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New York Yankees: All-time best third basemen in franchise history

By Scott Roche

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Third baseman Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees readies himself on defense against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 7-3 to win the series 4 games to 2. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Third baseman Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees readies himself on defense against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 7-3 to win the series 4 games to 2. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /
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Clete Boyer #6 of the New York Yankees – (Photo by Herb Scharfman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /

New York Yankees all-time third basemen – No. 5: Clete Boyer (20.1 WAR)

He wasn’t going to ”Wow” you with his bat, but Boyer let his glove do the talking in his eight years with the Yankees. Playing on a roster with Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford to just name a few of his teammates, his defense was more valuable than his offense.

The Yankees won the American League pennant in his 1960 rookie season before winning back-to-back World Series titles in 1961 and 1962. As a rookie, he hit 14 home runs and hit .242, but in 1962 when the Yankees beat the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series with a team that many consider the best Yankee team of all-time, he hit .272 with 18 home runs and 68 RBI. He also recorded 396 assists at third base.

In 1967, Boyer signed with the Atlanta Braves and posted a career-high with 26 home runs and 96 RBI.

New York Yankees all-time third basemen – No. 4: Frank Baker (20.5 WAR)

In 1916, Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack sold Baker’s contract to the Yankees for $35,000 and it was a great investment for the Bombers. Baker was considered at the time one of the best, if not the best, Deadball-era hitters and he did not disappoint in the middle of the lineup with Wally Pipp to form a “Murder’s Row” for opposing pitchers.

In six years with the Yankees from 1916-1922, he hit .288 with 48 home runs and 379 RBIs. He collected 735 hits in Pinstripes and was one of the best Pre-Ruth era sluggers. In his playing career than spanned over 13 years with the Athletics and Yankees, he never played any other position than third base.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.

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