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List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as a third baseman leaders

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Arlie Latham, the all-time leader in fielding errors as a third baseman

In baseball statistics, an error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to advance one or more bases or allows an at bat to continue after the batter should have been put out. Third base is the third of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest third base, and is responsible for the majority of plays made at that base. The third baseman requires good reflexes in reacting to batted balls, often being the closest infielder (roughly 90–120 feet) to the batter. The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm, as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base. The third baseman sometimes must throw quickly to second base in time to start a double play, and must also field fly balls in both fair and foul territory. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the third baseman is assigned the number 5.

The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the 19th century, when fielding equipment was very rudimentary; baseball gloves only began to steadily gain acceptance in the 1880s, and were not uniformly worn until the mid-1890s, resulting in a much lower frequency of defensive miscues. The top 19 players in career errors all began playing in the 19th century, all but four of them playing their entire careers before 1900; none were active in the major leagues after 1911. Only two of the top 29 were active after 1929, and none were active after 1946. Through 2021, the top 129 single-season totals were all recorded before 1906, and only five of the top 316 were recorded after 1942. To a large extent, the leaders reflect longevity rather than lower skill. Ron Santo, who leads all post-1950 third basemen with 317 errors, won five Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence.

Arlie Latham, who set a major league record with 1,573 career games at third base – none of them after 1896 – is the all-time leader in career errors committed as a third baseman with 822, more than twice as many as any player who reached the major leagues after 1900; he is the only third baseman to commit more than 700 career errors. Billy Nash, whose career ended in 1898 after setting the National League record for games at third base, is second all-time; he is the only other third baseman to commit more than 600 errors. Evan Longoria, who had 152 errors through the 2021 season to place him tied for 131st all-time, is the leader among active players.

Key

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Rank Rank amongst leaders in career fielding errors A blank field indicates a tie.
Player Name of player
E as 3B Total career errors committed as a third baseman
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame

List

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Jerry Denny, who also set National League records for games, putouts and assists at third base, holds the NL record of 552 errors.
Jimmy Austin holds the American League record of 358 errors.
Rank Player E as 3B
1 Arlie Latham 822
2 Billy Nash 615
3 Hick Carpenter 591
4 Billy Shindle 570
5 Jerry Denny 552
6 Ezra Sutton 516
7 Denny Lyons 509
8 Joe Mulvey 475
9 Bob Ferguson 466
10 Jimmy Collins * 465
11 Deacon White * 444
12 Bill Joyce 439
13 Ned Williamson 401
14 Lave Cross 397
15 George Pinkney 387
16 Harry Schafer 380
17 Frank Hankinson 373
Bill Kuehne 373
19 Harry Steinfeldt 365
20 Jimmy Austin 358
21 Pinky Higgins 356
22 Tommy Leach 344
Art Whitney 244
24 Bill Bradley 336
25 Tom Burns 327
26 Doc Casey 325
27 Pie Traynor * 324
28 Home Run Baker * 322
29 Jim Donnelly 318
30 Jumbo Davis 317
Ron Santo * 317
32 Mike Schmidt * 313
33 Adrián Beltré * 311
34 Graig Nettles 295
35 Eddie Mathews * 293
36 Larry Gardner 287
37 John McGraw * 280
38 Harlond Clift 279
39 Eddie Foster 278
40 Jack Gleason 273
41 Eddie Yost 270
42 Ken Boyer 264
43 Charlie Reilly 263
Brooks Robinson * 263
Harry Wolverton 263
46 George Brett * 261
47 Bobby Byrne 258
48 Art Devlin 257
49 Buddy Bell 254
50 Darrell Evans 253
Rank Player E as 3B
51 Fred Hartman 251
Charlie Irwin 251
53 Ken Caminiti 249
54 Stan Hack 246
55 Aramis Ramírez 244
Red Smith 244
57 Tim Wallach 240
58 Terry Pendleton 238
59 Bob Elliott 236
60 Bill Coughlin 231
Heinie Zimmerman 231
62 Wade Boggs * 229
63 Sal Bando 228
Mike Muldoon 228
Milt Stock 228
Patsy Tebeau 228
Todd Zeile 228
68 Gary Gaetti 224
69 Ron Cey 223
Chipper Jones * 223
Joe Werrick 223
72 Mike Mowrey 221
73 Jim Tabor 220
Robin Ventura 220
Billy Werber 220
76 Harry Lord 217
77 Aurelio Rodríguez 215
78 Warren White 214
79 George Davis * 211
80 Ossie Bluege 208
81 Joe Battin 207
82 Levi Meyerle 205
83 Bill Hague 200
84 George Moriarty 199
85 Doug DeCinces 198
86 Cap Anson * 196
Frank Malzone 196
88 Bill Madlock 193
89 Willie Jones 192
90 Billy Lauder 190
David Wright 190
92 Chippy McGarr 189
93 Jimmy Dykes 188
94 Doug Rader 187
95 Scott Rolen * 186
96 Willie Kamm 185
Dean Palmer 185
98 Richie Hebner 182
99 Bobby Bonilla 181
100 Matt Williams 177

Other Hall of Famers

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Player E
George Kell * 166
Harmon Killebrew * 127
Tony Pérez * 123
Paul Molitor * 121
Judy Johnson * 111 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Bobby Wallace * 107
Jim O'Rourke * 105
Freddie Lindstrom * 102
Bill McKechnie * 91
Roger Connor * 81
Edgar Martínez * 78
Buck Ewing * 76
Jim Thome * 73
Joe Sewell * 72
Cal Ripken Jr. * 69
Frankie Frisch * 68
Joe Torre * 64
Honus Wagner * 64
King Kelly * 59
Jud Wilson * 51 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Rogers Hornsby * 47
Jimmie Foxx * 31
Johnny Bench * 30
Ray Dandridge * 28 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Jackie Robinson * 28
Joe Cronin * 12
Ryne Sandberg * 11
Willie Wells * 6 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)

References

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