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The Hundred Million Dollar Infield, Pt II
2004-08-21 01:18
by Mike Carminati

Part I

Next, in our historical analysis of the best infields, I would like to take a look at the best defensive infield. This is somewhat problematic given that the traditional fielding stats are so dependent on the era from which they were spawned to be almost useless for this analysis as Bill James showed in Win Shares. So instead I will use James's Fielding Win Shares stat as the basis.

First, let's look at the best based on total Fielding Win Shares (Catchers included):

YrTeamInf OPSLg OPSBPFOPS AdjTot WSGWS/GFieldWS
1943Cincinnati Reds.669.67299100.05%95.31550.61535.5
1904Boston Pilgrims.623.61610698.15%86.61570.55234.9
2003Los Angeles Dodgers.674.7499393.30%65.81620.40633.9
1999New York Mets.857.77195113.89%119.51630.73333.6
1940Cleveland Indians.786.75097106.50%105.71550.68233.5
1920Chicago White Sox.778.734100105.94%108.21540.70333.4
1931Washington Senators.756.740101101.73%98.11560.62933.1
1983Pittsburgh Pirates.757.698103106.84%94.21620.58132.9
1963New York Yankees.702.69299101.97%98.21610.61032.7
1944Cincinnati Reds.673.6899699.64%89.21550.57532.6
1977Texas Rangers.791.735101107.01%107.91620.66632.6
1938Pittsburgh Pirates.760.705101107.22%102.41520.67432.6
1973Los Angeles Dodgers.706.69896103.29%93.11620.57532.6
1942Brooklyn Dodgers.708.661102105.95%110.01550.71032.5
1954Milwaukee Braves.804.74294111.69%105.91540.68832.2
1908Chicago Cubs.691.605104111.91%117.61580.74432.2
1961New York Yankees.727.72495103.01%93.11630.57132.1
1905New York Giants.711.647102108.76%103.11550.66532.1
1977Los Angeles Dodgers.770.724100106.25%97.11620.59932.0
1936New York Giants.701.7229997.55%73.91540.48031.9
1913Philadelphia Phillies.664.67910495.90%67.51590.42531.8
1924Washington Senators.732.7559798.43%80.31560.51531.7
1935Chicago Cubs.793.722101109.23%108.21540.70331.7
1969Chicago Cubs.738.688113100.63%98.01630.60131.7
2003Oakland Athletics.776.76193105.65%100.51620.62031.6
1917Chicago White Sox.660.638102102.50%101.81560.65331.6
1920Cleveland Indians.753.734103101.00%87.81540.57031.6

Now, Total Fielding Win Shares (excluding catchers):

YrTeamInf OPSLg OPSBPFOPS AdjTot WSGWS/GFieldWS
1999New York Mets.838.77195111.44%98.31630.60328.9
1904Boston Pilgrims.628.61610699.00%75.81570.48328.5
1920New York Yankees.753.734104100.50%79.61540.51728.1
1892Cincinnati Reds.635.6449999.02%71.11550.45928.0
1931Washington Senators.778.740101104.60%85.61560.54927.1
1998Milwaukee Brewers.802.741101107.60%86.11620.53126.9
1905New York Giants.697.647102106.74%84.01550.54226.7
1949Boston Red Sox.845.732107111.58%91.21550.58826.7
1906Cleveland Naps.750.62199121.29%81.61570.52026.5
1899Boston Beaneaters.732.71011098.22%76.11530.49726.5
1917New York Giants.665.63397106.74%83.31580.52726.4
1928New York Giants.831.741100112.25%91.51550.59026.3
1907Cleveland Naps.612.61110199.59%69.71580.44126.2
1923New York Yankees.704.73910294.37%62.01520.40826.0
1964Baltimore Orioles.743.696100106.75%87.81630.53925.8
1889Cincinnati Red Stockings.696.68710399.73%59.81410.42425.6
1946St. Louis Cardinals.803.684104115.12%107.91560.69225.6
1904Chicago Cubs.658.628100104.71%85.81560.55025.5
1898Boston Beaneaters.738.681105105.78%85.11520.56025.5
1944St. Louis Browns.721.678106103.31%90.91540.59025.5
1976Philadelphia Phillies.734.681103106.17%81.11620.50125.5
1906Pittsburgh Pirates.724.620104114.47%95.01540.61725.3
1961New York Yankees.687.7249597.38%64.51630.39625.3
1977Los Angeles Dodgers.768.724100106.05%81.41620.50225.3
1986St. Louis Cardinals.671.7029996.11%62.31610.38725.2
1924New York Yankees.715.75510094.67%58.21530.38025.2

Now let's prorate the Fielding Win Shares per 162 games:

YrTeamInf OPSLg OPSBPFOPS AdjTot WSGWS/GFieldWSFWS/162G
1878Boston Red Caps.527.59810884.74%36.8600.61317.446.980
1943Cincinnati Reds.669.67299100.05%95.31550.61535.537.103
1904Boston Pilgrims.623.61610698.15%86.61570.55234.936.011
1894Baltimore Orioles.901.814104108.62%101.31290.78528.235.414
1920Chicago White Sox.778.734100105.94%108.21540.70333.435.135
1940Cleveland Indians.786.75097106.50%105.71550.68233.535.013
1893Cincinnati Reds.686.73610292.26%63.21310.48228.334.997
1890Philadelphia Phillies.711.671103104.44%72.61330.54628.734.958
1903Boston Pilgrims.689.648105103.83%86.11410.61130.434.928
1938Pittsburgh Pirates.760.705101107.22%102.41520.67432.634.745
1890Brooklyn Bridegrooms.723.671100107.79%105.61290.81927.434.409
1883Boston Beaneaters.772.650102117.67%78.8980.80420.834.384
1891Boston Reds.744.68299109.66%99.11390.71329.534.381
1931Washington Senators.756.740101101.73%98.11560.62933.134.373
1889Cincinnati Red Stockings.716.687103102.67%73.41410.52129.934.353
1944Cincinnati Reds.673.6899699.64%89.21550.57532.634.072
1889Brooklyn Bridegrooms.690.687100100.36%107.21400.76629.434.020
1893Boston Beaneaters.766.736108100.05%90.21310.68927.534.008
1942Brooklyn Dodgers.708.661102105.95%110.01550.71032.533.968
1879Boston Red Caps.607.599102100.22%48.0840.57117.633.943
1954Milwaukee Braves.804.74294111.69%105.91540.68832.233.873
1876Chicago White Stockings.841.598112132.64%74.9661.13513.833.873
2003Los Angeles Dodgers.674.7499393.30%65.81620.40633.933.853
1877Boston Red Caps.718.627104112.32%48.0610.78712.733.728
1936New York Giants.701.7229997.55%73.91540.48031.933.557
1905New York Giants.711.647102108.76%103.11550.66532.133.550
1999New York Mets.857.77195113.89%119.51630.73333.633.394
1935Chicago Cubs.793.722101109.23%108.21540.70331.733.347
1920Cleveland Indians.753.734103101.00%87.81540.57031.633.242
1876St. Louis Brown Stockings.573.5989598.18%43.3640.67713.133.159
1939New York Yankees.802.75998106.65%107.51520.70731.133.146
1924New York Yankees.729.75510096.51%73.81530.48231.333.141
1896Baltimore Orioles.824.741101110.62%96.01320.72727.033.136
1908Chicago Cubs.691.605104111.91%117.61580.74432.233.015

Well, that's heavily weighted to the nineteenth century probably because the difference between good and poor defenses was greater back then. Now the same data sans catchers:

YrTeamInf OPSLg OPSBPFOPS AdjTot WSGWS/GFieldWSFWS/162G
1878Boston Red Caps.544.59810887.55%31.0600.51712.734.290
1893Boston Beaneaters.776.736108101.40%84.31310.64424.930.792
1920New York Yankees.753.734104100.50%79.61540.51728.129.560
1889Cincinnati Red Stockings.696.68710399.73%59.81410.42425.629.413
1904Boston Pilgrims.628.61610699.00%75.81570.48328.529.408
1890Brooklyn Bridegrooms.730.671100108.76%94.31290.73123.429.386
1892Cincinnati Reds.635.6449999.02%71.11550.45928.029.265
1893Cincinnati Reds.681.73610291.63%51.21310.39123.529.061
1894Baltimore Orioles.912.814104109.89%85.91290.66623.129.009
1999New York Mets.838.77195111.44%98.31630.60328.928.723
1883Boston Beaneaters.806.650102122.74%73.7980.75217.328.598
1890Philadelphia Phillies.680.67110399.81%54.51330.41023.328.380
1890Boston Reds.790.729107104.63%66.11300.50822.728.288
1931Washington Senators.778.740101104.60%85.61560.54927.128.142
1899Boston Beaneaters.732.71011098.22%76.11530.49726.528.059
1884Louisville Eclipse.592.60496100.07%48.51100.44119.027.982
1884Columbus Buckeyes.639.60492110.34%59.51100.54119.027.982
1905New York Giants.697.647102106.74%84.01550.54226.727.906
1949Boston Red Sox.845.732107111.58%91.21550.58826.727.906
1882Cleveland Blues.689.62297112.52%54.3840.64614.427.771
1923New York Yankees.704.73910294.37%62.01520.40826.027.711
1928New York Giants.831.741100112.25%91.51550.59026.327.488
1906Cleveland Naps.750.62199121.29%81.61570.52026.527.344
1898Boston Beaneaters.738.681105105.78%85.11520.56025.527.178
1891Philadelphia Athletics.723.682103104.46%63.51430.44423.927.076
1917New York Giants.665.63397106.74%83.31580.52726.427.068
1998Milwaukee Brewers.802.741101107.60%86.11620.53126.926.900
1907Cleveland Naps.612.61110199.59%69.71580.44126.226.863
1944St. Louis Browns.721.678106103.31%90.91540.59025.526.825
1903Boston Pilgrims.708.648105106.71%77.31410.54823.326.770
1889Brooklyn Bridegrooms.675.68710098.19%84.01400.60023.126.730
1891Chicago Colts.713.667100106.95%76.21370.55622.626.724
1924New York Yankees.715.75510094.67%58.21530.38025.226.682
1906Pittsburgh Pirates.724.620104114.47%95.01540.61725.326.614
1946St. Louis Cardinals.803.684104115.12%107.91560.69225.626.585

To Be Continued…

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