Back in the late '90s, the so-called Trinity at shortstop—Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez—provided the most memorable concentration of young talent at a position since Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider graced center field in the '50s. They also heralded a golden age for shortstops cut more from the Cal Ripken cloth (big, athletic, and offense-minded) than the Ozzie Smith one (small and speedy, with an emphasis on defensive skill). These days, the class of elite shortstops is much more thin—Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes might be Trinity-level talents, but from there it's a sizable step down to the likes of J.J. Hardy and Troy Tulowitzki.
Baseball Prospectus
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