Davey Concepcion: "Short" Changed? Quiz

Answer: 19

Dave spent his entire career with the Reds (1970-88). "Scooter" Rizzuto wore the Yankee pinstripes for 13 years (1941-42, 1946-56), Pee Wee spent 16 years in Dodger blue (1940-42, 1946-58). Both Reese and Rizzuto lost 3 years time to service in World War II. Aparicio played 18 years in the bigs, splitting his time with the White Sox (1956-62, 1968-70), Orioles (1963-67), and Red Sox (1971-73).

Answer: 2178

Aparicio is tops among the four, with 2581 games logged in at the number 6 position. Reese appeared in 2014 games at short, Rizzuto, 1647 games.

Answer: Nine

Davey represented the Reds in 1973, and 1975-82, winning All-Star MVP honors in 1982. At one time or another, all of the positional players that Concepcion formed the Big Red Machine with, made the All-Star team (Cesar Geronimo is the lone exception). Of course, the same statement about everyday All-Star teams can be made for both Reese (10-time All-Star) and Rizzuto (5-time All-Star), as well. Aparicio (10-time All-Star) played with such all-star teammates as Nellie Fox, Jim Landis and Sherm Lollar in Chicago, and Brooks and Frank Robinson in Baltimore.

Answer: .971

In this category, Davey has the advantage over both Reese (.962) and Rizzuto (.968). Only the man who defined the shortstop position in the 1950's and 60's, Aparicio, is above Davey, and that by only a .001, standing at .972.

Answer: .267

When he first came up to Cincinnati in 1970, he was the classic, "good glove, no-hit shortstop", seemingly having been cut from the same mold as Bud Harrleson, Eddie Brinkman and Mark Belanger. From a low of .205 in 1971, he eventually ended up as a .270-.280 hitter in his prime, even breaking the .300 level twice (.301 in 1978, .306 in 1981). By comparison, Reese was a career .269 hitter, topping .300 only once (.309 in 1954). Rizzuto hit .273 during his years with the Yanks. Like Davey, he, too, topped .300 twice, .307 in 1941, his rookie year, and .324 in 1950, when he was the AL MVP. Aparicio checks in at .262 for his career, topping .300 only once (.313 in 1970).

Answer: 2

Rizzuto blows everybody out of the water, with his Yanks winning 7 of the 9 Series he participated in. Reese appeared in 7 Fall Classics in his time with the Dodgers, but came away a winner only once, when the Dodgers won their only World Championship while in Brooklyn, in 1955. Aparicio was 1 for 2, losing in 1959 as a member of the "Go-Go" White Sox, and winning with the Birds of Baltimore in 1966. Davey's 4 Series appearances came 1970, 1972, 1975, and 1976, winning it all the last two years. That's not counting the two other times Cincy won the NL West (1973 and 1979), but didn't advance to the World Series. Who knows? If it hadn't been for Brooks Robinson and Gene Tenace, he could have been right up there with Rizzuto.

Answer: four

Greatness begets greatness. Davey took the field with HOF members catcher Johnny Bench, 2B Joe Morgan, 1B Tony Perez, and pitcher Tom Seaver. That's not counting HOF manager Sparky Anderson, and Pete Rose, who should be in the HOF, but that's a whole other issue. Rizzuto, of course, found himself in the same locker room as Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, and Johnny Mize, as well as being managed by Casey Stengel, Joe McCarthy, and Bucky Harris.

The Yankees, by themselves, can field their own HOF team. Reese was a teammate of Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider, of course, but also on those teams and in the HOF are Roy Campanella, Joe Medwick, Arky Vaughan, Don Drysdale, and Sandy Koufax, as well as managers Leo Durocher and Walter Alston.

He was also a teammate of Tommy Lasorda, who made his HOF mark as manager of the L.A. Dodgers in 1970's to early 1990's. Aparicio played with such HOF members as Early Wynn, Robin Roberts, Larry Doby, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk and Orlando Cepeda, as well as managers Al Lopez and Earl Weaver.

Answer: 0

Concepcion was a good man to have on the base paths, as he stole 321 in his career, but he never led the National League. The closest he came was in 1974, when his career high of 41 steals placed him 6th. That was also the year that Lou Brock stole 118, so no way Davey, or anyone else for that matter, was going to win.

He also finished 6th in 1975, with 33 steals, when he finished 44 behind another Davey (Davey Lopes of the LA Dodgers). Aparicio is the runaway (sorry, couldn't resist!) leader of the four, with 506 steals during his career.

He led the AL in stolen bases in his first 9 seasons in the bigs (1956-64). Pee Wee swiped 232 bases in his career, leading the NL in 1952 when he pilfered a career-high 30 bases. Rizzuto brings up the rear of our Fab Four, with 149 swipes, season high of 22 in 1942.

Answer: 5

Davey won 4 straight from 1974-77, and again in 1979. Aparicio won 9 over his career (1958-62, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970), and was considered the measuring stick of defensive prowess at short until the Wizard of Oz came along. The Gold Glove awards didn't come about until 1957, just as Reese's career was winding down, and one year after Rizzuto retired, so neither of them, of course, won a Gold Glove.

However, they did lead their leagues in fielding percentage a combined total of 3 times (2 for Rizzuto, 1 for Reese).

While this is not the ONLY criteria to determine who the best fielder is year-by year (you have to figure in total chances, putouts, assists, etc.), the fact that they both played on the premier major league franchises of their times lends credence to the belief that, if the Gold Glove award had existed during their careers, both men would have walked away with a few.

But again, mere speculation.

Answer: 993

An amazing total when you consider that, for most of his productive offensive years, Concepcion was batting in the 7th slot. The two players that followed him in the order for most of this time were Cesar Geronimo and whoever was pitching, or a pinch hitter. Pee Wee checks in with 1338 runs scored, including league-leading 132 in 1949, while Aparicio scored 1335 runs in his career. Rizzuto brings up the rear with 877 runs scored. Well sports fans, there you have it.

In every way, defensively and offensively, Dave Concepcion more than holds his own with those whom he is most often compared to.

As the years go by, and names like Ripken, Rodriguez, and Jeter begin to appear on Hall of Fame ballots, Davey's chances are reduced. Hopefully, his old double-play partner, Joe Morgan, will wield some power and influence to reward a player that is truly deserving of this honor.