\n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","thumbnail_url":null,"type":"oembed","width":550,"contentType":"rich"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"• **Cubs' Top 5 rankings:** Catcher | First base","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"**1)** Ryne Sandberg, **1982-97** \n_Key fact: In the 22 seasons since Sandberg's retirement, thirteen players have started at second base for the Cubs on Opening Day (none more than two years in a row)._\n\nAs the story goes, Cubs manager Jim Frey challenged Sandberg to tap into his potential as a power hitter, rather than settling for being a table-setter. During Spring Training 1984, Frey posed a question to the future Hall of Famer.\n\n\"How come you're not more of a power hitter and not an MVP?\" Frey was quoted as saying in Carrie Muskat's book, _Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Chicago Cubs._\n\n\"My job with Sandberg was to convince him that he could be that type of player,\" Frey continued. \"It wasn't so much physical ability as a state of mind and his approach to hitting.\"\n\nOver the next decade, Sandberg developed into one of baseball's all-time great power-speed middle infielders. He could already steal bases and play exceptionally clean defense, but unlocking his power is what helped elevate Sandberg to the Mount Rushmore of Cubs legends.\n\nBy the time he retired after the 1997 campaign, Sandberg had surpassed Joe Morgan for the most homers by a second baseman (277 of his 282 career blasts). That record has since been beaten by both Jeff Kent and Robinson Canó, but it was Sandberg who paved the way for teams rethinking how a second baseman should look.\n\nSandberg's signature moment came in that '84 season, which ended with him winning the National League MVP Award. On June 23 that summer, the second baseman turned in a performance forever known as \"The Ryne Sandberg Game\" among Cubs fans. He collected five hits, launched two homers and knocked in seven runs in a 12-11 win over the rival Cardinals.\n\nIn that classic contest, Sandberg launched a game-tying solo homer off Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter in the ninth and then belted a two-run, game-tying shot off the closer in the 10th. That set the stage for Dave Owens' walk-off single an inning later.\n\n\"Roy Hobbs, The Natural, would be pleased by Sandberg's performance today,\" legendary broadcaster Bob Costas proclaimed on NBC's airing of the game that night.\n\nWhen his career was complete, Sandberg had been named to 10 All-Star teams, won nine Gold Gloves, picked up seven Silver Slugger Awards and eventually earned enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. He remains on the Cubs' top-five career leaderboards for homers, doubles, hits, runs, stolen bases, total bases, extra-base hits and WAR (68.1 per Baseball Reference).\n\nDuring his Hall of Fame induction speech, Sandberg said, \"I didn't work hard for validation. I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do.\"","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"1984-06-23T07:33:00Z","preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\"preferredPlaybacks\":\"mp4AvcPlayback\"})":"http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2015/09/17/mlbtv_slnchn_13062881_3gpp_128K.3gp","type":"video","description":"6/23/84: Ryne Sandberg hits two game-tying home runs off Bruce Sutter in the Cubs' win, earning a name for himself in the process","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:00:37","slug":"the-sandberg-game-c13062881","tags":[{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-combined-media-state-media-on","title":"HBmig MEDIA_ON","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-mmtax-no-pre-roll","title":"HBmig No Pre-roll on this clip","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-subject-mlbcom-feature","title":"HBmig MLBCOM_FEATURE","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-away-team-id-138","title":"HBmig away_team_id: 138","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-subject-mlbcom-no-transcode","title":"HBmig MLBCOM_NO_TRANSCODE","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"GameTag"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-121665","title":"Ryne Sandberg","person":{"__ref":"Person:121665"},"type":"player"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"hbmig-home-team-id-112","title":"HBmig home_team_id: 112","type":"unsupported"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"classic","title":"classic","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"home-run","title":"home run","type":"taxonomy"}],"thumbnail":{"__typename":"Thumbnail","templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/mlb/bgq3kylmlbuy7lpdzodz"},"title":"The Sandberg Game","relativeSiteUrl":"/video/the-sandberg-game-c13062881"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"**2)** Billy Herman, **1931-41** \n_Key fact: 40.9 of 56 career WAR with Cubs_\n\nHerman's Hall of Fame plaque refers to the second baseman as the \"master of hit-and-run play.\" He was also an extra-base machine, churning out 57 doubles in both the 1935 and '36 seasons during one of the great eras of Cubs baseball. He was a seven-time All-Star for the North Siders.\n\nHerman started at second in 10 Opening Day games for the Cubs and played in three World Series (1932, '35 and '38) with the franchise. He still owns the single-season doubles record for the club and fell two hits shy in '35 of equaling Rogers Hornsby's single-season hits mark (229) for Chicago.\n\nOn the Hall of Fame's website, former Cubs player Charlie Grimm is quoted as saying that Herman \"was a wonderful fielder and as great a hit-and-run batter as I have ever seen. I can't remember anyone who could handle the inside pitch to right field better than Herman.\"\n\n**3)** Johnny Evers, **1902-13** \n_Key fact: Had 556 walks vs. 211 strikeouts with the Cubs_\n\nEvers' name will forever be a part of Cubs lore as a part of the \"Tinker to Evers to Chance\" refrain in F. P. Adams' 1910 poem, \"Baseball's Sad Lexicon.\" The Hall of Famer was a part of four pennant winners and the 1907-08 Cubs teams that won consecutive World Series titles. His best offensive year came in '08, when he hit .300 with a .402 on-base percentage and a 143 OPS+. He was routinely one of baseball's toughest strikeouts, recording just 50 strikeouts compared to 247 walks across the '08-10 seasons.","type":"text"},{"__typename":"OEmbed","html":"","providerName":"YouTube","providerUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/","thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ctzCsCiqSpk/hqdefault.jpg","type":"oembed","width":480,"contentType":"video"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"• Video: Tinker to Evers to Chance - The Carolyn Sills Combo","type":"text"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"**4)** Rogers Hornsby, **1929-32** \n_Key fact: 10.4 WAR in '29 remains the Cubs' single-season record_\n\nHornsby is unquestionably one of baseball's all-time legends, but his stint with the Cubs was too brief to be higher on this list. But, boy, was that short stint an incredible one. The Boston Braves traded Hornsby to the Cubs for five players and $200,000 in November 1928, and then he hit .380 with 39 homers, 47 doubles, 149 RBIs, 156 runs and a 1.139 OPS en route to a World Series berth and NL MVP honors in '29. He hit .350/.435/.604 in his 317 games for the Cubs (out of 2,259 career contests).\n\n**5)** Glenn Beckert, **1965-73** \n_Key fact: Led Majors in runs in 1968_\n\nBeckert was the Cubs' Opening Day second baseman eight times, hitting his stride as a player in the late 1960s. He was named to four National league All-Star teams from '69-72, won a Gold Glove Award in '68 and amassed 16.4 WAR (Baseball Reference) in his Cubs career. An up-the-middle partner for shortstop Don Kessinger, Beckert hit at a .283 clip over his 11-year career in the big leagues.\n\n**Honorable mentions** \nGiven that Javier Báez has appeared more at shortstop (2,646 2/3 innings) than second (1,856 innings) in his career, he will be considered for the shortstop category in this project. Manny Trillo is worth mentioning for his seven seasons (1975-78, '86-88) with the Cubs. This list would also be incomplete without lauding Ben Zobrist, whose status as a utility man hurt his case as a pure second baseman. That said, Zobrist played a key role for the Cubs from 2016-19, winning World Series MVP honors in Chicago's triumph over Cleveland in '16.","type":"text"}],"relativeSiteUrl":"/news/cubs-second-basemen-all-time-ranking","contentType":"news","subHeadline":null,"summary":"No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun","tagline({\"formatString\":\"none\"})":null,"tags":[{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"season-2020","title":"Season 2020","type":"season"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"storytype-article","title":"Article","type":"article"},{"__typename":"ContributorTag","slug":"jordan-bastian","title":"Jordan Bastian","type":"contributor"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-112","title":"Chicago Cubs","team":{"__ref":"Team:112"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"evergreen","title":"evergreen","type":"taxonomy"}],"type":"story","thumbnail":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/v1586219278/mlb/uef9i8m7y99pbl8v5upi","title":"Cubs second basemen all-time ranking"},"getTeamsBySportId({\"ids\":[1]})":[{"__ref":"Team:133"},{"__ref":"Team:134"},{"__ref":"Team:135"},{"__ref":"Team:136"},{"__ref":"Team:137"},{"__ref":"Team:138"},{"__ref":"Team:139"},{"__ref":"Team:140"},{"__ref":"Team:141"},{"__ref":"Team:142"},{"__ref":"Team:143"},{"__ref":"Team:144"},{"__ref":"Team:145"},{"__ref":"Team:146"},{"__ref":"Team:147"},{"__ref":"Team:158"},{"__ref":"Team:108"},{"__ref":"Team:109"},{"__ref":"Team:110"},{"__ref":"Team:111"},{"__ref":"Team:112"},{"__ref":"Team:113"},{"__ref":"Team:114"},{"__ref":"Team:115"},{"__ref":"Team:116"},{"__ref":"Team:117"},{"__ref":"Team:118"},{"__ref":"Team:119"},{"__ref":"Team:120"},{"__ref":"Team:121"}],"getHeaderFromForgePath({\"contentSource\":\"MLB\",\"headerPath\":\"/_navs/header/mlb/global-nav\",\"paletteKey\":\"mlb-base-palette\",\"propertiesKey\":\"mlb-global-properties\"})":{"__typename":"Header","navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"align:right;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"MLB.TV","linkUrl":"https://www.mlb.com/tv?&affiliateId=mlbMENUtv","placement":"right","visible":"true","subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Buy MLB.TV Offseason Package","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games/subscribe?&affiliateId=mlbMENUtv","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Watch & Listen","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games?&affiliateID=mlbMENUtv","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB.TV Partners","linkUrl":"https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/partners?&affiliateId=mlbMENUtv","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Link Account","linkUrl":"live-stream-games/partners?&affiliateId=mlbMENUtv","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Help Center","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games/help-center?&affiliateID=mlbMENUtv","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"align:right;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Tickets","linkUrl":"/tickets","placement":"right","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"All-Star Tickets","linkUrl":"/all-star/tickets","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"expires:1721167200;"},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB at Rickwood Field","linkUrl":"/events/rickwood/tickets","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"expires:1718924400;"},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Spring Training","linkUrl":"/tickets/spring-training","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"expires:1711511940;"},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Postseason Tickets","linkUrl":"/tickets/postseason","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Buy on SeatGeek","linkUrl":"https://seatgeek.com/mlb-tickets?aid=15994&pid=integration&rid=1&utm_medium=partnership&utm_source=mlb_sponsorship&utm_campaign=integration","linkTarget":"_blank","visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Sell on SeatGeek","linkUrl":"https://seatgeek.com/sell/mlb-tickets?aid=15994&pid=integration&rid=15&utm_medium=partnership&utm_source=mlb_sponsorship&utm_campaign=integration","linkTarget":"_blank","visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Season Tickets","linkUrl":"/tickets/season-tickets","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Single Game Tickets","linkUrl":"/schedule","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Group Tickets","linkUrl":"/tickets/group-tickets","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Special Ticket Offers","linkUrl":"/tickets/fan-value","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"VIP Ticket Packages","linkUrl":"/tickets/on-location-experiences","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Students","linkUrl":"/tickets/students","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Tourism","linkUrl":"/tourism","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB World Tour","linkUrl":"/international/events","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Ticket Terms & Conditions","linkUrl":"/tickets/terms-and-conditions","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"align:right;","icon":"shopping-cart","linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Shop","linkUrl":"https://www.mlbshop.com/?_s=bm-mlbcom-hp","placement":"right","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Online Shop","linkUrl":"https://www.mlbshop.com/?_s=bm-mlbcom-hp","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":""},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Auction","linkUrl":"https://auctions.mlb.com/iSynApp/showHomePage.action?sid=1101001&isynsharedsession=9mislq-18JnZhOEp-FeGzvUB3G6zxwkeKqwX99MKAttEdaSACl02r4aCDzYhNvUm","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Gift Cards","linkUrl":"https://www.mlbshop.com/gift-cards/x-462351+z-94899005-3509039474?_s=bm-mlbcom-Home","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":""},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB NYC Flagship Store","linkUrl":"/shop/nyc-retail-store","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"European Shop","linkUrl":"http://www.mlbshopeurope.com/stores/mlb/en?portal=MLTS66FS&CMP=PSC-MLTS66FS","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":""},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Photo Store","linkUrl":"https://photostore.mlb.com/","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"amp:true;mobile:true","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"News","linkUrl":"/news","placement":"mobile","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Rule Changes","linkUrl":"https://www.mlb.com/rule-changes-2023","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Probable Pitchers","linkUrl":"/probable-pitchers/","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Starting Lineups","linkUrl":"/starting-lineups","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Transactions","linkUrl":"https://www.mlb.com/transactions","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Injury Report","linkUrl":"/injury-report","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"World Baseball Classic","linkUrl":"/world-baseball-classic","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Draft","linkUrl":"/draft/2024","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"All-Star Game","linkUrl":"/all-star/","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Life","linkUrl":"/fans/mlb-life","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Pipeline","linkUrl":"https://www.mlb.com/pipeline","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Postseason History","linkUrl":"/postseason/history","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Great Stories","linkUrl":"/news/topic/longform","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Podcasts","linkUrl":"/fans/podcasts","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":null,"icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Watch","linkUrl":"/tv?&affiliateId=mlbMENU","placement":null,"visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":"Video","navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Search","linkUrl":"/video","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Statcast","linkUrl":"/video/topic/statcast","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Network","linkUrl":"/network","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]},{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":"MLB.TV","navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Buy MLB.TV Postseason Package","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games/subscribe?&affiliateId=mlbMENU","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Watch & Listen","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games?&affiliateID=mlbMENU","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Help Center","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games/help-center?&affiliateID=mlbMENU","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"mobile:true;amp:true;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Scores","linkUrl":"/scores","placement":"mobile","visible":"true","subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"amp:true;mobile:true;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Schedule","linkUrl":"/postseason","placement":"mobile","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"2023 Postseason Recap","linkUrl":"/postseason/history/2023","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"2024 Regular Season","linkUrl":"/schedule/","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"2024 Postseason","linkUrl":"/postseason","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"2025 Spring Training","linkUrl":"/schedule/2025-02-20","linkTarget":null,"visible":"true","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Events","linkUrl":"/events","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Team by Team Schedule","linkUrl":"/schedule/team-by-team","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"National Broadcasts","linkUrl":"/live-stream-games/national-broadcast-schedule","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"mobile:true;amp:true;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Stats","linkUrl":"/stats","placement":"mobile","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Statcast Leaders","linkUrl":"https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_leaderboard","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Statcast","linkUrl":"/statcast","linkTarget":"","visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Baseball Savant","linkUrl":"https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Top Prospect Stats","linkUrl":"/prospects/stats/top-prospects?type=all&minPA=1","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"amp:true;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Standings","linkUrl":"/standings/wild-card","placement":null,"visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":null,"icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Youth","linkUrl":"/youth-baseball-softball","placement":null,"visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Play Ball","linkUrl":"/play-ball","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Youth Baseball & Softball","linkUrl":"/youth-baseball-softball","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"","icon":"group","linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Players","linkUrl":"/players","placement":null,"visible":"true","subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Prospect Rankings","linkUrl":"/prospects","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Depth Charts","linkUrl":"/team/roster/depth-chart","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"MLB Players Association","linkUrl":"https://www.mlbplayers.com","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Negro Leagues","linkUrl":"/history/negro-leagues","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":null,"icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"MLB Play","linkUrl":"/play","placement":null,"visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Beat the Streak","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=BeatTheStreak2022","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Immaculate Grid","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=ImmaculateGrid2024","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Trivia","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=SporcleTrivia2024","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Pickle","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=Pickle2023","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"By the Numbers","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=ByTheNumbers2022","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Diamond Decisions","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=DiamondDecisions2024","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Bingo","linkUrl":"/play?gameId=Bingo2023","linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":null}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"expires:1720022400;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Vote","linkUrl":"/all-star/ballot?affiliateId=asb-topnav-mlb-2024","placement":null,"visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"amp:true;module:teammodule;align:right;","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"Teams","linkUrl":"/team","placement":"right","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"Team Module","linkUrl":null,"linkTarget":null,"visible":null,"icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"module:teammodule;"}]}]},{"__typename":"NavItem","customPropertiesString":"align:right;lang:es;label:Español","icon":null,"linkTarget":null,"linkText":"ES","linkUrl":"/es","placement":"right","visible":null,"subNav":[{"__typename":"SubnavColumn","title":null,"navigation":[{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"日本語","linkUrl":"http://www.mlb.jp/","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"lang:ja"},{"__typename":"NavItem","placement":null,"linkText":"한국어","linkUrl":"https://www.mlbkor.com/","linkTarget":null,"visible":"false","icon":null,"tooltip":null,"customPropertiesString":"lang:ko"}]}]}],"cfPalette":{"__typename":"CF_Palette","headerMastheadBackgroundColor":"#002D72","headerMastheadTextColor":"#ffffff","headerNavigationBackgroundColor":"#041E42","headerNavigationBorderColor":"#057AFF","headerNavigationTextColorHover":"#ffffff","headerNavigationTextColor":"#ffffff"},"cfWebProperties":{"__typename":"CF_WebProperties","urlLogo":null,"headerMastheadTagline":null,"headerPrimaryLogo":{"__typename":"CF_Asset","url":null,"description":null},"headerMastheadSponsorImage":{"__typename":"CF_Asset","url":null,"description":null},"headerMastheadTaglineContainerWidth":"512px","headerMastheadTaglineContainerHeight":"56px"}}},"Person:121665":{"__typename":"Person","id":121665},"Team:112":{"__typename":"Team","id":112,"division":{"__ref":"Division:205"},"name":"Chicago Cubs","shortName":"Chi Cubs","teamName":"Cubs"},"Division:200":{"__typename":"Division","id":"200"},"Team:133":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:200"},"id":133,"name":"Athletics","shortName":"Athletics","teamName":"Athletics"},"Division:205":{"__typename":"Division","id":"205"},"Team:134":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:205"},"id":134,"name":"Pittsburgh Pirates","shortName":"Pittsburgh","teamName":"Pirates"},"Division:203":{"__typename":"Division","id":"203"},"Team:135":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:203"},"id":135,"name":"San Diego Padres","shortName":"San Diego","teamName":"Padres"},"Team:136":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:200"},"id":136,"name":"Seattle Mariners","shortName":"Seattle","teamName":"Mariners"},"Team:137":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:203"},"id":137,"name":"San Francisco Giants","shortName":"San Francisco","teamName":"Giants"},"Team:138":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:205"},"id":138,"name":"St. Louis Cardinals","shortName":"St. Louis","teamName":"Cardinals"},"Division:201":{"__typename":"Division","id":"201"},"Team:139":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:201"},"id":139,"name":"Tampa Bay Rays","shortName":"Tampa Bay","teamName":"Rays"},"Team:140":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:200"},"id":140,"name":"Texas Rangers","shortName":"Texas","teamName":"Rangers"},"Team:141":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:201"},"id":141,"name":"Toronto Blue Jays","shortName":"Toronto","teamName":"Blue Jays"},"Division:202":{"__typename":"Division","id":"202"},"Team:142":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:202"},"id":142,"name":"Minnesota Twins","shortName":"Minnesota","teamName":"Twins"},"Division:204":{"__typename":"Division","id":"204"},"Team:143":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:204"},"id":143,"name":"Philadelphia Phillies","shortName":"Philadelphia","teamName":"Phillies"},"Team:144":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:204"},"id":144,"name":"Atlanta Braves","shortName":"Atlanta","teamName":"Braves"},"Team:145":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:202"},"id":145,"name":"Chicago White Sox","shortName":"Chi White Sox","teamName":"White Sox"},"Team:146":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:204"},"id":146,"name":"Miami Marlins","shortName":"Miami","teamName":"Marlins"},"Team:147":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:201"},"id":147,"name":"New York Yankees","shortName":"NY Yankees","teamName":"Yankees"},"Team:158":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:205"},"id":158,"name":"Milwaukee Brewers","shortName":"Milwaukee","teamName":"Brewers"},"Team:108":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:200"},"id":108,"name":"Los Angeles Angels","shortName":"LA Angels","teamName":"Angels"},"Team:109":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:203"},"id":109,"name":"Arizona Diamondbacks","shortName":"Arizona","teamName":"D-backs"},"Team:110":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:201"},"id":110,"name":"Baltimore Orioles","shortName":"Baltimore","teamName":"Orioles"},"Team:111":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:201"},"id":111,"name":"Boston Red Sox","shortName":"Boston","teamName":"Red Sox"},"Team:113":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:205"},"id":113,"name":"Cincinnati Reds","shortName":"Cincinnati","teamName":"Reds"},"Team:114":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:202"},"id":114,"name":"Cleveland Guardians","shortName":"Cleveland","teamName":"Guardians"},"Team:115":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:203"},"id":115,"name":"Colorado Rockies","shortName":"Colorado","teamName":"Rockies"},"Team:116":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:202"},"id":116,"name":"Detroit Tigers","shortName":"Detroit","teamName":"Tigers"},"Team:117":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:200"},"id":117,"name":"Houston Astros","shortName":"Houston","teamName":"Astros"},"Team:118":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:202"},"id":118,"name":"Kansas City Royals","shortName":"Kansas City","teamName":"Royals"},"Team:119":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:203"},"id":119,"name":"Los Angeles Dodgers","shortName":"LA Dodgers","teamName":"Dodgers"},"Team:120":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:204"},"id":120,"name":"Washington Nationals","shortName":"Washington","teamName":"Nationals"},"Team:121":{"__typename":"Team","division":{"__ref":"Division:204"},"id":121,"name":"New York Mets","shortName":"NY Mets","teamName":"Mets"}}}
window.adobeAnalytics = {"reportingSuiteId":"mlbglobal08,mlbcom08","linkInternalFilters":"mlb"}
window.globalState = {"tracking_title":"Major League Baseball","lang":"en"}
window.appId = ''
/*-->*/
No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only … if you don’t agree with the order, participate in the Twitter poll to vote for your favorite at this position.
Here is Jordan Bastian's ranking of the top 5 second basemen in Cubs history. Next week: Third basemen.
https://t.co/IjYEQBFBQp's all-time lineup for each team continues this week with second base. For the Cubs, there is no question that Ryne Sandberg is No. 1 on this list.
But, who's your pick for the 2nd-best second baseman in Cubs history? (Báez being classified as shortstop).
1)Ryne Sandberg, 1982-97 Key fact: In the 22 seasons since Sandberg's retirement, thirteen players have started at second base for the Cubs on Opening Day (none more than two years in a row).
As the story goes, Cubs manager Jim Frey challenged Sandberg to tap into his potential as a power hitter, rather than settling for being a table-setter. During Spring Training 1984, Frey posed a question to the future Hall of Famer.
"How come you're not more of a power hitter and not an MVP?" Frey was quoted as saying in Carrie Muskat's book, Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Chicago Cubs.
"My job with Sandberg was to convince him that he could be that type of player," Frey continued. "It wasn't so much physical ability as a state of mind and his approach to hitting."
Over the next decade, Sandberg developed into one of baseball's all-time great power-speed middle infielders. He could already steal bases and play exceptionally clean defense, but unlocking his power is what helped elevate Sandberg to the Mount Rushmore of Cubs legends.
By the time he retired after the 1997 campaign, Sandberg had surpassed Joe Morgan for the most homers by a second baseman (277 of his 282 career blasts). That record has since been beaten by both Jeff Kent and Robinson Canó, but it was Sandberg who paved the way for teams rethinking how a second baseman should look.
Sandberg's signature moment came in that '84 season, which ended with him winning the National League MVP Award. On June 23 that summer, the second baseman turned in a performance forever known as "The Ryne Sandberg Game" among Cubs fans. He collected five hits, launched two homers and knocked in seven runs in a 12-11 win over the rival Cardinals.
In that classic contest, Sandberg launched a game-tying solo homer off Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter in the ninth and then belted a two-run, game-tying shot off the closer in the 10th. That set the stage for Dave Owens' walk-off single an inning later.
"Roy Hobbs, The Natural, would be pleased by Sandberg's performance today," legendary broadcaster Bob Costas proclaimed on NBC's airing of the game that night.
When his career was complete, Sandberg had been named to 10 All-Star teams, won nine Gold Gloves, picked up seven Silver Slugger Awards and eventually earned enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. He remains on the Cubs' top-five career leaderboards for homers, doubles, hits, runs, stolen bases, total bases, extra-base hits and WAR (68.1 per Baseball Reference).
During his Hall of Fame induction speech, Sandberg said, "I didn't work hard for validation. I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do."
2)Billy Herman, 1931-41 Key fact: 40.9 of 56 career WAR with Cubs
Herman's Hall of Fame plaque refers to the second baseman as the "master of hit-and-run play." He was also an extra-base machine, churning out 57 doubles in both the 1935 and '36 seasons during one of the great eras of Cubs baseball. He was a seven-time All-Star for the North Siders.
Herman started at second in 10 Opening Day games for the Cubs and played in three World Series (1932, '35 and '38) with the franchise. He still owns the single-season doubles record for the club and fell two hits shy in '35 of equaling Rogers Hornsby's single-season hits mark (229) for Chicago.
On the Hall of Fame's website, former Cubs player Charlie Grimm is quoted as saying that Herman "was a wonderful fielder and as great a hit-and-run batter as I have ever seen. I can't remember anyone who could handle the inside pitch to right field better than Herman."
3)Johnny Evers, 1902-13 Key fact: Had 556 walks vs. 211 strikeouts with the Cubs
Evers' name will forever be a part of Cubs lore as a part of the "Tinker to Evers to Chance" refrain in F. P. Adams' 1910 poem, "Baseball's Sad Lexicon." The Hall of Famer was a part of four pennant winners and the 1907-08 Cubs teams that won consecutive World Series titles. His best offensive year came in '08, when he hit .300 with a .402 on-base percentage and a 143 OPS+. He was routinely one of baseball's toughest strikeouts, recording just 50 strikeouts compared to 247 walks across the '08-10 seasons.
4)Rogers Hornsby, 1929-32 Key fact: 10.4 WAR in '29 remains the Cubs' single-season record
Hornsby is unquestionably one of baseball's all-time legends, but his stint with the Cubs was too brief to be higher on this list. But, boy, was that short stint an incredible one. The Boston Braves traded Hornsby to the Cubs for five players and $200,000 in November 1928, and then he hit .380 with 39 homers, 47 doubles, 149 RBIs, 156 runs and a 1.139 OPS en route to a World Series berth and NL MVP honors in '29. He hit .350/.435/.604 in his 317 games for the Cubs (out of 2,259 career contests).
5)Glenn Beckert, 1965-73 Key fact: Led Majors in runs in 1968
Beckert was the Cubs' Opening Day second baseman eight times, hitting his stride as a player in the late 1960s. He was named to four National league All-Star teams from '69-72, won a Gold Glove Award in '68 and amassed 16.4 WAR (Baseball Reference) in his Cubs career. An up-the-middle partner for shortstop Don Kessinger, Beckert hit at a .283 clip over his 11-year career in the big leagues.
Honorable mentions Given that Javier Báez has appeared more at shortstop (2,646 2/3 innings) than second (1,856 innings) in his career, he will be considered for the shortstop category in this project. Manny Trillo is worth mentioning for his seven seasons (1975-78, '86-88) with the Cubs. This list would also be incomplete without lauding Ben Zobrist, whose status as a utility man hurt his case as a pure second baseman. That said, Zobrist played a key role for the Cubs from 2016-19, winning World Series MVP honors in Chicago's triumph over Cleveland in '16.