List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as a second baseman leaders

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Fred Pfeffer, the all-time leader in fielding errors as a second baseman

In baseball statistics, an error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to advance one or more bases or allows an at bat to continue after the batter should have been put out. In baseball and softball, the second baseman is a fielding position in the infield, commonly stationed between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In addition, second basemen are almost always right-handed. Only four left-handed throwing players have appeared as second basemen in the major leagues since 1950; one of the four, Gonzalo Márquez, was listed as the second baseman in the starting lineup for two games in 1973, batting in the first inning, but was replaced before his team took the field on defense, and none of the other three players lasted even a complete inning at the position.[1] In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4.

The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 19th century, when fielding equipment was very rudimentary; baseball gloves only began to steadily gain acceptance in the 1880s, and were not uniformly worn until the mid-1890s, resulting in a much lower frequency of defensive miscues. All but three of the top 21 players in career errors began playing in the 19th century – including the top 13, ten of whom played their entire careers before 1900; only one of the top 21 played more than two games after 1920. None of the top 25 were active after 1930, with the top eight players active after 1926 all being members of the Baseball Hall of Fame; none of the top 49, and only eight of the top 77, were active after 1953. The top 59 single-season totals were all recorded before 1895, the top 192 were recorded before 1928, and the top 410 were recorded before 1946. To a large extent, the leaders reflect longevity rather than lower skill. Joe Morgan, whose 244 errors are the most by any second baseman since 1945, won five Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence.

Fred Pfeffer, who retired in 1897 after having set National League (NL) records for career games, putouts and assists as a second baseman, is the all-time leader in career errors as a second baseman with 857 – nearly twice as many as any player whose career began after 1900, and over three times as many as any player who reached the major leagues after 1930; he is the only second baseman with over 800, and also holds the NL record of 781. Bid McPhee (792) and Cub Stricker (701), whose careers ended in 1899 and 1893 respectively, are the only other second basemen to commit more than 700 career errors. Robinson Canó, who had 124 errors through the 2021 season to place him tied for 144th all-time, is the leader among active players.

Key[edit]

Rank Rank amongst leaders in career errors committed. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player Name of player
E as 2B Total career errors committed as a second baseman
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame

List[edit]

Eddie Collins holds the American League record of 435 errors, as well as the league records for games, putouts and assists at second base.
Rank Player E as 2B
1 Fred Pfeffer 857
2 Bid McPhee * 792
3 Cub Stricker 701
4 Jack Burdock 664
5 Cupid Childs 646
6 Lou Bierbauer 574
7 Kid Gleason 571
8 Joe Gerhardt 558
9 Fred Dunlap 498
10 Jack Farrell 477
11 Yank Robinson 475
12 Pop Smith 469
13 Nap Lajoie * 451
14 Larry Doyle 443
15 Eddie Collins * 435
16 Al Myers 430
17 Johnny Evers * 423
18 Tom Daly 418
19 Joe Quinn 410
20 Bobby Lowe 389
21 Bill Hallman 385
22 Del Pratt 381
23 Miller Huggins * 376
24 Joe Quest 370
25 Claude Ritchey 355
26 Billy Herman * 354
27 Hardy Richardson 349
28 Reddy Mack 330
29 George Creamer 324
30 Ross Barnes 310
31 Charlie Gehringer * 309
32 Rogers Hornsby * 307
33 Bill McClellan 302
34 George Cutshaw 299
35 Bill Wambsganss 292
Jimmy Williams 292
37 Otto Knabe 287
38 Sam Wise 282
39 Frankie Frisch * 280
40 Bill Greenwood 273
41 Hobe Ferris 270
42 Bob Ferguson 267
43 Sam Crane 264
44 Bucky Harris * 263
Tony Lazzeri * 263
John Montgomery Ward * 263
47 Joe Gordon * 260
48 George Grantham 250
49 Danny Richardson 245
50 Joe Morgan * 244
Rank Player E as 2B
51 Billy Gilbert 237
52 Sam Barkley 235
53 Willie Randolph 234
54 Charley Bassett 232
55 Hughie Critz 231
56 Ralph Young 228
57 Dick Padden 224
58 Julián Javier 219
59 Ski Melillo 215
60 Bobby Doerr * 214
61 Nellie Fox * 209
62 Jack Crooks 204
Bill Mazeroski * 204
64 Buddy Myer 200
65 Danny Murphy 199
66 Dasher Troy 195
67 Jeff Kent 194
Marty McManus 194
69 Tony Cuccinello 190
Jerry Priddy 190
71 John Farrell 189
Lou Whitaker 189
73 John O'Brien 188
74 Steve Sax 187
75 Bill Craver 186
Tommy Dowd 186
77 Jimmy Dykes 183
78 Tito Fuentes 182
79 Roberto Alomar * 181
Ray Durham 181
81 Frank LaPorte 180
Heinie Reitz 180
83 Glenn Beckert 179
Frank White 179
85 Charlie Sweasy 178
Tony Taylor 178
87 Johnny Temple 172
88 Red Schoendienst * 170
89 Bill Sweeney 169
90 Ian Kinsler 168
Dots Miller 168
92 Hub Collins 164
Mike McGeary 164
Connie Ryan 164
Juan Samuel 164
96 Max Bishop 163
97 Davey Lopes 162
Eddie Stanky 162
99 Dick Egan 160
100 Manny Trillo 157

Other Hall of Famers[edit]

Player E
Craig Biggio * 156
Rod Carew * 154
Ryne Sandberg * 109
Ed Delahanty * 85
Rabbit Maranville * 80
Roger Connor * 71
Jackie Robinson * 68
Paul Molitor * 48
George Davis * 29
George Kelly * 25
John Henry Lloyd * 24 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Ray Dandridge * 8 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Martín Dihigo * 8 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Joe Cronin * 3
Adrián Beltré * 0
Frank Grant * 0 (unavailable pre-Negro league totals)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "From 1950 to 2013, Throws LH, Played: 2B". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 23, 2019.

External links[edit]