Lowest WAR, 20+ years in the Majors?

[ian2813]

I'm just asking out of curiosity, and I don't know the answer, but can anyone tell me who has the lowest career WAR with a 20+-year Major League career?

Baseball-Reference shows the Top 1000, and the lowest on the list with over 20 years is Rick Dempsey, who played 24 years and had 23.1 WAR. I have to believe someone out there had an even lower total, though (perhaps a relief pitcher or something), I just don't know who. Can anyone find the answer?

[GiambiJuice]

I'm gonna go with Terry Mulholland at 10.2. Don't know if it's correct, though. My first thought was that it would be a relief pitcher like Arthur Rhodes or somebody.

[Ben Grimm]

Lowest I could find was Luke Sewell with a 1.1 WAR over 20 years. Jay Johnstone was the lowest non-catcher I found at 14.6 WAR.

Terry Mulholland had a 10.2 WAR, which was the lowest I could find for a pitcher.

[ian2813]

Wow! Nice finds guys! Luke Sewell's 1.1 is tough to beat. Given the managerial career he would have, I'm guessing Sewell was kept around more for leadership than playing ability.

[Cowtipper]

Jay Johnstone was the lowest non-catcher I found at 14.6 WAR.

Manny Mota is close at 16.1. Tom Prince, who only played 17 years, is still notable due to his astonishingly low 0.1 WAR.

EDIT: Kid Gleason beats Mota and Johnstone with a mark of 6.1. He played 22 years in the big leagues.

[Ben Grimm]

Manny Mota is close at 16.1. Tom Prince, who only played 17 years, is still notable due to his astonishingly low 0.1 WAR.

EDIT: Kid Gleason beats Mota and Johnstone with a mark of 6.1. He played 22 years in the big leagues.

The only issue with Gleason is that the 6.1 doesn't take his first 7 seasons as a pitcher into account. At least I don't think it does.

[Cowtipper]

The only issue with Gleason is that the 6.1 doesn't take his first 7 seasons as a pitcher into account. At least I don't think it does.

That's a good point.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Bob Kennedy was -5.5 war in 16 or 17 seasons. He woulda had 20 years but he missed time during World War 2.

[PVNICK]

Ed Kranepool is @ 2.2 for 18 seasons.

[Nimrod]

Bill Bergen had a -14.8 in 11 years.If he could have made it to 20 seasons there is no telling how low his WAR would have been!