Most Unappreciated Player

**AstrosFan** · 01-10-2008, 04:56 PM

I know we've done several threads on the most underrated player, but I feel there's a problem with those threads. Whether we do it consciously or not, I think we have a tendency to decide whether a player is underrated based on how our ranking of him compares to the average ranking of him. No one would say Babe Ruth is underrated, because he makes the top three in basically everyone's rankings, and generally takes the top spot. But Ruth could be unappreciated. Even if the consensus is that he's the greatest ever, he could be even better than we have given him credit for. I am not trying to make a pitch for Ruth, rather, I am using him as an example of what separates this thread from the underrated threads. I am asking that you limit yourselves to players who made their reputation in the majors, because otherwise the most unappreciated players will be the ones we know least about, who are of course the Negro Leaguers, Latin American baseball, and Japanese baseball stars. So the question put forth to you is:

Who is the most unappreciated major league baseball player of all time?

**CTaka** · 01-10-2008, 05:20 PM

I haven't given this a great deal of thought so don't rip me too bad. I tend to think the most unappreciated player is likely a 19th century player. They are either only compared against each other, if people bother to discuss them at all. Many dismiss them as if they never existed, even though they played MLB, because of "different rules" or "different conditions". I can acknowledge that, but I don't just dismiss them. For the most part, they are ignored by many and are completely unknown (and thus cannot be appreciated) by the average fan today. Of them, I'd say the most unappreciated may be either Dan Brouthers or Buck Ewing. Brouthers has the 7th highest career OPS+ in history, but because of the 19th century bias, doesn't get anywhere close to the level of appreciation that the others on the list get. Ewing may have been the best all-around player of his day (and belongs in a discussion for all-time) but is usually dismissed by those who just claim "he didn't catch as many games as those who came later and had far better protective equipment".

Heck, I have tremendous respect and appreciation for anyone willing to play catcher with those primitive masks and mitts and, most of all, NO CUP because there's no way in the world you'd ever find me in that position!!!

**AstrosFan** · 01-10-2008, 05:38 PM

I tend to agree with what you're saying. However, I think the most unappreciated pitcher of all time is a modern player, Dave Stieb. I think he was the best pitcher of the 1980s, and perhaps deserved multiple Cy Young awards. Yet no one gives him any credit for being as good as he was in his prime.

**KCGHOST** · 01-10-2008, 06:02 PM

There are tons of guys who should get more love than the do. One of my personal favorites is the 19th Century hurler John Clarkson

**Gee Walker** · 01-10-2008, 07:20 PM

Considering the abuse he took from the fans and the local press in Philadelphia, Dick Allen seems to have been seriously unappreciated.

Looking at it from the historical point of view, the ideal unappreciated player would be an unrecognized star on a bad team - Wally Berger comes to mind.

**AstrosFan** · 01-10-2008, 07:47 PM

I think Norm Cash is unappreciated. Most people think of him as a one big year guy, but he was a terrific player. His numbers would be a lot bigger if he didn't play in the sixties. I don't see Cash as a Hall of Famer, but he's damn close.

**Captain Cold Nose** · 01-11-2008, 04:44 AM

There actually have been a poster or two who argued vehementely, in a manner that would make Phil Spector proud, about how Babe Ruth was underrated.

Stan Musial and Warren Spahn are, to me, the biggest examples of underappreciated players. One is argubaly a top-10 player all time, the other arguable a top-10 pitcher. You hear a heck of a lot about how they are underrated, which really isn't true.

**hellborn** · 01-11-2008, 06:16 AM

Harlond Clift.

**RuthMayBond** · 01-11-2008, 06:27 AM

All Underappreciated Team?
P-Kid Nichols, Ed Walsh
C-Hartnett, Ewing, Kelly
1B-Brouthers, Allen, Olerud
2B-Grich, Whitaker
3B-Allen?, Darrell Evans, Buddy Bell
SS-GDavis, Dahlen
LF-Raines, SMagee
CF-Van Haltren, JWynn
RF-Reggie Smith

**Mike Hoban** · 01-11-2008, 10:03 AM

It seems to me that the most "underappreciated" position player would be the one with the best numbers - who is not in the HOF (and who has been eligible). And, of course, that is Dick Allen.

If we go back much further, the ONLY 20th century dead-ball era star who has HOF numbers, has been eligible and is not in the Hall is Sherry Magee.

Author of BASEBALL'S BEST: The TRUE Hall of Famers.