Bill James has said that Maz is the undisputed best defensive 2nd-baseman ever, by a wide margin. A huge outlier, nobody else is that much better than #2 at any one position.
Good thought. They played seven years together. Lancaster's own Tommy Herr.
They did play 10 years+ together and are forever remembered in rhyme. Are fans and writers less creative today? Growing up, I heard many Pirates and Steelers songs created by fans and musicians.
Cano was a Yankee for nine years. Great thought though. Dent only six. Gordon only seven. Koenig only six. Perhaps something to be said for middle infield double-play combos playing together for a while as being integral to a team's success.
Pete Rose once said that the greatest double play combination ever was "Bill Mazeroski and whoever played shortstop for the Pirates."
I’m trying to find another ten year combination other than the Tigers duo. Johnny Pesky was Bobby Doerr’s regular shortstop, not sure if they played 10 years together but they came close.
cronin played 10 years with the sox albeit 4 of them as player manager at the tail end of his career from 35 to 45 ----- pesky came in at 42-51 replacing cronin but lost the 3 years to the war ----- doerr was 37 to 51 so both pesky and Cronin had about 6-7 yrs with Doerr both good combos for their stints
My mind remembers the precision and rhythm that Alley and Maz had turning two but Robbie Alomar made plays that you shook your head over. For a brief time, the combo of Alomar and Omar Vizquel was spectacular. I would always go to Clearwater when the gates opened just to watch Omar‘s fielding practice. What a treat that was.
Without bothering to check, did Gehringer have one infield partner in the decades earlier Tigers years? His numbers give Hornsby a run for the money as best for any 2B/SS player.
Not really Billy Rogell (similar to Rick Burleson )from 30-39 when the mechanical man was in his prime
