, plate appearances, runs scored, hits, RBI, total bases, and WAR. Like Ripken, Robinson was a fixture on the left side of the infield for many years. Unlike Ripken, Robinson was known more for his sterling glove at the hot corner than for his bat. From 1960 to 1975, he won 16 straight Gold Gloves.
Brooks Robinson was incredible at third base. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Robinson got nearly 50% of his career value from his tremendous defense. He made plays down the line that no one had ever seen before. One umpire said of Robinson, “He plays third base like he came down from a higher league.” He may have been at his absolute best during the Orioles’ 1970 World Series victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Robinson was a key part of the Orioles’ four World Series teams in the six years from 1966 to 1971 (they won two championships). He was great on defense in the post-season, but he also elevated his game at the dish, hitting .303/.323/.462 in 39 post-season games. Even though his hitting was sporadic he was good enough in the field to make the all-star team 15 years in a row from the early 1960s to the mid 1970s.
From 1964 to 1966, Robinson finished first, third, and second in AL MVP voting. The year he won the award, 1964, he hit .317/.368/.521 with a career-high 28 homers and 118 RBI. According to Baseball-Reference, Robinson was an 8-WAR player in 1964. For comparison, only two players were worth 8 WAR in 2016—Mike Trout and Mookie Betts.
As good as he was as a player, he had the reputation for being even better as a person. He regularly signed autographs in the parking lot long after the game ended. Late Orioles broadcaster Chuck Thompson said of Robinson, When fans ask Brooks Robinson for his autograph, he complied while finding out how many kids you have, what your dad does, where you live, how old you are, and if you have a dog.”