Countdown to Opening Week, Week 3, Best Shortstop

[WhiteSoxFan84]

4 WEEKS AWAY FROM OPENING NIGHT!

Another dominating performance (as expected) in the third baseman voting. Alex Rodriguez received 88% of the votes (21). Only others to get first place votes were Joe Crede with 8% (2 HOMER votes :D: ) and Scott Rolen 4% (1 A-Rod Hater's vote :D:).

Now as the voting for 2nd best third baseman in the game; in a tight race, Scott Rolen with 43% (9 votes) edges out Eric Chavez who had 29% of the votes (6). Other vote getters: Miguel Cabrera 14% (3), Alex Rodriguez 9% (2), and Chipper Jones 5% (1).


Week 1 (Feb. 19 - Feb 25): WSI Best Overall Catcher: Jason Varitek
Week 2a (Feb. 26 - March 4): WSI Best Overall First Baseman: Albert Pujols
Week 2b (March 1 - March 4): WSI Best Overall Third Baseman: Alex Rodriguez
Week 3 (March 5 - March 11): Best Shortstop
Week 4 (March 12 - March 18): Best Second Baseman
Week 5 (March 19 - March 25): Best Leftfielder (19th-21st)/Best Centerfielder (22nd-25th)
Week 6 (March 26 - April 1): Best Rightfielder (26th-28th)/Best Starting Pitcher (29th-1st)


Now onto a very interesting debate; Best Shortstop. The top nominees include; Miguel Tejada, Michael Young, Derek Jeter, Rafael Furcal, Jose Reyes, and Jimmy Rollins.

Once again, please try to include your top 3 so that we can even determine who you chose as the 2nd best shortstop in the game. Here is my top 3 list...

3) Michael Young
2) Miguel Tejada
1) Rafael Furcal

I know I'm going to hear a lot of you calling me crazy for not putting Tejada # 1, but I just don't think of him as the best overall SS in the game. Furcal's range, arm, speed, and batting average are just very rare to find in a SS. His range factor was an amazing 5.23 in 2005! I looked through some of the better SS in the game, and no one had a range factor in the 5's other than this guy. Tejada can hit the long ball, drive in 100 runs, and hit for a great average, but his defense is shaky and his career OBP (.338) is very low for a # 3 or # 4 hitter. He has commited 20 or more errors in 8 of his last 9 seasons at SS - the only season he didn't commit was 2002 when he had 19.

[ChiSoxIn06]

Until the 2nd part of last year i would have said Tejada. But to start the season I'm going with Young.

My top 3:
1.Young
2.Tejada
3.Furcal

[Professor]

1. Young
2. Tejada
3. Peralta

(I think Furcal is going to lose too much offense playing in LA.)

[dcb56]

1.) A-Rod
2.) Tejada
3.) Young

[Rooney4Prez56]

Tejada's number 1 in my book. HIs power numbers are too great to ignore.

1) Tejada
2) Rafael Furcal
3) Juan Uribe (my player to watch for this season!)

[DSpivack]

1. Tejada
2. Furcal
3. Young

[SouthSide_HitMen]

Based on the premise that age, salary, contract status, etc. should not be considered (the only consideration is who would be selected on a playground I get first you get next two draft):

1. Miguel Tejada
2. Derek Jeter
3. Rafael Furcal

Young's stats are inflated in Texas. There are many good young ones ready to take the top spots (Peralta, Crosby, Reyes).

[doublem23]

:walnuts
Royce Clayton.

OK, that was mean. :tongue:

[SoxFan76]

1) A-Rod
2) Tejada
3) Uribe *homer vote? possibly. but I'm also a fan of defense*

[cleanwsox]

1. Tejada
2. Jeter
3. Young

[Save McCuddy's]

1. A-Rod
2. Young
3. Reyes

[cbrownson13]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Jeter

[ShoelessJoeS]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Jeter

If Uribe was even close to the offensive threat that these 3 are, he'd make the list easily.

[VivaOzzie]

1) Young
2) Furcal
3) Tejada
4) Uribe

[0o0o0]

1. jeter
2. tejada
3. furcal

[lostletters]

1. Young
2. Tejada
3. Uribe (because the defense studies, he is far and away the best defensive shortstop in the game today).

[spiffie]

I'm going to take Tejada, but he could be easily overtaken if it turns out the B12 shots were the key to his performance.

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Jeter

[WhiteSoxFan84]

I've only seen 2 people do this so far, but please refrain from voting for A-Rod. I know he played some amazing SS, but he's no longer listed as a SS and hasn't been one for 2, going on 3 years now.

[swanson24]

1. Tejada
2. Jeter
3. Young

[gbergman]

1.Uribe
2.Furcal
3.Cabrerra

[ondafarm]

:walnuts
Royce Clayton.

OK, that was mean. :tongue:

Where are the Teal Police when you need them????

[PAPChiSox729]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Jeter
4. Furcal

[munchman33]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Furcal

[Jjav829]

1.) Tejada - Probably the easy #1. He's the best all-around package of offense and defense.
2.) Jeter - Since we're ignoring salary, I have to put him #2. If salary was a factor he would be further down since I don't think he's worth $19 million a year.
3.) Michael Young - The guy can hit anywhere, not just at home.

[samram]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. Jeter- yes, he's overrated, but that's because ESPN has bestowed deity status upon him- that doesn't mean he's not a terrific player.

[WhiteSoxFan84]

A decent debate so far. I thought it would be more competitive.

[WhiteSoxFan84]

Last day to vote!

[ChiSoxRowand]

1. Tejada
2. Young
3. jeter

[Domeshot17]

1. M. Young. Hes younger than Tejada and on the rise, Hes smooth in the field and willing to move around to better the team. Hes going to be a top 5 mvp vote and lead Texas to an AL West crown within the next 2 seasons, no teal needed.

2. Tejada, its close, and right now Tejada is probably better, but young plays on a better team and helps his team more, so I have to go with him. Tejada is a tremendous SS, and its tight, but I thought of young before opening the thread.

3. Jeter, Say what you want about the guy, but hes the leader of the yankees, hes clutch as clutch gets, hes fearless and he would be my choice to build a team around at SS because of leadership abilities. He seems to make the people around him better. He plays the game the way it was meant to be played.

4. Furcal 5. Jack Wilson
although, ask this next year, and I think Stephen Drew might break the top 5

[FarSouthSoxFan]

1. Young
2. Tejada
3. Jeter
4. Furcal
5. Rollins

[Arkham]

I'm gonna catch so much heat for this:

1. Jhonny Peralta. I'm not considering salary or age here. I think that in 2005, Jhonny Peralta was an all-around top 3 shortstop in baseball, and there's a real good chance he'll be the very best in 2006. Offensively, he was a major threat. He hit 24 homers in about 150 less ABs then Tejada, and actually outslugged Tejada as well. Defensively, he's not quite at the level of Furcal or Uribe, but he's close, and a better hitter than either one. He strikes out too much, but he takes a fair number of walks as well, and if his eye can improve, he might well eclipse the career of his predecessor, Vizquel.

2. Rafael Furcal. Possibly the best defender at the most important defensive position in baseball, he's also an above-average hitter and a top-notch baserunner. If he hit just a little better, he'd be in the number 1 spot.

3. Derek Jeter. I'm a little unsure of this pick. I think his 'defensive improvement' over the last two years has been a factor of A-Rod playing third, but he's still an excellent hitter.

Tejada misses the list because of his mediocre defense and on-base percentage. Michael Young misses the list because of his sub-par defense and the fact that his hitting stats are ballpark-inflated.

[ondafarm]

Tejada is the best.

[palehozenychicty]

Furcal
Young
Jeter

[DaleJRFan]

Tejada
Jeter
Peralta
Jermaine Dye

[ChiSoxNationPres]

1. Young
2. Reyes (fastest runner in the game)
3. Jeter

[santo=dorf]

I can't believe how some of you would take Jose Reyes over Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada, or Rafael Furcal.

Who cares about his speed if he can't get on base?

[Jjav829]

When are we going to do the other positions?