RIP Brooks Robinson

[JSngry]

Greatest of all time.

Truly an artist.

Still the benchmark.

RIP. 

[sgcim]

Greatest 3rd baseman of all time. RIP.

[Mark Stryker]

 

[JSngry]

I first got aware of him in the 1966 World Series. Back then, all there was was the GOTW, but the Os would turn up often enough, plus gamr highlights began spreading more timely.

Whatever. By the time he retired, there was no doubt that Brooks was the very best.

To this day, I refer to any amazing 3rd bad play as "Brooksin' It".

[T.D.]

I loved baseball as a kid.

The 1966 World Series (Orioles in stunning 4-0 upset of Dodgers) was the first Fall Classic that really got my attention.

Here's an extended Brooks Robinson highlights reel:

 

 

[Big Beat Steve]

And here was me wondering what jazzman (or musician) THIS was ...

Wouldn't this obit thread be better placed outside the MUSIC discussion section and in the "Misceallaneous-Non-political" section?
Or did he record some obscure 45 sometime in an ill-fated attempt to jump on the "celeb goes singer" bandwagon, like other sportsmen did at other times too?

[Brad]

RIP. His feats against the Reds are legendary (watched it on TV while I was in college). 

[felser]

16 hours ago, JSngry said:

Greatest of all time.

Truly an artist.

Still the benchmark.

RIP. 

Defensively, no question about it, he was the greatest by a good stretch.  And I lived in Cincinnati in 1970 and watched him (on TV) destroy our Reds in the World Series.  IMO, Mike Schmidt was the best overall due to his incredible bat/glove combo (I watched him here in Philly his entire career), and  Eddie Mathews, Wade Boggs, and George Brett contributed so much with their bats, that they are there with Brooks overall.   But no one ever fielded 3B like Brooks.

[JSngry]

3B is a defensive position. One player can bat anywhere in the order. But the can only field one position at a time. 

[Dan Gould]

7 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

And here was me wondering what jazzman (or musician) THIS was ...

Wouldn't this obit thread be better placed outside the MUSIC discussion section and in the "Misceallaneous-Non-political" section?
Or did he record some obscure 45 sometime in an ill-fated attempt to jump on the "celeb goes singer" bandwagon, like other sportsmen did at other times too?

Steve, he was an artiste with the baseball glove!

2 minutes ago, JSngry said:

3B is a defensive position. One player can bat anywhere in the order. But the can only field one position at a time. 

You mean 3B is a premium defensive position? More so than SS which requires far greater range and sometimes a stronger arm? 

Every player should be judged by both sides, offensive and defensive and to me, as great as Robinson was, Schmidt was nearly his equal (how can he not be with 10 GGs himself?), and ran laps around him offensively.

Schmidt is the platonic ideal of a third baseman because its both a high value defensive position and supposed to not be a offensive black hole.

[Big Beat Steve]

No doubt, judging by the posts here. But as far as I can see this is the "MUSIC discussion" section of the forum. And as far as I recall other non-music artists have been discussed in that Misc. section before. For good reason and nothing wrong with that. Regardless of the merits of non-music artists in non-musical fields of their activites.

Edited September 27, 2023 by Big Beat Steve

[felser]

27 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

No doubt, judging by the posts here. But as far as I can see this is the "MUSIC discussion" section of the forum. And as far as I recall other non-music artists have been discussed in that Misc. section before. For good reason and nothing wrong with that. Regardless of the merits of non-music artists in non-musical fields of their activites.

 

[JSngry]

We'll find someplace for Schmidt to play. Brooks plays 3rd.

That whole charge the nubber barehand grab and crossbody throw thing. I doubt that Brooks invented it but he sure as hell should have patented it. 

[Dan Gould]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

We'll find someplace for Schmidt to play. Brooks plays 3rd.

 

OK, and the second team probably beats Brooks' all-timers because Schmidt makes 99% of the plays that Brooks does and hits two homers.

[JSngry]

Schmidt can DH. Or play 1st.

[Dan Gould]

I've not known anyone so committed to the idea that there is Brooks Robinson and then everybody else.

[JSngry]

That will indeed be me!

But for data: https://www.lonestarball.com/2023/9/26/23891604/brooks-robinson-has-passed-away

 

Using Fangraphs defensive stats, Robinson saved the third most runs with his defense in MLB history, behind Yadier Molina and Robinson’s longtime teammate Mark Belanger.

Robinson won 16 Gold Gloves at third base, was an All Star in fifteen different seasons, won the American League MVP in 1964, finished in the top four in 1960, 1965, 1966, and 1971, and was named the World Series MVP in 1970. He finished his career with 2848 hits and 268 home runs, and is 7th all time in career bWAR among third basemen. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, getting 92% of the vote.

 

You can but a bat anywhere. A glove, not so much. 

[Dan Gould]

7 minutes ago, JSngry said:

That will indeed be me!

But for data: https://www.lonestarball.com/2023/9/26/23891604/brooks-robinson-has-passed-away

 

Using Fangraphs defensive stats, Robinson saved the third most runs with his defense in MLB history, behind Yadier Molina and Robinson’s longtime teammate Mark Belanger.

Robinson won 16 Gold Gloves at third base, was an All Star in fifteen different seasons, won the American League MVP in 1964, finished in the top four in 1960, 1965, 1966, and 1971, and was named the World Series MVP in 1970. He finished his career with 2848 hits and 268 home runs, and is 7th all time in career bWAR among third basemen. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, getting 92% of the vote.

 

You can but a bat anywhere. A glove, not so much. 

I don't know how WAR and its variations (best 7, best 5 consecutive years, etc) deals with defensive metrics (I know they are in there though) but it finds 7 guys ahead of Brooks.

https://baseballegg.com/third-base-war-leaders/

 

[JSngry]

Eddie Matthews was known as a good but not great defender 

And to see Beltre rated above Brooks, ok, but he was certainly an elite defender. I watched that first hand. But at best, as good as Brooks. 

Otherwise, for those other guys, yeah yeah yeah, but Brooks was pretty handy or better with a bat, so would I replace any of them with him, or vice versa? I think not.

Again, you can put a bat anywhere. But if you got Brooks Robinson, he's your 3rd Baseman. 

The Os infield of Brooks, Belanger, Davey Johnson, and Boog Powell (on the receiving end) was a true delight!