All time Jays: 3rd base

[Trojan97]

I'll concede this one to Gruber but I am too young to remember watching him play. Another year or two of Donaldson and it will be a slamdunk in his favour IMO.

[Bobblehead]

I was at this game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bo...99205050.shtml

I can still see Gruber crushing that Goose Gossage pitch over the LF wall. I also remember the As STH seated beside me very unhappy when Gossage came into the game. I had always remembered Gossage as a dominate closer with the Yankees. Not so much anymore, the STH (nice guy) was right, Gruber broke open what was a tight game up to that point.

[Sylvanfan]

Really though Gruber had one stand out year, and outside of that, offensively I think was pretty meh. I guess that 3 year stretch of 88 to 90 he was a consistent 4-5 WAR guy, but Donaldson has pretty much eclipsed Gruber's best offensive season in 2/3rds of the season outside of the RBI number which is an over rated stat.

Never hit for a great average, at best an average OBP guy, and the one outlier year for home runs. Defensively he was pretty good when healthy, but the Phaneuf comparison is bang on. Seemed to have lot's of talent, but outside of the one year really couldn't bring it together. I thought he was terribly over rated myself, never liked him!

So yeah one year but Josh Donaldon is my winner. Tony Batista actually put up a 2 plus years of productive offensive seasons, but that was in the steroid era, so I don't know how much you can really count his numbers, and defensively wasn't particularly good.

[SuperMatt18]

Really if this team makes the playoffs, and Donaldson has a season like this year again next year then he easily passes him.

In 9 seasons Gruber was a 16.1 WAR as a Blue Jay (best season was 5.4).

In 110 games Donaldson is already at a 6.2 WAR.

So yeah if he keeps it up the rest of the year, and then does it again next year it is a no brainer that he is the best.

[sketchyt]

Look at that mullet he rocked:



Clearly, the only answer is Kelly Gruber. He could have hit .198 and the answer is still Kelly Gruber.

[JiriHrdina]

Calling this one done, so I can get the new one up (won't have time in the morning)

Starting 3rd Baseman: Kelly Gruber
Backup: Josh Donaldson.

[zukes]

I feel like a broken record, the current player is the best we've ever had, Gruber is #2. (I loved Ed Sprague though)

[octothorp]

Not sure how Gruber ranks all-time, but all I know is Gruber was one of the first pro-athletes who I had a real attachment to as a fan. I was probably around 8 or 9 at the time, and there was something about his hustle and style of play that made me root for him in a way that went beyond him simply being a player on the team that I cheered for.