Chicago Cubs: Middle infielder dynamic duos throughout the years

Chicago Cubs: Russell to Baez

The Cubs led by the duo of Tinker to Evers won the 1908 World Series.  Bookending 108 years of frustration is another defensive duo led the Cubs to World Series victory in 2016.

Javier Baez played more games at third (62) in 2016 than at second base (59).  But his athleticism, especially his tagging ability, ensured that a middle infield spot was his future.  In 2016 Baez posted a 5.5 UZR-150, nine Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), and five Outs Above Average (OAA) at second.  Javy was named co-MVP of the 2016 NLCS, and in the previous series against San Franciso, he made Matt Vasgersian lose his mind.

With the shift to shortstop fulltime in 2018, El Mago’s defense took a hit, but he rebounded nicely in 2019 and ranked among the best in the league.  I am confident that with a reduction in errors, 15 in 2019, mostly throwing errors, there is a Gold Glove in Javy’s future.

On the other side of the bag in 2016, shortstop Addison Russell played to a 9.7 UZR-150, posting what would be a career-high 15.0 DRS on his way to a career-high mark of 27 OAA.

At the plate, Russell worked in the shadow of the more significant bats like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and his field-mate Javier Baez.  Nonetheless, in 2016 he drove in 95 runs, scored 67, and along with Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo made the starting infield for the NL All-Star team making for an all Cubs starting infield.

It’s left for us to ponder what could have been had Russell not put his career on the shelf with his private life.  That left the Cubs searching the last two seasons for a compliment to Javy’s defensive abilities.  So far, that search has not yielded any results, and we may end up waiting to see what Nico Hoerner does when he arrives in the Show for good.

Chicago Cubs: Kessinger and Beckert

They were not flashy though both would win Gold Gloves, Glenn Beckert in 1968, and Don Kessinger twice in 1969 and 1970.

They played together for nine years, from the day Beckert came up in 1965 until he was traded in 1974 to the San Diego Padres.  From 1967 until 1972, Kessinger and Beckert anchored the middle of the infield through those six winning seasons in a  row.

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In 1969 Beckert and Kessinger would be involved in over 100 double plays as the Cubs fought for a long-sought National League title and World Series.  We know what happened.  The Cubs faded in September, and the Mets went on 44-17 win streak throughout August and September, led by future Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Tug McGraw, and then 22-year-old Nolan Ryan.

That year was among the best for both Kessinger and Beckert. Kessinger would post a 10.0 Runs Above Average at shortstop, Beckert 5.0 RAA, career marks for both.  Neither wielded a particularly dangerous bat, but Kessinger slashed a respectable .273/.332/.366 in 1969, and Beckert a .291/.325/.341 slash.

All four Cubs infielders would make the National League All-star team in 1969, though only Kessinger and Santo would start.  That year was the pinnacle for the team.  By1973, the Cubs began a teardown of sorts and wouldn’t be contenders again for over ten years.

Chicago Cubs: Sandberg and company

No list of middle infield pairs would be complete without Ryne Sandberg.  What else needs to be said?  At second base, he earned nine Gold Gloves.  He was a nine-time Silver Slugger award winner, an MVP, and was an All-Star ten times. How many MLB players have a game named after them like the June 23, 1984, Sandberg Game?  Topping that off was his selection to the MLB Hall of Fame in 2005.

Opposite Sandberg throughout most of his career was shortstop Shawon Dunston, though Larry Bowa played shortstop from 1982 through 1985.  Bowa, on the downside of a great career, and Dunston, the error machine at short, never achieved the defensive balance on the other side of second base.  All that aside, Ryno’s extraordinary play makes Sandberg and Company one of the best.

Chicago Cubs: Honorable mentions

Two other players to come to mind.  I haven’t mentioned them, but they deserve recognition.  Darwin Barney was a 4th round pick of the Cubs in 2007 and debuted in 2010.  In 2011 he batted a decent .271, but that was as good it got at the plate.  In 2012 Barney beat out perennial Gold Glove winner Brandon Phillips of the Reds for the award.

Starlin Castro, who my Cubbies Crib colleague Nick Blazek wrote about recently, held down shortstop from 2010 when he came up at age 20 until 2015.  Despite a reputation as the most significant error machine since Dunston, unlike Dunston, Castro’s defense steadily improved over the years.  Moved to second base in late 2015, Castro slashed .376/.404/.656 with a 1.060 OPS after the switch.

El Mago was always the heir apparent at shortstop, and once Castro moved to second in 2015, it seemed that duo would lead the Cubs.  Nonetheless, the Cubs opted to keep Russell, trade Castro to the Yankees, and four seasons later, as with Sandberg, they are again looking for that middle infield compliment to Baez.