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WOW, yeah, the title grabbed my attention as well...
Here are the top 50 most overrated Players in MLB History....
(according to 1 writer anyway)
I will list the 50-11 then a brief "synopsis" of the top 10....
50. Jorge Posada
49. David Ortiz
48. Alfonso Soriano
47. Cliff Lee
46. Jason Varitek
45. Jose Canceco
44. Scott Brosius
43. Brady Anderson
42. Chuck Finley
41. Phil Rizzuto
40. Lou Brock
39. Jonathan Papelbon
38. Vernon Wells
37. Joe Torre
36. Kirk Gibson
35. Johnny Sain
34. Bernie Williams
33. Brooks Robinson
32. Wade Boggs
31. Edgar Martinez
30. Sammy Sosa
29. Denny McLain
28. Mike Mussina
27. Larry Walker
26. Ken Caminiti
25. Omar Vizquel
24. Richie Asburn
23. Ralph Kiner
22. Ozzie Smith
21. Phil Niekro
20. Dave Stewart
19. Jason Giambi
18. Thurman Munson
17. Bucky Dent
16. Pee Wee Reese
15. Joe Carter
14. Barry Zito
13. Nomar Garciaparra
12. Mike Piazza
11. Jack Clark
and now the
TOP 10 MOST OVERRATED PLAYERS IN MLB HISTORY
10. Mark McGwire
McGwire falls into the same boat. A cheater is a cheater, and for that reason, he doesn't deserve to be in the same breath as those who didn't take the easy way out.
Yes, McGwire blasted 70 HR in 1998, but that was all he could do. He was not a reliable first baseman and didn't hit for average, as his career BA is .263.
McGwire and Sammy Sosa helped to rekindle the flame that was missing in baseball during their home run chase, but other than that, McGwire has only hurt the credibility of this cherished game.
9. Hideo Nomo
Due to the fact that Nomo is the most noteworthy Japanese player ever to play in the major leagues, Nomo seems to flirt with immortality. Or could be that he is unique delivery was just that unforgettable?
In reality, Nomo had two stellar seasons with the Dodgers, but that is all. He came out of nowhere with his motion and hitters did not know what to expect.
For that reason, he went 13-6 in his rookie year and took home Rookie of the Year honors. After that, he was far from as effective until in 2002 he went 16-6, but that turned out to be just a flash in the pan.
Nomo is remembered for his uncharacteristic approach to pitching and not for his ability to get hitters out.
8. Darryl Strawberry
If you are familiar with Moneyball, you know how the story goes. Strawberry and Billy Beane were both poised to be the future of the majors, but only Strawberry panned out.
Strawberry might have been something when he first came up, but as time went on, he never lived out to his full potential, either.
Strawberry was quite the power hitter with the Mets when he made his debut. He hit close to or over 30 home runs during his seven years with the team and stole bases as well. He even joined the 30/30 club in 1987.
After joining the Dodgers, it was all downhill. Not only for his career, but also his personal life. After 1991, Strawberry only played in 100 games once over the next eight seasons.
Darryl Strawberry could have been great. He had potential oozing out of his ears, but because of his poor choices, he is just another overrated bust.
7. Don Mattingly
"Donnie Baseball" was the premier first basemen for quite some time. From 1984-1989 he hit for average and hit for power. He was the cornerstone of a the Yankee team.
It was a shame for how good he was, that he could never lead his team into the postseason until his final season in 1995, but that season ended at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.
Mattingly was great for that stint, but after that he was just average. Chalk that up to injuries, but we still expected so much more from him.
After 1989, Mattingly didn't hit over .300 again until 1994, but his season was limited to 97 games. His power was gone and so was his ability to hit for average.
He still is one of the fan favorites in the Bronx, but people remember him more for what he did earlier in his career and seem to forget just how quickly he tapered off.
6. Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn will always be remembered for that hunched over stance and his ability to hit the ball a long way.
In his prime, he managed to mash the ball and hit for average. During his time with the Red Sox and Angels, Vaughn averaged 30 HR and hit for an average hovering around .300.
For all of his hitting accomplishments, Vaughn was a miserable first baseman. His fielding percentage for his career was .988 and he committed 139 errors.
To put that in perspective, that means he averaged nearly nearly 12 errors per season as a first baseman.
Vaughn had just as many strengths as weaknesses, but people seem to only remember what he did well.
5. Pete Rose
Pete Rose accumulated 4,256 hits in 24 seasons. For that, he is untouchable.
He did one thing well and that was hit the ball. He reached over 200 hits nine times over his career and his career average was .303.
If Rose didn't play for as long as he did, would he have accumulated as many hits as he did? He seemed to continue playing even when he was a mere shell of what he was during his prime.
He never came close to surpassing 200 hits again. Did he continue to play just to increase his hit total?
During his last five seasons in the bigs, where he accounted for over 660 hits, his average dipped well below .300. If we take those hits away, he still finishes well over 3,000, but 3,590 does not sound as impressive.
Don't get me wrong, Pete Rose has set a record that probably will never be touched, but longevity, and possibly stubbornness, had a lot to do with it.
4. Don Sutton
Don Sutton amassed a 324-256 record over his 23 seasons in the major leagues. Chalk that 300-plus victories to his longevity. If not for that, he wouldn't have ever eclipsed that mark.
Sutton only won 20-plus games once over his long career and wasn't at his best when his team needed him the most—in the World Series.
In his five World Series appearances, Sutton went 2-3 with a 5.26 ERA.
If Sutton didn't pitch into his 40s, there is no way he would have reached the heights that he did. Longevity played a major role in Sutton's success, not necessarily his all-around skill.
3. Carl Yastrzemski
As the last Triple Crown winner, Carl "Yaz" Yastrzemski was one-of-a-kind. He accomplished a feat that will happen once in a lifetime. In his Triple Crown year, "Yaz" hit .326 with 44 HR and 121 RBI. He truly had a dream season.
If you remove his 1967 season that thrust him into immortality, Yastrzemski was really, well, average. He reached 40 HR two more times, but other than those two seasons, his homerun total hovered in the teens.
He hit over .300 three more times, but his average stayed near .270. His RBI total also was never quite as high, as he only eclipsed 100 RBI four more times.
For someone who captured the mythical Triple Crown, you would expect some more consistency.
Yastrzemski was a fan favorite and was able to accomplish something that is as difficult as the Triple Crown in horse racing. It seems as if 1967 is the only season we remember of a rather average 23-year career.
2. Roger Maris
Roger Maris has one season that we all remember—that epic 61 HR season.
Other than that, Maris was far from as talented as his counterpart in Mickey Mantle. Maris had power for a stretch of his career, but that was all. His career BA was a mere .260.
Injury woes could have played a part in this as he only played in two full seasons—one of course being his record-setting season.
Maris will always be remembered for his magical season in 1961, but remove that from his career, and there isn't much to write home about.
1. Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan was a work horse. He accumulated innings at a rate that would be considered borderline insane by today's measures.
From 1973-1974, Ryan pitched a grand total of 658 innings. Today, if a pitcher reaches that total in three years, he is an innings eater.
Ryan also was a flamethrower. His 5,714 strikeouts in a career is a record that probably will not be broken. He fanned 1,089 hitters across the span of three years from 1972-1974.
For all of the K's that Ryan amassed, his winning percentage was rather low at .526. He also only won more than 20 games twice in his career—21 in '73 and 22 in '74—and in the years he did that, he started in 41 and 42 games, respectively.
You would figure that such a dominant pitcher would have eclipsed the 20-win mark more than twice, especially in a 27-year career.
Ryan mowed down hitters at an electrifying rate. He was the ideal strikeout pitcher and did win over 300 games, but it is not too much to say that this ace was overrated.
Here are the top 50 most overrated Players in MLB History....
(according to 1 writer anyway)
I will list the 50-11 then a brief "synopsis" of the top 10....
50. Jorge Posada
49. David Ortiz
48. Alfonso Soriano
47. Cliff Lee
46. Jason Varitek
45. Jose Canceco
44. Scott Brosius
43. Brady Anderson
42. Chuck Finley
41. Phil Rizzuto
40. Lou Brock
39. Jonathan Papelbon
38. Vernon Wells
37. Joe Torre
36. Kirk Gibson
35. Johnny Sain
34. Bernie Williams
33. Brooks Robinson
32. Wade Boggs
31. Edgar Martinez
30. Sammy Sosa
29. Denny McLain
28. Mike Mussina
27. Larry Walker
26. Ken Caminiti
25. Omar Vizquel
24. Richie Asburn
23. Ralph Kiner
22. Ozzie Smith
21. Phil Niekro
20. Dave Stewart
19. Jason Giambi
18. Thurman Munson
17. Bucky Dent
16. Pee Wee Reese
15. Joe Carter
14. Barry Zito
13. Nomar Garciaparra
12. Mike Piazza
11. Jack Clark
and now the
TOP 10 MOST OVERRATED PLAYERS IN MLB HISTORY
10. Mark McGwire
McGwire falls into the same boat. A cheater is a cheater, and for that reason, he doesn't deserve to be in the same breath as those who didn't take the easy way out.
Yes, McGwire blasted 70 HR in 1998, but that was all he could do. He was not a reliable first baseman and didn't hit for average, as his career BA is .263.
McGwire and Sammy Sosa helped to rekindle the flame that was missing in baseball during their home run chase, but other than that, McGwire has only hurt the credibility of this cherished game.
9. Hideo Nomo
Due to the fact that Nomo is the most noteworthy Japanese player ever to play in the major leagues, Nomo seems to flirt with immortality. Or could be that he is unique delivery was just that unforgettable?
In reality, Nomo had two stellar seasons with the Dodgers, but that is all. He came out of nowhere with his motion and hitters did not know what to expect.
For that reason, he went 13-6 in his rookie year and took home Rookie of the Year honors. After that, he was far from as effective until in 2002 he went 16-6, but that turned out to be just a flash in the pan.
Nomo is remembered for his uncharacteristic approach to pitching and not for his ability to get hitters out.
8. Darryl Strawberry
If you are familiar with Moneyball, you know how the story goes. Strawberry and Billy Beane were both poised to be the future of the majors, but only Strawberry panned out.
Strawberry might have been something when he first came up, but as time went on, he never lived out to his full potential, either.
Strawberry was quite the power hitter with the Mets when he made his debut. He hit close to or over 30 home runs during his seven years with the team and stole bases as well. He even joined the 30/30 club in 1987.
After joining the Dodgers, it was all downhill. Not only for his career, but also his personal life. After 1991, Strawberry only played in 100 games once over the next eight seasons.
Darryl Strawberry could have been great. He had potential oozing out of his ears, but because of his poor choices, he is just another overrated bust.
7. Don Mattingly
"Donnie Baseball" was the premier first basemen for quite some time. From 1984-1989 he hit for average and hit for power. He was the cornerstone of a the Yankee team.
It was a shame for how good he was, that he could never lead his team into the postseason until his final season in 1995, but that season ended at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.
Mattingly was great for that stint, but after that he was just average. Chalk that up to injuries, but we still expected so much more from him.
After 1989, Mattingly didn't hit over .300 again until 1994, but his season was limited to 97 games. His power was gone and so was his ability to hit for average.
He still is one of the fan favorites in the Bronx, but people remember him more for what he did earlier in his career and seem to forget just how quickly he tapered off.
6. Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn will always be remembered for that hunched over stance and his ability to hit the ball a long way.
In his prime, he managed to mash the ball and hit for average. During his time with the Red Sox and Angels, Vaughn averaged 30 HR and hit for an average hovering around .300.
For all of his hitting accomplishments, Vaughn was a miserable first baseman. His fielding percentage for his career was .988 and he committed 139 errors.
To put that in perspective, that means he averaged nearly nearly 12 errors per season as a first baseman.
Vaughn had just as many strengths as weaknesses, but people seem to only remember what he did well.
5. Pete Rose
Pete Rose accumulated 4,256 hits in 24 seasons. For that, he is untouchable.
He did one thing well and that was hit the ball. He reached over 200 hits nine times over his career and his career average was .303.
If Rose didn't play for as long as he did, would he have accumulated as many hits as he did? He seemed to continue playing even when he was a mere shell of what he was during his prime.
He never came close to surpassing 200 hits again. Did he continue to play just to increase his hit total?
During his last five seasons in the bigs, where he accounted for over 660 hits, his average dipped well below .300. If we take those hits away, he still finishes well over 3,000, but 3,590 does not sound as impressive.
Don't get me wrong, Pete Rose has set a record that probably will never be touched, but longevity, and possibly stubbornness, had a lot to do with it.
4. Don Sutton
Don Sutton amassed a 324-256 record over his 23 seasons in the major leagues. Chalk that 300-plus victories to his longevity. If not for that, he wouldn't have ever eclipsed that mark.
Sutton only won 20-plus games once over his long career and wasn't at his best when his team needed him the most—in the World Series.
In his five World Series appearances, Sutton went 2-3 with a 5.26 ERA.
If Sutton didn't pitch into his 40s, there is no way he would have reached the heights that he did. Longevity played a major role in Sutton's success, not necessarily his all-around skill.
3. Carl Yastrzemski
As the last Triple Crown winner, Carl "Yaz" Yastrzemski was one-of-a-kind. He accomplished a feat that will happen once in a lifetime. In his Triple Crown year, "Yaz" hit .326 with 44 HR and 121 RBI. He truly had a dream season.
If you remove his 1967 season that thrust him into immortality, Yastrzemski was really, well, average. He reached 40 HR two more times, but other than those two seasons, his homerun total hovered in the teens.
He hit over .300 three more times, but his average stayed near .270. His RBI total also was never quite as high, as he only eclipsed 100 RBI four more times.
For someone who captured the mythical Triple Crown, you would expect some more consistency.
Yastrzemski was a fan favorite and was able to accomplish something that is as difficult as the Triple Crown in horse racing. It seems as if 1967 is the only season we remember of a rather average 23-year career.
2. Roger Maris
Roger Maris has one season that we all remember—that epic 61 HR season.
Other than that, Maris was far from as talented as his counterpart in Mickey Mantle. Maris had power for a stretch of his career, but that was all. His career BA was a mere .260.
Injury woes could have played a part in this as he only played in two full seasons—one of course being his record-setting season.
Maris will always be remembered for his magical season in 1961, but remove that from his career, and there isn't much to write home about.
1. Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan was a work horse. He accumulated innings at a rate that would be considered borderline insane by today's measures.
From 1973-1974, Ryan pitched a grand total of 658 innings. Today, if a pitcher reaches that total in three years, he is an innings eater.
Ryan also was a flamethrower. His 5,714 strikeouts in a career is a record that probably will not be broken. He fanned 1,089 hitters across the span of three years from 1972-1974.
For all of the K's that Ryan amassed, his winning percentage was rather low at .526. He also only won more than 20 games twice in his career—21 in '73 and 22 in '74—and in the years he did that, he started in 41 and 42 games, respectively.
You would figure that such a dominant pitcher would have eclipsed the 20-win mark more than twice, especially in a 27-year career.
Ryan mowed down hitters at an electrifying rate. He was the ideal strikeout pitcher and did win over 300 games, but it is not too much to say that this ace was overrated.
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