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400 HR & Appeared As SS In Line-Up

Posted by Steve Lombardi on November 5, 2010

Have you ever seen this crazy boxscore from September 26, 1954? In this game, Casey Stengel started (and played) Yogi Berra at 3B, Moose Skowron at 2B and Mickey Mantle at SS. And, this was Mantle's 511th career game in the big leagues when Casey stuck him at short.

That got me thinking - how many members of the 400-career HR club have ever appeared at SS in a major league line-up?

Here's the list -

Rk Player HR From To Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Willie Mays 660 1951 1973 20-42 2992 12493 10881 2062 3283 523 140 1903 1464 192 1526 44 13 91 251 338 103 .302 .384 .557 .941 *8/39765 NYG-SFG-TOT-NYM
2 Alex Rodriguez 613 1994 2010 18-34 2303 10206 8826 1757 2672 474 29 1831 1119 87 1836 152 16 93 209 301 72 .303 .387 .571 .958 *65/D SEA-TEX-NYY
3 Mark McGwire 583 1986 2001 22-37 1874 7660 6187 1167 1626 252 6 1414 1317 150 1596 75 3 78 147 12 8 .263 .394 .588 .982 *3/D54967 OAK-TOT-STL
4 Mike Schmidt 548 1972 1989 22-39 2404 10062 8352 1506 2234 408 59 1595 1507 201 1883 79 16 108 156 174 92 .267 .380 .527 .908 *53/64 PHI
5 Mickey Mantle 536 1951 1968 19-36 2401 9909 8102 1677 2415 344 72 1509 1733 126 1710 13 14 47 113 153 38 .298 .421 .557 .977 *8397/645 NYY
6 Jimmie Foxx 534 1925 1945 17-37 2317 9670 8134 1751 2646 458 125 1922 1452 0 1311 13 71 0 69 87 73 .325 .428 .609 1.038 *352/7196 PHA-BOS-TOT-CHC-PHI
7 Ernie Banks 512 1953 1971 22-40 2528 10395 9421 1305 2583 407 90 1636 763 198 1236 70 45 96 229 50 53 .274 .330 .500 .830 36/57 CHC
8 Gary Sheffield 509 1988 2009 19-40 2576 10947 9217 1636 2689 467 27 1676 1475 130 1171 135 9 111 235 253 104 .292 .393 .514 .907 975D/63 MIL-SDP-TOT-FLA-LAD-ATL-NYY-DET-NYM
9 Lou Gehrig 493 1923 1939 20-36 2164 9660 8001 1888 2721 534 163 1995 1508 0 790 45 106 0 2 102 100 .340 .447 .632 1.080 *3/976 NYY
10 Chipper Jones 436 1993 2010 21-38 2261 9654 8142 1505 2490 493 37 1491 1404 161 1278 17 3 88 228 147 44 .306 .405 .536 .941 *57/6D9 ATL
11 Cal Ripken 431 1981 2001 20-40 3001 12883 11551 1647 3184 603 44 1695 1129 107 1305 66 10 127 350 36 39 .276 .340 .447 .788 *65/D BAL
12 Darrell Evans 414 1969 1989 22-42 2687 10737 8973 1344 2223 329 36 1354 1605 141 1410 35 34 90 133 98 68 .248 .361 .431 .792 *53D/76 ATL-TOT-SFG-DET
13 Albert Pujols 408 2001 2010 21-30 1558 6782 5733 1186 1900 426 15 1230 914 236 646 73 1 61 203 75 34 .331 .426 .624 1.050 *37/59D64 STL
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 11/5/2010.

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Now, there's some stories behind some of these - like the Iron Horse being listed at SS, taking one At Bat, and then coming out of the game before playing the field to extend his games played streak. But, nonetheless, it's very interesting to see the names on this list. And, it's a heckuva trivia question to lay on someone, right?

Related posts:

    Derek Jeter has appeared in the most wins by a Yankees player
    Red Sox Line-Ups With 4+ Regular LH-Batters
    Two pitchers have appeared in each of his team’s games so far

This entry was posted on Friday, November 5th, 2010 at 10:56 am and is filed under Game Finders. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

38 Responses to “400 HR & Appeared As SS In Line-Up”

  1. mick Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:26 am

    Jimmie Foxx???

  2. Paul Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:31 am

    Yeah, but how many of these guys actually STARTED a game at short?

  3. StephenH Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:36 am

    Oddly enough, a lot of those names don't surprise me. I have read the Gehrig story a few times. I figure while they were young, a lot of 3B's should have been agile enough to play SS in a pinch. I know Foxx was in the majors at 18, and played 3b, 1b, C and even pitched at least once. As for the outfielders, wasn't Mantle signed as a SS? The guys that surprise me are: Mays and McGwire. What would posses any manager to take the greatest fielding CF of all time and put him at SS? And McGwire?? Was he ever agile?

  4. sean-o Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:36 am

    when did McGwire play short? his player page does not indicate ever playing there.

  5. StephenH Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:36 am

    #2, Paul, without checking, I would think at least 7.

  6. Johnny Twisto Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:45 am

    McGwire did not play SS. This was one of a stretch of away games in late 2000 when he batted in the top of the 1st and was then replaced. In this game he happened to be penciled in as the SS. In several others he was in at 2B. I assume he was hurt at the time, but I don't really remember why LaRussa was choosing to give him one AB (and in the first inning, rather than pinch hitting).

  7. mick Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:57 am

    And though I don't necessarily think it means he was "agile" enough to play the 6, McGwire did come up as a third baseman.

    I knew Foxx played some 3B early on, too, I guess I am just stuck with the image of the older, barely-mobile barrel-chested Foxx trying to play short ... sort of like imagining the 1997+ McGwire doing so ...

  8. steve d Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    i remember seeing willie in the mid sixties, always fooling around in the infield usually at shortstop during fielding practice. he was pretty slick around the bag turning dps.

  9. daHOOK Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    McGwire also had some first-inning pinch-hit appearances where he was penciled in the lineup at shortstop and came out of the game when the Cardinals took the field in September of 1998.

  10. zackkyy Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 12:13 pm

    the mental picture of Mark McGwire playing SS makes me lol.

  11. Ex-Owl Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    Mays played shortstop in the Giants' 5/31/1964 23-inning game with the Mets - a contest that was the second game of a doubleheader! Egad.

  12. kenh Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    Reminds me of when Billy Martin put Mattingly at 2B and Guidry in CF when the pine tar game resumed. I wonder if Stengel was protesting the game or just playing for fun given the A's were 60 games back?

  13. John DiFool Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

    "i remember seeing willie in the mid sixties, always fooling around in the infield usually at shortstop during fielding practice. he was pretty slick around the bag turning dps."

    This makes for an interesting question: where do you play a gifted agile defender, short or center? I've heard it said that a great infielder scoots, while a great outfielder zooms. Size might have something to do with it, all other things being equal the small guy goes to short while the tall one is in center (tho did you know Mantle and Ozzie Smith were the same height?). Mays at short is an intriguing idea tho, but infielders get injured more often, so you have that to think about too.

  14. Steve Lombardi Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    Kenh - I got the sense from the new Jane Leavy book at Casey was trying to send Mick a message that day.

  15. Johnny Twisto Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    where do you play a gifted agile defender, short or center?

    In recent years, it seems that some bigger guys who might have once been moved to CF are being kept at SS.

  16. Jimbo Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    I read the new Mays biography recently. That game was of course mentioned. Can't find it now though looking back...

  17. Frank Clingenpeel Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    Mays doesn't surprise me -- that man cpuld do anything on a ball diamond. It would not have surprised me if you'd reported that he filled in for the San Diego Chicken at some point.

  18. Jacob Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    @#4

    It pops up in his Career Splits under Defensive Positions. He never actually fielded at SS (like a few others on this list).

  19. flyingelbowsmash Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 6:14 pm

    Mays playing infield, how about running back?

  20. Artie Z Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    @ 2 and 5 - A-Rod, Schmidt, Banks, Chipper, Sheffield, Mantle, Ripken, and Evans all started games at SS. Foxx and Gehrig are "undetermined" for me because the breakdown between appearances and starts is not available. What's amazing is that Darrell Evans started 15 games at SS, and they were in his 35 and 36 year old seasons.

  21. DoubleDiamond Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    When I read the teaser for this one on your Facebook page, I immediately thought of this game:

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT198704180.shtml

    With a 5-2 lead on the road in Pittsburgh, the Phillies brought closer Steve Bedrosian into the game for the 8th inning, apparently still a common practice back then. Since the 9th spot occupied by starter Don Carman was due up first in the top of the 9th, manager John Felske did a double switch, replacing shortstop Luis Aguayo with Steve Jeltz. Bedrosian took Aguayo's #8 spot, while Jeltz was now in the 9th spot.

    Bedrosian would eventually win the Cy Young that year, but his performance that day was hardly of Cy Young quality. He gave up four runs in the 8th that Saturday afternoon. (One of them was scored by Barry Bonds, who had drawn a lead-off walk.) The Pirates now led 6-5 going into the 9th.

    The prospect of Steve Jeltz leading off the top of the 9th, followed by the top of the order, wasn't too bad had the Phillies still had the lead. But now, Greg Gross was sent up to pinch hit for Jeltz. Although Gross grounded out to second, two of the next three batters reached base. This brought third baseman Mike Schmidt and his 499 career home runs up to the plate against future Phillie Don Robinson. Well, make that 500, as Schmidt's three-run shot gave the Phillies an 8-6 lead.

    Former Pirate Kent Tekulve pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth. But that wasn't the only substitution made at that time:

    Kent Tekulve replaces Chris James (LF) pitching and batting 5th
    Rick Schu replaces Steve Bedrosian (P) playing 3B batting 8th
    Mike Schmidt moves from 3B to SS
    Greg Gross moves from PH to LF

    I'm puzzled that Tekulve is listed as the winning pitcher, not Bedrosian. Although I don't like to see guys with blown saves eventually getting the win, from all accounts, Bedrosian was the pitcher of record when the Phillies got back the lead.

  22. Mike Felber Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    Foxx was athletic for most of his career. There is a story on his Wikipedia page I believe about him essentially tying the fastest guy around in a foot race, & it was not early in his career. He might have been a good catcher.

    Mantle started off as a SS, error prone, & was moved. Mantle & Mays have been often listed at 5'10" 1/2, & if either was taller it was marginally. Often athletes & guys in general round up their barefoot height. But they were bulky for their day, so that made an assignment in middle infield less likely.

  23. DoubleDiamond Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 9:26 pm

    The game that sparked this subject in the first place was the last-ever for the Philadelphia Athletics.

    I didn't know that Jim Konstanty, four years after losing Game 1 of the 1950 World Series to the Yankees, was now pitching for them.

    For a moment, when I saw the Yankees' 103-51 final record, just the reverse of the Athletics' 51-103 mark, I thought their next game was going to be Game 1 of the World Series. Then I remembered that that was the year Cleveland won even more regular season games than the Bronx Bombers (but won the same number of World Series games - zero).

  24. Thomas Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 10:42 pm

    @21 : "I'm puzzled that Tekulve is listed as the winning pitcher, not Bedrosian. Although I don't like to see guys with blown saves eventually getting the win, from all accounts, Bedrosian was the pitcher of record when the Phillies got back the lead."

    Can anyone explain that? Because I can't understand it either...

  25. StephenH Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:25 pm

    #'s 21 and 24,

    My best guess is that the scorer has some discretion when a reliever pitches as ineffectively as Bedrock did in that game. He blew the save, lost a 3 run lead and left with a one run deficit. When the Phils took the lead in the top of 9th and then brought in Tekulve to finish the game, which he did, the official scorer must have made the decision to award the win to Tekulve instead of Bedrock. Hopefully Tekulve didn't have a saves incentive clause in his contract!

  26. dukeofflattbush Says:
    November 5th, 2010 at 11:27 pm

    Some other interesting players who surprisingly played some short.
    I think we all know most third base men will or have moved over to short at some point, so I’ll skip the more obvious ones. I think most of these are so surprising not because it is a position so drastically different than all the others, but it is such a unique skill set of raw athletics, baseball instincts, quickness, strength, both lateral and north/south movements etc., that make it very difficult to make the transition.

    1. Jermain Dye
    2. Dick Allen
    3. Jeff Kent
    4. George Brett
    5. Danny Tartabull
    6. Kevin Mitchel
    7. Larry Parish
    8. Kirby Puckett
    9. Larry Doby
    10. Jimmy Winn
    11. Bobby Murcer
    12. Frankie Frisch
    13. BJ Surhoff
    14. Tony Armas

  27. 400 HR & Appeared As SS In Line-Up » Baseball-Reference Blog … | Bat Pine Tar Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 1:13 am

    [...] the game or just playing for fun given the A’s were 60 games back? John DiFool Says: … bat pine tar – Google Blog Search Share and [...]

  28. steven Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 8:05 am

    I thought Hank Aaron would have shown up at shortstop somewhere along the line. Guess I was wrong.

  29. Morten Jonsson Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 10:47 am

    I was going to say that the reason LaRussa would bat McGwire in the first inning rather than pinch-hitting him later was that it saved having to use an extra player to replace him--he could be replaced after he batted by the regular shortstop or second baseman, rather than a player off the bench. (McGwire at that point wasn't able to play in the field or run the bases.) But the games we're talking about happened in a week-long stretch in September of 2000, when LaRussa had plenty of September call-ups he could use. He must have thought it was better to guarantee McGwire a plate appearance than to wait in case he needed him--to kick-start the offense at the beginning, rather than try to rescue it at the end. McGwire, by the way, went 2 for 5 with a home run in those six games, and the Cardinals went 4-2.

  30. DavidRF Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 12:42 pm

    @26
    "8. Kirby Puckett"
    -------------------
    This happened three times, and not in the beginning of his career either. I remember watching one of these games on TV but it looks like the three situations were the same. Each time, Tom Kelly had run out of position players and they would rotate Puckett between 3B/2B/SS from batter to batter based on where they thought the ball was *not* going to be hit.

    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE199008160.shtml
    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN199207170.shtml
    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL199509100.shtml

    In the 1992 case, it looks like he switched twice within the same batter (but I can't be sure from the destails of the batter.

    The ball was never hit to him while he was in the SS position, though he did pick at an assist at 2B in one of the games.

  31. kenh Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 1:46 pm

    Steve L - I just browsed Jane Leavy's website. I also read the article in SI on Mantle and the boys. Wow! Not that I didn't expect some craziness, but he led a wild life. I plan to get the book. My dad played against Mantle's twin brothers in class C in 1954. Big guys that couldn't hit. I wonder what happened to them? Did they die early like their father?

  32. Phil Haberkorn Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    Eddie Gaedel played short, too. . . . .:)

  33. dennis Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    32
    Very nice pun!!!

    And there was a pitcher for the Phillies in the early 60s, terrific pitcher....he and Bunning were a very efective pair of aces...

    He also played the position between second and third.....

    Fella name of Chris.................????

  34. DoubleDiamond Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 10:06 pm

    Another American league centerfielder known as Mickey born on the 20th of the month who played some shortstop was Mickey Stanley of the Detroit Tigers. Although I do see on his player page that he appeared as a shortstop in some regular season games, he was the Tigers' starting shortstop in all seven games of the 1968 World Series. Detroit had four decent outfielders that they wanted to put in their starting line-up in those pre-DH days, and regular shortstop Ray Oyler had a batting average of .135 in the regular season. So, Stanley became their shortstop for most of the Series (with Oyler replacing him defensively late in four games, coincidentally or maybe not so coincidentally, the four that they won).

  35. Steve Lombardi Says:
    November 6th, 2010 at 11:02 pm

    Kenh - IIRC, in the book, the brothers were signed as a reach, and they quickly proved that they didn't have what it took.

  36. Atom Says:
    November 7th, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    McGwire never actually played shortstop. Mark had injured his right leg in the middle of the 2000 season and was limited to pinch hitting duties. He was pretty much incapable of running the rest of the season. From September 8th to September 13th, Mark started every road game starting at 2b. He was bat 2nd, then be lifted for Placido Polanco or Craig Paquette after his at bat. On September 13th he "started" at shortstop, got a single and Polanco pinch ran for him. He never actually played SS defensively. It was just a way for LaRussa to get him an at bat.

  37. Frank Clingenpeel Says:
    November 7th, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Dennis {# 34}:

    That unmentionable Chris you were talking about, if memory serves, also was a rare avis - a left-hand thrower who actually caught a game early in his career. I gues that meant the Phillies were Short of catchers that year.

  38. Richard Says:
    November 8th, 2010 at 2:40 am

    @ 23
    "The game that sparked this subject in the first place was the last-ever for the Philadelphia Athletics."

    I noticed that as well. How sad

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