The Cards Over The Last 32 Seasons - Third Base

Third base has generally been a more stable position for the Cardinals than second. Not necessarily players holding the starting job for five or more years, but several guys who were starter for three or four seasons. Not many one-hit wonders, as it were.

Herzog Era: 3

Best: This is the problem I alluded to at the end of the last post. On one hand, you have Ken Oberkfell, who was moved to third base to make room for Tom Herr at second, and because the team had no viable options at third. Oberkfell didn't really like playing third, and was eventually traded to Atlanta, making way for Terry Pendleton, who held the job the next 7 years.

Oberkfell's AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS are 292/354/376/730, versus Pendleton's 261/308/359/667. This tends to give Oberkfell a significant advantage as a hitter, though Pendleton scores well as a defensive player. Oberkfell's best dWAR is 0.7, which Pendleton bests on 5 occasions, going as high as 2.2 in 1985. Oberkfell walks more, Pendleton's isolated power is higher (98 points vs. 84). In terms of WAR, Oberkfell clocks in at 3.2/162, Pendleton as 2.5/162. However, Pendleton has the two best seasons, 1989 (4.0) and 1987 (3.6). Oberkfell's 3 seasons would rank 3-5, as he was eerily consistent: 2.9, 2.2, 2.7. Pendleton has only one other season where he's even average (1984, 2.0 WAR). The dilemma: Do we take Oberkfell, with his consistent production for 3 years, or Pendleton, who has the longer term of service, who had the best seasons, but also some real clunkers (sub replacement level in 1990)?

Though Oberkfell intrigues, Terry Pendleton's longevity, plus the fact Oberkfell was traded because the Cards had Pendleton (and Oberkfell didn't really like playing third) tips things in Pendleton's favor.

Worst: Just leaves Ken Reitz. Well, when you have a worse OBP than Pendleton, and not nearly enough of a power edge to keep your WAR/162 from being -1.7, that's what you get.

Torre Era: 3

Best: Todd Zeile. The other two candidates are Pendleton in Torre's third of 1990, and Scott Cooper in Torre's third of 1995. Considering one is replacement level, and the other even worse, that's no competition at all. For the record, Zeile posted a .772 OPS from '91-'94, and was worth an average of 2.0 WAR/162. So exactly an average third baseman. Oberkfell could have beaten him standing on his head.

Worst: Cooper's numbers aren't pretty, and he was supposed to be a big free agent pickup, but at least his OPS was over .600. Terry Pendleton it is.

LaRussa Era: 8

Best: While the Cardinals had a fair amount of turnover at third under TLR, there hasn't been a severe dud in the bunch. The worst WAR/162 is 2.3, shared by two players. That being said, one player stands head and shoulders above the rest. Scott Rolen has the years (4, the longest of any of them), the production (6.2 WAR/162), and even got traded after bickering with LaRussa, which has to count somehow on the philosophical scale. Fighting with players and turning the local media against them is a LaRussa specialty, and Rolen's yet another member of the club.

Worst: Here are the guys with the 3 lowest WAR/162 numbers: Gary Gaetti (2.3), Abraham Nunez (2.3), Mark DeRosa (2.4). I'm giving the nod to DeRosa. Nunez did remarkably well for a guy who became the starter because Rolen collided with the Dodgers first baseman. Gaetti was the starter for three years, have to respect the longevity, and he posted pretty good defensive numbers. DeRosa was the midseason acquisition meant to stabilize third base in '09. Admittedly, it wasn't his fault he had a wrist injury, but he still wound up being possibly the weakest bat in the lineup, and he barely beat out Joe Thurston on the innings count. If I looked at it as a combo of the two, it'd be no contest.

Next weekend, shortstop! This will be a mostly uneventful post, but we will get to poke fun at Ryan Theriot.