Puskas: Vizquel’s shadow still looms at short

It’s not easy to feel sorry for baseball players like Jhonny Peralta and Asdrubal Cabrera.

Their over-sized contracts, relative to their often middling contributions on the field, make you think they’re underachievers.

But as the last two Cleveland Indians starting shortstops — covering the last decade — it could be Peralta and Cabrera are victims of a ridiculous standard.

Omar Vizquel was the Indians’ shortstop from 1994-2004. He was part of the franchise’s longest and most recent sustained run of success, even if it didn’t result in a World Series victory.

Vizquel’s legacy is leather. In 24 major-league seasons, his .985 fielding percentage is the best of any shortstop who ever played. Better than Cal Ripken (.979), Ozzie Smith (.978), Alan Trammell (.977), Mark Belanger (.977) and Derek Jeter (.976).

Vizquel won 11 Gold Gloves, including nine straight from 1993-2001. No shortstop ever played more games or participated in more double plays. Only Honus Wagner and Derek Jeter have more hits as shortstops.

But think of Vizquel and his combination of soft, sure hands and cat-like quickness comes to mind first.

I still remember the first play I saw Vizquel make. On April 22, 1993, Seattle’s Chris Bosio had pitched 82/3 no-hit innings against the Boston Red Sox when a journeyman named Ernest Riles hit a chopper over the mound.

Ugh, I thought. No way anybody makes that play. Tough to lose a no-hitter that way.

But Vizquel glided behind the mound and in one motion bare-handed the ball off the Kingdome turf and fired to first. His throw beat Riles by two steps.

More than two decades later, the combination of skill and the timing — just when Bosio needed it most — still makes it one of the best infield plays I’ve ever seen.

On Saturday night, the Indians inducted Vizquel — now the Detroit Tigers’ first-base coach — into their Hall of Fame. He also should be enshrined in Cooperstown on his defense alone when he becomes eligible. His offensive numbers also compare favorably to some of baseball’s Hall of Fame shortstops. It’s a no-brainer.So the next time Cabrera doesn’t quite get to a ball hit into the hole or makes an error on a play you’re sure Vizquel could have made in his sleep, remember an old sports axiom.

You never want to be the guy who replaces The Guy. Peralta, who replaced Vizquel, can vouch for that. So can Jon Heacock, who replaced Jim Tressel at YSU.

The legend sometimes casts such a long shadow that even the guy who replaces the guy who replaced The Guy still can’t meet the standard, no matter what he does. Cabrera knows all about that.

So does every third baseman who has played the position for the Baltimore Orioles since Brooks Robinson retired in 1977. The Orioles will never find a third baseman who lives up to that standard.

Vizquel is Cleveland’s Brooks Robinson. Indians fans received an extended gift in being able to watch him play shortstop daily for 11 years.

Write Vindicator Sports Editor Ed Puskas at epuskas@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @EdPuskas_Vindy.