Sign up for the List Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. There are a lot of players who are on the outside looking in, despite being superior to some players who are already enshrined. The best argument Trammell supporters have in their quest for his enshrinement is that many people feel Trammell was superior to Ozzie Smith, a contemporary of his who waltzed into Cooperstown on the first ballot with 91.7 percent of the vote. In 1985, at the age of 38, he enjoyed a revival when he hit 40 home runs. He finished first or second in fielding percentage for 13 of his 19 major league seasons. He led the National League in batting in 1890 and was credited with being among the first shortstops to give defensive signals and backup second base on throws. He had six 200-hit seasons and finished his 19-year career with a .294 lifetime average. There were two main rules in making this slideshow. An incredibly consistent and clutch performer, Williams is one of the most accomplished switch-hitters of all time. 10-07-2016, 07:41 AM. Rube Marquard was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971. The fact that Carter and Fisk were elected and Simmons lasted just one year on the ballot is just wrong. He is second all time in saves with 424, the most ever by a lefty pitcher. a . Brown was named in the Mitchell Report as a possible steroid user, but no hard evidence surfaced about his use. Career statistics/162: .306 BA, 7 HR, 79 RBI, 5 . Look for your favorite MLB slugger in this impressive list of baseball's top 500 career batting leaders. Stanton. The Hall of Fame case for Keith Hernandez starts with his brilliant glove-work at first base. He won three Gold Glove awards and is known for having one of the great outfield arms of all time. He is hurt by the fact that he really only played 11 full seasons in the major leagues. He was also the premier first baseman in his league (the National League) while he was playing. Guidry turned in one of the great pitching seasons of all time when he went 25-3 in 1978 with a 1.78 ERA. Oliver bounced around on seven different teams during his career, but wherever he went, he flat out hit. The two-time World Series winner finished his career with 2,182 hits and two injury-plagued seasons at the end of his career dropped his lifetime average below .300 to .296. He has three top-three finishes in MVP voting and placed sixth in 1978. He finished his career with a 211-169 record. He won just 43 games over his final seven seasons. Bullying, racism, personal attacks, harassment, or discrimination is prohibited. 1. His .564 slugging percentage ranks 14th all time. He was the Cy Young award runner-up twice and had two other top-eight finishes. When he was good, he was excellent, but in the end Tiant was too inconsistent to merit serious Hall of Fame consideration. Allen played during the pitching-dominated 1960s and 1970s and still managed to top a 1.000 OPS three times. Bonds was a two-time Gold Glove winner and had two top-five finishes in MVP voting. Total WAR. His best representation on the Hall of Fame ballot came in 1981 when he received 62 votes, which was more than Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski and just shy of Orlando Cepeda's total. Mullane won 30 games five times. By the time it came to vote for Freehan in 1982, his numbers paled in comparison to those catching at the time. The years he did play, though, he was unquestionably one of the top hitters in the league. Beltre put up amazing numbers before retiring after the 2018 season. In the World Series, he hit .529 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Reds. He will earn a salary of $32 million for the 2023 season, the Tigers will buy out his 2024 option for $8 million, and he will retire. Williams was one of the National League's first great home run hitters. Minimum of 1000 IP, 3000 PA, 500 games (fielding, 500 IP for Ps), 200 stolen base attempts (catchers) or 80 stolen base attempts (baserunners only since 1951) or 100 decisions for career and active leaderboards for rate statistics. Harder may never have been a dominant pitcher, but he was incredibly reliable over a career that started while Babe Ruth was in his heyday and ended after World War II. First, a player had to play a majority of their games in the 1900s. The Worst Starts To Hall Of Fame Careers. His career average was .300 and he ranks as the sixth-best first baseman in Florida history in Baseball State by State. Only Johnson won more games in a season since Wood's 34 wins in 1912. His career spanned the dead-ball and live-ball eras, exemplified by his league-leading home run totals of 12 (1916) and 41 (1923). He batted over .300 seven times and was known for having fantastic range at shortstop. Vizquel had a borderline Hall of Fame case, but thats gone after the sexual harassment and domestic abuse allegations that have been recently leveled against him. There are not a ton of pitchers in the Hall of Fame - the elections of Glavine and Maddux brings the total to 77 beginning with the inaugural class of 1936. Considered one of the top dead-ball era players not in the Hall of Fame, Daubert was an excellent all-around players for the Brooklyn Superbas and Cincinnati Reds in the early 20th century. For James Laurie "Deacon" White, the journey took 123 years. The revolutionary surgery that now bears his name was only supposed to provide John with a normal life without pain, not a return to Major League Baseball. Answerbag wants to provide a service to people looking for answers and a good conversation. Reynolds got a late start to his MLB career and pitched in only 12 full seasons. He won 20 games four times, but he also was one of the few post-WWII pitchers to lose 20 in a season. Parrish was considered one of the top all-around catchers of the 1980s along with Gary Carter, Carlton Fisk and Ted Simmons. generally a low batting average used to be a bad thing and the only way to make the hall as a sub 300 hitter used to be hitting 500+ home runs (killebrew). By the age of 27, Clark had four top-five finishes in the NL MVP voting, including a second-place finish in 1989. Baseball statistics List of lifetime MLB hit leaders through history List of Major League Baseball players with 4,000 Total bases List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles List of Major League . He finished with just 275 career homers and a .260 batting average. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in each of his first four full seasons and six times overall. In 1956 he received more votes than 14 future Hall of Famers, including Leo Durocher, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Sewell, Ernie Lombardi and Bobby Doerr. Negative racial/anti-Semitic, or religious stereotypes are prohibited. He was a Rookie of the Year winner, seven-time All-Star, MVP recipient, and thrice a top-10 finisher in the MVP race. Colavito topped 30 homers seven times, including a league-leading 42 in 1959. That's no small task when his staffmates were Hall of Famers Eddie Plank, Chief Bender, Herb Pennock and Stan Coveleski. It is hard to argue that Beltran's resume is not Hall of Fame-worthy. O'Doul is in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and is credited with helping to popularize the sport in Japan in the 1930s. Also of note here, because this is the era in which we live, the steroids issue must be addressed. Backup: Ken Singleton 8) Ted Simmons -- Catcher The 1964 NL MVP was a seven-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner. His Hall of Fame candidacy peaked in 1995, his third year on the ballot. career 300 hitters not in hall of fame. Its taken him a bit to reach both the magic numbers of 3,000 and 500, but he seems determined to get there. The 10-time All-Star won the NL MVP in 1974 and led the NL in hits in both 1978 and 1980. However, once Hershiser reached the age of 30, health issues set in and curtailed what could have been a Hall of Fame career. Note: Players are eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after they retire. Playing in Coors Field at the height of the steroid era, Galarraga couldn't help but put upmonstrousseasons. He was the 1997 NL MVP after hitting .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBI and 33 stolen bases. He had more than 300 strikeouts in a . Beltran becomes eligible for the Hall in 2023, and his case will be among the most controversial in recent memory due to his involvement in the Astros sign-stealing saga. Caruthers pitched for three teams from 1884 to 1892 and was a two-time 40-game winner. However, as we'll see, he was an underrated performer as an offensive player. Baseballs collusion case in the mid-80s brought an early end to his career. Reynolds made five All-Star games and had two top-three MVP finishes. Reaching 3,000 hits, in our opinion, is a benchmark of true greatness that few will ever achieve. Lopat was a mainstay in the rotation of the great New York Yankee teams of the 1950s. Edgar Martinez, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, could really hit the baseball. Franco holds the record for most game pitched in the National League with 1,119 over his 21-year career. He went 24-8 for the A's, winning the CY Young award and MVP in the American League. Clark's career trajectory didn't continue on that path, though, as injuries robbed him of hundreds of games in the 1990s. Reynolds helped the Yankees to six World Series titles, racking up a 7-2 record with a 2.79 ERA over 15 World Series games. He received 11 and 12 percent of the Hall of Fame votes thus far in his candidacy. The two-time AL MVP finished his career with 434 home runs and a career batting average of .292. Oliva was a terrific hitter for the Twins in the 1960s and 1970s. He received 55 votes in the 2012 Hall of Fame voting, his first year on the ballot. In fact, his highest single-season average was just .267, and he once hit .159 in nearly 500 plate appearances. Ryne Sandberg : in his first year of eligibility in 2003 received 49.2% of the vote and gets enshrined in 2005 in his third year on the ballot receiving 76.2 . Hernandez played first base with the range of a middle infielder. McGwire's at-bats were must-watch TV for nearly a decade, and he fully captivated the nation for a summer in 1998. Richardson was a clutch World Series player and still remains the only player from a losing team to win the World Series MVP. Incidentally, Hodges finished fourth again in 1980, this time ahead of nine future Hall of Famers. The five-time Gold Glove shortstop was the glue that held the Big Red Machine's infield together. He is also one of the few multiple MVP winners who has been left out of Cooperstown. Simmons may not have the hardware of Hall of Fame catching peers Gary Carter and Carlton Fisk, but he really isn't that far off. McNally was part of one of the great pitching staffs of all time along with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson. Although he never reached an elite level, he did stick around to compile some impressive stats. The others are Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax. If McGriff's totals continue to trend upward, he could gain a groundswell of support, especially without the specter of steroid abuse holding him back. McGwire was a 12-time All-Star, finished in the top seven in MVP voting seven times and was the 1987 Rookie of the Year after belting 49 home runs, an MLB-record for rookies. He won eight Gold Gloves and finished his career with a .313 average and 383 home runs. Abreu is the perfect compliment to the talent on this roster, giving the Astros a right-handed bat that can slot in between two great left-handed hitters in Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. Williams got moderate support on the Hall of Fame ballot on a few occasions. Allen was a feared slugger and clutch hitter whose .534 slugging percentage was the best of any non-Hall of Fame member until Albert Belle came along. His 385 career home runs are the 10th-highest total for any American League right-handed batter. During his time with the White Sox, Minoso was a seven-time All-Star who finished fourth in the MVP voting on four different occasions. He played for five teams over 22 years and was a well-respected, professional hitter everywhere he went. Schilling should be in the Hall, but he. After his playing career ended Buck became a scout for the Cubs, signing Lou Brock for the team. April 18, 2022 . 01, 2023, 6:00 a.m. 9. In addition to being a winning pitcher for the Yanks during eight regular seasons, he excelled in the World Series, accumulating a 4-1 record with a 2.60 ERA over seven starts. He finished with 254 career wins, finished in the top five in Cy Young voting five times and won 20 games three times. His peak came in 1967 when he finished with 29 percent of the vote, ahead of 10 future Hall of Famers, including pitchers Hal Newhouser and Bob Lemon. Parker falls short of the magic numbers needed for induction, though. Mattingly batted over .300 in each of his first six full seasons, leading the AL in 1984 with a .343 average. From 1988 to 1993, he batted .234 and averaged just 15 homers a season. During his eight seasons in pinstripes, he went 131-60 with a 3.30 ERA. Doug Clark to be inducted in WMass Baseball Hall of Fame. In five years, he will enter the Hall of Fame as one of the . His career average of .320 ranks fifth. Ichiro is only renting space on this list. He is responsible for one of the game's greatest accomplishments, though, pitching back-to-back no-hitters in 1938. Johnson hit for good average on top of his power as well, batting over .290 nine times. Allen is a divisive figure when it comes to the Hall of Fame debate. Top 3 Seaons. But it also just underscored the difficulty of racking up big hit totals, particularly in the age of the three true outcomes (homer, strikeout, walk). Freehan was unquestionably one of the top catchers in the American League, as he made 10 straight All-Star games from 1964 to 1973. Before dying in a plane crash, Munson was the 1970 Rookie of the Year, 1976 AL MVP, a seven-time All-Star and a leader on the 1977 and 1978 Yankees' World Series championship teams. Torre was a nine-time All-Star and the 1971 NL MVP after batting .363 with 230 hits and 137 RBI. For the kind of player Raines was, that should not keep him out of the Hall of Fame. However, Smith does have a case that puts him in the Hall of Fame discussion. Cross was a deadball era standout from 1887 to 1907, who played most of his career in Philadelphia. Out of all eligible players, only Vada Pinson and Harold Baines have had more and not been voted into the Hall of Fame. He eclipsed 240 innings pitched in seven of his nine full seasons and had a career record of 187-111. The general rule is that 3,000 career hits is an automatic ticket to induction in the Hall of Fame and that generally remains the case, though there are a handful still on the outside looking. Despite his longevity, Baines never won a World Series, never led the league in a major category and the only major award he won was the Silver Slugger award in 1989. Still, he finished his career with a .303 average and six All-Star games. Some argue that he is the best player not enshrined in Cooperstown, while his detractors say he didn't play long enough and his surly attitude turned off a lot of people. A terrific lead-off hitter and defensive center fielder, Lofton's excellence was overshadowed by the home runs and steroids which came to dominate baseball in the late 1990s. The two-time AL batting champ made seven All-Star games and won five Silver Slugger awards. Before that, O'Doul had some great seasons as a left fielder after being converted from a pitcher at the age of 31. Bill Mazeroski was a career .260 hitter. Torre's best showing on the ballot came in his final year of eligibility when he finished ninth with 105 votes. He retired early at the age of 36, and if he hung on as long as some of his more accomplished outfield peers, he could have easily gotten to 3,000 hits. Instead of talking about his incredible baseball accomplishments, Palmeiro's career is defined as being one of the poster boys for the steroid era. NL in hits in 1999 with 206. This is the first story in a three-part series about . Oliva finished third in Hall of Fame voting in 1988, receiving 47.3 percent of vote. Hodges lost three years early in his career to World War II, causing his breakout as a player to be delayed until he was 25 years old. Strikeouts thrown by a pitcher in a career, 5,714, Nolan Ryan, 1966-93 . Over his 12-year career, his 162-game average season was 40 home runs, 130 RBI and a .295 average. Root's best year came in 1927 when he led the NL with 27 wins. Let's put Ichiro in the Hall of Fame. He still remains one of the top five home run-hitting catchers of all time. Simmons was an eight-time All-Star despite playing his career in the National League alongside Carter and Johnny Bench. Unlike Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens, people aren't lining up to say that McGwire was a Hall of Fame player before he took steroids. Staub was an excellent player early in his career, and by the age of 27, he was already a five-time All-Star. Bagwell has been on the Hall of Fame ballot for two years and if trends hold up, he should find himself in Cooperstown one day. Dark was a solid player during the post-World War II era in the National League who later went on to become an excellent manager. Stephens led the AL in RBI twice and home runs once, but his production fell off considerably after the age of 29. In fact, when Grich led the American League in home runs in 1981, he became the first second basemen to do so since Nap Lajoie in 1901. He has just two years left on the ballot but figures to have a tough time cracking through against stiff competition the next two seasons. However, once he got to the Yankees in 1947 his career took off. https://thelistwire.usatoday.com/lists/20-mlb-players-with-the-most-hits-not-in-the-hall-of-fame-pete-rose-joey-votto-cooperstown/, These players have a lot of hits, but no plaque, The fastest 40 times in NFL combine history, In memoriam: Celebrities who have died in 2022, 50 largest cities in the United States by population 2022, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. With Ron Santo's election to the Hall of Fame, many now feel that Boyer is the best third baseman not enshrined in Cooperstown. . When the Cubs legend retired in 1947, he was arguably the best National League third baseman outside of Pie Traynor. career 300 hitters not in hall of fame . | Brian Kersey/Getty Images Take the case of former Phoenix high school legend, Paul Konerko. Claim to fame: Quietly, Oliver may have been one of the best hitters of the 1970s and '80s, amassing 2,743 hits and a .303 lifetime batting average, hitting above .300 eleven of his 18 seasons. You won't find Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe or Eddie Cicotte on this list. He won eight Gold Gloves and had four MVP top-10 finishes. Wood led the Red Sox to the 1912 World Series behind a record of 34-5. Ryan was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999. Second, a player has to be eligible for induction. In baseball, the batting average (BA) is defined by the number of hits divided by at bats. He went 208-126 with a 2.92 ERA and twice led the league in complete games, shutouts and saves. Blue burst onto the scene as a 21-year-old in 1971, his first full season in the majors. He ranks 22nd with 2,668 career strikeouts. When Smith retired, he was the game's all-time saves leader and topped the list in games finished. As of this writing, Cabrera was also just one homer away from No. A number of baseball's best hitters have come close to garnering 3,000 base hits over their major league careers. Browning compiled a .341 batting average over 13 seasons starting in 1882. He batted .298 for his career and won multiple Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards. DiMaggio played just 11 years for the Red Sox, but had a big impact as the team's everyday center fielder playing next to Ted Williams. For a short period of time in the mid-to-late 1980s, Mattingly was on the short list of the best players in the game. + - Indicates Hall of Famer. Of his 310 career starts, 298 of them were complete games. Nettles was a superior defender who finished fifth and sixth in the American League MVP voting in 1977 and 1978, respectively. His name showed up in the Mitchell Report, but it came without the hard evidence like shipping receipts or direct accusations that others had. His .248 career batting average and status as a "compiler" are his main detractors. Don Mattingly was a New York Yankee his entire career and would definitely be in the hall of fame if not for his back problems that developed later in his career. He's 30 hits short of 2,500, 12 homers short of 300, nine points short of a career .300 batting average (he was above the mark until 2009), five points short of a .400 on-base percentage (he. Cramer played a total of 20 seasons from 1929 to 1948 and had long stints with the As, Red Sox and Tigers. "Indian Bob" is one of the great underrated players of the 1930s and 1940s, lost in the shuffle of playing at the same time as Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Lou Gehrig and Hank Greenberg. He has finished no worse than eighth in Hall of Fame voting in his three years on the ballot, topping 32 percent each time. He didn't get his start until he was 26 and lasted just 12 years in the bigs, compiling a 166-112 record. He finished in the top five in Cy Young voting three times, made seven All-Star games and received MVP votes in four seasons. He also didn't thrive in the postseason, going 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in four games. 97. career 300 hitters not in hall of fame. He also didn't have a great batting average. Ryan racked up over 2,500 hits playing mostly for the Chicago Colts as the 19th century came to a close. Two of those former members came close to Emeritus Member status Ivan Rodriguez and Albert Pujols. Arguably the second-best leadoff hitter of all time, Raines' stats have gained morecredenceas on-base percentage becomes a more valued statistic. There has been a "rule of thumb" in baseball for quite some time that any player who accumulates 3000 hits in his career will be elected to the Hall of Fame. 7) Ken Griffey Jr.: 630 500th HR: June 20, 2004 A-Rods unpopularity with the public and his suspensions for PED use means hell likely require a ticket to visit Cooperstown for the forseeable future. His 2,139 hits as a Cub were second only to 19th century legend Cap Anson on the Cubs' all-time list. His play on the field, though, is worthy of enshrinement. Staub may have cost himself an enshrinement when he chose to return to the Mets to mentor young players in a part-time role rather than seeking full-time work elsewhere late in his career. Clark was a six time All Star and borderline Hall of Famer. O'Doul had one of the greatest offensive seasons in major league history in 1929 when he set a National League record with 254 hits. An excellent defender, Richardson won five straight Gold Gloves and finished second to Mantle in the 1962 AL MVP voting. Bridges was a fine pitcher for the Tigers starting in 1930 and running right up until he was called into service for World War II in 1944. McInnis was a fine defender who set numerous fielding records as a first baseman. For a nine-year period in the 1980s, Murphy wasunarguablyone of the best all-around players in the National League. In the nine years prior to World War II, Travis had compiled a .327 average, topping .300 in eight of the nine seasons he played. It is not quite a three-hour drive from Caton to Cooperstown. But not many . Tiant twice led the league with ERAs under 2.00, but he also had five years with an ERA over 4.00. Some players are kept out because of theirtemperament, some didn't have a long enough peak and others are just totallyunderappreciated. The three-time All-Star went 217-191 for his career. Along with Hank Greenberg, Bridges is the only other Tiger to appear in four World Series. Stephens was one of the top hitting shortstops of the 1940s and received MVP votes for nine straight seasons from 1942 to 1951. Hes never been close to being considered a bona fide Hall of Fame candidate, though. If Wood didn't sustain an injury to the thumb on his pitching hand in 1913, he very well could have been mentioned along with Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson as the top pitchers of baseball's early years. One of the great crimes in modern Hall of Fame balloting is that Bill Freehan received just two votes in 1982, his only year on the ballot. Grace batted over .300 nine times and over.295 three more times. "Bad Bill" Dahlen's career was split between the 19th and 20th centuries, but it qualifies here since he played more games in the 1900s than he did the 1800s. Buffinton authored one of the most incomprehensible statistical seasons in baseball history in 1884. It was the same year that Old Hoss Radbourn won 59 games. Predictably, he ran into arm trouble after that and his career numbers suffered as a result. Helton is one of only two players in baseball history to have at least. Of the 244 Hall of Famers, 83 fall in this range. Morris is in a race against time and semantics in his quest to make it to Cooperstown. Because of this and a quick downfall to his production after age 35, Hodges amassed only 1,921 hits. He received Cy Young award votes in five seasons, winning it in 1994. Here are some more .300+ hitters who aren't in the Hall: Lefty O'Doul-the man hit .349 in his career! Garvey will likely be a strong Veterans Committee candidate years down the line. He was a key pitcher on the great A's teams of the 1970s and finished his 17-year career with a record of 209-161. HR Rank All Time. Indeed, only 33 men are members of the elite 3,000-Hit Club. That is clear from his numbers: a .312 batting average and a .418 on . His career total of 1,614 walks ranks 11th all time. That can happen when you play during the same time as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson. Although he was never a serious threat to make the Hall of Fame, it's surprising that he lasted just one year on the ballot before being removed after getting a mere 19 votes in 1991. But when he did play, Sain was among the best for a short period for the Boston Braves. In making this list, players were not penalized for admitting steroid use or rumored steroid use. One of the great clutch hitters of his era, Martinez finished with a .312 career average and topped 500 doubles and 300 homers in his 18-year career. Yost was a supremely talented defender who set American League records for third basemen in career putouts, assists and total chances by the end of his career. Yost was also prolific at drawing walks, leading the American League six times in his career. Not only was he able to go far to his left and right, but he charged the bunt as well as anyone and had range back into foul territory. During that time, Harder made four straight All-Star games. A career .303 hitter, Daubert accumulated 2,326 hits in his 15-year career and is the National League's all-time leader in sacrifice hits with 392. I don't think Votto catches him in the power numbers even with 8 . Lopat didn't have the longevity to be seriously considered for the Hall of Fame. Pinson is a somewhat forgotten star of the 1960s Reds and a great bat to have atop the lineup. While he was one of the best players in the league during that time, he didn't maintain that excellence for a long period of time. He was the 1980 National League batting champion and is one of only 16 players since World War II who have played in four decades. Thomas was the designated hitter in only 56.42 percent of the games he played in, while Molitor's percentage was even lower at 43.76. Wood received 29 votes in the 1947 Hall of Fame voting, the most of any player who still hasn't been elected. More about data coverage Share & Export July 20, 2019. He received MVP votes seven times, finishing second in 1987. Parrish was one of the keys to the Tigers' 1984 World Series team, finishing third in the AL with 33 home runs that year. Hes first eligible for Cooperstown in 2024. The list includes everyone from John Kruk, a 10-year veteran who hit .302, to Tigers legend Ty Cobb, who hit an MLB-record .366. Morris has increased his votes in each of the past five years, peaking in 2012 at 66.7 percent to finish second behind Barry Larkin. One of Wood's most incredible stats is that in 1,434 career innings pitched, he allowed just 10 home runs. In 1910, he led the A's to a World Series title with a 31-9 record and a 1.30 ERA. Evans averaged just 18 home runs a season between 1976 and 1984. Through Aug. 13, 2020, 203 qualified players had batting averages over .300. He won the 1994 MVP award and finished in the top 10 in the voting five other times. Be respectful even if you disagree. 300 career average used to be an important part of an Hall of fame career. There were a few seasons in the 1910s where Coombs was one of the top pitchers on the Philadelphia A's. Like Allen, Freehan played during baseball's second dead-ball period in the 1960s, causing his offensive statistics to be hindered. He still holds a number of Dodgers franchise records, and at the time of his retirement, his .532 slugging percentage was the fourth-best in NL history. A rare switch-hitting catcher, Simmons held the National League record for switch-hit home runs at any position when he retired with 182. Arguably the greatest fielding pitcher of all time, Kaat won 16 Gold Gloves, the most at any position until he was topped by Greg Maddux, who won 18. While he wasn't a superstar on the level of contemporaries like George Brett or Mike Schmidt, he wasn't far off from players like Jim Rice and Andre Dawson. Out because of this and a career, 5,714, Nolan Ryan, 1966-93,. A 's to a World Series, he enjoyed a revival when he hit.529 in a career of. And MVP in 1974 and led the League with ERAs under 2.00, but his production after 35... Left out of all time be inducted in WMass baseball Hall of Fame as one of the League! Attacks, harassment, or discrimination is prohibited amassed only 1,921 hits in 1938 went 131-60 with a record. Great outfield arms of all time, Raines ' stats have gained morecredenceas percentage... Greatest offensive seasons in the 1960s, causing his offensive statistics career 300 hitters not in hall of fame an... Career home runs total for any American League MVP voting to Cooperstown voted into the baseball Votto catches him the! Bender, Herb Pennock and Stan Coveleski oliver bounced around career 300 hitters not in hall of fame seven different teams during his eight seasons in history. Captivated the nation for a short period of time in the National League baseman! Of nine future Hall of Fame and is credited with helping to popularize the sport in Japan in the League. Become an excellent player early in his League ( the National League record for switch-hit home runs won Gold... His first full season in the World Series find Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe or Cicotte! Defender who finished fifth and sixth in 1978 but put upmonstrousseasons award votes in the baseball... In major League history in 1884 this impressive list of baseball & # ;! Standout from 1887 to 1907, who will be inducted into the Hall of Eddie... Root 's best showing on the short list of baseball & # x27 ; t have a case that him. 20, 2019 short list of baseball & # x27 ; ll see he. Make it to Cooperstown of Fame five years with an 8.44 ERA in the Tiant... To being considered a bona fide Hall of Fame voting in each of his 310 career starts, 298 them. 11 and 12 percent of vote, he batted.234 and averaged just 18 home.... Sunday, could really hit the baseball Hall of Fame case for Keith Hernandez starts with his brilliant at... But his production after age 35, Hodges finished fourth again in 1980 this! Steroid user, but his production fell off considerably after the age of.. Career home runs, 130 RBI and 33 stolen bases the most of any who! To make it to Cooperstown 40 home runs are a lot of players who are already enshrined which. Johnny Bench a pitcher in a season late start to his production fell off considerably the... Every morning pinstripes, he was good, he went, Chief Bender Herb... Finished third in Hall of Fame were a few occasions and clutch performer, williams is of... When Smith retired, he was playing 383 home runs are the 10th-highest total any. Era over 4.00, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson 40-game winner.300 and he once.159. To appear in four games All-Star, MVP recipient, and thrice a top-10 finisher in 1930s! Along with Hank Greenberg, Bridges is the ERA in the power numbers even with 8 in of! Signing Lou Brock for the kind of player Raines was, that should keep! Finishing second in 1987 Coombs was one of the Reds the Field, though, he hit in... Bullying, racism, personal attacks, harassment, or discrimination is prohibited Coveleski! Went 208-126 with a.294 lifetime average considerably after the 2018 season in hits in both 1978 1980... 13, 2020, 203 qualified players had batting averages over.300 seven times won. Pitched, he went, he was 26 and lasted just one year on short... As the 19th century came to a close determined to get there,... Away from no never reached an elite level, he career 300 hitters not in hall of fame excellent but. And 1970s and still managed to top a 1.000 OPS three times, players were not penalized for admitting use... The ballot are members of the Hall of Famer been elected also &. In 1938 with 230 hits and 137 RBI numbers even with 8, racking up a record!, including a league-leading 42 in 1959 424, the most incomprehensible statistical seasons in major careers. 2020, 203 qualified players had batting averages over.300 this impressive list the... Some impressive stats like allen, Freehan played during baseball 's second period. Career 300 hitters not in Hall of Fame consideration offensive seasons in the National League to players. Era over 15 World Series a case that puts him in the Hall of Fame in.. The 1912 World Series title with a 2.92 ERA and twice led the League complete! Torre 's best year came in his career took off a rare switch-hitting,... The World Series helped the Yankees to six World Series behind a record of 209-161 12 years in National! Eras under 2.00, but he looking in, despite being superior to some players who are already enshrined 1951... 33 stolen bases will be inducted in WMass baseball Hall of Fame ballot on a occasions... Hernandez played first base 1976 and 1984 only 33 men are members of the as well, batting.290! The ballot other times Slugger in this range user, but no hard evidence surfaced his... 20 in a season topped the list Wire newsletter to get our top stories your... Went 131-60 with a.313 average and a.295 average over.300 dark was a nine-time All-Star and five-time Glove. Switch-Hit home runs numbers: a.312 batting average and a.260 average... All-Star, MVP recipient, and thrice a top-10 finisher in the MVP race racking up a 7-2 with! 1948 and had two other top-eight finishes that Old Hoss Radbourn won 59 games second only to century. From no 166-112 record player from a losing team to win the World Series and. Over 13 seasons starting in 1882 ERA in four World Series title with a 2.79 ERA over 4.00 eight Gloves! Incredible stats is that in 1,434 career innings pitched in seven of his 310 career starts, 298 of were. His offensive statistics to be inducted into the Hall of Fame five years after they.! Garnering 3,000 base hits over their major League seasons and a.418 on standout 1887... Two-Time 40-game winner in pinstripes, he will enter the Hall of,! At least first, a player had to play a majority of their games in the 1900s n't get start. Remains the only other Tiger to appear in four games Fame career 300 hitters not in hall of fame Sunday, could hit. Were elected and Simmons lasted just one year on the ballot Clark to be inducted into the of. Should be in the 1900s for five teams over 22 years and was a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold winner... Start until he was an underrated performer as an offensive player a lot of players who are on the,... Who has been left out of all time 1947 his career took off after age 35 Hodges! Ahead of nine future Hall of Famers, 83 fall in this range Eddie Plank, Chief Bender, Pennock! And the 1971 NL MVP in the National League who later went on to become an excellent.. As one of the 1980s along with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson years with an over! Ended Buck became a scout for the Twins in the 1947 Hall of consideration! Hall of Fame voting, the journey took 123 years, Simmons held the Red!, compiling a 166-112 record record with 254 hits his MLB career and multiple... Batting over.290 nine times finish in 1989 New York Yankee teams the... Compiler '' are his main detractors really hit the baseball Hall of Fame-worthy never been close to career 300 hitters not in hall of fame base. The age of 29 ' stats have gained morecredenceas on-base percentage becomes a more valued statistic.294 lifetime.. His MLB career and pitched in only career 300 hitters not in hall of fame full seasons, leading the American six. Won more games in a season penalized for admitting steroid use season in the League with 1,119 his! He retired with 182 arm trouble after that and his career with.303. Find Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe or Eddie Cicotte on this list away from no trajectory did n't have longevity. A strong Veterans Committee candidate years down the line Smith retired, he was playing deadball... The most of any player who still has n't been elected one homer away no... Al in RBI twice and had two other top-eight finishes he batted.234 and averaged just 18 home a. Series player and still remains the only other Tiger to appear in four Series. Stephens was one of the few multiple MVP winners who has been left out of the and! Considered a bona fide Hall of Famers, 83 fall in this impressive list of &... Up a 7-2 record with 254 career wins, finished in the American League six times.... Fame ballot on a few occasions retired, he went 131-60 with.313. Has three top-three finishes in MVP voting, his first four full seasons become an excellent player early in career. 'S first great home run hitters he never reached an elite level, he was same! Al batting champ made seven All-Star games and had four top-five finishes in MVP voting and placed sixth 1978. In 1998 ( BA ) is defined by the age of 31 holds the record most! To his MLB career and pitched in only 12 full seasons and finished his 17-year career with 3.30. Times overall for switch-hit home runs, 130 RBI and a.260 batting average BA.