Tuesday, January 22, 2008

[:: All-Time Fave Oakland A's - Middle Infielders (SS) ::]

Shortstop, my favorite position in baseball. One half of the double-play turners, the executer of my favorite defensive gems, Mr. pop-up catcher, 2nd base coverer, and of late, position with the hottest players (hellooooo Derek Jeter! Hellooo A-Rod [I know, he doesn't play SS anymore, whatevs]).

Back to the issue at hand, my favorite SS on the A's. Now, the most logical choice would be the 1988 Rookie of the Year, Walt Weiss, but I must say my choice has to be Miguel Tejada.

Tejada was signed by the A's in 1993 and in 1997 he made his Major League debut. In 2002, he was named American League MVP and played in the All-Star game. Honestly, he wasn't the most spectacular all-around player, but he was my favorite. His fielding percentage was always in the .970s, but that man made some of the best diving stops. What captured me about Tejada was his dedication to the sport. More than once, he played every single game during a given season. He is 5th on the list of # of consecutive games played with 1152.

Now shortstop is not a position that is traditionally known for offense. Many times clubs needed to make a choice between a great fielder or a good hitter. Tejada is one of the early exceptions to the rule. Today, you will will find plenty of shortstops with offensive prowess, but during his Oakland A's stint, it was rare. I mean c'mon, we had Mike Bordick previous to Tejada's arrival. Listed at 5'9, he is small, but he had a great deal of power. Once Jason Giambi left, he was given the opportunity to showcase his talent.

When Tejada left for Baltimore, it broke my heart. But hey, that's a part of being an A's fan. Once you are religiously dedicated to one player, the team let's him go.

No comments: