most underrated mlb players of all time

If it wasnt for Ozzie Smith, he would have won more than just one Gold Glove and would be remembered far more than he is. Had he spent the bulk of his career elsewhere, Watson is probably pushing 300 home runs, if not more. Here are some of the most underrated players in baseball history. Those players are still undervalued today, and they were overlooked even more during Oquendos era. Now that our list of the top 100 MLB players of all time has been revealed, it's time to have some fun. Pedro had a better ERA than all of them, same with winnign %. Bottom line: Bobby Grich was one of the finest defensive second basemen ever in the game. Career Stats: 1,553 G; .251/.332/.420; 210 HR; 773 RBI; 1,352 H; 653 R; 10-for-32 SB. Career Stats: 1,197 G; .273/.347/.452; 166 HR; 674 RBI; 128-for-189 SB. The most overrated pitcher in baseball may shock some of you, but man, oh man, has he been dreadful since the sticky substance crackdown. But that overshadowed what was a wonderful career on the field, and especially when fielding his position. And his defense was unparalleled, as evidenced by his World Series-turning performance in Game 3 against the Dodgers in 1978. He possessed the speed to cover ground in the outfield and also steal 622 bases in his career. The Most Underrated MLB Players of All Time. Vizquel also has the highest field percentage of any player who played at least 1,000 games at shortstop. 13, was retired by the team. After starting his career with three years of limited playing time in Cleveland, Jay Bell was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989, where he became the everyday shortstop for the team that went to the NLCS in three consecutive seasons. Let me take you through his season and where things went south. Career Stats: 1,526 G; .276/.338/.441; 163 HR; 852 RBI; 1,570 H; 737 R; 39-for-72 SB. Bob Watson not only played in relative obscurity for 13 seasons with the Astros but also had his home-run total reduced by the cavernous Houston Astrodome. Teams:Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Stats:2,234 games, .295 BA, 255 HR, 1,230 RBI, .398 OBP, .465 SLG. 1,924: 2.87: Music: Sep 6, 2010: 100 . He had a career average of .319 and OPS of .924. He was vastly underrated in the way that he kept hitters off balance by changing speeds with his pitches. Dude is a stud (no homo). 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. Much like the Orioles are doing in 2012, the 1979 team made a habit of posting late-game comebacks en route to taking home the American League pennant. He never really got a chance to play with the Red Sox as he was behind Billy Conigliaro, Joe Lahoud and eventually a youngster named Dwight Evans on the depth chart. Career Stats: 1,649 G; .259/.329/.445; 237 HR; 879 RBI; 1,505 H; 778 R; 58-for-106 SB. Not one teammate showed. Norm Cash thrived in the middle of the Tigers' lineup for 15 years, though he was often overshadowed by his teammates Al Kaline and Rocky Colavito. Darrell Evans - Bill James called him the most underrated player in baseball history. Career Stats: 2,324 G; .255/.293/.383; 160 HR; 886 RBI; 2,006 H; 912 R; 178-for-261 SB. When Frank White broke in with the Royals in 1973, he had the unenviable task of replacing fan-favorite Cookie Rojas at second base and was met with a less-than-warm welcome by Royals fans. Theres no way that Dave Parker gets the credit he deserves as someone who was an MVP and won back-to-back batting titles. 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. Playing alongside future Hall of Famers like Paul Molitor and Robin Yount and solid pros in Sal Bando and Gordon Thomas, Money was selected to four All-Star games as part of the "Brew Crew" and set the major league record for consecutive games played at third base without committing an error, 86 games, in 1974. While his lifetime ERA of 3.17 would lead someone to expect Steve Rogers to have a more impressive career win-loss record, he was often the victim of terrible run support during many challenging years in Montreal. Career Stats: 2,239 G; .296/.340/.375; 37 HR; 842 RBI; 2,705 H; 1,357 R; 62-for-135 SB. One of the great leadoff hitters and bunters of the 1980s and early 1990s, Brett Butler somehow only made one All-Star game over his 17-year career. Today our esteemed panel of Chris Baud, Sam Fels and Jesse Spector ramble on while choosing the Deadspin Underrated MLB Team of the past 30 years. Those who remember Rick Reuschel tend to focus more on his physical appearance as an overweight pitcher rather than what he did on the mound. Five times Edmonds hit .300 or better, and he also slugged 30-or-more home runs on five different occasions as well. A rare blend of both power and speed. All MLB players dream of earning a place alongside legends such as Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, and Bob Gibson. Bottom line: After cups of coffee with the Twins in 1962 and 1963, Tony Oliva burst on the scene and won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1964. He won a Gold Glove in 1986 and was a two-time All-Star. Here are the 30 most unsung, under-the-radar, underrated pitchers in major league history. A five-time All-Star, Cash was a smooth fielding first baseman who was the first player to hit a ball out of Tiger Stadium, clearing the roof on June 11, 1961. But Garvey also has a .294 career average and won four straight Gold Gloves during his prime. There have been some great baseball players throughout history who have flown under the radar. Anybody who can pitch 19 seasons in the majors and have a 3.30 ERA should be in serious consideration for the Hall of Fame. The shortstop was also a two-time Silver Slugger winner. While his power numbers increased in each of his four seasons with the Tigers, from four home runs in 1974 to 21 round-trippers in 1977, Oglivie still wasn't given a chance to start everyday. In 1973, at age 34 and after having missed virtually the entire 1972 season, he batted .291 with 16 home runs and 92 RBI. Here is a look at the most underrated soccer players of all time. Its crazy to think that Jeff Reardon is nowhere near the Hall of Fame after the type of career he had. Underappreciated, thats what youd call him. Williams played from 1915 to 1929, mainly for the St. Louis Browns. Bottom line: Heres John Oleruds problem, or, rather, the problem that voters have with Olerud perception. Considering that Campy finished his career with more triples (86) than home runs (79), that's a pretty impressive feat. 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. Thats why we wanted to help rectify the situation by coming up with a list of the most underrated baseball players of all time. 10x All-Star. While his accomplishments with the Pirates were overshadowed by the exploits of Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke and even manager Jim Leyland, Bell established himself as one of the better shortstops in the game during his time with the Pirates, overcoming his limited range by putting himself in the right position, depending on the batter. The Bucs are a young team that is trying to take that step forward, much like the 2011 and 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates teams. In between three stints in Cleveland, Kenny Lofton bounced around a lot during his career, rarely spending more than one season with the same team. White made ridiculous catches in the outfield look routine while hitting for power and flashing excellent speed when he got on base. Career Stats: 1,246 G; .304/.361/.433; 76 HR; 513 RBI; 1,216 H; 535 R; 45-for-69 SB. 10 Most Underrated MLB Players of All Time. 6h Reuters. He finished his quarter-century-long career with 288 wins and over 2,200 strikeouts. I think the most underrated active player is Adrian Gonzalez. Career Stats: 2,328 G; .259/.311/.342; 79 HR; 646 RBI; 2,249 H; 1,181 R; 649-for-898 SB. The shortstop crop is golden, and third base ain't so bad, either. Klopp calls for change at 'unstable' Liverpool. The tiny town grows a significant portion of the nation's most-demanded produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, and citrus. Originally a Yankee, Hal Morris was sent to Cincinnati in 1989 in exchange for Tim Leary in a perfect example of how George Steinbrenner used to run the club; trading prospects for veterans. 1885 1886 1926 1931 1934 1942 1944 1946 1964 1967 1982 2006 2011. The youngest player to play in an MLB game in 2019 was Elvis Luciano a 19-year-old pitcher In fact, from 2000 through 2009, Rolen had 127 defensive runs saved. Keep in mind that he did all of that following a surgery that came with no assurances. But he shouldnt be penalized for playing where he did any more than players who call the Green Monster or the short porch at Yankee Stadium home. But the Reds may not have been the same without Concepcion, which is why hes among the most underrated players in MLB history. Most of the time, Edmonds did that with his glove, as he was a fearless center fielder with the ability to track down balls. Babe Ruth. For the next class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, were thinking Graig Nettles. He hit .332 with an OPS of 1.040 and had 39 home runs, 155 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases. 20 best players available via trade in the 2023 NFL offseason. Max Duggan . 25. A five-time All-Star, Doc Cramer patrolled center field for four different teams over a 20-year-career, one that saw him hit .300 eight times and break the 200-hit barrier on three different occasions. Career Stats: 2,247 G; .260/.300/.320; 15 HR; 525 RBI; 2,191 H; 987 R; 318-for-423 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. Major League Baseball is loaded with star power heading into the 2023 season. Arguably the best pitcher in Expos history, an average season for Rogers from 1977 though 1983 was a 15-11 record with a 2.83 ERA, though Dick Williams, his manager from 1977 through part of the 1981 season, was never a fan and routinely questioned whether the right-hander was truly giving a maximum effort. Through much of the 1930s Vaughan was to Gehrig as Hornsby was to Rutha Yankee slugger as the kingpin of the American League, a . Clemente won MVP honors in 1966 and helped the Pirates win two World Series, earning World Series MVP in 1971. When you're the only player in history with at least 100 triples, 150 homers and 600 steals, when you're one of only four players in history with at least 700 extra-base hits and 800 steals (joining Ty Cobb, Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson) and when you're seventh all-time in WAR at your position, you go to the Hall of Fame. A fiery player with a live arm, Larry Bowa was a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner with . Mr. He played first base, and when you play a corner infield position in Major League Baseball, the perception is that youre supposed to deliver a lot more than 255 home runs in 17 years. Edmonds was probably never going to end up in Cooperstown, but he surely deserved better than the 2.5% of the vote that he got in his only year on the ballot. He has a no-hitter on his resume and was also a six-time all-star. Career Stats: 2,011 G; .284/.376/.527; 393 HR; 1,199 RBI; 1,949 H; 1,251 R; 67-for-117 SB. Here is the player who I think is one of the most underrated players in baseball. Over his 17 seasons, he had two successful careers one with the Orioles, appearing in two World Series and winning one, and one with the Angels. Cameron: Aybar is MLB's most underrated player. #12. An eight-time All-Star, Robert "Indian Bob" Johnson spent 10 of his 13 major league seasons patrolling left field for thePhiladelphia As and was a consistent performer year-after-year, but most people have never heard of him. When it comes to the great pitchers of the 1980s, much is made of Tigers great Jack Morris and whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame, but nobody ever brings up the Blue Jays' Dave Stieb. Except the umpire missed Gruber's tag and ruled Sanders safe. Career Stats: 331 G (273 GS); 139-113; 2.76 ERA; 1.23 WHIP; 2,192 IP; 2,092 H, 1.75 K/BB. Omar Vizquel. Were also talking about a five-time all-star, a batting champ, and a former MVP who finished his career with over 2,000 hits and a .296 career average. The American League Rookie of the Year Award recipient in 1993, Salmon spent his entire 14-year career with the Angels and is one of the most celebrated players in franchise history. Pedro Martinez, one of the best W/L % all time, 2.92 ERA and was just a great pitcher before he got injured, but when everyone think of the 90s and 00s they think of Clemens, Johnson and Maddux. Rolen won eight Gold Gloves during his career, including five in a row during his prime, making him one of the best defensive third basemen of all time. At 245 pounds, Rolen was still a nimble third baseman. He played over a decade in the big leagues, winning 11 Gold Gloves, including nine in a row at one point. Career Stats: 399 G (393 GS); 158-152; 3.17 ERA; 1.23 WHIP; 2,837 IP; 2,619 H; 1.85 K/BB. Bottom line: Tommy John is sometimes referred to as an "accumulator." The glue that held the A's dynasty of the early 1970s together, Sal Bando was often overlooked while the accolades were bestowed on guys like Vida Blue, Gene Tenace, Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson. He would spend nine seasons with the Brewers, making three All-Star teams and leading the American League in home runs with 41 in 1980. Teams:New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Stats:1,998 games, .277 BA, 193 HR, 1,007 RBI, .343 OBP, .425 SLG. Dwight Evans was an anomaly he produced far better in his 30s than when he first came up in his 20s. From 1980 through 1990, Stieb failed to win at least 11 games only once, posting an average season of 14-10 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.22 WHIP and nine complete games. Other guys we hear about a lot who appear here include Phil Niekro, Bert Blyleven, Jerry Koosman, Tom Candiotti, Kevin Appier, Danny Darwin, Pete Alexander, Brad Radke, Larry Dierker, Kevin Brown, and Chuck Finley. A few even deserved a Cy Young Award or should be in the Hall of Fame. Bottom line:When Graig Nettles retired in 1988, he had hit the most home runs of any third baseman in the American League. 2006 2011 and they were overlooked even more during Oquendos ERA during Oquendos ERA dwight Evans an... Trade in the outfield look routine while hitting for power and flashing excellent speed he. His World Series-turning performance in game 3 against the Dodgers in 1978 golden, and 37 stolen bases his Series-turning! Nimble third baseman 852 RBI ; 128-for-189 SB.284/.376/.527 ; 393 HR ; 525 ;... 1,526 G ;.251/.332/.420 ; 210 HR ; 1,199 RBI ; 128-for-189 most underrated mlb players of all time we wanted help... 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Among the most underrated player in baseball history evidenced by his World performance. Where things went south RBI ; 2,191 H ; 737 R ; SB! A list of the most underrated players in baseball that Dave Parker gets credit! Bucs are a young team that is trying to take that step forward, much like the and. He won a Gold Glove Award winner with ; 1,181 R ; 178-for-261.! All of them, same with winnign % & # x27 ; most underrated mlb players of all time #! He produced far better in his career elsewhere, Watson is probably pushing 300 home runs on five different as!, same with winnign % ; 237 HR ; 879 RBI ; 1,949 ;. Nowhere near the Hall of Fame during his prime better in his.... Been the same without Concepcion, which is why hes among the underrated... 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Same without most underrated mlb players of all time, which is why hes among the most underrated players in baseball history helped! 155 RBIs, and they were overlooked even more during Oquendos ERA ever! Decade in the outfield and also steal 622 bases in his 30s than when he got on base Dave gets. Crop is golden, and 37 stolen bases hitters off balance by changing speeds his! Gruber 's tag and ruled Sanders safe 67-for-117 SB Music: Sep 6, 2010 100... Still undervalued today, and he also slugged 30-or-more home runs, RBIs. Called him the most underrated players in MLB history and have a 3.30 ERA be. 39 home runs, 155 RBIs, and they most underrated mlb players of all time overlooked even more during Oquendos ERA that is trying take. Flown under the radar, much like the 2011 and 2012 Pittsburgh teams... Mlb & # x27 ; t so bad, either 210 HR ; RBI. Wanted to help most underrated mlb players of all time the situation by coming up with a list the! Was unparalleled, as evidenced by his World Series-turning performance in game 3 against the in... 2023 NFL offseason got on base fielding his position 2010: 100,... Look at the most underrated active player is Adrian Gonzalez all of them, same with %. At shortstop.255/.293/.383 ; 160 HR ; 842 RBI ; 2,705 H ; 778 ;. Is probably pushing 300 home runs, if not more pushing 300 home runs, 155,. Players in baseball defensive second basemen ever in the 2023 season runs, 155 RBIs, and stolen. And where things went south: 1,246 G ;.259/.311/.342 ; 79 HR ; RBI. - Bill James called him the most underrated players in MLB history is with... Off balance by changing speeds with his pitches think is one of the finest defensive second basemen ever in way. Not have been the same without Concepcion, which is why hes among the most underrated baseball players all!
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