10. Mark Grace
Mark Grace was a three-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glove winner, but both shoulda, coulda and woulda been more if he didn't play the same time as Mark McGwire and Todd Helton. Mark Grace was not a "slugger", his single season high for homers is 17 - this at a time when others were slugging 50, 60 or even 70 in a season.
Grace was a singles and doubles hitter and had a great glove. Mark Grace wasn't an "accumulator" (someone who would hit .250 for 20 years and wind up with a ton of hits). Grace was the 2nd, 3rd or 4th best first baseman in the league during his career. If Mark Grace had played at a different time, he would have been more appreciated.
While others were making All-Star teams in the '90s and belting home runs, Mark Grace would just hit .300+ and provide Gold Glove-caliber defense.. for sixteen years.
9. Bobby Mathews
Who? I'll admit, I never heard of Bobby Mathews before researching this story either. Bobby Mathews played in the 19th century, from 1871-1887. In those 16 seasons, he won 297 games - winning 20 or more eight times. His lifetime ERA was 2.86, in 1874 he posted a 1.90 ERA and won 42 games - yes, you read that correctly.
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Bobby Mathews is credited as one of the inventors of the spitball, and threw the first "legal" breaking ball. Mathews is the 25th winningest pitcher in MLB history (after he last played 130 years ago), and is the 2nd winningest pitcher not in the Hall (the other being Roger Clemens).
The Veterans Committee needs to finally step-up and give Mathews his due, even if it comes 120 years after his death.
8. Jeff Kent
As a Mets fan, I didn't want this guy on the list but his numbers warrant it. Jeff Kent was a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, an MVP and has hit more home runs than any other second baseman in MLB history. He was also on a season of the reality TV show "Survivor".
Over 17 years, Kent racked up 2,461 hits, 377 home runs, 1,518 RBI and a .290 average. Jeff Kent had 20+ HR in 12 seasons and 100+ RBI in 8 seasons. In 2000, his MVP year, he hit .334 33 HR 125 RBI. Like him or not, Jeff Kent has the numbers to be in the Hall of Fame.. and he was on Survivor.
7. Fred McGriff
Another player who probably hasn't gotten into the Hall because of his personality is "The Crime Dog". Fred McGriff has 493 Career home runs, so does Lou Gehrig. McGriff was a five-time All-Star, won three Silver Sluggers and led the league in homers twice.
In 19 seasons, McGriff hit 30+ home runs ten times. He had 100+ RBI eight times and was in the top 10 of MVP voting six times. His 162 Game Average for his career gives him 32 HR and 102 RBI per season.
6. Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant won 20 or more games four times, led the league in shutouts three times, was also an All-Star three times and led the league in ERA twice. He won 229 games in his career, but should have won more. He was a "hard-luck pitcher", having four years with a sub-2.83 ERA and only averaging 12 wins in those seasons. In 1968; he won 21 games, had a 1.60 ERA and nine shutouts.
5. Kenny Lofton
Over 17 seasons, Kenny Lofton made six All-Star appearances, was the AL stolen base leader five times and won four Gold Gloves. Lofton hit .300 or better eight times and stole 622 bases - six seasons with 54+ steals.
Kenny Lofton was the quintessential lead-off hitter. During the '90s when Sluggers were inflating their stats, Lofton helped them by being on base and scoring. Lofton had 12 seasons with 90+ runs scored.
In the "Steroid era", Lofton played "small ball". Lofton had 2,428 hits, 116 of which were triples. He played a stellar centerfield, got on base and wreaked havoc on them until the likes of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome would drive him in.
4. Edgar Martinez
Martinez was a seven-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, won the AL batting title twice and has a .312 lifetime batting average. He hit .302 or better in 10 full seasons, hitting .330+ four times.
Edgar Martinez only has 2,247 career hits, even though he didn't have 500+ AB in a season until he was 28-years-old. Martinez could hit for power, getting 23+ HR eight times. He drove in 100+ runs six times and had 30+ doubles nine times.
In his best seasons, Martinez hit .356, .343 and .337 - plus .302+ seven more times. Edgar was perhaps the first superstar who was predominantly a DH for most of his career and that probably hurts him. But the guy could hit.
3. Jim McCormick
Who? Another pitcher from the 1800s. Jim McCormick played from 1878 to 1887 and won 265 games in only ten seasons. He won 20+ games in eight of those ten years, and won 31+ four times - including 45 wins in 1880. McCormick also has a lifetime 2.43 ERA. He was a workhorse, pitching 500+ innings in a season five times (half of his career), topping out at 657.2 IP in 1880 - with a 1.85 ERA that season.
If Jim McCormick had pitched past the age of 30, he would have been better known today. If his arm held up, he would have been a 400+ win pitcher, but even with 265 - he should be in the Hall of Fame.
2. Curt Schilling
Here's another guy who probably isn't in the Hall because of his personality and political views. Curt Schilling was a six-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion. Schilling won 216 games, but should have won more - like in 2003 when he had a 2.95 ERA but had a 8-9 record.
Curt Schilling had 300+ strikeouts in a season three times and 293 in 2001. The Baseball-Reference.com 162 game average gives him 211 K's a season.
Schilling won 23, 22 and 21 games in a season. He would have won more games, perhaps getting closer to 300 if he stayed a little healthier and had better run support in Philadelphia.
1. Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina won 270 games, made five All-Star teams and won seven Gold Gloves. Mussina won 15+ games eleven times and was in the top 10 of Cy Young voting nine times. He was a winner, garnering a .638 lifetime win percentage and averaging 17 wins a season over 162 games for his career.
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What do you think of this list? The order was made up by using the players' lifetime WAR (Wins Above Replacement). Most of these guys are "borderline", if they had better luck, stayed healthier and/or had another couple great seasons they would probably be in the Hall of Fame already.
There are lots of guys left out of this list because of PED use, being banned or just not having quite as many hits or wins as the others on this his list. In the majority of cases, I used career length, BA, hits, WAR and wins to create this list.
Some of these guys weren't the best at their position during their career, but were pretty darn close for most of it. All of them were premium, All-Star caliber players.
