Underrated

Many amazing players have snuck under the radar due to small media markets, lack of post-season appearances, or the particularly large shadow of a teammate or contemporary. The history of the game is full of diamonds that went unappreciated because they never got the chance to gleam. Here we’ll shine a new light on some of the overlooked greats.

Underrated? Is Mike Mussina a Hall of Famer?

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Underrated? Is Mike Mussina a Hall of Famer?

Mike Mussina’s Hall of Fame credentials have been under debate the past few years. While he ranks high in most career measures, he never won a Cy Young award, won 20 games only once, and if elected, he would have the third-highest ERA of any pitcher in the Hall of Fame.

However, that ERA was inflated by playing in the American League East during the height of the PED era. When compared to league average, he looks much better than not only many pitchers in the hall, he’s equal or better than some of his contemporaries already in the Hall. Read more

Tim Raines, ‘Greatest Base Stealer Ever’? Not as crazy as it sounds.

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Tim Raines, ‘Greatest Base Stealer Ever’? Not as crazy as it sounds.

As good as Tim Raines, 2017 Hall of Fame inductee,was as a baserunner, it is almost heresy to suggest that any player in Major League Baseball history was a better base stealer than Ricky Henderson. Henderson has by far the most stolen bases in history. Lou Brock at #2 would have had to steal almost 50% more in his career to match Rickey. The gap between Henderson at #1 and Brock at #2 is the same as between Brock and Jimmy Rollins at #46.

However the question of Ricky Henderson v. Tim Raines is actually closer than you’d think. And we think that an argument can be made that at the “height of their powers,” Raines might actually have been the better runner overall. (*gasp*) Read more

Underrated: Lou Whitaker

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Underrated: Lou Whitaker

Other than players still playing, still eligible for eventual BBWAA voting into the Hall, or banned from the game, Lou Whitaker has the highest WAR total of any player not yet in the Hall of Fame. By either calculation of WAR, Whitaker ranks in the Top-100 of all players (both position and pitchers) since the beginning of the game, so it’s mind-boggling that not only is he not in the Hall of Fame, he didn’t even receive 5% of the vote in his first year – dropping him off the ballot entirely. How was/is such a productive player so underrated? Well, there are several reasons, some better than others. Read more