This post was inspired by a piece on www.baycityball.com regarding the worst SS seasons in their history. I decided to look at only the past 50 years and will look at both the Top 10 Worst Seasons and the Top 10 Best Seasons.
In order to qualify a Shortstop had to play the majority of his games at SS and have the most for the team for that season, for a few seasons this allowed a less than stellar "non-regular" into the mix (2004/1987).
Metrics show are www.baseball-reference.com WAR with both oWAR/dWAR shown and OPS+
The lists after the jump
Top 10 Worst SS Seasons (by WAR)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/SS |
| 1 | 1984 | Gutierrez, Jackie | -2.7 | -0.3 | -2.4 | 63 | 150 |
| 2 | 1985 | Gutierrez, Jackie | -1.8 | -1.2 | -0.6 | 41 | 99 |
| 3 | 1982 | Hoffman, Glenn | -1.4 | -1.1 | -0.3 | 53 | 150 |
| 4 | 1990 | Rivera, Luis | -1.2 | 0.0 | -1.2 | 70 | 112 |
| 5 | 1986 | Romero, Ed | -1.0 | -0.3 | -0.7 | 51 | 75 |
| 6 | 1981 | Hoffman, Glenn | -0.9 | -0.4 | -0.5 | 56 | 78 |
| 7 | 1992 | Rivera, Luis | -0.4 | -0.4 | 0.0 | 51 | 93 |
| 8 | 1974 | Guerrero, Mario | -0.4 | 0.0 | -0.4 | 58 | 93 |
| 9 | 2001 | Lansing, Mike | -0.3 | 0.3 | -0.6 | 76 | 76 |
| 10 | 1971 | Aparicio, Luis | -0.3 | 0.8 | -1.1 | 62 | 121 |
Comments: Julio Lugo justs missed the cut at #11 with his 2008 offering. 1984 must have been one interesig season. I remember Gutierrez (I had like 15 of his cards - they seemed to come in every pack), but man - 150 games at a prime defensive position and a -2.4 dWAR!! Wow. I mean its not like he rakes with the bat. The Sox then let the same guy play the majority of the 85 season. I also remember Romero as the super-sub in the mid-80s. I guess super-subs just kinda sucked back then. Lansing is horsehoed in between excellent SS seasons as you'll see later.
Top 10 Worst SS Seasons (by OPS+)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/SS |
| 1 | 1985 | Gutierrez, Jackie | -1.8 | -1.2 | -0.6 | 41 | 99 |
| 2 | 2004 | Reese, Pokey | 1.6 | -0.6 | 2.2 | 46 | 71 |
| 3 | 1986 | Romero, Ed | -1.0 | -0.3 | -0.7 | 51 | 75 |
| 4 | 1992 | Rivera, Luis | -0.4 | -0.4 | 0.0 | 51 | 93 |
| 5 | 1982 | Hoffman, Glenn | -1.4 | -1.1 | -0.3 | 53 | 150 |
| 6 | 1981 | Hoffman, Glenn | -0.9 | -0.4 | -0.5 | 56 | 78 |
| 7 | 1974 | Guerrero, Mario | -0.4 | 0.0 | -0.4 | 58 | 93 |
| 8 | 1971 | Aparicio, Luis | -0.3 | 0.8 | -1.1 | 62 | 121 |
| 9 | 1984 | Gutierrez, Jackie | -2.7 | -0.3 | -2.4 | 63 | 150 |
| 10 | 2007 | Lugo, Julio | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 65 | 145 |
Comments: So there is mister Lugo! and lo and behold the 2007 version. Wait, didn't we win something that year? Check #2 on the list - Pokey gets credit for 2004 due to Nomar/Cabrera not playing enough individually to qualify. Plus you got to love a guy who can post a 1.6 WAR with a 46 OPS+. Glenn Hoffman, well you just sucked. Aparicio gets a pass because he was like 70 when he played for us.
On to the good stuff.......
Top 10 Best SS Seasons (by WAR)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/SS |
| 1 | 1969 | Petrocelli, Rico | 9.3 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 167 | 153 |
| 2 | 1995 | Valentin, John | 8.5 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 138 | 135 |
| 3 | 1998 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 7.3 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 140 | 143 |
| 4 | 2000 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 7.3 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 155 | 136 |
| 5 | 2003 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.7 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 121 | 156 |
| 6 | 2002 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.7 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 127 | 154 |
| 7 | 1999 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.5 | 7.4 | -0.9 | 153 | 134 |
| 8 | 1997 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 5.9 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 123 | 153 |
| 9 | 1993 | Valentin, John | 4.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 107 | 144 |
| 10 | 1962 | Bressoud, Eddie | 4.7 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 104 | 153 |
Comments: Petrocelli, man you were just sick in 69 relative to your peers. I mean come on, 40 HR from the SS position in the 60's?? and to think you only managed 7th in the MVP voting. I'd forgotten just how good Valentin was prior to Nomar. Sox fans were drooling over that infield combo in the late 90s and BOOM injuries derail Johnny's career - shame. Nomar - you were just so darn awesome.
Top 10 Best SS Seasons (by OPS+)
| # | Year | Player | WAR | oWAR | dWAR | OPS+ | G/SS |
| 1 | 1969 | Petrocelli, Rico | 9.3 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 167 | 153 |
| 2 | 2000 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 7.3 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 155 | 136 |
| 3 | 1999 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.5 | 7.4 | -0.9 | 153 | 134 |
| 4 | 1998 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 7.3 | 6.2 | 1.1 | 140 | 143 |
| 5 | 1995 | Valentin, John | 8.5 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 138 | 135 |
| 6 | 1994 | Valentin, John | 4.3 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 128 | 83 |
| 7 | 2002 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.7 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 127 | 154 |
| 8 | 1964 | Bressoud, Eddie | 4.4 | 4.6 | -0.2 | 125 | 158 |
| 9 | 1997 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 5.9 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 123 | 153 |
| 10 | 2003 | Garciaparra, Nomar | 6.7 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 121 | 156 |
Comments: Bats alive, the Sox have had some pretty good offensive SS in the recent past. You'd be hard pressed to find a better 3 year run than Nomar's 1998-2000....wait how the hell did we not win a championship on the back of Nomar & Pedro alone?? oh well.
-BZ
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