# R.I.P. Brooks Robinson **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** celebrity-death, baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 26, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752 "2023-09-26T22:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/21 "2023-09-28T13:39:21Z")
I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/22 "2023-09-28T20:41:33Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > My touchstone for 3rd-base brilliance was Craig Nettles in the '78 series He was terrific. > [@slicedalone](#): > > Mazeroski Agreed. Johnny Bench catching. I suppose Jim Kaat pitching. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/23 "2023-09-28T20:46:21Z")
> [@gnarator](#): > > I suppose Jim Kaat pitching. Maddux, I think. You should hear Bill James on the subject of Kaat’s supposedly stellar fielding. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/24 "2023-09-28T20:47:51Z")
He’s gotten cranky in his old age ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/25 "2023-09-28T20:51:06Z")
> [@gnarator](#): > > He’s gotten cranky He was always cranky. He’s gotten worse. From [bbref.com](http://bbref.com): "Recent studies have put into question his real prowess as a fielder, despite the plethora of Gold Gloves. In fact, his range as a fielder was well below average throughout his career, as was his [fielding percentage](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Fielding_percentage), and he was not adept at turning [double plays](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Double_play). For example, in [1969](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/1969_Twins), he won a Gold Glove with a fielding percentage of .826 and a range factor of 1.49, both figures well below average for the time. It is likely his reputation was established by a few highlight plays early in his career and a general smoothness, supported by his knack for pitching quickly and his excellent [pick-off](https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Pick-off) move to first base, that made him appear to be a much better fielder than he was. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/26 "2023-09-28T21:41:50Z")
Maddux is the best-fielding pitcher I’ve ever seen, and it isn’t close. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/27 "2023-09-28T21:43:31Z")
I would say Mariano Rivera, but if you meant starter, I’ll agree. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/28 "2023-09-29T06:55:19Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > Maddux, I think. You should hear Bill James on the subject of Kaat’s supposedly stellar fielding. I went to Bill James online to find something about Kaat, but stumbled on this study on Brooks Robinson and Gold Gloves by Daniel Marks: [https://www.billjamesonline.com/so\_how\_many\_gold\_gloves\_should\_brooks\_robinson\_have\_won/](https://www.billjamesonline.com/so_how_many_gold_gloves_should_brooks_robinson_have_won/) ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/29 "2023-09-29T12:52:53Z")
Very interesting article. Sometimes Bill gets so statty that I just take him at his word. A lot of what he says makes sense to me, especially around the flawed system for choosing the GG winners. ---
**Author:** ![Quondam\_Mechanic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quondam_mechanic/32/3404_2.png) [@Quondam\_Mechanic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quondam_Mechanic)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/30 "2023-09-29T12:58:00Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > A couple of those Gold Glove awards should have gone to Boyer. I see he finally got one in the National league with Atanta. D’oh, **BlankSlate** , you were right about this. Forgot about Boyer being traded to Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/31 "2023-09-29T14:02:40Z")
I didn’t know Clete and Ken were brothers, so we’re even. As it happens there was a third brother, Cloyd, who pitched a couple of seasons for the Cardinals. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752/32 "2023-09-29T14:53:35Z")
We’re drifting from Brooks Robinson, but didn’t the Cards move Ken Boyer to centerfield for a few years? I believe he was good there, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-brooks-robinson/990752.md?page=1)