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Baltimore Orioles: Where does shortstop J.J. Hardy rank among AL East peers

By Nate Wardle

Apr 27, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) fields the ball and throws to first for the final out of the game during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field. The Orioles won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) fields the ball and throws to first for the final out of the game during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field. The Orioles won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) slides into home plate to score a run during the fourth inning in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) slides into home plate to score a run during the fourth inning in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Toronto Blue Jays

Jays’ shortstops – Troy Tulowitzki, Darwin Barney, Ryan Goins, Gregorio Petit

Last year, I didn’t trust Tulowitzki’s knees and body to hold up, and he did, for the most part, playing in 131 games and going .254/.318/.443 with 24 HRs, 21 2Bs, 79 RBIs and 54 runs. Tulo is one of the top shortstops in the game if he is healthy.

Staying healthy is the question mark, as Tulowitzki has not played more than 135 games in a season since 2011, and played in less than 100 in two of those five seasons.

The five-time All-Star has some of the best power numbers for shortstops in the game and also has consistently rated well according to dWAR, with a 2.2 rating in 2016 and only one negative seasons which was abbreviated due to injury.

Just like Hardy, the range isn’t what it once was (but is still league average), but the total fielding runs above average metric continues to rate very favorably, and he has the best fielding percentage among active shortstops.

Behind him will be utilityman Barney and Goins, as discussed when looking at the 2B position.

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