gold star for USAHOF

19. Joe Tinker

19. Joe Tinker
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: July 27, 1880 in Muscotah, KS USA
  • Weight: 175 lbs.
  • Height: 5'9"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: April 17, 1902
  • Final Game: September 22, 1916
  • MVP - 1911
  • MVP - 1912
 
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It began with Joe Tinker, at least that is how the poem goes of Tinker to Evers to Chance in regards to turning double plays for the Chicago Cubs in the 1900s.

The Shortstop for the 1907 & 1908 World Series Championship teams, Tinker was a defensive stud.  In terms of traditional numbers, he led the National League Shortstops in Fielding Percentage four times and was routinely at or near the top in Assists and Putouts.  Advanced metrics show that he was without question the best defensive player for years.  Tinker was a five-time leader in Defensive bWAR and the runner-up four times.  While he was not a great hitter (his OBP average for the Cubs was only .303) for a Shortstop of his era, he was more than adequate.  He did have over 1,400 Hits for Chicago and had his share of clutch hits.  Without Tinker, it is doubtful that Chicago won those two titles.

Despite his association with Frank Evers, the two despised each other, and Tinker demanded a trade when Evers became the Player/Manager of the Cubs after the 1912 season.  He would later get that role with the Chicago Whales of the Federal League and would keep that position when the Cubs bought his contract and many others when that league folded after the 1915 season.  Tinker would only play/manage there for one more season.

He would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 when he was voted in by the Old Timers Committee, and the Cubs chose him for their inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2021.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Short Stop
  • Acquired: Purchased from Portland (Pacific Northwest) before the 1902 Season.
  • Departed:

    Traded to the Cincinnati Reds with Harry Chapman and Grover Lowdermilk for Red Corriden, Bert Humphries, Pete Knisely, Mike Mitchell and Art Phelan 12/15/12

    Acquired (2): Purchased with Mordecai Brown, Clem Clemens, Mickey Doolin, William Fischer, Max Flack, Claude Hendrix, Les Mann, George McConnell, Rollie Zeider, Charlie Pechous and Dutch Zwilling from the Chicago Whales of the Federal League 2/10/16

    Departed (2): Retired as a player after the 1916 Season.
  • Games Played: 1539
  • Notable Statistics: 670 Runs Scored
    1,439 Hits
    220 Doubles
    93 Triples
    28 Home Runs
    673 Runs Batted In
    304 Stolen Bases
    .259/.303/.347 Slash Line 
    45.3 bWAR

    21 Playoff Games
    12 Runs Scored
    16 Hits
    2 Doubles
    0 Triples
    1 Home Run
    6 Runs Batted In
    8 Stolen Bases
    .235/.307/.309 Slash Line
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (1907 & 1908)
    Highest Defensive bWAR (1905, 1906, 1908, 1909 & 1911)
    Most Assists (1908 & 1911)
    Most Putouts by a Shortstop (1911 & 1912)
    Most Assists by a Shortstop (1908 & 1911)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Shortstop (1902 & 1905)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Shortstop (1904, 1911 & 1912)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Shortstop (1906, 1908, 1909 & 1911)

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