Most overlooked active player?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I still had guys arguing with me as late as 2015 that Adrian Beltre wasn't a Hall of Famer.

[nat]

Cano is going to breeze into the hall of fame. He's as good or better than Utley, but he's much much more appreciated. The Utley/Whitaker comparison is a good one. Similar players, who were similarly overlooked.

It's tempting to think that being a Diamondback is going to lead to Goldy being overlooked, but that record doesn't really show that. The man has made the all-star team every season except his rookie year. Yeah, at one point the same was true of Utley, but for Goldschmidt to rank up there on the overlooked board we'll have to see if he continues to attract attention over the long haul. (Utley didn't.)

dWAR has its problems, but Mattingly doesn't illustrate them. He's got negative scores because he was a first baseman, and it's really hard for a first baseman to have a positive dWAR. On baseball-reference look at the Rpos and the Rfield columns. Rpos is a positional adjustment - basically a penalty for playing an easy defensive position (like first base) or a bonus for playing a hard one (like shortstop). Rfield reflects the run values of the plays actually made, and Mattingly's Rfield is actually quite respectable for a first baseman. (And a LOT better than Jason Giambi's.)

Edited to add: Rpos and Rfield are components of dWAR.

[EvilKing00]

I never hear anyone talk about Adrian Beltre. But imo the guy is a Hofer.

[packs]

I think Yadier Molina belongs in the discussion too. He might be beloved in St. Louis but the rest of the baseball world doesn't take too much notice of him. I think he's a shoe in HOFer too, but I guess there's just nothing flashy about him. He hits the same every year and he plays the same defense. But that defense is what makes him special.

[nat]

Beltre is a good pick. He went from "Yeah, I guess he's okay" to "Wow, Adrian Beltre is a hall of famer" without anybody noticing.

Molina has a shot, but he's going to have to age very very well. Peoples' defensive reputation tends to last longer than their defense does. Molina used to be an extraordinary defensive player, but he's not anymore. And he's getting older. If he ages like Carlton Fisk, he's in. If not, not.

[PowderedH2O]

I don't think he is HOF material, but Hunter Pence is a really good all around player. He doesn't walk a lot, but he does everything else. He hits for a little power, swipes a few bags, gets on base a little, plays well in the field... y'know, all the things that contribute to winning. But, he's also a REALLY good clubhouse guy. Players, coaches, and fans dig him. He brings a great attitude to the game and guys like him keep a team loose.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by PowderedH2O

I don't think he is HOF material, but Hunter Pence is a really good all around player. He doesn't walk a lot, but he does everything else. He hits for a little power, swipes a few bags, gets on base a little, plays well in the field... y'know, all the things that contribute to winning. But, he's also a REALLY good clubhouse guy. Players, coaches, and fans dig him. He brings a great attitude to the game and guys like him keep a team loose.

As a Giants fan, I have (had?) an appreciation of Hunter before he became a permanent fixture on the DL. Now, I wish someone would take him off "our" hands at the trade deadline.

Molina is an excellent player but pretty much hated by all, except Cardinals fans. Maybe it's the neck tattoos?

[bdk1976]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I still had guys arguing with me as late as 2015 that Adrian Beltre wasn't a Hall of Famer.

I'll still argue with you about that. Of course I know I'll lose after looking at his stats, but at no point while watching him play during his time in Seattle did I think to myself "this guy's a HOFer".

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by bdk1976

I'll still argue with you about that. Of course I know I'll lose after looking at his stats, but at no point while watching him play during his time in Seattle did I think to myself "this guy's a HOFer".

That's because he wasn't in Seattle, though he was really, really good. He's put together a monster career since leaving though. 4 30-hr seasons while hitting for a high average, all while still playing his all-time elite-level defense at 3B, since leaving.

445 homers if he never plays another day plus elite defense at 3B. He's not just a HOF'er, he's a no-brainer HOF'er.