Luis Aparicio: Aparicio was a scrappy punch and judy hitter, with speed. While he did steal 506 bases, he only hit 83 HRs with career .262 AVG and .653 OPS. And his claim to fame was his glove, earning nine gold glove awards.
Craig Biggio:
Biggio is another one of those stat accumulators. He played 20 seasons and managed to reached one of the sacred MLB milestones or 3000 hits. That, and that alone got him into the HOF. He hit 291 HRs and had a pedestrian .281 AVG. He won four gold gloves, and had speed, stealing 414 bases.
Fergie Jenkins:
In 19 seasons, Jenkins only made it to three All Star games. He is a bit of a stat accumulator, having won 284 games. He did strike out over 3000 hitters but it took him 4500 innings pitched to reach that mark. He won a Cy Young in 1971, which was in the first part of a career that was stellar. In his first 12 seasons’, he did win 20 games or more seven times, but after that, he had a long and steady drop over the remainder of his career.
Greg Maddux:
Maddux may be the most controversial player on the list. He is an all-time great, no doubt…having won 355 regular-season games. But the reality is, he was a lousy playoff pitcher. And on those great Braves teams, I’d give Tom Glavine or John Smoltz the ball, 10 out of 10 times in a big game. In his last five seasons’, he was 50-53. His career strikeout rate was only 6.1/9ip. And he had a career 11-14 playoff record.
Don Drysdale:
Drysdale only won 209 games in his short 14 yr. career. And he lost an alarming 166 games. His strikeout ratio was an abysmal 6.52/9ip. Winning a Cy Young award in 1962, while winning three World Series championships, built up his bona fides, but overall he was a borderline selection to get to the Hall.
Bill Mazeroski:
Game 7, 1960 World Series, and The Shot Heard Around the World, is why Mazerosky is in the Hall of Fame. He had a career WAR of 36.5. He only hit 138 HRs. he didn’t reach 1000 runs scored, or RBIs. And his OPS was only .667. He was known for his glove, getting 10 gold gloves at second base. One HR may immortalize a person, but it can also make them overrated.
Harold Baines:
Baines is the poster child for us “Big Hall” people. And I have to admit, even I was surprised when I heard the news that Baines got in. His WAR was under 40, sitting at 38.8. He was something of a stat accumulator, having played 22 seasons in the league. He never won an MVP award, and in fact, only finished inside the top 10 once.
Dustin Pedroia:
Pedroia is now on the Hall of Fame ballot, having missed out in his first year. He began his career strong, winning Rookie of the Year, and followed it up in his second season with an MVP award. He only played 14 seasons, but only 114 games over his final three. He only hit 140 HRs over his career and he didn’t reach 1000 Runs or RBIs. Winning two World Series has raised his perception throughout the baseball world, but he is an overrated player. If he does make it to the HOF, it will only further that point.
Felix Hernandez:
King Felix hasn’t made it to the HOF, but by many, he is considered one of the most dominant pitchers in his era. He does have a Cy Young under his belt…in a year he went 13-12. He fell short of 200 wins, going 169-136 over his career. In his last three seasons’ he was 15-27, and then retired at the age of 33.
Tony Perez:
Perez was a huge stat accumulator, having played 23 seasons. But even in those 23 years, his numbers weren’t eye-popping. He didn’t hit 400 HRs or reach 3000 hits. And he hit less than .280 over his career. He only had a 53.9 WAR, and for such a long career, that is pedestrian at best. He’s in the HOF because of his time on the Big Red Machine in the mid-70s.
Kirby Puckett:
Puckett had a 12 yr. career which ended at age 35. While his numbers over that time were fantastic; and earned him 10 All-Star games, his career was just too short. He was on a pathway to the Hall, but in my estimation; his career was just too short. Being in the Hall; validates my position that he is overrated.
Pee Wee Reese:
Reese played 16 seasons and missed three due to war. Many players in this era got into the HOF because they did miss some of their prime seasons, with the argument that their stats would have been better. While that’s true, in Reese’s case, his numbers were rather pedestrian over the years he did play. And frankly, his biggest claim to fame, was being Jackie Robinson’s teammate.
Jim Rice:
Rice was one of my favorite players growing up, and to me, 1978 was one of the greatest singular seasons I’ve ever seen. He hit 46 HRs that year and had over 400 total bases, on his way to an MVP season. It took the full 15 years of eligibility for him to make it into Cooperstown. He didn’t reach 400 HRs, and his teammate Dwight Evans actually had more over their careers.
Alex Rios:
Throughout his career, Rios was overrated. And he just never lived up to everyone’s view of him. He only played 12 seasons through age 34. He only managed two 20/20 seasons; but year after year, he was always in everyone’s top 10 list. Byron Buxton is the modern-day Rios.
Scott Rolen:
Again, I’m a “Big Hall” guy, but not once, never…did I ever consider Rolen A Hall of Fame player. He did win Rookie of the Year, and was a solid defensive third baseman. But he had an average bat. He only batted .281 for his career, with only 316 HRs.
Ryne Sandberg:
Maybe I’m anti-second base, because I do have a few on this list. Sandberg is another one I believe was overrated. He did win an MVP and was a 10x All-Star and 9X Gold Glove winner. He was a terrific player, but he was overrated. He missed 300 HRs and fell short of an .800 OPS. When players like Jim Edmonds and Andruw Jones aren’t in the HOF, but Sandberg is, I’ll definitely say he’s overrated.
Ted Simmons:
Simmons is on the same level as Baines and Rolen. In 21 seasons his WAR was barely 50. Aside from being a solid defensive catcher, he was nowhere near the level of Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, or Pudge Rodriguez. He is absolutely overrated. His OPS was under .800 and he only hit 248 HRs.
Joey Votto:
There is no doubt that over his 17 yr career, Votto put up some prodigious numbers. But the end of his career was frankly, awful. He hit over .300 for nine of his first 11 seasons. His OBP was over .400 in nine of his 17 seasons in the league. And he ended his career with a remarkable .409 OBP. But his career was basically over at age 34, after the 2018 season. His last five seasons were a real drag on his career, and the expectations that people had for him. He did hit 356 HRs, but at times considered selfish for not trying to hit more or drive more runs in. he didn’t want to negatively affect his AVG or OBP. He ended his career with more walks, (1365), than RBIs, (1144).
Catfish Hunter:
Hunter’s WAR was only 40.9 over his career, and his W/L record was a pedestrian 224-166. He barely reached 2000 Ks, and his strikeout ratio was only 5.25/9ip. Frankly, if he’s in, Luis Tiant MUST get in too.
Carl Yastrzemski:
Yastrzemski was the ultimate stat accumulator the game has ever seen. It took him 23 seasons to get the stats he ended up with. He won baseball’s triple crown and MVP in 1967. He played 16 seasons after that, and other than making it to All-Star games, he never again threatened another MVP award.He reached two of baseball’s gold stats, hitting over 400 HRs and getting over 3000 hits. But for the amount of time he played he should have challenged 500 HRs. And, he made the final out in the 1978 season, in a one-game playoff against the Yankees at Fenway Park.
