Tony Fernandez

[Cowtipper]

In 17 years in the majors, Tony Fernandez hit .288 with 2276 hits and 246 stole bases. A five-time All-Star, Fernandez also won the Gold Glove four times. He didn't lead the league in much, however in 1986 he led the league in games and at-bats, and in 1990 he led the league in triples. He hit over .300 four times, including 1987, when he finished eighth in MVP voting.

Mostly a shortstop, Fernandez is statistically related to two Hall of Famers: Billy Herman and Red Schoendeinst, and a couple "near Hall of Famers," including Alan Trammell and Dave Concepcion. He was a great postseason hitter, with an average of .327 (including a .395 average in 38 World Series at-bats).

According to The Baseball Page, Fernandez is the 39th best shortstop of all time.

He received a whopping 4 votes for the Hall of Fame in 2007.

So...so Tony Fernandez be in the Hall of Fame?

[RuthMayBond]

Break up Cowtipper, he's on a roll :dance

[Cowtipper]

Break up Cowtipper, he's on a roll :dance

Just call me butter.

[Gee Walker]

One of my least favorite players.

Vignette #1: Fernandez is playing for the Blue Jays, and has taken the golden sombrero from Bret Saberhagen. When it's time for his fourth at bat, he begs off and Jimy Williams sent up a pinch hitter for him.

Vignette #2: Game Seven of the 1997 World Series. Tony didn't make an error, it was God's Will...

[Brad Harris]

I was surprised, when he hit the ballot, to see a few people make a pretty decent pitch for the guy. Food for thought. I only support Dahlen, Trammell, Rodriguez, Jeter and maybe Stephens. Fernandez is one of those gray area guys for me who bears watching as better player evaluation methods are developed. I'll say this for the guy, he is certainly one of the more underrated and underappreciated players of the past 25-30 years.

[BlueBlood]

His name sounds kind of like Tony Perez so I may vote yes.

[Cougar]

Fernandez is very under-appreciated.

During the last "Golden Age" of shortstops in the 1980's, when there was Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell, Robin Yount, Cal Ripken, late Davey Concepcion...Tony Fernandez fit right in with those guys. He won four straight gold gloves at AL SS while Ripken and Trammell were playing right alongside him. He peaked early, which has an odd hobbling effect on HOF cases, but there was never a time when he was anything less than a solid hitter with extra-base power. He was fast and an active base stealer (a little less efficient than one would like, but not awful). He made 5 All-Star squads despite the stiff competition and a long career coda.

After being a key piece in one of the more famous trades of all time, following Fred McGriff to San Diego in exchange for Robby Alomar and Joe Carter, he became something of a journeyman in his 30's, including a season in Japan. but still managed to play over 1500 games at SS and over 2000 games in the IF overall (none at 1b).

In my own ranking I've got him in more or less a dead heat of "worthiness" with Concepcion and Bert Campaneris. Breaking the tie on subjective merit, he's probably the guy I'd support least...but he was clearly the best hitter of the three, and he was a better fielder than Campy. (Davey C is the best fielder of the three, Campy is the best baserunner, and Fernandez is the best hitter. Not that any of them were poor in any of these aspects...)

[RuthMayBond]

Just call me butter.I'd say you're jammin'

[Freakshow]

OPS+ for players with 700+ games at SS and 3000+ PA, 1982-91

Cnt Player OPS+ RC PA From To
+----+-----------------+----+----+-----+----+----+
1 Cal Ripken 127 1017 7052 1982 1991
2 Alan Trammell 119 842 5848 1982 1991
3 Julio Franco 112 771 5873 1982 1991
4 Tony Fernandez 101 606 4942 1983 1991
5 Dickie Thon 99 433 3841 1982 1991
6 Ozzie Smith 95 728 6173 1982 1991
7 Scott Fletcher 85 463 4549 1982 1991
8 Shawon Dunston 84 365 3460 1985 1991
9 Greg Gagne 84 332 3222 1983 1991
10 Spike Owen 81 412 4244 1983 1991
11 Rafael Ramirez 78 477 5186 1982 1991
12 Garry Templeton 76 441 5094 1982 1991
13 Dick Schofield 75 360 3871 1983 1991
14 Jose Uribe 75 273 3122 1984 1991
15 Ozzie Guillen 71 353 4044 1985 1991
16 Alfredo Griffin 67 437 5211 1982 1991

[Fuzzy Bear]

I'm not surprised that Fernandez was one and done. Guys like Fernandez who have highly truncated careers almost always do poorer in HOF balloting than their career totals might suggest they would do.

Fernandez seemed to lose much of his range in 1994, and was never considered a top-tier shortstop after that; indeed, his loss of range is what began his shifts to second base and third base. His loss of range was exceptional because prior to 1994, Fernandez had exceptional range factors. (Some of that may have been driven by his park, but still, his range factors were impressive.) Fernandez' fielding percentage was well above league average as well, so it wasn't like he was booting easy plays while ranging far afield.

I really don't understand why Fernandez just couldn't get a regular SS job after 1995. He had an off year with the Yankees, but you'd think a guy with his credentials would be able to land a starting slot somewhere. It didn't happen for him, and he went off to Japan, returning in 1997, when he went to Cleveland to replace the departed Jeff Kent and the suddenly declined Carlos Baerga. There well may have been a good reason, but I'm loath to see it from here. Had I been a team needing a SS in 1997-98 (or even 1996), I'd have signed Fernandez, put him at short, and lived with his deficiencies.

There is little question that the core of Fernandez' career from 1986-1993 is the core of a middle infielder who is a viable HOF candidate. Fernandez was such a stud in the field, and a force on offense as well, to where one can make a case for him for the HOF on peak value. His sudden decline plays out in a way where it appears that people may have thought him older than his stated age, and that may be the case. (Fernandez was signed by Epy Guererro, the Blue Jay scout that was complicit in signing Junior Felix, who was at least three (3) years older than initially indicated.) He's better than some shortstops that are already in the HOF.

The question then becomes whether or not Fernandez is the best SS outside the Hall that's eligible for induction. I think the answer here is clearly "no". Alan Trammell clearly rates ahead of him. As he had a longer and more stable career, so does Davey Concepcion. He clearly rates behind Barry Larkin, who is a contemporary (though not yet eligible). In terms of what he actually did, he's in the bottom half of the gray area of HOF candidates; his HOF monitor score (74.0) is pretty accurate as to where he stands. Some guys who did what Fernandez did are in the HOF. Most guys who did what Fernandez did are not.

[brett]

Fernandez had a hall of fame peak over 5-6 years. His WARP is better than 10 per year for 6 years I think. If peak is most important to you, he deserves consideration.

He actually probably only had one of the top 20 5 year peaks at SS, maybe 18-20.

[KCGHOST]

Fernandez probably has a case for the HoF, but with Alan Trammell being better and not in the HoF or likely to be elected I see no point in pursuing Fernandez. Bill Dahlen was probably better, too. Maybe even Jack Glasscock.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I remember when Tony Fernandez came to the Reds. Bret Boone was absolutely adamant about not moving to third base so the veteran could play second. Fernandez played second base and Boone would have to spend some time in the minors because he was hitting so poorly. He was quite defiant of manager Ray Knight, who did a horrible job while helming Cincinnati. And Tony Perez got let go after 44 games?

Fernandez was good for a long time, maybe a level below the Trammels, Concepcions and Larkins of the world. And a bit short of the HOF.

[Cougar]

Trammell and Dahlen are ahead of Fernandez in line; Larkin will be too, once he's eligible.

I think, however, that those are the only retired unenshrined shortstops that I'd confidently claiming are plainly superior to Tony Fernandez.

I believe Fernandez is clearly better than the bottom rung of shortstops in the HOF -- the Joe Tinker, Bobby Wallace, Dave Bancroft, and Travis Jackson rung.

That's a weak claim, though. The strong claim is that Fernandez is better than the median SS in the Hall. I'm not exactly sure where the median lies, but I wouldn't feel very confident about that claim. (I would in the cases of Larkin, Trammell, and Dahlen.)

[brett]

Trammell and Dahlen are ahead of Fernandez in line; Larkin will be too, once he's eligible.

I think, however, that those are the only retired unenshrined shortstops that I'd confidently claiming are plainly superior to Tony Fernandez.

I believe Fernandez is clearly better than the bottom rung of shortstops in the HOF -- the Joe Tinker, Bobby Wallace, Dave Bancroft, and Travis Jackson rung.

That's a weak claim, though. The strong claim is that Fernandez is better than the median SS in the Hall. I'm not exactly sure where the median lies, but I wouldn't feel very confident about that claim. (I would in the cases of Larkin, Trammell, and Dahlen.)

I think Trammell and Larkin are 90ish among position players, though I could see them in the 70s.

Fernandez' peak is comparable in my view to Munson or McDougald, and he has about half again more games played.

On the other hand, Whitaker has a 116 OPS+ at second for almost 2400 games. Trammell 110 at SS for 2300.

[henrich]

Within era Fernandez 3rd behind Ripken 12,276, Larkin 9450, Fernandez 8863.

All-Time 20th.

Wagner 16,015, Rodriguez A. 13,080, Ripken 12,276, Jeter 11,826, Yount 11,164, Rizzuto 10,799, Aparicio 10,346, Davis George 10.073, Reese 9958, Smith O. 9874, Dahlen 9794, Crosetti 9708, Vizquel 9663, Wills 9629, Campaneris 9572, Cronin 9499, Larkin 9450, Franco J. 9210, Concepcion 9203, Fernandez Tony 8863, Trammell 8847, Appling 8664, Maranville 8433, Stephens 8411, Sewell 8191, Vaughan 8100, Jackson t. 8094.

It doesn't bode well for Fernandez with Concepcion not being voted in, but the Veterans Committee might and then I think that opens the door for Fernandez a bit. I've got him in a dead head with Trammell.

[JDD]

If you are on the fence about Fernandez, look at his stats, and ignore the fact that he was a shortstop. Was he a good hitter?

Now if your answer is... "he was a pretty good hitter.... for a shortstop", then there you have it. BTW, Lee's database has Fernandez ranked right beside Ozzie Smith in Runs Created above position for their careers (Banks listed with the first basemen, players like Yount are listed using their career numbers, including those seasons at other positons):

RCAP
1 Honus Wagner 1060
2 Alex Rodriguez 713
3 Arky Vaughan 598
4 Barry Larkin 488
5 George Davis 452
6 Derek Jeter 446
7 Joe Cronin 431
T8 Robin Yount 408
T8 Cal Ripken 408
10 Luke Appling 375
11 Alan Trammell 365
12 Joe Sewell 346
13 Bill Dahlen 291
14 Jack Glasscock 289
15 Nomar Garciaparra 285
16 Lou Boudreau 274
17 Hughie Jennings 262
18 Pee Wee Reese 223
19 Ed McKean 212
20 Jim Fregosi 203
21 Bobby Wallace 195
22 Vern Stephens 192
23 Travis Jackson 185
24 Ozzie Smith 182
25 Tony Fernandez 174
26 Miguel Tejada 162
27 Harvey Kuenn 159
28 Dave Bancroft 157
29 Bert Campaneris 149
30 Cecil Travis 148

NOTE THE GAP BETWEEN POSITON 12 AND 18

If you consider only those seasons durning which the player played short most of the time, Tony falls to 41st place on the list, tied with Jeff Blauser.

[Greg Maddux's Biggest Fan]

Just wanted to take a second look at Tony Fernandez for the HOF amongst the people of Baseball Forum in light of the relatively strong support for Alan Trammell. For the record I think Trammell was slightly a better player because of a better bat, but Fernandez was close to Ozzie Smith fielding-wise for a least 7 years at the beginning. Hence, I think most people would agree Fernandez was the better fielder on aggregate.

So, with many offensive stats comparable, including slugging T-.415/F-.399, AVG .285/.288, HITS 2365/2276, OPB .352/.347, what makes Trammell close to induction in your minds and but garners Fernandez only 11% of the vote?

Caveats:
1. Trammell did play 550 games more a SS, so that DOES count for something (only had 300+ more at bats on aggregate)

2. Fernandez played more of his years in a favorable offensive era, although much of their careers overlap.

3 Trammel had an OPS+ of 110 vs. 101; a fairly sizable gap.


Again, because Fernandez was clearly the better fielder, I find it hard to make a clear distintion that one should be in and the other not. Im trying to understand the difference here.

[SABR Matt]

Tony Fernandez' numerical record:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1987 AL 6.03 5.06 8.0 7.6 11.09
1985 AL 3.84 6.11 3.8 9.3 9.95
1988 AL 5.26 4.66 6.1 6.6 9.92
1990 AL 5.52 4.26 6.5 5.7 9.78
1986 AL 6.07 3.70 7.5 4.4 9.77
1989 AL 4.49 4.90 5.1 7.2 9.39
1998 AL 4.75 3.03 6.0 4.1 7.78
1991 NL 5.20 2.20 6.5 1.7 7.40
1999 AL 5.89 0.59 8.1 -0.3 6.48
1992 NL 3.96 1.12 3.5 -0.5 5.08
1994 NL 3.20 1.21 3.7 1.3 4.41
1997 AL 1.71 2.63 0.6 3.3 4.34
1993 AL 2.40 1.64 2.3 1.5 4.04
1995 AL 0.39 2.01 -2.0 2.2 2.40
1984 AL 0.61 1.29 -0.4 1.4 1.90
1993 NL 0.99 0.88 0.7 0.9 1.87

Compared to Alan Trammell:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1987 AL 13.72 2.15 23.2 1.6 15.87
1983 AL 10.03 1.93 16.4 1.4 11.96
1986 AL 7.11 4.66 10.1 6.6 11.77
1990 AL 8.01 3.42 12.0 4.3 11.43
1984 AL 8.31 2.03 12.7 2.1 10.34
1988 AL 7.25 1.93 11.2 1.6 9.18
1980 AL 6.16 1.85 8.2 1.1 8.01
1982 AL 4.31 2.82 5.1 2.9 7.13
1993 AL 5.55 0.89 8.3 0.2 6.44
1981 AL 2.52 3.57 2.1 5.3 6.09
1985 AL 2.70 2.23 1.1 1.7 4.93
1978 AL 1.23 3.32 -0.7 4.2 4.55
1979 AL 2.51 1.82 1.7 1.1 4.33
1989 AL 2.69 1.57 2.2 0.9 4.26
1991 AL 2.43 1.38 2.2 1.2 3.81
1994 AL 1.08 0.82 0.2 0.4 1.90
1995 AL 0.73 0.53 -0.2 0.1 1.26
1992 AL 0.92 0.32 1.1 0.2 1.24

Career total marker scores:

Fernandez: 65.5 Offense / 57.5 Defense (123.0 total)
Trammell: 112.6 Offense / 37.5 Defense (150.1 total - 150 needed for HOF lock)

Trammell is 14th all time among shortstops...very close to where I'd be drawing my line for the back end of the HOF for that position. Fernandez is 24th. That's not quite as big a gap as it sounds...it's a tight cluster between 17th and 28th ranks and there is certainly nothing wrong with supporting some of those guys from that group. I just wanted to highlight just how big the batting gap actually is between Fernandez and Trammell because I think Trammell remains badly underrated here.

[PVNICK]

Fernandez doesn't quite have the top end or the back end to make it despite a long career. Matt's numbers made it clear for me. He was done as a top level ballplayer when he was traded from Toronto. His best seasons were certainly good but perhaps more along the lines of the seasons after the very best seasons for a HOF player, even a SS.

[SABR Matt]

Fernandez' ELP (established level of production - the win rates he produces most consistently in his typical seasons) is one notch too weak to be a HOF player without a HOF peak...his peak is not strong enough for him to not need a long run at a high ELP, in other words. The example of a player who plugged along at Fernandez' ELP long enough to make the hall despite not much of a peak would be Cal RIpken:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1991 AL 13.23 2.43 21.9 1.9 15.66
1984 AL 10.18 5.08 15.8 7.2 15.26
1983 AL 9.05 4.67 13.5 6.3 13.72
1986 AL 7.66 3.38 10.8 3.8 11.04
1988 AL 7.74 1.96 11.1 0.9 9.70
1985 AL 6.43 2.92 8.3 2.9 9.35
1990 AL 6.49 2.02 8.6 1.1 8.51
1989 AL 4.55 3.94 4.6 4.9 8.49
1987 AL 4.90 2.48 5.3 2.0 7.38
1982 AL 4.88 2.14 5.6 1.7 7.02
1995 AL 2.63 4.36 1.4 6.1 6.99
1993 AL 3.26 2.93 2.0 2.9 6.19
1992 AL 3.17 2.69 1.8 2.4 5.86
1996 AL 3.76 1.90 3.0 0.8 5.66
1997 AL 2.81 2.51 1.3 3.1 5.32
1994 AL 2.74 2.38 2.4 2.7 5.12
1999 AL 4.00 1.04 5.8 1.2 5.04
1998 AL 3.08 1.25 2.0 0.6 4.33
2000 AL 1.74 0.81 1.3 0.8 2.55
2001 AL 0.64 1.65 -2.0 1.9 2.29

He did have three peak seasons that were HOF material...but that's not a peak...that's just three good years. Beyond that, he just put up a giant number of seasons at Tony Fernandez' ELP (6-10 wins). That's what would have had to happy for Fernandez to be a HOFer...

[Paul Wendt]

How did the Blue Jays repeat?
They lost Key and Cone and Henke. Morris and Guzman collapsed (ERA+ 100 and 150 => 70 and 100).

Mainly, the 1992 pitching staff is an illusion, team ERA+ merely 105 (eg, Cone and Henke pitched 50 and 50 inns), down to 103 in 1993.

Fernandez doesn't quite have the top end or the back end to make it despite a long career. Matt's numbers made it clear for me. He was done as a top level ballplayer when he was traded from Toronto. His best seasons were certainly good but perhaps more along the lines of the seasons after the very best seasons for a HOF player, even a SS.

At the end of the 1990 season you will trade Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez for Joe Carter and another. Who will be the equalizer?

[PVNICK]

you are referring to a young Roberto Alomar?

[Paul Wendt]

Fernandez' ELP (established level of production - the win rates he produces most consistently in his typical seasons) is one notch too weak to be a HOF player without a HOF peak...his peak is not strong enough for him to not need a long run at a high ELP, in other words. The example of a player who plugged along at Fernandez' ELP long enough to make the hall despite not much of a peak would be Cal RIpken
Cal Ripken, 1982-2001 ("Wins" by SABR Matt)
7.0 13.7 15.2 9.3 11.0; 1982-86
7.3 9.7 8.4 8.5 15.6 ; 1987-91
5.8 6.1 7.5 7.8 5.6 ; 1992-96 (1994-95 prorated from 5.1 6.9)
5.3 4.3 5.0 2.5 2.2 ; 1997-01

He did have three peak seasons that were HOF material...but that's not a peak...that's just three good years. Beyond that, he just put up a giant number of seasons at Tony Fernandez' ELP (6-10 wins). That's what would have had to happy for Fernandez to be a HOFer...
Ripken did the latter but no peak? Are you putting 1983-84 or *1982/83-86 in a different category?

* Some part of 1982, maybe. One must examine that season monthly or even weekly in order to say more.

[brett]

Cal Ripken, 1982-1997 ("Wins" by SABR Matt)



EDIT: I was comparing Ripken to Ripken

[Fuzzy Bear]

I would rate Fernandez ahead of the following HOF shortstops:

Phil Rizzuto
Dave Bancroft
Travis Jackson

I would rate Fernandez behind the following non-HOF shortstops:

Alan Trammell
Dick Bartell
Alvin Dark
Dave Concepcion

I'm not sure where Fernandez rates in comparision to the following HOF shortstops:

Rabbit Maranville
Bobby Wallace
Pee Wee Reese

It boils down to this: The HOF has a large "gray area" at shortstop (and an even bigger one at second base). If we put Tony Fernandez in the HOF, we would not be watering down the quality of the HOF. However, if we put every shortstop whose career was equivilent in value to Tony Fernandez' career, then we WOULD be watering down the HOF. So I'm not anxious to open the floodgates. Fernandez has a HOF core, but he did not have a HOF career.

[SABR Matt]

If you want to call 1983-1986 a peak, I won't stop you...but I would not want to ncompare that with the typical duration and magnitude of a hall of famer's peak seasons...he's not going to come out looking favorable unless you're comparing him to hall of famers who make it in the same way he does (extensive longevity and a moderately strong ELP).

[Greg Maddux's Biggest Fan]

I would rate Fernandez ahead of the following HOF shortstops:

Phil Rizzuto
Dave Bancroft
Travis Jackson

I would rate Fernandez behind the following non-HOF shortstops:

Alan Trammell
Dick Bartell
Alvin Dark
Dave Concepcion

I'm not sure where Fernandez rates in comparision to the following HOF shortstops:

Rabbit Maranville
Bobby Wallace
Pee Wee Reese

It boils down to this: The HOF has a large "gray area" at shortstop (and an even bigger one at second base). If we put Tony Fernandez in the HOF, we would not be watering down the quality of the HOF. However, if we put every shortstop whose career was equivilent in value to Tony Fernandez' career, then we WOULD be watering down the HOF. So I'm not anxious to open the floodgates. Fernandez has a HOF core, but he did not have a HOF career.

You rank Tony Fernandez behind Alvin Dark and Dick Bartell? Dark & Fernandez are more or less equal offensively, but Fernandez was a WAY better fielder. Because of this, its silly talk to say he was better than Fernandez.

[SABR Matt]

Dick Bartell:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1937 NL 6.16 4.38 8.6 6.4 10.54
1934 NL 5.98 4.27 7.6 5.8 10.25
1936 NL 4.49 4.10 5.4 5.6 8.59
1932 NL 5.35 3.03 6.2 3.2 8.38
1938 NL 3.53 3.80 3.6 5.3 7.33
1935 NL 3.94 3.23 4.1 4.0 7.17
1929 NL 3.86 3.11 3.5 3.4 6.97
1933 NL 3.13 2.79 1.9 2.8 5.92
1930 NL 4.01 1.89 4.6 1.5 5.90
1941 NL 4.56 0.78 6.3 0.3 5.34
1943 NL 4.29 0.98 6.1 0.6 5.27
1942 NL 3.30 1.45 4.2 1.8 4.75
1940 AL 1.52 3.06 -0.9 3.6 4.58
1931 NL 2.88 1.08 1.9 -0.3 3.96
1939 NL 2.28 1.45 2.0 1.1 3.73
1928 NL 1.90 1.16 2.1 1.1 3.06

Career Marker score: 114.0 (Fernandez was 123.0 remember)...and the difference is entirely defense (Bartell's O/D Marker split is 67.1/46.9, Fernandez' was 65.5/57.5)

Alvin Dark:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1952 NL 6.57 3.05 9.0 3.4 9.62
1951 NL 6.01 3.19 7.6 3.5 9.20
1953 NL 6.30 2.46 8.2 2.1 8.76
1954 NL 3.90 4.29 3.4 5.8 8.19
1957 NL 3.66 3.63 3.4 4.8 7.29
1950 NL 5.09 2.10 6.1 1.4 7.19
1948 NL 4.42 2.71 5.2 3.0 7.13
1959 NL 4.07 1.91 4.7 2.3 5.98
1956 NL 3.17 1.82 2.2 1.0 4.99
1955 NL 2.97 1.43 2.7 0.8 4.40
1949 NL 2.91 1.34 2.2 0.3 4.25
1958 NL 2.58 1.44 1.6 1.5 4.02
1960 NL 1.76 0.60 1.2 0.2 2.36

Dark doesn't even belong in this discussion unless you're crediting him with something amazing from his managerial career or assuming he'd have come up earlier if he didn't lose his early ameteur career to WWII or something...or unless you can make the case for his fielding being badly underrated by PCA, which is of course entirely possible. But even then, his career was pretty short and his productive offensive career was shorter than Fernandez' was.

[philkid3]

Fernandez is right around my cut off line. At this point, I pretty much consider any player better than Fernandez in, but not Fernandez himself.

I give him a maybe.

[Fuzzy Bear]

You rank Tony Fernandez behind Alvin Dark and Dick Bartell? Dark & Fernandez are more or less equal offensively, but Fernandez was a WAY better fielder. Because of this, its silly talk to say he was better than Fernandez.

I could be wrong about this. I'm basing my ranking, in part, on the opinion of contemporaries. The contemporary observers of Dark and Bartell were far more impressed with those guys than the observers of Fernandez' time were impressed with Fernandez.

I may be unfairly penalizing Fernandez for his rather truncated career. Or perhaps I'm more aware of how disappointing Fernandez' career was, after such bright promise at the beginning. Perhaps it's unfair to penalize Fernandez for not living up to his original billing. Subjectively, however, I would take Dark and Bartell over Fernandez, primarily due to greater consistency.

[Greg Maddux's Biggest Fan]

I could be wrong about this. I'm basing my ranking, in part, on the opinion of contemporaries. The contemporary observers of Dark and Bartell were far more impressed with those guys than the observers of Fernandez' time were impressed with Fernandez.

I may be unfairly penalizing Fernandez for his rather truncated career. Or perhaps I'm more aware of how disappointing Fernandez' career was, after such bright promise at the beginning. Perhaps it's unfair to penalize Fernandez for not living up to his original billing. Subjectively, however, I would take Dark and Bartell over Fernandez, primarily due to greater consistency.

Hey, I can accept that. I believe that subjective analysis definitely has a place in HOF discussion over and above just statistical analysis. You certainly would come to your conclusion just looking at the numbers though.

But your right Fuzzy, Fernandez definitely underachieved in accordance to what people expected from him, after his blazing offensive start and Ozzie-like defensive Wizardry early on.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Hey, I can accept that. I believe that subjective analysis definitely has a place in HOF discussion over and above just statistical analysis. You certainly would come to your conclusion just looking at the numbers though.

But your right Fuzzy, Fernandez definitely underachieved in accordance to what people expected from him, after his blazing offensive start and Ozzie-like defensive Wizardry early on.

The thing about Fernandez that puzzles me is how a guy with such a super defensive reputation could decline to the point where he couldn't stay at SS his entire career. Ozzie Smith was a SS to the end, as was Omar Vizquel. It's a BIG strike against Fernandez that he wasn't.

[SABR Matt]

Fernandez was a superior defensive shortstop until he started having chronic leg pain:
Ps Yr EqG Wins PCA-BA
SS 1984 63 1.16 0.270
SS 1985 157 6.11 0.361
SS 1986 163 3.70 0.289
SS 1987 137 5.06 0.352
SS 1988 148 4.66 0.328
SS 1989 138 4.90 0.346
SS 1990 154 4.26 0.311
SS 1991 145 2.20 0.255 Bug...meet windshield
SS 1992 146 1.12 0.222
SS 1993 48 0.88 0.269
SS 1993 96 1.64 0.264
3B 1994 82 1.06 0.275
SS 1995 98 1.94 0.276
2B 1997 96 2.47 0.298
2B 1998 74 2.38 0.326
3B 1998 45 0.65 0.284
3B 1999 124 0.59 0.226

It's no accident that shortly after he got splattered on the windshield of life by leg pain and fatigue that Fernandez stopped getting regular playing time and became a utility infielder. Once he stopped playing every day and moved over to 2B and 3B, he went right back to being a good fielder, but he couldn't do it full time anymore because he wasn't aging well. Small-bodied middle infielders have a tendency to die young (recent examples: Jose Vidro, Joey Cora, Fernando Vina...) and Fernandez was no exception. Ozzie Smith was a freak...a combination of a brutal workout regimen, unnatural durability and physical consistency, and blinding God-given speed.