Determining the Best Shortstop in Oakland Athletics History: Miggy, Campy, or…
Spring break is coming to a close and I had to choose between grading papers or posting a blog. It was an easy choice. Having covered first and second base, I thought I would take on the issue of the best shortstop since the team began playing in Oakland.
Let me begin by saying I saw Mike Bordick make the most amazing defensive play ever. Bordick was at short, and Scott Brosius was at third. I don’t remember the batter, but he was a very good bunter, so Brosius was playing in. Sure enough, the batter squared around to bunt. Brosius came charging in, but the batter popped the ball just over his head. The ball was right down the third base line, just over Brosius’s outstretched glove. Bordick took about three or four steps to his right and then he sort of dove, but not really. It was more like he started falling.
It almost looked like it was happening in slow motion. The ball and Bordick were falling at the same speed. Bordick’s mitt hit the ground just as the ball was coming down. He caught the ball just inches off the ground. We’ve all seen diving catches, but this was special because it was not exactly a “reaction” play on a hot smash. I don’t know if Bordick did a series of mental calculations or if it was all instinct, but it was the most amazing play I’ve ever seen. Bordick was a great defensive shortstop for the Oakland A’s.
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Whenever the A’s needed a big hit during their 20 game win streak in 2002, it always seemed as though Miguel Tejada was striding up to the plate. Though rarely mentioned in the book Moneyball, Tejada was named MVP after the 2002 season. In the field, Tejada turned 106 double plays while making only 19 errors all season. At the plate, Tejada hit .308, with 34 home runs and 131 RBI. Those are terrific numbers for any position. The fact that Tejada had that kind of production playing shortstop was just amazing.
Tejada’s favorite player growing up was Cal Ripkin Jr, baseball’s all-time leader in consecutive games played. Tejada would eventually play in 1152 consecutive games – good for fifth all-time. Sadly, he did not play all those games for the A’s.
Overall, Tejada scored 574 runs and hit 156 home runs for the A’s. In Latin America, his nickname was “La Guagua”, or “The Bus”, because he drove everyone home. When he played in Oakland, Tejada had 604 RBIs. Tejada was one of the best to play shortstop for the Oakland A’s.
Dagoberto “Campy” Campaneris was also a tremendous defensive shortstop. If it is any comfort to A’s fans, Campaneris made 34 errors in 1968, his (and the A’s) first year in Oakland. I have high hopes for Marcus Semien, who made 35 errors in his first year as an Athletic. Campaneris’s defensive WAR is the highest in Athletics’ history, at 17.5. After 1968, Campaneris averaged about 20 errors a year during his time in Oakland.
Campaneris’s main weapon was his speed. He led the American League in stolen bases in six out of his first eight years in the league. With 566 stolen bases, Campaneris is second only to Rickey Henderson in stolen bases in Athletics franchise history (including Philadelphia and Kansas City).
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I was at the playoff game against Detroit when Campy threw his bat at Lerrin Lagrow. Billy Martin had just visited the mound and the first pitch after that visit went right at Campy’s ankle. According to Susan Slusser’s most excellent book, “100 Things A’s Fans Should Do and Know Before They Die“, Campaneris did not intend to hit Lagrow when he heaved the bat. I am not so sure. You can watch it on YouTube and make up your own mind. Regardless, Campaneris was a one-man wrecking crew against Detroit in 1972. A cheap-shot hit-by-pitch was Martin’s attempt to slow him down.
Because of his defense and speed, Campaneris was the very best to play shortstop for the Oakland A’s.
That’s what I think, what do you think?