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Dodger Greats, Then and Now: Justin Turner and Ron Cey

Ron Cey may have played double the number of games at third, but there’s still plenty to talk about when it comes to his 2022 counterpart, Justin Turner.

Harry How/Getty Images and Louis Reqeuna/MLB via Getty Images

In case you missed our first edition of Dodger Greats, Then and Now, here’s the drill: We’re taking a look at Dodger heroes past and present, just for kicks, and maybe learning a little something about how the game has changed in the process. Today, we’re checking out Ron Cey and Justin Turner (thanks to Steve for the suggestion!)

Third Base: Justin Turner and Ron Cey

Ron Cey called the 1977 Dodgers the most talented team he ever played with, and for good reason. That team was the first of consecutive National-League pennant winners for then-manager Tommy Lasorda, thanks in part to some excellent pitching and the most successful infield in MLB history (consisting of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Cey).

In that year, Cey was 29 and in his seventh MLB season. Justin Turner, meanwhile, was 37 in 2022, his 14th season. Cey played in 153 games, Turner played in 128, and both called Dodger Stadium their home turf. It’s worth noting as well that Turner split his time this season between third base and designated hitter, but more on that when we get to defense.

On Offense

Though Turner trailed Cey in plate appearances in their respective seasons — 532 compared to 669 — both batters managed a similar number of hits, with 130 total for Turner and 136 for Cey. And while Turner hit 36 doubles to Cey’s 22, his 13 homers were blown out of the water by Cey’s 30. In fact, Cey was part of the first 30-homer foursome in MLB history, alongside teammates Steve Garvey, Dusty Baker, and Reggie Smith.

Much of these third basemen’s stats are fairly similar across the board, though Turner does have the higher batting average on the season (.278 compared to .241) and Cey managed to draw nearly double Turner’s number of walks.

Ron Cey vs. Justin Turner at Bat

Rk Name Year Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB OPS+
Rk Name Year Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB OPS+
1 Ron Cey 1977 29 153 669 564 77 136 22 3 30 110 3 4 93 106 0.241 0.347 0.45 0.797 254 11 2 3 7 6 114
2 Justin Turner 2022 37 128 532 468 61 130 36 0 13 81 3 0 50 89 0.278 0.35 0.438 0.788 205 13 6 0 8 1 116

On Defense

This is where things get sticky. Of his 128 total games, Turner only played 66 at third base, appearing in the rest as DH. Cey, meanwhile, played all 153 of his games on the bag. We can still get some interesting metrics by looking at stats on a per-game basis, though. For example, Cey turned about one double play every five games, while Turner was slightly better with one every four. Then there’s range factor (putouts + assists), or how many outs you can expect a player to help get per game. Cey clocked in at 3.16 for his season, while Turner hit 2.59

Ron Cey vs. Justin Turner on Defense

Name Year Age Tm Pos Lg G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% Rtot Rtot/yr RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG Awards
Name Year Age Tm Pos Lg G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% Rtot Rtot/yr RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG Awards
Ron Cey 1977 29 LAD 3B NL 153 153 137 1352.2 502 138 346 18 29 0.964 4 3 3.22 3.16 0.956 2.98 2.98 AS,MVP-8
Justin Turner 2022 37 LAD 3B NL 66 66 59 574.1 178 33 138 7 16 0.961 8 1 16 2 2.68 2.59 0.961 2.7

Awards and Honors

Cey finished eighth in MVP voting and was selected to the All-Star Game in 1977. Turner didn’t secure any playing-related awards this year, but he was named the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award recipient after five career nominations in previous seasons. The prestigious award honors a player who “best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”