Padres Excel By Deploying Radical Seven Shortstop Defensive Alignment
Over the long 162-game season, playoff-caliber teams get it done in a variety of ways. There’s the Yankees, led by slugging superstars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. There’s the Dodgers, weathering a storm of injuries behind the incredible leadership of rehabbing power/speed monster Shohei Ohtani. The Phillies and Braves both appear to be good bets for the postseason, with ace starters Zack Wheeler and Chris Sale leading the way. Then there’s the San Diego Padres, one of the hottest teams in baseball during the second half, led by their remarkable array of seven shortstops.
What on earth am I talking about? Let me explain.
In my many years working in baseball – and long before and after, to this day – one of the old screeds that I break out when discussing baseball with more casual fans is that “they’re all shortstops”. Meaning that just about every player that takes a major league field (unless they throw with their left hand, which doesn’t necessarily exclude them) played shortstop somewhere along the line, going back to their minor league, amateur and youth baseball days.
Jim Thome? Drafted as a shortstop out of an Illinois junior college. Albert Pujols? Ditto, out of a Missouri junior college. You remember their large body types from their major league careers, but once upon a time they played the most challenging defensive position on the field (exempting catcher).
