Most baseball fans know about Honus Wagners famously expensive baseball card but they dont know that much about him as a player. Then again, you have to remember that he really had two careers 12 to start his career and then 14 with a brand new arm after being the first person to have the eponymous "Tommy John surgery. Career Stats: 1,514 G; .271/.347/.350; 28 HR; 574 RBI; 1,450 H; 676 R; 188-for-252 SB. His average of 2.45 bWAR/season is "best" among active qualifiers. Clutch. But Reardon did save at least 20 games in seven straight seasons at one point. He is the only player to debut with the Marlins in 1993 and play for both of their World Series teams, in 1997 and 2003. Career Stats: 2019 G; .254/.352/.408; 242 HR; 1,039 RBI; 1,790 H; 982 R; 75-for-121 SB. Upon the discovery of a tumor in his foot and with the Angels having mixed feelings about his future as a ballplayer, Fregosi was traded to the Mets in exchange for four players, most notably a right-handed pitcher named Nolan Ryan. Frankly, baseball history is filled with players who had unique skills or put the team over themselves, leaving them without the accolades they should have received. He led the Tigers in hits and RBI, broke up three no-hitters, crushed five grand slams and with Game 7 of the World Series a scoreless tie in the seventh inning, Northrup stroked a two-run double off of the Cardinals' Bob Gibson that wound up being the series-winning hit. History & Major Milestones. We can't predict how his career will turn out, but we can say that he's the most average player currently in the game. He also won 11 consecutive Gold Gloves during his career. Teams:Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Stats:358 games, 214-191, 3.37 ERA, 102 CG, 26 SHO, 5.4 K/9 IP. He was also a phenomenal defensive second baseman as well and one of the best at turning the double play, yet he never received a Gold Glove Award due to the presence of two other second basemen who were equally as adept with the glove: the Royals' Frank White and the Tigers' Lou Whitaker. The Cuban was often overlooked during his career as well, only making the All-Star Team three times. He would have accomplished even more on the field if he hadnt died unexpectedly and should be remembered a little more for his brilliant career rather than his tragic death. Bottom line: Certainly one of the premier defensive center fielders of his time with enough highlight-reel plays to keep you busy through lunch and dinner. 4. In 1990, Oquendo set the National League record for fewest errors by a second baseman in at least 150 games by committing only three. The Best Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But most people dont know just how good Jackson was as a player. Career Stats: 1,941 G; .263/.319/.419; 208 HR; 846 RBI; 1,934 H; 1,125 R; 346-for-444 SB. Not complicated. Omar Vizquel might be the poster boy for how little the Hall of Fame values defense, which is why he's among the most underrated MLB players of all time. The most underrated players in baseball history. Stats: 59.5 WAR, .285 AVG, .830 OPS, 1430 RBIs. His best season came two years later with the Angels in 1991, when he went 18-11 with a 2.89 ERA, finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. Conine wasn't about gaudy numbershe was simply consistent. UZR: -7.3. Nettles is just one example of a bevy of Major League Baseball players who had outstanding careers but were considered underrated, especially, in retrospect, when they did not make the Hall of Fame, baseballs unofficial arbiter of separating transcendent careers from "merely" great ones. But he was also a part of one of the best defensive infields of all time during his time with the Mets in the late 90s. . Many come for the 75,600-square-foot Seminole Casino Immokalee with a large variety of table games, live . I'd say Mike Trout is underrated. A five-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner at third base, Wallach led the National League in doubles twice and was the first player from Cal-State Fullerton to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat. Yogi Berra is one of the greatest winners in the history of the MLB. Third base: Rafael Devers, BOS. ", Teams:Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels, Stats:573 games, 229-172, 3.30 ERA, 187 CG, 49 SHO, 6.2 K/9 IP. Had Jim Wynn not spent 11 years of his 15-year career playing in the Houston Astrodome, one of the more pitching friendly parks in the history of the game, chances are that he'd have approachedor surpassedthe 400 home run mark for his career. Dozens of ESPN writers and editors submitted more than 20,000 votes ( see full methodology here ) to determine the . Teams:Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Stats:1,332 games, .356 BA, 54 HR, 792 RBI, .423 OBP, .517 SLG. Teams:Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Stats:443 games, 176-137, 3.44 ERA, 103 CG, 30 SHO, 5 K/9 IP. The Cardinals starting second baseman in three World Series (1982, 1985 and 1987), Tommy Herr paired with the Wizard of Oz, Ozzie Smith, to form one of the best double-play combinations the game has seen in the past 30 years. Pujols' Career Accomplishments are Astounding. He has a no-hitter on his resume and was also a six-time all-star. Moreover, he was one of the best if not the best defensive center fielders of his time. His ability to play anywhere and everywhere on the field made him one of the more valuable players that Whitey Herzog ever had at his disposal. The combination is celebrated with entry into the game's exclusive 30/30 club . Stats:2,606 games, .272 BA, 385 HR, 1,385 RBI, .370 OBP, .470 SLG. He had a career average of .356, amassing 1,772 hits, including 54 home runs. Career Stats: 1,553 G; .251/.332/.420; 210 HR; 773 RBI; 1,352 H; 653 R; 10-for-32 SB. Highest vote pct. He'd accomplish the feat three more times over the course of his career. Lots of 2nd tier pitchers from the 50's-80's that are underrated by many: Roberts, Jenkins, Niekro, Blyleven (even though the HOF backlash has pretty much caught up), Tiant, Reuschel, Koosman, Stieb, Sabes, etc. Stiebs ERA was solid, he was durable never made less than 31 starts in 10 of 11 seasons between 1980 and 1990 and was terrific in fielding his position. Eight times in his 17-year career, Sievers hit at least 20 home runs and drove in at least 80 runs, and his 42 home runs and 114 RBI in 1957 as a member of the Washington Senators led the American League. Widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive shortstops to ever play the game, Omar Vizquel is entering the final two weeks of his career as an active player with the Toronto Blue Jays. The road to Cooperstown is difficult for receivers, due to the difficulty of evaluating the position with statistics. It's another simple design with another iconic font on white background. While he hit the first-ever home run at Veterans Stadium as a member of the Phillies, it wasn't until Don Money was traded to the Brewers following the 1972 season that he enjoyed the most success of his career. The most dynamic MLB players seem to always possess the same unique skill set. : 10.8%. Buffalo Sabres. Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished his career with 107 home runs and 875 RBIs. Giles finished his career with more than 300 more walks than strikeouts, and while he was never the same player in San Diego as he was in Pittsburgh, Giles was one of the most popular Padres during his time with the club. A fixture on the first four National League All-Star teams from 1933 though 1936, Wally Berger was a power-hitting center fielder who led the National League in home runs (34) and RBI (130). Alomar threw the ball to John Olerud at first base to double-up the Braves' Terry Pendleton, but Pendelton had already been called out for passing Deion Sanders on the base paths. What he did accomplish was becoming the premier defensive shortstop of his generation, with 11 Gold Gloves including nine in a row from 1993 through 2001 and three All-Star appearances. It's a relatively simple design: a white background with a big Oakland Athletics A. He played over a decade in the big leagues, winning 11 Gold Gloves, including nine in a row at one point. He won a batting title and an MVP with the Cardinals, and led the league in walks in 1986, the year he helped the Mets to a seven-game World Series title over the Red Sox. 2. Career Stats: 1,806 G; .399/.355/.458; 192 HR; 1,058 RBI; 1,910 H; 895 R; 48-for-74 SB. A seven-time All-Star and one of the smoothest fielding third basemen of the 1940s, Ken Keltner almost single-handedly ended Joe DiMaggios 56-game hitting streak in 1941. 20 most underrated baseball players of all-time, overrated MLB players in baseball history, MLB player rankings ahead of 2023 season: Relievers & closers, Outlining the controversial rule changes being introduced for the 2023 MLB season, MLB player rankings ahead of 2023 season: Second basemen, 10 best sleepers to consider for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts, 10 players to watch at 2023 Spring Training, featuring top prospects & injury-hit veterans, MLB player rankings ahead of 2023 season: Starting pitchers, MLB player rankings ahead of 2023 season: Third basemen. Longtime sports writer and researcher Bob Carroll wrote an article for the National Pastimein 1985 about 12 players he believed should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. How is it possible that a 10-time all-star like Steve Garvey isnt enshrined in Cooperstown? 1885 1886 1926 1931 1934 1942 1944 1946 1964 1967 1982 2006 2011. Clemente won MVP honors in 1966 and helped the Pirates win two World Series, earning World Series MVP in 1971. As the Yankees came back to prominence in 1976, White continued to excel on a team loaded with stars. Career Stats: 1,673 G; .286/.351/.455; 202 HR; 870 RBI; 1,706 H; 843 R; 103-for-171 SB. Granted, he was only a .256 hitter with 14 career home runs. Career Stats: 1,392 G; .267/.333/.429; 153 HR; 610 RBI; 1,254 H; 603 R; 39-for-77 SB. From 1976 to 1978, when the Yankees went to the World Series for three consecutive years and won two, Nettles hit 96 home runs and drove in 293 runs a key cog, to be sure. Keith Hernandez. He was a . Stats:2,488 games, .267 batting average, 101 HR, 950 RBI, .322 .357 SLG. The first Angel to hit for the cycle, Fregosi was not only the face of the franchise in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but he was regarded as the best hitting shortstop in the game during that span as well. A six-time All-Star and one of the most important pieces on the A's teams that won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 through 1974, Campaneris was one of the great stolen base artists of his era, leading the league in steals six times. A nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove Award winner during his 19-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, Concepcion's contributions were routinely overshadowed by his Hall of Fame teammates, namely Pete Rose, Tony Perez and Morgan. Games in seven straight seasons at one point three more times over the course of time... 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