The 2024 Cleveland Guardians season is starting in a few short weeks. We at NEO wanted to share our favorite or maybe most memorable picks for first and second basemen of OUR impressionable areas.
Be aware! We go back to the 1970’s for some! So, in no particular order, we give you our picks!
Our Picks
Double Play
Cleveland Style#TwinKilling#DP#PitchersBestFriend#TurnTwopic.twitter.com/EP9bS7HYjT— Mr. Cleveland Sports (@MrCleveland_216) February 21, 2024
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Munch: I gotta have Omar and Robbie ast SS and 2B respectively! (That’s Vizquel and Alomar. Perhaps the greatest double play combination in the history of the club!)
John: Jim Thome and Carlos Baerga. Yes, I know Thome started at 3rd.
Munch: Grover (The Human Rain Delay) was obsessed with the righty/lefty thing and any lefty, like Randy Johnson, would find Jim on the bench and Mark Lewis in the starting lineup at 3rd!
Bill: Ugh! Mark Lewis! That Mark Lewis that was the #2 overall pick in the 1988 MLB draft?
Natalie: Thome at first. I loved his SOCKS UP thing. I still have the tee shirt…somewhere! Thome was one of the most important cogs in that mid 90’s group! Then, Kip ( Jason Kipnis ) at 2B. Such a great guy and so versatile at defense and offense! He was a HUGE part of that 2016 World Series run.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Andre Thornton, who averaged 25 bombs and 84 RBI a year from 1977 through 1984 #ForTheLand Here are the rest of the birthdays for August 13th in 1980s Baseball: https://t.co/oWfFPzy1Ts pic.twitter.com/iN2xIdgLUo
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John: Also, Andre Thornton at first and Duane Kuiper at 2nd. Those late 70’s/early 80’s teams were when I was a kid. So fun!
Bill: For me, Joe Carter at first taking over for Mr Bases-loaded clutch Pat Tabler and Carlos “Slamtana” were my faves. Second base was Duane Kuiper and “DirtBag” Kipnis.
2000’s??
No one really touched on the 2000’s decade. Ronnie Belliard was a workhorse for us. But the man I really hoped would have stayed with the club was Brandon Phillips. Makes you wonder … did he get dumped for his behavior or the fact that someone stood up to Eric Wedge and his demanding, rigid guidelines for playing each position?
Dat Dude on the ballot
Former #Reds 2B Brandon Phillips is on the ballot for 2024 election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. BP is one of only six second basemen in history with at least 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases. pic.twitter.com/IOOMLRnEZE
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 20, 2023
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Phillips was and is a Cincinnati legend. Eleven straight years for the Reds averaging roughly 145 games a year and hitting .280. He was a HUGE fan favorite.
The only person to be in a Cleveland uniform at second for that much and a bit longer was Nap Lajoie at 12 years.
So, Guardians fans. Who were your favorite first and second sackers? Share that on social or in the comments!
The post NEOSI Picks: Favortie Guardians 1B and 2B appeared first on NEO Sports Insiders.