Best of series: 3rd Base

[Megatron]

These type of threads were done a few years ago by Blue Cardinal, and now that a few years have passed, times have changed and we may (or may not) have a new perspective on who we think is best. This series will be used to help identify who WZ think is the best current baseball player. While some positions are deeper than others, if you aren't the best at your own position you can't be the best in the game. With that being said, here's the criteria I'd like you all to use:

Who you think will play the best for THIS season only? Not in 5 years, not who's been the best in the past 5 years. Salaries aren't accounted for either. If you choose Brett Lawrie over Evan Longoria, it better be because you think Lawrie will have a better season, NOT because he will give you more bang for your buck.

This ISN'T a lifetime achievement award. Think of it like this: if you are a GM, and you have any 1 third baseman you can take for THIS YEAR ONLY, who would it be?

Also, for 3rd basemen, try to use guys that will play primarily at third (so no DH-first or multi-position guys (unless their primary position is second))
---
3rd base actually is a very deep position, almost as deep as first. Theres Evan Longoria, Miguel Cabrera, Hanley Ramirez, David Wright, Adrian Beltre, Ryan Zimmerman in the top tier then others such as A-Rod, Brett Lawrie, Pablo Sandoval, Kevin Youkilis, and David Freese that are either a bit lower due to injuries or lack of experience. All in all, if you have any of the guys I listed, third base will be a pretty strong spot for your team both offensively and defensively. For my top 3 -

3. David Wright - The moving of the fences will do good for his power numbers, and if he is capable of playing 140+ games (which is somewhat of an issue for him) he is arguably a top 25 player. The only reason I have him 3 is because of the injury concern.
2. Evan Longoria - Being only 26, this kid is gonna be the face of the Rays until his contract runs out. Had a bit of a down year last season, but I believe that was more of an anomaly than a trend.
1. Miguel Cabrera - For my money he's one of the best 5 hitters in all of baseball and a player you'd trade a few top prospects for. Watching him live over the past 4 or so years I can tell you he can hit the ball to any part of the field and if he played in a bit more friendly of a field (not that Comerica is a Petco Park, but it takes a few HRs away in deep center) he would be a 40+ HR hitter each season. With Albert somewhat slumping this past season and a month, you may even be able to make an argument that he's the best player in the game. His defense was a concern to start the season, but he's really not been as bad as anyone (including myself) anticipated. He'll make the plays he should make and may be capable of playing average on defense. Definitely not the trainwreck we assumed would happen.

I'll include a few others above in the poll, but I hope there's a bit more activity for these next few threads.

Previous Entries
1st base: Albert Pujols
Robinson Cano

 

[Davi323]

This is an interesting one... A few years ago, this would have been Alex Rodriguez, no questions asked...but he has had some injuries, and he isn't the same player he was. Right now, this season, I think the answer has to be Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera may not be the best fielding 3rd baseman on the list, but he is certainly the best hitting one, and I think that his abilities at the plate more than make up for the fact that he isn't the most athletic on the field. The guy dropped the weight to move back to his original position (people seem to forget that he played a lot of 3rd base with the Marlins and only moved over to 1st with the Tigers). Essentially, I think Cabrera's RBI totals will far exceed the amount of runs that the other teams score because he wasn't athletic enough to grab a line drive here and there. His hitting ability is what does it for me.

 

[Harthan]

Huh. Missed the second baseman one. Whoops. And after I'd PM'd you and everything. Sorry. Cano probably would have had my vote anyway, so.

I think the only two guys in the conversation for best right now are Longoria and Cabrera. Beltre is going to get mentioned a lot too but I'm still not entirely convinced his bat is that good. Too much threat for regression, though his park is certainly helping. Inconsistency, age...eh. He's top 5 but he wouldn't be my first pick in a draft of third basemen, let's put it that way.

Furthermore, I'm really not terribly interested in performance so far this season. It's April. I'm certainly not going to start calling Chase Headley and David Freese the best because they're having hot starts. Although Headley might keep it up and stay pretty close. Miguel Cabrera is obviously in the conversation, but I think defense is going to cost him in the long run. He's kept his head above water so far, and kudos to him for that, but I don't buy it long term. Longoria's defense is slipping early and I think that'll continue, actually, but he'll still outpace Cabrera with ease most likely while hitting almost as well. He's also a much better baserunner. So, if I'm drafting the best offensive third baseman? Give me Cabrera, sure. But I think Longoria's defensive and baserunning advantages more than overcome the offense he gives up to Miggy, and he'd be my pick for best third baseman in the game.

Of course, they're all inferior to Jack Hannahan, but that went without saying.



EDIT: Also, Megatron, I love you, but if you're going to start naming the best player of the game off the first month of the season, you cannot possibly name anyone other than Matt Kemp.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

If I had to pick a guy on the list to build a team around its a close race between Longoria and Zimmerman. Both are the faces of their current franchise and both are still relatively young.

I'll give my vote here to Longoria because he is probably the best overall. He doesn't have the bat Miggy does but he has a better glove and a far better attitude and less off field troubles. Plus he doesn't look like he is gonna break a sweat just jogging from the dugout to his position