Everyone loves labels, especially when it comes to athletes. Career Stats: 1,919 G; .291/.319/.391; 57 HR; 941 RBI; 2,158 H; 980 R; 363-for-400 SB*. Teams:Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Stats:2,456 games, .290 BA, 339 HR, 1,493 RBI, .339 OBP, .471 SLG. He would hit .275 or better five times and put together seven consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 20 bases a year. He slugged 32 home runs, 43 doubles and 94 RBI. Thats why we wanted to help rectify the situation by coming up with a list of the most underrated baseball players of all time. His 272 career home runs dont stack up too well against other top-flight first basemen in baseball history. 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. I think the most underrated active player is Adrian Gonzalez. Jim Fregosi became the face of the Angels franchiseand its most popular playerduring the 1960s and early 1970s. 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. He spent his entire career with the Tigers, playing in Detroit from 1977 to 1995. But he was a good pitcher both before and after he had the surgery that bears his name. And his defense was unparalleled, as evidenced by his World Series-turning performance in Game 3 against the Dodgers in 1978. Reuschel pitched well enough to earn over 200 wins and three all-star selections during his career. His brilliance with the glove is easier to document than Ty Cobb's temper, Hack Wilson's drinking or Walter Johnson's fastball; it is all over the literature of the sport. The hits are comparable. He missed his window for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and at this point, its unlikely he'll be considered for alternate induction via the veterans. But Reardon did save at least 20 games in seven straight seasons at one point. The 1982 Topps football set has a solid mix of rookie and veteran players. A rare blend of both power and speed. This also should paint a great picture of the current roster. Conine wasn't about gaudy numbershe was simply consistent. They'd go on to win 20 of their next 23 games and the World Series as well. In fact, from 2000 through 2009, Rolen had 127 defensive runs saved. 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. The Cuban was often overlooked during his career as well, only making the All-Star Team three times. Between his tenures with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, Garvey won five NL pennants and one World Series, in 1981. If not Hall of Fame, then certainly underrated. It wasn't until he was traded to the Brewers prior to the 1978 season that a then 29-year-old Oglivie got a chance to play on an everyday basis. Top 100 Players All-Time. Toward the end of his career, Reardon spent a little time as MLBs all-time save leader despite Lee Smith passing him before the end of his career. McRae is one of only a handful of players who have a rule be named after them. 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. In addition to his longevity, Whitaker was Rookie of the Year in 1978, a five-time all-star, a three-time Gold Glove winner, and a four-time Silver Slugger. Clemente won MVP honors in 1966 and helped the Pirates win two World Series, earning World Series MVP in 1971. Teams:Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Stats:2,103 games, .299 BA, 130 HR, 781 RBI, .372 OBP, .423 SLG. Giannis exits with knee injury, called day-to-day. Ronald Koeman of the Netherlands lines up before the UEFA Euro 88 Group 2 match between England and the Netherlands at the Rheinstadion on June 15, 1988 in Dsseldorf, West Germany. The shortstop crop is golden, and third base ain't so bad, either. #1 of 219. But in reality, Jeff McNeil has been lighting it up at the plate this year, hitting an amazing. And not too shabby at the plate, either. He even fielded his position well enough to win two Gold Gloves. For his career, he drew 1,243 walks while striking out only 675 times. 4. Bottom line: Norm Cash played in the shadows of the great Al Kaline, but at the time of his retirement, there were only three players in American League history that hit more home runs as a left-handed batter Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig. Career Stats: 2,011 G; .284/.376/.527; 393 HR; 1,199 RBI; 1,949 H; 1,251 R; 67-for-117 SB. But with a wiry framehe was 6'2", 160 pounds when the Red Sox drafted himnobody thought he'd be anything more than someone with gap power. 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. 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. Los Angeles Angels. A three-time All-Star with six .300 seasons under his belt, Hal McRae was named the Designated Hitter of the Year on three separate occasions by both The Sporting News and the Associated Press. He won three Gold Gloves and three Silver Slugger awards in addition to his battling titles. The Greatest New York Yankees Of All Time. Which teams should target Saquon Barkley in 2023 free agency? Career Stats: 1,650 G; .242/.309/.324; 41 HR; 490 RBI; 1,340 H; 736 R; 385-for-516 SB. Twice a .300 hitter and with two 100 RBI seasons under his belt, Oglivie proved that power hitters don't necessarily come in physically imposing packages. Jose Oquendo was far ahead of his time when it came to being a versatile utility player who could play just about anywhere on the diamond. Except for his first season in 1972, when the team was over .500, Rick Reuschel never knew another winning season nor any National League East finish over third place during his tenure at Wrigley. Conine enjoyed success for a few seasons, placing third in Rookie of the Year balloting in 1993 and earning an All-Star selection in each of the next two seasons. Career Stats: 2,247 G; .260/.300/.320; 15 HR; 525 RBI; 2,191 H; 987 R; 318-for-423 SB. Northrup was a streaky power hitter but one who had a short, quick stroke and a good eye at the plate. He hit .332 with an OPS of 1.040 and had 39 home runs, 155 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases. While I thought he was great at his job back then, it turns out that he was a damn fine ballplayer as well. By the time his career was over, he had become the only player with as many as 2,705 hits before 1975 not elected to baseballs Hall of Fameand only two players, Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker, had played more games in center field than Doc Cramer. Olerud was one of the great contact hitters of his generation, batting .295 in his career, even if he didnt have the ideal power of a first baseman. 13, was retired by the team. Career Stats: 1,197 G; .273/.347/.452; 166 HR; 674 RBI; 128-for-189 SB. 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. 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). Let's take a look at the 50 most underrated baseball players in the history of the game. But there are plenty of reasons why former St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog referred to Oquendo as the secret weapon.. After averaging 147 games played over his first five seasons,a shoulder injury that he suffered in 1936 bogged down his career after that, and he would play in more than 100 games only once before calling it quits. Money pitcher. Maybe one of the most underrated MLB jerseys of all-time is the early 1970's Oakland Athletics' home jersey. Accolades: MVP x 3, All-Star x 18, World Series x 10. Bottom line: Keith Hernandez is one of the finest defensive first basemen who ever played the game. Its shocking to know that someone with that resume never received more than 24% of the votes while on the Hall of Fame ballot. He was far from a power hitter, and he only went deep eight times in 1985, making him the last NL player to drive in 100 or more runs in a season while hitting fewer than 10 home runs. 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. Career Stats: 1,672 G; .282/.385/.498; 299 HR; 1,016 RBI; 1,674 H; 986 R; 48-for-90 SB, To most of us he's Tim Salmon, but to those in the know, he's simply known as "King Fish.". He has two 20/20 seasons on his resume and fell three home runs short of adding three more to his collection. Hisle was a solid all-around player who never really got his due, largely in part to being overshadowed by his more heralded Hall of Fame teammates with the Twins, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew. Milwaukee Bucks. 43. 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. He also had a relatively short career. Now go take a look at his career stats. Oakland Athletics: Reggie Jackson. Baseball. However, it seems absurd that Carter had to wait six years on the ballot from . 2h. Thats why were happy to do the leg work and come up with a list of the 20 most underrated players in baseball history. : 10.8%. But he was best known for his 14 seasons with the Royals. Career Stats: 1,673 G; .286/.351/.455; 202 HR; 870 RBI; 1,706 H; 843 R; 103-for-171 SB. 2,143: 3.24: Movies: May 30, 2010: VH-1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock bands. He also had home run seasons of 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, and RBI seasons of 91, 89 and 89. Stats:2,488 games, .267 batting average, 101 HR, 950 RBI, .322 .357 SLG. Vizquel didnt. Career Stats: 1,286 G; .264/.362/.379; 93 HR; 418 RBI; 1,203 H; 718 R; 200-for-305 SB. Yogi Berra. Six times over his 13-year career, Morris would hit over .300, though he did so with little powerhis 16-home-run season of 1996 was the most he'd ever hit. There are a lot of Braves players like Ozzie . While the Royals would fall to the Phillies in the World Series, White was also part of the 1985 Royals team that won the only World Series championship in team history. The 1953 National League batting champion with a .344 mark, Furillo was an important part of two World Series championship winning teams in 1955 and 1959. In all his years and all his positions, he was never very good defensively. Career Stats: 443 G (412 GS); 176-137; 3.44 ERA; 1.25 WHIP; 2,895.1 IP; 2,572 H; 1.61 K/BB. 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. 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. Brown also led the National League in ERA twice during his career, including once after he signed that mega contract. So when will the Veterans Committee consider Evans? He was a 12-time Gold Glove winner, a 15-time all-star, and a four-time batting champ. It's kind of tough to think that anything Harrison Ford has done is underrated, isn't it? Career: 17 seasons (1996-2012) Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds The Greatest Relief Pitchers of All Time. Career Stats: 1,526 G; .276/.338/.441; 163 HR; 852 RBI; 1,570 H; 737 R; 39-for-72 SB. White chased the ball down and caught it while crashing full speed into the walla play some have said was more impressive than "The Catch" by Willie Maysthen threw a strike to Blue Jays' second baseman Roberto Alomar. Despite his achievements on the field, Doerr was not selected to the Hall of Fame until the Veterans Committee finally enshrined him in 1986. We throw around words like ballplayers toss around a baseball during pregame warm-ups in the outfield. 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. But Garvey also has a .294 career average and won four straight Gold Gloves during his prime. 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. Career Stats: 331 G (273 GS); 139-113; 2.76 ERA; 1.23 WHIP; 2,192 IP; 2,092 H, 1.75 K/BB. After all, if it was easy to pick them out, they wouldnt be so underappreciated. He won eight Gold Gloves, including six in a row during his time with the Cardinals. If more fans only knew about his accomplishments rather than just the surgery. It would be appropriate if when you opened a dictionary and looked up the word pesky that the definition was simply a photo of David Eckstein. 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. Jim Edmonds was far from the most talented player of his generation, but he got everything he could out of the talent he had. Believe it or not, the Big 12 has star power. Career Stats: 263 G (254 GS); 87-108; 4.25 ERA; 1.43 WHIP; 1,674 IP; 1,779 H; 1.43 K/BB. A key contributor on three World Series-winning Boston Red Sox teams in the 1910s, Dutch Leonard largely played in the shadow of Babe Ruth and "Smoky" Joe Wood. The youngest player to play in an MLB game in 2019 was Elvis Luciano a 19-year-old pitcher Teams:Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Naps, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Stats:1,332 games, .356 BA, 54 HR, 792 RBI, .423 OBP, .517 SLG. Yet brown got just 2.1% of the HOF vote. A switch-hitting left fielder who spent his entire career with the Yankees, Roy White was an excellent defensive outfielder who led all American League left fielders in fielding percentage from 1968 through the 1971 season. He spent the last five years of his career in Milwaukee, where he helped mentor two other eventual Hall of Fame players Paul Molitor and Robin Yount. Gil Hodges and the Mets were convinced that Amos Otis was a third baseman. 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. So disliked by his teammates, that when he died, the funeral home had to hire six pall bearers. He spent his entire career in Cincinnati from 1970 to 1988, earning nine all-star selections and five Gold Gloves along the way. Pedro had a better ERA than all of them, same with winnign %. Eckstein would reach the World Series a second time as a member of the Cardinals in 2006. Jimmy Haslam net worth, business background & other teams: Who is the Bucks newest owner? Stats:2,089 games, .271 BA, 377 HR, 1,104 RBI, .374 OBP, .488 SLG. His average of 2.45 bWAR/season is "best" among active qualifiers. Somehow, its occasionally forgotten that Clemente was also one of the all-time greats. 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