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Katzenjammer Kids Keystone Kombinations
2006-03-28 20:59
by Mike Carminati

The Padres handed the second base job to youngster Josh Barfield today. It's not a big surprise given that his competition was an aging Mark Bellhorn and the gapping hole created by unloading Mark Loretta had his name all over it. It does tick me off to have the son of a player who I remember as a rookie (Jesse Barfield, that is) be a rookie himself, but I sometimes forget the world doesn't revolve around me.

Anyway, this gives the Pod People a doubleplay duo, Khalil Greene (26) and Barfield (23), under the age of 27. It made me wonder how often that had happened and what one can expect from two such youngsters.

Well, this will mark the 330th time in baseball history that a team's starting second baseman and shortstop are both under 27, and it's the first time since 2000.

Here are the best of the lot ranked by career Win Shares for the two individuals. Many of the top keystone combos ready come to mind. Some are celebrated in song:

Team2BAgeCareer WSSSAgeCareer WS#yrsFirst YrLast YrTotal WS
Milwaukee BrewersPaul Molitor21414Robin Yount22421319781980835
Cincinnati RedsPete Rose22547Leo Cardenas24199319631965746
Philadelphia AthleticsEddie Collins22572Jack Barry22132519091913704
Detroit TigersLou Whitaker21354Alan Trammell20317619781983671
Washington SenatorsBuddy Myer25257Joe Cronin22334219291930591
New York GiantsFrankie Frisch25366Travis Jackson20211119241924577
Houston AstrosJoe Morgan22513Sonny Jackson2161219661967574
St. Louis CardinalsRogers Hornsby26503Specs Toporcer2343119221922546
Chicago ColtsBill Lange22139Bill Dahlen23392118931893531
Chicago CubsJohnny Evers21268Joe Tinker22258519031907526
Chicago CubsRyne Sandberg25345Shawon Dunston22151219851986496
Baltimore OriolesBilly Ripken2253Cal Ripken26427119871987480
New York YankeesJoe Gordon26241Phil Rizzuto23231119411941472
Boston Red SoxBobby Doerr24282Johnny Pesky22188119421942470
Chicago CubsBilly Herman22298Billy Jurges24170319321934468
Pittsburgh PiratesCookie Lavagetto21107Arky Vaughan22356119341934463
Chicago White SoxJackie Hayes2576Luke Appling25377219321933453
Milwaukee BrewersPedro Garcia2429Robin Yount18421219741975450
Milwaukee BrewersTim Johnson2621Robin Yount20421119761976442
Pittsburgh PiratesBill Mazeroski19218Dick Groat25223219561957441
Cleveland BluesGermany Smith21175Jack Glasscock24261118841884436
Chicago White SoxNellie Fox22304Chico Carrasquel22131519501954435
Pittsburgh PiratesLee Handley2379Arky Vaughan25356119371937435
Chicago White StockingsTom Burns25154King Kelly24278118821882432
Chicago ColtsJim Canavan2538Bill Dahlen22392118921892430
Pittsburgh PiratesTony Piet2572Arky Vaughan20356219321933428
New York YankeesWillie Randolph22311Bucky Dent25116219771978427
Cincinnati Red StockingsBid McPhee25303Frank Fennelly25123218851886426
Cleveland BluesFred Dunlap21164Jack Glasscock20261418801883425
New York GiantsLarry Doyle21289Al Bridwell24136319081910425
St. Louis MaroonsFred Dunlap26164Jack Glasscock25261118851885425
St. Louis CardinalsBill Keister2578Bobby Wallace26346119001900424
Minnesota TwinsRod Carew26385Danny Thompson2533119721972418
Brooklyn DodgersTony Cuccinello26204Lonny Frey23209119341934413
Louisville ColonelsClaude Ritchey24205Claude Ritchey24205118981898410
Chicago ColtsJiggs Parrott2213Bill Dahlen24392118941894405
Toronto Blue JaysRoberto Alomar23345Manuel Lee2660119911991405
Detroit TigersCharlie Gehringer26382Heinie Schuble2218119291929400
Overall Average 102 1101.33 212

The average combo ended with 212 Win Shares, 102 for the second baseman and 110 for the shortstop, not too shabby.

Keep in mind that the year ranges reflect the years in which both men were under 27, but just for the heck of it, let's see who were together for the longest time in their youth or as Joe Pesci would say their yute:

Team2BAgeCareer WSSSAgeCareer WS#yrsFirst YrLast YrTotal WS
Detroit TigersLou Whitaker21354Alan Trammell20317619781983671
Philadelphia AthleticsEddie Collins22572Jack Barry22132519091913704
Chicago CubsJohnny Evers21268Joe Tinker22258519031907526
Chicago White SoxNellie Fox22304Chico Carrasquel22131519501954435
Cleveland BluesFred Dunlap21164Jack Glasscock20261418801883425
Cleveland IndiansRay Mack2356Lou Boudreau22276419401943332
Atlanta BravesGlenn Hubbard23141Rafael Ramirez23113419811984254
Milwaukee BrewersPaul Molitor21414Robin Yount22421319781980835
Cincinnati RedsPete Rose22547Leo Cardenas24199319631965746
Chicago CubsBilly Herman22298Billy Jurges24170319321934468
New York GiantsLarry Doyle21289Al Bridwell24136319081910425
Detroit TigersFrank Bolling22142Harvey Kuenn23223319541957365
New York YankeesTony Lazzeri22251Mark Koenig21103319261928354
Philadelphia AthleticsJimmie Dykes23243Chick Galloway2370319201923313
Boston Red SoxMike Andrews23108Rico Petrocelli24203319671969311
Minnesota TwinsChuck Knoblauch24230Pat Meares2463319931995293
Chicago CubsGlenn Beckert24125Don Kessinger22157319651967282
New York MetsGregg Jefferies21161Kevin Elster2486319891991247
New York YankeesBobby Richardson23120Tony Kubek22120319591961240
Minnesota TwinsBernie Allen2393Zoilo Versalles22132319621964225
Atlanta BravesFelix Millan24152Sonny Jackson2361319681970213
Pittsburgh PiratesRennie Stennett23118Frank Taveras2485319741976203
Cincinnati RedsAlex Kampouris2257Billy Myers2479319351937136
Montreal ExposJose Vidro2459Orlando Cabrera2449319992001108
Boston Red StockingsRoss Barnes2142George Wright245131871187393
Florida MarlinsLuis Castillo2355Alex Gonzalez222431999200179

Even though there has not been a keystone combo under 27 since 2000, there was a spate of them in the late Nineties. For those scoring at home, there is a Jay Canizaro sighting, and I had to go back the Steve Jeltz days in Philly:

Team2BAgeCareer WSSSAgeCareer WS#yrsFirst YrLast YrTotal WS
Minnesota TwinsJay Canizaro2610Cristian Guzman223512000200045
Tampa Bay Devil RaysMiguel Cairo2634Felix Martinez261012000200044
Montreal ExposJose Vidro2459Orlando Cabrera2449319992001108
Florida MarlinsLuis Castillo2355Alex Gonzalez222431999200179
Seattle MarinersDavid Bell2653Alex Rodriguez23185119991999238
Toronto Blue JaysHomer Bush2632Tony Batista2572119991999104
St. Louis CardinalsJoe McEwing2621Edgar Renteria2382119991999103
Minnesota TwinsTodd Walker2648Cristian Guzman213511999199983
Chicago White SoxRay Durham26124Mike Caruso2117119981998141
Oakland AthleticsScott Spiezio2544Miguel Tejada2277119981998121
San Diego PadresQuilvio Veras2695Chris Gomez2665119971997160
Florida MarlinsLuis Castillo2155Edgar Renteria2182119971997137
Florida MarlinsQuilvio Veras2595Edgar Renteria2082119961996177
Detroit TigersMark Lewis2659Andujar Cedeno2642119961996101
Toronto Blue JaysTomas Perez2212Alex Gonzalez237411996199686
Milwaukee BrewersFernando Vina26106Jose Valentin25116119951995222
Florida MarlinsQuilvio Veras2495Kurt Abbott2648119951995143
Los Angeles DodgersDelino DeShields25184Jose Offerman25144219941995328
New York MetsJeff Kent26198Jose Vizcaino2697119941994295
Montreal ExposMike Lansing26109Wil Cordero2285119941994194
Florida MarlinsBret Barberie2640Kurt Abbott254811994199488
Minnesota TwinsChuck Knoblauch24230Pat Meares2463319931995293
Montreal ExposDelino DeShields24184Wil Cordero2185119931993269
Colorado RockiesEric Young26132Vinny Castilla25113119931993245
New York MetsJeff Kent25198Tim Bogar2634119931993232
Houston AstrosCraig Biggio26342Andujar Cedeno2242119921992384
Cleveland IndiansCarlos Baerga23147Mark Lewis2259119921992206
Philadelphia PhilliesMickey Morandini26119Juan Bell2416119921992135
Toronto Blue JaysRoberto Alomar23345Manuel Lee2660119911991405
Kansas City RoyalsTerry Shumpert2437Kurt Stillwell2673119911991110
New York MetsGregg Jefferies21161Kevin Elster2486319891991247
Pittsburgh PiratesJose Lind2581Jay Bell23243219891990324
Cleveland IndiansJerry Browne2381Felix Fermin2550219891990131
Atlanta BravesJeff Treadway2661Andres Thomas252311989198984
Cincinnati RedsJeff Treadway2561Barry Larkin24321119881988382
Toronto Blue JaysManuel Lee2360Tony Fernandez26278119881988338
Atlanta BravesRon Gant23195Andres Thomas2423119881988218
Pittsburgh PiratesJose Lind2481Rafael Belliard2636119881988117
Chicago White SoxFred Manrique2531Ozzie Guillen23148219871988179
Baltimore OriolesBilly Ripken2253Cal Ripken26427119871987480
California AngelsMark McLemore22136Dick Schofield24116119871987252
Seattle MarinersHarold Reynolds26122Rey Quinones2331119871987153
Milwaukee BrewersJuan Castillo258Dale Sveum235311987198761
Seattle MarinersHarold Reynolds25122Spike Owen25121119861986243
Minnesota TwinsSteve Lombardozzi2631Greg Gagne24157119861986188
Chicago CubsRyne Sandberg25345Shawon Dunston22151219851986496
Los Angeles DodgersSteve Sax25198Mariano Duncan22114219851986312
Minnesota TwinsTim Teufel2698Greg Gagne23157119851985255
Philadelphia PhilliesJuan Samuel24175Steve Jeltz2637119851985212
Comments
2006-03-29 05:32:39
1.   mattapp
>> Even though there has not been a keystone combo under 27 since 2000

Ummm... weren't Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley both under 27 in 2005?

2006-03-29 06:28:21
2.   Mike Carminati
Dang, I had a subquery that truncated the more recent data. I'll update the table later.
2006-03-29 11:37:31
3.   Brent is a Dodger Fan
Curious as to why you are looking at career win shares between such players, especially when tenure together is so brief. Isn't the relevant issue for the Pods, or any other fans of youth-movements, is what kind of great performances we've seen by young middle-infielder combos? (When they were young, that is).

Your statement about the average combo strikes me strangely: Robin Yount + (some young 2B) shows up three times, and as such, the CWS for Robin Yount of 421 repeats three times in your sample. Arky Vaughn twice. Paul Molitor and Pete Rose's CWS are shown, though they didn't earn all of them at 2B, and certainly accumulated much of their CWS past 27. These having an impact on your average.

2006-03-29 12:37:23
4.   PhillyJ
I can die in peace now that I have seen Juan Bell and Steve Jeltz in the same table.

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