Jim Edmonds won eight Gold Gloves in his 17-year career and hit 30 or more home runs five times, batted .300 or better five times, and knocked in 100 or more runs four times. The most dynamic MLB players seem to always possess the same unique skill set. Career Stats: 2,212 G; .257/.316/.416; 260 HR; 1,125 RBI; 2,085 H; 908 R; 51-for-117 SB. The most underrated players in baseball history. A member of the Tigers' 1968 World Series championship team, Cash's single in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game 7 with two outs started a three-run rally that propelled the Tigers to their first championship in 23 years. Teams:Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Stats:2,332 games, .294 BA, 272 HR, 1,3-8 RBI, .329 OBP, .446 SLG. Teams:California/Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Stats:1,105 games, .284 BA, 393 HR, 1,199 RBI, .376 OBP, .527 SLG. Whether it was Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Miguel Tejada, Vizquel was always an afterthought when it came to talking about the best shortstops in the game. If not Hall of Fame, then certainly underrated. NICK ALBERGA: For me, it would be Ivan Barbashev of the St. Louis Blues. Third base: Rafael Devers, BOS. Adrian Beltre is probably going to make the Hall of Fame on his first ballot next season - the former Texas Ranger is one of 12 players in MLB history to get 3,000 hits and 400 home runs. Otis knew better, and he and Hodges clashed until the day that the Mets traded Otis to the Royals prior to the 1970 season. By the time his career came to an end, White was celebrated along with Rojas as two of the more popular players in Royals history. Through much of the 1930s Vaughan was to Gehrig as Hornsby was to Rutha Yankee slugger as the kingpin of the American League, a . His .482 lifetime on-base percentage is the highest of all time, and he ranks in the top 20 in total runs scored, home runs, runs batted in, and walks despite having missed almost five full seasons of his prime to military service. He was also named MVP of the 1980 American League Championship Series when he hit .545 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored as the Royals swept the Yankees in three games. France remains one of the most underrated players in baseball despite starring for Seattle over the last two-and-a-half years. Underappreciated, thats what youd call him. 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. Indeed, he was a powerful presence at the plate. Not to take anything away from any of those players, all of whom have had excellent careers, but none of them come close to fielding their position as well as Vizquel. With his 10 all-star selections on top of that, his absence from Cooperstown is proof that he remains an underrated player. 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. A two-time All-Star, Wynn led the National League in walks twice over the course of his career and hit 20 or more home runs on eight different occasions. Known as a slugger, Allen had a good OBP and finished his career with a .292 batting average. Money pitcher. In every generation, there are also underrated MLB players who fly below the radar and dont get the credit they deserve. Career Stats: 1,526 G; .276/.338/.441; 163 HR; 852 RBI; 1,570 H; 737 R; 39-for-72 SB. These are the Most underrated players in Hall of Fame history: C: Gary Carter. Bottom line: Bit of a mystery how Larry Walker hasnt garnered more support for the Hall. Players in parentheses have the same grade. It's not like Vizquel is the second coming of Rey Ordonez, a slick fielding shortstop who was inept at the plate. He'll be the first to admit that his selections will invite skepticism and even controversy, which is the very essence of the O-U debate. This also should paint a great picture of the current roster. Mo Vaughn: Similar to others on this list, Vaughn was a fan-favorite slugger whose numbers at the plate overshadowed his deficiencies in other areas of the game. The following list of 20 underrated MLB players contains players whose accomplishments seem to have been diminished in due in large part to the accusations of rampant steroid abuse. 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. It's another simple design with another iconic font on white background. Oakland Athletics: Reggie Jackson. 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. After the 1973 season, he was traded to the Tigers. 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 posted a .994 fielding percentage in 1989, committing only five errors in more than 850 chances. He was a four-time Gold Glove winner and a six-time All-Star. Bottom line: Shortstops, at least during the era when Omar Vizquel started his career, werent supposed to produce corner infielder numbers. 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. In 1973, at age 34 and after having missed virtually the entire 1972 season, he batted .291 with 16 home runs and 92 RBI. Teams:Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Stats:1,332 games, .356 BA, 54 HR, 792 RBI, .423 OBP, .517 SLG. 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. Had he spent the bulk of his career elsewhere, Watson is probably pushing 300 home runs, if not more. 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. But in terms of 1980s football issues, it's also one of the more underrated. Not only would he help the Red Sox win the American League Pennant in 1946, he did everything that he could to win the 1946 World Series, hitting .417 against the St. Louis Cardinals in what wound up being a Cardinals' sweep. 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. As a second baseman, he has one of the highest fielding percentages in MLB history. John was a four-time all-star, three of those selections coming post-surgery. He once had a season with just three errors, which is also a record among shortstops. And his defense was unparalleled, as evidenced by his World Series-turning performance in Game 3 against the Dodgers in 1978. A rare blend of both power and speed. The best shortstop of the 1970s, Dave Concepcion paired with Joe Morgan to form one of the great double-play combinations in the history of the game. ", 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. There are a lot of Braves players like Ozzie . Yet, his Hall of Fame support has declined in recent years with voters being unappreciative of Vizquels defensive brilliance. In my opinion, Todd Helton might be the most underrated player between 2000-2009. #34 of 255. I'd say Mike Trout is underrated. He won a Gold Glove in 1986 and was a two-time All-Star. Also, Reuschel pitched for 20 seasons in the majors, and that longevity is just as impressive as his career 3.37 ERA across a career that long. Injuries would take their toll andultimatelyend his career in 1985 after only 38 innings of work. His average of 2.45 bWAR/season is "best" among active qualifiers. Career Stats: 2019 G; .254/.352/.408; 242 HR; 1,039 RBI; 1,790 H; 982 R; 75-for-121 SB. That's the beauty of sportsnobody watches a game the same way. His best year of 1922 is one of the most underrated seasons of all time. The youngest player to play in an MLB game in 2019 was Elvis Luciano a 19-year-old pitcher Highest vote pct. 09-28-2010, 09:33 PM. He finished a close second to teammate George Brett for the American League batting crown in 1976, losing out by less than .001 after Brett went 2-for-4 in the final game of the season to barely squeak past McRae. Rolen was also Rookie of the Year and amassed more than 2,000 hits in his career while being named an all-star seven times. Career Stats: 1,865 G; .288/.362/.461; 223 HR; 1,247 RBI; 2,042 H; 1,094 R; 54-for-118 SB. As a member of the Blue Jays, he was involved in one of the more bizarre plays in World Series history. One half of a great double-play combination in Kansas City, along with second baseman Frank White, shortstop Freddie Patek was part of the Royals teams that won the American League West from 1976-78. 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. After an inauspicious start to his career as a member of the Indians, Brian Giles found himself traded to the Pirates prior to the 1999 season. 2. He was traded from Baltimore to the Angels in 1982 to make room for Cal Ripken Jr.; ironically, DeCinces was the man who had the unenviable task of replacing legendary third baseman Brooks Robinson, so his time in Baltimore was sandwiched in between two all-time greats. Ken Williams- A forgotten power speed threat of his time. Dwight Evans was an anomaly he produced far better in his 30s than when he first came up in his 20s. 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. The knock against Walker is he was able to pad his stats in the thin air of Colorado. He hit .332 with an OPS of 1.040 and had 39 home runs, 155 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases. The road to Cooperstown is difficult for receivers, due to the difficulty of evaluating the position with statistics. Let me take you through his season and where things went south. A two-time All-Star, he wouldn't join a winning baseball team until 1946 when he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. Career Stats: 1,514 G; .271/.347/.350; 28 HR; 574 RBI; 1,450 H; 676 R; 188-for-252 SB. Accolades: MVP x 3, All-Star x 18, World Series x 10. Without question, the highlight of Abbott's career came on Sept. 4, 1993 when he threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, walking five while striking out three. Teams:Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Stats:1,463 games, .260 BA, 275 HR, 850 RBI, .345 OBP, .476 SLG, World Series titles:3 (1961, 1962, 1967). Ty Cobb. Bottom line: Keith Hernandez is one of the finest defensive first basemen who ever played the game. Stats:2,606 games, .272 BA, 385 HR, 1,385 RBI, .370 OBP, .470 SLG. 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. Maris was never beloved in New York, breaking Babe Ruths record for most home runs in a season at a time when most fans wanted Mickey Mantle to break it. Jim Fregosi became the face of the Angels franchiseand its most popular playerduring the 1960s and early 1970s. The Best Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame. By contrast, when Babe Ruth died . If more fans only knew about his accomplishments rather than just the surgery. He possessed the speed to cover ground in the outfield and also steal 622 bases in his career. From his first full season in the MLB rotation in 2006 through the 2013 season, he was one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, making at least 30 starts and working at least 180 innings . Roberto Clemente is often remembered for his humanitarian work and the tragic circumstances surrounding his death. 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. A five-time All-Star, White was one of the smoothest fielding second baseman of his era, winning eight Gold Glove Awards. Now that our list of the top 100 MLB players of all time has been revealed, it's time to have some fun. He finished his quarter-century-long career with 288 wins and over 2,200 strikeouts. Some players simply aren't receiving due credit. 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. For his career, he drew 1,243 walks while striking out only 675 times. But enough procrastinating. Not bad considering that neither shortstop or second base had really evolved to the slugging positions we've grown accustomed to over the past 15 years. 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. Otis had power, played excellent defense and had speed, leading the American League with 52 stolen bases in 1971 while also becoming the first player since 1927 to steal five bases in one game. Darrell Evans - Bill James called him the most underrated player in baseball history. He would hit .275 or better five times and put together seven consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 20 bases a year. Yet brown got just 2.1% of the HOF vote. #1 of 219. Santo hit for power, had a great eye at the plate, was smooth with the glove and was one of the most popular Cubs in franchise history. Lou Gehrig Sounds crazy at first but he really is underrated RELATIVE to where he SHOULD be all time. Career Stats: 2,324 G; .255/.293/.383; 160 HR; 886 RBI; 2,006 H; 912 R; 178-for-261 SB. While much of how we view athletes is performance-based and backed up with statistics, some of it is simply subjective. Vizquel hit .280 or better eight times, hit more than 30 doubles four times and led the league in sacrifice hits three times. He won eight Gold Gloves, including six in a row during his time with the Cardinals. Jim Abbot underrated because he had one hand.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. The Cuban was often overlooked during his career as well, only making the All-Star Team three times. Yet Gehrig is always overshadowed by Ruth and other greats. Tim Wallach could play both corner-infield and outfield positions, and even took the mound twice for the Expos, in 1987 and 1989. He has a no-hitter on his resume and was also a six-time all-star. Of course, his defense is also a reason why Olerud should be remembered as a great player. Reuschel pitched well enough to earn over 200 wins and three all-star selections during his career. 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. 2,143: 3.24: Movies: May 30, 2010: VH-1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock bands. Leonard had a career record of 139-133 with a 2.76 ERA, and in 1914, he led the American League with a remarkable 0.96 ERA, the major league record for lowest ERA among pitchers who threw at least 150 innings in the same season. Teams:Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Stats:1,749 games, .292 BA, 351 HR, 1,119 RBI, .378 OBP, .534 SLG. Career Stats: 1,881 G; .271/.360/.404; 160 HR; 758 RBI; 1,803 H; 964 R; 233-for-350 SB. He would sign with the Diamondbacks as a free agent prior to the 1998 season and, in 2001, scored the World Series-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 when Luis Gonzalez hit a bloop single off of Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera. In 2010, as a member of the Padres, Eckstein went 113 consecutive games without committing an error as a second baseman, a record that stood until this past August when the Cubs' Darwin Barney tied it and later broke it. The four-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger recipient has long been one of the most underrated players in baseball, but has become one of the best players in baseball over the last several years. Meanwhile, few remember him for being an adequate hitter, batting .272 in his career and coming up 133 hits shy of the 3,000-hit plateau. Our ranking of the 100 greatest MLB players of all time comes down to the top 25. The 28-year-old made his first All-Star team last season and played a . More than anything, he was also one of the most feared outfielders in the game because of his incredible arm, saving countless runs by turning would-be doubles and triples into outs. Nobody in the league could play balls that were hit off of Ebbets Field's high wall in right field like he could, and opposing runners quickly grew tired of testing his arm and failing to advance nearly every time. How is it possible that a 10-time all-star like Steve Garvey isnt enshrined in Cooperstown? Here are some of the most underrated players in baseball history. I grew up with Bill White, watching him team up with Phil Rizzuto on WPIX in New York to call Yankees games from the late '70s through the early '90s. The shortstop was also a two-time Silver Slugger winner. After two quick pop-outs, Minnick singled to the right and then Diamant was hit by a pitch to put two . Hasnt garnered more support for the Hall the right and then Diamant was hit a... 'S the beauty of sportsnobody watches a game the same unique skill set thin air of Colorado ;. ; 852 RBI ; 1,570 H ; 676 R ; 54-for-118 SB ; 2,085 H ; 964 R ; SB... 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