most underrated mlb players of 2000smost underrated mlb players of 2000s

Beltres lucky. Bob Watson not only played in relative obscurity for 13 seasons with the Astros but also had his home-run total reduced by the cavernous Houston Astrodome. My thought, by the way, is that many 19th century ballplayers are underrated and that were just re-discovering them via Baseball Reference.). Left unprotected by the Kansas City Royals in the 1993 expansion draft, the Florida Marlins took the talented youngster for their own. Weve looked over the past few days at the1960s, 70s, and 80s, the1930s, 40s, and 50sand the1900s, 10s, and 20s. Career Stats: 2,583 G; .271/.332/.442; 304 HR; 1,167 RBI; 2,548 H; 1,443 R; 320-for-438 SB. He has Rookie Cards in 1997 Bowman, Bowman Chrome and Topps Stars. Underrated throughout his career, his 60.2 WAR speaks to star-level production. Adrian Beltre played 21 seasons in the majors, most of which came in the 2000s, so it'd be impossible to leave him off our list. With an undersized 60 frame, Oswalt slipped all the way to the 23rd round of the 1996 draft where the Houston Astros selected him out of Holmes Community College. Among Rolens accolades from 2000 through 2009: 48.3 WAR, 127 defensive runs saved and a .285/.368/.497 slash. Duchscherer is not often mentioned in the same breath as Dennis Eckersley or John Smoltz, but he pulled off the rare feat of being named an All-Star as both a starter and a reliever. Career Stats: 443 G (412 GS); 176-137; 3.44 ERA; 1.25 WHIP; 2,895.1 IP; 2,572 H; 1.61 K/BB. Renteria made his MLB debut in 1996 at the age of 19, finishing runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Forget the Coors Effect. The type of player you love if hes on your team and hate if hes not, Pierzynski played 19 MLB seasons with the Twins, Giants, White Sox, Rangers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves. Over the next three games, Eckstein hit .615/.643/.846 with eight hits, three doubles, three runs scored and four RBIa run that not only led the Cardinals to the World Series championship but one that won him World Series MVP honors. All-time underrated athletes. In the five seasons that followed a respectable sixth-place finish in 2004 AL Rookie of the Year voting, DeJesus hit .286/.357/.427 for a 107 OPS+ while filling up the stat sheet and averaging 30 doubles, eight triples, 10 home runs, 63 RBI, 79 runs and 2.9 WAR. An eight-time All-Star, Robert "Indian Bob" Johnson spent 10 of his 13 major league seasons patrolling left field for thePhiladelphia As and was a consistent performer year-after-year, but most people have never heard of him. The best shortstop of the 1970s, Dave Concepcion paired with Joe Morgan to form one of the great double-play combinations in the history of the game. I truly believe Todd Helton is one of the most grossly underrated players of our generation. However, things clicked following a trade to the White Sox, and he posted a 149 OPS+ with 36 home runs and 100 RBI to finish fifth in AL MVP voting in his first year with the team. They'd go on to win 20 of their next 23 games and the World Series as well. He is the only player to debut with the Marlins in 1993 and play for both of their World Series teams, in 1997 and 2003. A fiery player with a live arm, Larry Bowa was a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner with the Philadelphia Phillies, a team with whom he'd spend 11 years of his 15-year major league career as a player. He would sign with the Diamondbacks as a free agent prior to the 1998 season and, in 2001, scored the World Series-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 when Luis Gonzalez hit a bloop single off of Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera. His 5.5 WAR this season is seventh-best in the majors. 5 most underrated MLB players going into 2022 season - Sportskeeda The Most Underrated MLB Players of All Time. 30 Most Unsung Pitchers in MLB History | Stadium Talk Knowing that they couldn't afford to re-sign him when his contract expired, the Pirates traded him to the Padres in August of 2003 in exchange for Jason Bay and Oliver Perez, though he wouldn't enjoy the same level of success with the Padres. Dating back to the year 2000, we've seen 40 different players win Rookie of the Year Awards. He racked up 18.6 WAR in nine seasons with the team, earning three All-Star selections and peaking as a 6-WAR player in 2006 when he helped the Tigers reach the World Series. Clutch. Larry Wayne Jones is one of the greatest switch-hitters of all-time. Career Stats: 1,350 G; .300/.359/.522; 242 HR; 898 RBI; 1,550 H; 809 R; SB Data Not Known. His ability to play anywhere and everywhere on the field made him one of the more valuable players that Whitey Herzog ever had at his disposal. Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe did exactly that on Saturday, responding to a monstrous Tyler Myers hit on Toronto captain John Tavares. In my opinion, Todd Helton might be the most underrated player between 2000-2009. Career Stats: 1,754 G; .273/.336/.450; 235 HR; 901 RBI; 87-for-157 SB. Pitching: Christy Mathewson leads the pitching staff and he would battle Wagner for player of the decade honors. By navigating the site, you agree to the use of cookies to collect information. Career Stats: 2,488 G; .267/.322/.357; 101 HR; 950 RBI; 2,326 H; 993 R; 321-for-430 SB. Later in his career, he settled in as a platoon standout against left-handed pitching. Otis had power, played excellent defense and had speed, leading the American League with 52 stolen bases in 1971 while also becoming the first player since 1927 to steal five bases in one game. He finished in the top five in NL Cy Young voting five times in his first six MLB seasons, and went 163-102 with a 3.36 ERA and 1,852 strikeouts in 2,245.1 innings in 13 years in the big leagues. I also count him as one of the few players 25 and under who already hasa shot at Cooperstown. In 1978, he finished third in the AL MVP voting behind the Yankees' Ron Guidry and the eventual winner, Boston's Jim Rice. Johnson was one of them, and Carroll captured how underrated "Indian Bob" truly was: Consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds, but it can also make certain ballplayers nigh unto invisible. Widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive shortstops to ever play the game, Omar Vizquel is entering the final two weeks of his career as an active player with the Toronto Blue Jays. Choke artist. Rarely mentioned among the most dominant relievers in recent history, Uehara had a 2.19 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 79 saves in 91 chances during his four seasons with the Red Sox. He finished a close second to teammate George Brett for the American League batting crown in 1976, losing out by less than .001 after Brett went 2-for-4 in the final game of the season to barely squeak past McRae. Its a simple concept with infinite possibilities. A six-time All-Star with the Angels, Fregosi formed one of the most capable double-play combinations in the game with second baseman Bobby Knoop from 1964 until the midway point of the 1969 season. He failed to replicate that level of production, but settled in as a solid middle-of-the-order producer, averaging 25 home runs and 88 RBI per 162 games during his nine years with the team. Career Stats: 2,247 G; .260/.300/.320; 15 HR; 525 RBI; 2,191 H; 987 R; 318-for-423 SB. In his second go-around with the team, he hit .291/.354/.477 for a 120 OPS+ while averaging 23 home runs, 98 RBI and 3.0 WAR over five seasons. While phenoms came, collected their MVP trophies, and faded, he just kept plodding along hitting .300, with a couple dozen homers and a hundred "ribbies" year after yearlike a guy punching a time clock. He also deserves credit for his handling of a pitching staff, including the 2005 White Sox team that won a World Series title on the strength of a stellar starting rotation. Amazingly enough, Ryne Sandberg took home Gold Glove honors. He represented Toronto in two midsummer classics, won three consecutive Silver Sluggers from . Thus far, Heyward has mostly seemed to offer tantalizing glimpses of what he might become. A key contributor on three World Series-winning Boston Red Sox teams in the 1910s, Dutch Leonard largely played in the shadow of Babe Ruth and "Smoky" Joe Wood. The 1994 third-round pick has just one Rookie Card in the 1996 Bowman base set. Upon the discovery of a tumor in his foot and with the Angels having mixed feelings about his future as a ballplayer, Fregosi was traded to the Mets in exchange for four players, most notably a right-handed pitcher named Nolan Ryan. Without question, the highlight of Abbott's career came on Sept. 4, 1993 when he threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, walking five while striking out three. Here are the 30 most unsung, under-the-radar, underrated pitchers in major league history. Of his 184 home runs, only 50 came at the Astrodome. From the archive: Outrage when the Yankees sold to CBS, The most underrated players in baseball history | HardballTalk, Maury Wills: Barnstorming with Jackie Robinson and Luke Easter, Analyzing Maury Wills impact on baseball through stolen base opportunities, The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Right fielders, The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Center fielders, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Its tough for a third baseman if they dont have Mike Schmidts power, George Bretts batting average, or Brooks Robinsons highlight reel glove. Watson is underrated due to his immense contributions to the sport. Big-time. A top-25 prospect at the start of the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Quentin failed to live up to expectations during his time in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He went 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 218 innings to finish runner-up in AL Cy Young voting in 2006, and followed that up with a 19-7 record and 3.60 ERA in 199.1 innings the next year before he was sidelined midway through the 2008 campaign. Here are the best NFL players of all time. He also managed the Angels to their first-ever postseason appearance in 1979 (serving as Ryan's manager) and is still regarded as one of the most popular Angels of all time. Corey Maggette 10. Young had a 32-homer, 27-steal season to finish fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2007 when he helped the D-backs reach the NLCS. Had he spent the bulk of his career elsewhere, Watson is probably pushing 300 home runs, if not more. Hecostthe Astros one defensive run for the decadewhile providing offense that surely totaledmore aggregate value than a slick-gloved infielder with no bat. He falls short of being Cooperstown worthy, butConcepcion's career was celebrated in Cincinnati back in 2007, when his jersey, No. The most underrated player of each decade: Recent years - Baseball Elton Brand 11. While he began his major league career in 1968, it wasn't until 1969 that a 22-year-old center fielder named Larry Hisle got a chance to play on a daily basis, and he rewarded the Phillies with a solid campaign that resulted in a fourth place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting. He was far from a one-sided player though, being selected to four All-Star games. Who are the most underrated Tigers of last 20 years? Nobody in the league could play balls that were hit off of Ebbets Field's high wall in right field like he could, and opposing runners quickly grew tired of testing his arm and failing to advance nearly every time. I assume Heywards best years are in front of him. Phillies baseball in the early 2000s was a time to forget. A two-time All-Star, Wynn led the National League in walks twice over the course of his career and hit 20 or more home runs on eight different occasions. But with a wiry framehe was 6'2", 160 pounds when the Red Sox drafted himnobody thought he'd be anything more than someone with gap power. 3 overall pick in the 1997 draft out of UCLA, Glaus slugged 35 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A the following year in his pro debut, and he took over as the Anaheim Angels starting third baseman in 1999. His 2,043 hits rank 10th all-time among players who played primarily catcher in their career, and his .280 career average speaks to his offensive prowess. If memory serves correctly, its his truck, too. Morris never made an All-Star team and never achieved superstar status; he was simply consistent and reliable, and that doesn't ever wind up having a spotlight shone on it. During the first six seasons of the 2000s, he hit .292/.406/.584 while averaging 35 home runs, 98 RBI and 6.1 WAR and winning a Gold Glove every year. He was far from a power hitter, and he only went deep eight times in 1985, making him the last NL player to drive in 100 or more runs in a season while hitting fewer than 10 home runs. Career Stats: 2,239 G; .296/.340/.375; 37 HR; 842 RBI; 2,705 H; 1,357 R; 62-for-135 SB. In 1939, Doerrbegan a string of 12 consecutive seasons with 10 or more home runs and 73 or more runs batted in; in 1940 the Red Sox became the 12th team in major league history to have four players wiith 100 RBI as Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Joe Cronin and Doerr each collected at least 105. A two-time All-Star, he wouldn't join a winning baseball team until 1946 when he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. Ben Oglivie is a perfect example of a player that could have had more impressive career numbers had he been given a chance to play on a daily basis. Twice a .300 hitter and with two 100 RBI seasons under his belt, Oglivie proved that power hitters don't necessarily come in physically imposing packages. However, lefties Jeremy Affeldt and Lopez were also integral members of the relief corps. Of the 18 players elected to start the 1934 All-Star Game, Berger is the only one not enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Among pitchers to start at least 220 games in . SP Cy Young:. 2021 most underrated MLB players White made ridiculous catches in the outfield look routine while hitting for power and flashing excellent speed when he got on base. Now go take a look at his career stats. DeCinces wouldn't have the same kind of memorable moments with the Angels as he did with the Orioles, but he was a solid contributor to the Angels success nonetheless. Career Stats: 1,863 G; .296/.393/.506; 288 HR; 1,283 RBI; 2,051 H; 1,239 R; 96-for-160 SB. Along with his Bowman and Bowman Chrome rookies, he also has a Rookie Card in 2000 SPx and Upper Deck Victory, along with a jersey patch rookie in 2000 Black Diamond Rookie Edition. Youre correct. Joe DiMaggio, who had broken the consecutive-game hitting-streak record two weeks earlier (set by Willie Keeler in 1897) was vying for a 57th straight game with a hit. The two third basemen in recent years whove seemed poised to join Nettles, Evans and company in underrated purgatoryare Adrian Beltre and Scott Rolen. When Jose Oquendo broke into the majors with the Mets in 1983 as a 19-year-old shortstop, he became the first player in franchise history who was younger than the franchise itself. The youngest player to play in an MLB game in 2019 was Elvis Luciano a 19-year-old pitcher Graig Nettles and Darrell Evans came up in yesterday's post. A lifelong Cubs fan and Chicago resident, nostalgia drives his card-collecting focus. In seven seasons with the team, he won 70 games and posted a 3.98 ERA (106 ERA+) while leading the league in innings pitched three times and tallying 23 complete games. Every MLB Team's Most Underrated Player Since 2000 From 1999 through the 2004 season, Vidro was unquestionably one of the most productive second basemen in the game. MLB All-Decade Team -- Who made our squad of baseball's best from 2010 He hit .313/.374/.489 while averaging 39 doubles, 16 home runs and 73 RBI during that six-year span, hitting alongside Vladimir Guerrero in the Montreal Expos lineup. He went 15-5 with a 3.23 ERA in a career-high 209 innings in 2009 and led the NL with a 2.30 ERA in 183.2 innings the following year to check in fifth in NL Cy Young voting, but that proved to be his peak. Best Hitters In MLB From 2000-2020 - Overtime Heroics He debuted in 1997 and earned the first of three All-Star selections in 2000. When it comes to the great pitchers of the 1980s, much is made of Tigers great Jack Morris and whether he belongs in the Hall of Fame, but nobody ever brings up the Blue Jays' Dave Stieb. Babe Ruth also hit .393 with 41 homers in 1923. He would become a five-time All-Star and win three Gold Gloves patrolling center field for the Royals, twice hitting .300 or better while leading the American League in doubles in 1970 and again in 1976. His offensive numbers aren't impressive, but this list wouldn't be complete without including a player that had great value on the bases and with his glove and little-to-none with his bat. A seventh-round pick in the 1998 draft, Holliday reached the majors in 2004 and made an immediate impact, finishing fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. The 11 Most Underrated NBA Players of the 2000s | Ventured Mitch Richmond, Detlef Schrempf, and Vin Baker are among the underrated players from the '90s. Thanks for another fun article. Your email address will not be published. Now, when anyone mentions Bonds, its to marvel over the freakishstats he offered from 2001 through 2004 or, conversely, to denounce his Hall of Fame candidacy. Career Stats: 1,832 G; .295/.364/.447; 184 HR; 989 RBI; 1,826 H; 802 R; 27-for-55 SB. But enough procrastinating. He was traded from Baltimore to the Angels in 1982 to make room for Cal Ripken Jr.; ironically, DeCinces was the man who had the unenviable task of replacing legendary third baseman Brooks Robinson, so his time in Baltimore was sandwiched in between two all-time greats. 320 batting average with a .370 OBP. He was the team's everyday shortstop for three seasons, earning MVP votes in 2008 and an All-Star nod in 2009 when he hit .320/.389/.490 for a 132 OPS+ and 6.2 WAR in 137 games. Career Stats: 1,672 G; .282/.385/.498; 299 HR; 1,016 RBI; 1,674 H; 986 R; 48-for-90 SB, To most of us he's Tim Salmon, but to those in the know, he's simply known as "King Fish.". The 10 Most Underrated Baseball Players of All-Time He generated down-ballot MVP support three different times, and was an All-Star in 2012 when he hit .324/.394/.540 for a 149 OPS+ with 32 doubles, 16 home runs and 68 RBI in a 4.6-WAR season. Craig hit .315/.362/.555 for a 151 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 40 RBI in 75 games as a utility player in 2011, then took over as the Cardinals primary first baseman the following year after Albert Pujols departed in free agency. He is currently working on assembling the entire base catalogs of four of his all-time favoritesKerry Wood, Mark Prior, Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee. His big-league career was over before he turned 30. Career Stats: 1,650 G; .242/.309/.324; 41 HR; 490 RBI; 1,340 H; 736 R; 385-for-516 SB. For his career, he drew 1,243 walks while striking out only 675 times. The Nominees for MLB's Most Underrated Players of the 2021 Season Injuries kept him from reaching his full potential, but he still quietly launched 320 home runs in 13 seasons, and he won World Series MVP in 2002. Career Stats: 1,806 G; .399/.355/.458; 192 HR; 1,058 RBI; 1,910 H; 895 R; 48-for-74 SB. Ibanez began his MLB career with five forgettable seasons as a part-time player with the Mariners before breaking out in Kansas City. A nine-time All-Star over his 14-year career spent entirely with the Red Sox, Doerr was not only an excellent bunter but a second baseman with power as well. "The Hal McRae Rule" requires that runners slide into second base when trying to break up a double play, doing away with McRae's favorite movethe cross-body check, something he terrorized American League middle infielders with for years. Concepcion was rounding the bases after hitting a home run and crossed home plate roughly four seconds after Watson. Eight times in his 17-year career, Sievers hit at least 20 home runs and drove in at least 80 runs, and his 42 home runs and 114 RBI in 1957 as a member of the Washington Senators led the American League. Heres How to Tell Them Apart. Over his career, Beltre racked up over 3,000 hits and nearly made it to 500 home runs. Were going with the same concept for this one, but jumping forward to the 2000s. The Baseball Hall of Fame was established in 1936 to honor the very best players in MLB, America's oldest organized sport. He won another ring 13 years later when he captured World Series MVP honors as a member of the San Francisco Giants. The 26-year-old carried that success into 2021, and he has turned himself into a future All-Star. He moved to third base in 1971 when Boston acquired Luis Aparicio and was still manning the hot corner in 1975 when the Sox won the AL pennant and played in one of the most exciting World Series in history, losing in seven games to the Cincinnati Reds. It's easy to go overlooked when you can call Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese and Gil Hodges teammates during your career. Two weeks ago, we built a collection around rookie cards of underrated stars of the 1990s, choosing one player from each position for a spot on the sheet. Top 100 MLB players of all time - Debating who is too high and - ESPN During the first six seasons of the 2000s, he hit .292/.406/.584 while averaging 35 home runs, 98 RBI and 6.1 . Id like to see more focus on what Bonds did over his first 13 seasons, 1986 through 1998, before its generally assumedhe began taking steroids. However, injuries took a toll from there, and he pitched just 65 more innings in the majors. The 24 best players in Toronto Blue Jays history | Yardbarker A nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove Award winner during his 15 major-league seasons, Santo wasn't elected to the Hall of Fame until nearly 40 years after his retirementand tragically, one year after his death. We use cookies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience. Bartlett came to the Rays along with Matt Garza in the deal that sent former top prospect Delmon Young to the Minnesota Twins. Not only would he help the Red Sox win the American League Pennant in 1946, he did everything that he could to win the 1946 World Series, hitting .417 against the St. Louis Cardinals in what wound up being a Cardinals' sweep. There's also Buddy Bell, Ron Santo, Ken Boyer and a range of other third basemen who hit respectably and offered superb, if under-appreciated, defensive value. He would make two All-Star teams as a member of the Twins and lead the American League in RBI with 119 in 1977. Tim Wallach could play both corner-infield and outfield positions, and even took the mound twice for the Expos, in 1987 and 1989. He slugged 107 home runs and made two All-Star appearances in four years with the South Siders. Doc Halladay has been the most consistent pitcher of this decade. While the Royals would fall to the Phillies in the World Series, White was also part of the 1985 Royals team that won the only World Series championship in team history. The No. From 1989 through 1990, Oquendo was the Cardinals starting second baseman, and he flourished in the position. Career Stats: 2,084 G; .290/.351/.454; 191 HR; 1,097 RBI; 2,091 H; 940 R; 109 -for-185 SB. Missed the first three parts of this series? Five times he hit more than 30 home runs, twice he broke the 100 RBI barrier and eight times he hit more than 20 home runs and drove in at least 70 runs. He led American League third basemen four times inassists, five times indouble plays, and twice infielding percentage. Whether it was Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Miguel Tejada, Vizquel was always an afterthought when it came to talking about the best shortstops in the game. Yet somehow, Tim Salmon was never named to an All-Star team. Career Stats: 2,328 G; .259/.311/.342; 79 HR; 646 RBI; 2,249 H; 1,181 R; 649-for-898 SB. Please enter the verification code that you received on your email. Jim Abbot underrated because he had one hand.His best season came two years later with the Angels in 1991, when he went 18-11 with a 2.89 ERA, finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay in the know about the latest sports card, hobby news, and promotions from Beckett. Venable had a quietly effective career with the Padres, logging 13.3 WAR in eight seasons. A switch-hitting left fielder who spent his entire career with the Yankees, Roy White was an excellent defensive outfielder who led all American League left fielders in fielding percentage from 1968 through the 1971 season. Sam Cassell 1. Take a single nine-pocket sheet and a reasonable $100 budget, and build a nine-card collection with a unifying theme. These guys had solid career resumes and often came up big in big games, yet they seldom, if ever, received widespread acclaim. Baseball's Most Underrated Players of All Time Barry Sanders. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Now that our list of the top 100 MLB players of all time has been revealed, it's time to have some fun.. More than 20,000 votes were . Underrated teams. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports. Most underrated player on each American League team heading into 2022. Career Stats: 2,012 G; .291/.364/.416; 89 HR; 674 RBI; 2,138 H; 1,124 R; 174-for-255 SB. He was just 17 years old when his Rookie Cards were featured in the 1997 Bowman and Bowmans Best sets. Required fields are marked *. That's the beauty of sportsnobody watches a game the same way. Justice hit a ball to deep center field. We take the notion of "rated" seriously around here. Seriously? A six-time All-Star and one of the most important pieces on the A's teams that won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 through 1974, Campaneris was one of the great stolen base artists of his era, leading the league in steals six times. Career Stats: 2019 G; .254/.352/.408; 242 HR; 1,039 RBI; 1,790 H; 982 R; 75-for-121 SB. Jim Edmonds made a career out of producing highlight-reel plays with his glove, winning eight Gold Glove awards over 17 years in the majors. 13, was retired by the team. Watson became famous for scoring the 1,000,000th run inMLBhistory on May 4, 1975, narrowly beating Cincinnati's Dave Concepcion for the honor. Money pitcher. Heywardturned 25 on August 9, and to a frustrated Bravesfan, their right fielderhasstruggledsince finishing runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2010. Career Stats: 1,998 G; .277/.343/.425; 193 HR; 1,007 RBI; 2,020 H; 1,092 R; 341-for-434 SB. Ill zero in on Oaklands bullpen pastcloser Sean Doolittle. Honorable mention: Craig Biggio, who willbe lambasted as one of the worst defensive Hall of Famers when his 3,000 hits get himenshrined. Career Stats: 1,514 G; .271/.347/.350; 28 HR; 574 RBI; 1,450 H; 676 R; 188-for-252 SB. While much of how we view athletes is performance-based and backed up with statistics, some of it is simply subjective. The oldest Major League player to play in a game in 2019 was Ichiro Suzuki at 45-years-old. On the other hand, that little bloop single did win Game 7 of the World Series. Bonds qualifies here because the steroid-addled caricature he created for himself in his final seasons obscures everything he was before. All MLB players dream of earning a place alongside legends such as Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, and Bob Gibson. Four times he hit over .300, three times he slugged more than 20 home runs and only once did he break the 100 RBI mark. Thing is, Biggio was a valuable fielder during the 90s. The 1998 Bowman card above is one of 10 different Rookie Cards in his database. It's a mix of forgotten All-Stars, brief peaks, injury-shortened primes and under-the-radar contributors, but all of these players were star-level contributors at one point in the not-so-distant past. He would hit .275 or better five times and put together seven consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 20 bases a year. It wasn't until he was traded to the Brewers prior to the 1978 season that a then 29-year-old Oglivie got a chance to play on an everyday basis. Phillies: Most underrated players of the 2000s - That Balls Outta Here