Good/great forgotten players of yesteryear

[navamind]

pretty recent player, but Jason Kendall was a really good catcher for a while. His career line of .288/.366/.378 (95 OPS+) is pretty solid for a catcher. But in his first few seasons, he was pretty much Joe Mauer before Joe Mauer. From 1996-2000, he hit .314/.402/.456 (121 OPS+) with 93 stolen bases. After that his power (which wasn't great to begin with) deteriorated, though he still maintained solid on base skills and held on for another decade.

JAWS: Kendall's prime too short for HOF nod

 

[obxyankeefan]

pretty recent player, but Jason Kendall was a really good catcher for a while. His career line of .288/.366/.378 (95 OPS+) is pretty solid for a catcher. But in his first few seasons, he was pretty much Joe Mauer before Joe Mauer. From 1996-2000, he hit .314/.402/.456 (121 OPS+) with 93 stolen bases. After that his power (which wasn't great to begin with) deteriorated, though he still maintained solid on base skills and held on for another decade.

JAWS: Kendall's prime too short for HOF nod

I will take your Jason Kendall and raise you a Brian Harper.

 

[Cedrique]

I will take your Jason Kendall and raise you a Brian Harper.

I'll see your Brian Harper and raise you an Andy Van Slyke

 

[Nosferatu]

Kiki Cuyler

 

[obxyankeefan]

Arky Vaughn

 

[Cedrique]

Ron Fairly

 

[obxyankeefan]

Candy Cummings, just because I want to be immature and say his name

 

[Cedrique]

Candy Cummings, just because I want to be immature and say his name

I won't even mention what was in the center filling of his candy bar

 

[navamind]

Al Rosen. Very good player for a brief time (1950-1954), but had a monster MVP season mixed in there (.336/.422/.613, 43 HR, 145 RBI, 115 runs scored, 180 OPS+, 10.1 WAR).

Al Rosen Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[Cedrique]

Mario Soto. My list is basically "National League guys from the 70's or 80's that killed the Phillies that Omar probably hasn't heard of"
Also Tim Wallach and Howard Johnson

 

[DrewScott]

Dan Gladden
Jessie Barfield
Ron Gant
John Tudor
Bill Madlock

 

[JohnU]

Richard Hidalgo, just because.

 

[navamind]

Andy Messersmith

 

[JohnU]

 

[navamind]

Indian Bob Johnson. Really good hitter that didn't play in the majors until he was 27.

Bob Johnson Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[Cedrique]

Indian Bob Johnson. Really good hitter that didn't play in the majors until he was 27.

Bob Johnson Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Wow, never heard of him. If he had played in the majors a little earlier he would have probably gotten hall of fame consideration

 

[podsox]

No idea how to spell it but dat nyugeun is the best linebacker in college I've ever seen. Rocky calmus/ Roy Williams db close 2nd

 

[Cedrique]

No idea how to spell it but dat nyugeun is the best linebacker in college I've ever seen. Rocky calmus/ Roy Williams db close 2nd

Yeah I don't know how to spell it either but I know what you mean. It's actually a common name. Like Smith is over here.

 

[navamind]

No idea how to spell it but dat nyugeun is the best linebacker in college I've ever seen. Rocky calmus/ Roy Williams db close 2nd

Yeah I don't know how to spell it either but I know what you mean. It's actually a common name. Like Smith is over here.

Dat Nguyen. I loved watching the Wrecking Crew A&M teams.

 

[navamind]

Melvin Mora's another guy that didn't reach the majors until he was 27, but managed to put together a very solid career. Career line of .277/.350/.431 (105 OPS+) and 28.2 WAR. He had a really good year in 2004 when he batted .340/.419/.562 with 27 home runs, 104 RBI and finished top 5 in OPS+ and WAR. His teammates Brian Roberts and Javy Lopez were pretty good too.