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Short story Ripken paved the way for A-Rod, Nomar and Jeter
Posted: Thursday April 20, 2000 04:47 AM
Standing 6-foot-4, Cal Ripken made a lot of baseball people rethink their idea of how a great shortstop is built. That made it possible for Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter -- all 6-feet or taller, to get a shot. But few could imagine they would do so much so early in their careers. At 6-foot-3, Rodriguez is the first shortstop to notch 40 homers and 40 steals in the same season. He's won a batting crown and I think he has a legitimate chance to hit 500 career home runs. Garciparra stands 6-feet even and was the American League batting champ last season. He's a premier clutch-hitter, with a .351 average in the late innings of close games. Jeter, who is 6-foot-3, hit a career-high 24 homers last year and will likely get his 1,000th hit this season at age 26. Those fast starts are impressive, but will they be enough to keep them on pace with two of the greatest shortstops ever -- Honus Wagner and Ernie Banks? A measuring stick that works across different eras is how well a player does relative to his contemporaries. None of the big three will likely match Wagner's astounding record of finishing in the top 10 of a triple crown category 39 times. But Banks' 13 top 10s are in reach. And don't forget, Banks hit 235 of his 512 career home runs after switching to first base when he was 31. That's why I think he really can't be considered part of the debate. Comparing players from different eras is an inexact science. But using the triple crown standard, the big three stack up very nicely against the man who brought power to the position in the early '80s. Cal Ripken has finished in the top 10 of a triple crown category eight times. In 11 combined seasons, the big three already have 11 top 10s. Rodriguez and Garciappara are well on their way to passing Ripken and Jeter isn't far behind. I think a position change or injuries are the only things that can keep the big three from making their mark as the best hitting shortstops since Wagner. They have Cal Ripken to thank for that.
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