Worst MLB Hall of Famers

Metrics have reset the bar for Cooperstown, and a few of those who fall short may surprise you.

Remember when baseball was a simple game? Yeah, me, too. Then metrics reared its decimal point and complicated everything.

The (too) many numbers and formulas have changed the way we view the game. They even can make Hall of Famers look better or worse than we remember them. And if you believe in Wins Above Replacement, some don’t make the cut at all.

Here are the 25 Hall of Famers with the lowest WAR rates.

25. Luis Aparicio

Chicago White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio, left, had a career .972 fielding percentage. Harry Harris / AP Photo

Position: Shortstop

Career: 18 seasons (1956-73)

Teams: Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox

Career statistics/162 games: .262 BA, 5 HR, 49 RBI, 32 SB

WAR/162: 3.48

World Series titles: 1 (1966)

Year inducted: 1984 (BBWAA)

Note: Players who also made contributions as managers, umpires or executives are not included. Statistics with asterisks are incomplete.

Bottom Line: Luis Aparicio

Luis Aparicio, left, played three seasons with the Boston Red Sox to finish his career. John Duricka / AP Photo

The 13-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glover had little competition in an era of good-field, no-hit middle infielders.

Luis Aparicio led the American League in stolen bases nine times, but a feeble .311 on-base percentage limited his chances. “Little Louie” never scored more than 98 runs in a season, though he batted first or second in the order in 83 percent of his starts. And despite not having a lot of pop (83 career home runs), Aparicio did collect 2,677 hits in his career.

Still, his greatest value was defense. That alone may no longer warrant a place in Cooperstown.

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24. George Kell

George Kell, batting for the Detroit Tigers in a 1948 spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds, had 2,054 hits in his career. Phil Sandlin / AP Photo

Position: Third base

Career: 15 seasons (1943-57)

Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles

Career statistics/162: .306 BA, 7 HR, 79 RBI, 5 SB

WAR/162: 3.37

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1983 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: George Kell

George Kell played 15 seasons in the majors and had a .306 career batting average. AP Photo

Here’s one of the 16 players on the list who the Veterans Committee pushed through the Hall of Fame door.

The 10-time All-Star and one-time batting champion was a doubles hitter at a power position. George Kell hit as many as 10 homers in a season only once in his career.

He also was ordinary in the field, never appeared in a postseason game and failed to receive more than 37 percent of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) vote in 15 attempts.

So how did he get really, really good all of a sudden?

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23. Nellie Fox

Chicago White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox, in 1953, played in 2,367 career MLB games. AP Photo

Position: Second base

Career: 19 seasons (1946-65)

Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Houston Colt .45s/Astros

Career statistics/162: .288 BA, 2 HR, 54 RBI, 5 SB

WAR/162: 3.35

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1997 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Nellie Fox

Second baseman Nellie Fox was a 15-time All-Star.

One would think that 15 All-Star Games, three Gold Gloves and an MVP Award might be enough for Hall of Fame status.

Yet that wasn’t enough for this singles hitter with average speed to garner the necessary votes in 15 years on the BBWAA ballot.

Fun fact: “Little Nel” put the ball in play on 97.7 percent of his at-bats. His 1958 season was among the craziest ever — zero home runs, 11 strikeouts in 698 plate appearances.

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22. Red Ruffing

Red Ruffing won 20 games or more in four straight seasons with the New York Yankees from 1936 to 1939. Tom Sande / AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 22 seasons (1924-42, 1945-47)

Teams: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox

Career statistics/162: 37 G, 254 IP, 16-13 W-L, 3.80 ERA

WAR/162: 3.24

World Series titles: 6 (1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941)

Year inducted: 1967 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Red Ruffing

Red Ruffing won 273 games in his career and lost 225. WA / AP Photo

Red Ruffing’s success had as much to do with the greatness around him as anything else.

After six-plus awful seasons with the Red Sox (39-96 record, 4.61 ERA), the right-hander was shipped to New York, where his career took off in the midst of the Yankees’ dynasty.

There was no extended dominance, though. His career 3.80 ERA ranks 80th of the 81 HOF pitchers, and 234 of his 273 victories came after he turned 30 years old.

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21. Freddie Lindstrom

Freddie Lindstrom during the 1924 World Series. Bain News Service / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

Position: Third base, outfield

Career: 13 seasons (1924-36)

Teams: New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers

Career statistics/162: .311 BA, 12 HR, 88 RBI, 9 SB

WAR/162: 3.19

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1976 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Freddie Lindstrom

Freddie Lindstrom batted .311 in 1,438 career major league games. Amazon

Freddie Lindstrom averaged 212 hits and 17 homers in the 1928-30 seasons, at which point the 24-year-old was on a potential Hall of Fame path.

He played only two full seasons thereafter because of ankle and back problems.

His 1,747 career hits are among the fewest for any position player in Cooperstown.

In other words, he’s the Hall of What Might Have Been.

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20. Tony Perez

Tony Perez, hitting for the Cincinnati Reds against the New York Yankees in the 1976 World Series, batted .238 (41-for-172) in 47 career postseason games. AP Photo

Position: First base, third base

Career: 23 seasons (1964-86)

Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies

Career statistics/162: .279 BA, 22 HR, 96 RBI, 3 SB

WAR/162: 3.15

World Series titles: 2 (1975, 1976)

Year inducted: 2000 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Tony Perez

Tony Perez played in the majors from 1964 to 1986. Peter Morgan / AP Photo

The seven-time All-Star was long on longevity, short on dominance.

While “Doggie” made his name as a consistent run producer, table-setters Pete Rose and Joe Morgan had a lot to do with it.

Tony Perez was a league leader in one category — grounded into double plays. Factor in subpar speed and range, and he’s closer to Hall of Good (HOG) standards.

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19. Eppa Rixey

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Eppa Rixey before a game in 1926. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 21 seasons (1912-17, 1919-33)

Teams: Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds

Career statistics/162: 38 G, 245 IP, 15-14 W-L, 3.15 ERA

WAR/162: 3.12

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1963 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Eppa Rixey

Eppa Rixey started 554 games in his career and had 290 complete games. Wikimedia Commons

The left-hander was a 20-game loser (twice) almost as many times as he was a 20-game winner (thrice).

Then again, Eppa Rixey played with average teams or worse for much of his career.

The BBWAA wasn’t overly impressed, either. He received more than 31 percent of the vote once in 16 tries.

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18. Ray Schalk

Ray Schalk had a .253 lifetime batting average with 1,345 hits in his career. AP Photo

Position: Catcher

Career: 18 seasons (1912-29)

Teams: Chicago White Sox, New York Giants

Career statistics/162: .253 BA, 1 HR, 55 RBI, 16 SB

WAR/162: 3.05

World Series titles: 1 (1917)

Year inducted: 1955 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Ray Schalk

Ray Schalk caught 1,728 games in his career. The Sporting News / Wikimedia Commons

Ray Schalk was a rock behind the plate for some the best White Sox teams ever. But how good does a catcher have to be on defense to overcome a career .316 slugging percentage?

Only once did “Cracker” hit more than two homers in a season. And he had as many as 60 RBI in two seasons.

The BBWAA denied him 15 times before the Veterans Committee came to the rescue.

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17. Pie Traynor

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pie Traynor in 1932. AP Photo

Position: Third base

Career: 17 seasons (1920-35, 1937)

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Career statistics/162: .320 BA, 5 HR, 106 RBI, 13 SB

WAR/162: 3.02

World Series titles: 1 (1925)

Year inducted: 1948 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Pie Traynor

Pie Traynor was considered one of the best third basemen of his generation. Wikimedia Commons

The high-average, Gold Glove-caliber infielder was as consistent as the sunrise for the better part of his career. Yet Pie Traynor led the league in one category — triples (once).

He also had one season of 10-or-more homers and two of 50-or-more walks, hardly the ideal combination for someone who batted fourth or fifth in the order throughout his career.

He’s a first-ballot member of the Hall of Very Good, no doubt.

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16. Herb Pennock

Herb Pennock at spring training with the Boston Red Sox in 1934. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 22 seasons (1912-17, 1919-34)

Teams: Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees

Career statistics/162: 40 G, 234 IP, 16-11 W-L, 3.60 ERA

WAR/162: 2.92

World Series titles: 3 (1923, 1927, 1932)

Year inducted: 1948 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Herb Pennock

From 1923 to 1928, Herb Pennock never had fewer than 16 wins in a season and was a thinking man’s pitcher, studying and exploiting the weaknesses of each batter. AP Photo

The “Knight of Kennett Square” (Pennsylvania) was Red Ruffing before Red Ruffing.

Barely average in his first 10 seasons, Herb Pennock was a late bloomer who went on to thrive with dominant Yankees teams.

The lefty was money in the World Series (5-0 record, 1.95 ERA), but his career ERA (75th among HOFers) and WAR (44.6, 62nd) make him another HOG candidate.

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15. Rick Ferrell

Washington Senators catcher Rick Ferrell, left, is congratulated by former Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk in 1945 before catching the 1,721st game of his career to equal the American League catching record set by Schalk in 1928. AP Photo

Position: Catcher

Career: 18 seasons (1929-45, 1947)

Teams: St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators

Career statistics/162: .281 BA, 2 HR, 63 RBI, 2 SB

WAR/162: 2.90

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1984 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Rick Ferrell

Rick Ferrell had a .984 career fielding percentage. AP Photo

The durable, strong-armed catcher never received more than 0.5 percent of the BWAA vote before the veterans gave him a Hall pass.

Rick Ferrell was a seven-time All-Star back when offense was optional at the position.

Fun fact: His 28 career homers were 10 fewer than brother Wes, a two-time All-Star pitcher himself.

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14. Jim Bottomley

Jim Bottomley, at spring training with the St. Louis Browns in 1936, hit .310 in his career with 2,313 hits. AP Photo

Position: First base

Career: 16 seasons (1922-37)

Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Browns

Career statistics/162: .310 BA, 18 HR, 116 RBI, 5 SB

WAR/162: 2.87

World Series titles: 2 (1926, 1931)

Year inducted: 1974 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Jim Bottomley

Jim Bottomley’s nickname was “Sunny Jim.” AP Photo

In his prime, the 1928 National League MVP averaged 22 homers and 126 RBI over six seasons. Trouble was, Jim Bottomley’s production declined sharply after he turned 30 years old.

“Sunny Jim” was a liability in the field and on the basepaths, not to mention a considerable disappointment (.200/.258/.311 slash line) in 24 postseason games.

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13. Burleigh Grimes

Burleigh Grimes, in 1931 with the St. Louis Cardinals, won 270 games in his career. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 19 seasons (1916-34)

Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Boston Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees

Career statistics/162: 38 G, 255 IP, 16-13 W-L, 3.53 ERA

WAR/162: 2.85

World Series titles: 1 (1931)

Year inducted: 1964 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Burleigh Grimes

Burleigh Grimes had 314 complete games in his career. AP Photo

“Ol’ Stubblebeard” was the last of the legal spitball pitchers. The five-time 20-game winner had his moments, all right, yet Burleigh Grimes was more durable than dominant.

What’s more, the right-hander was among the 17 players who were granted lifetime exemptions when his out pitch was banned before the 1920 season. Asterisk, anyone?

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12. Lou Brock

Lou Brock had 3,023 hits in his career. Richard Drew / AP Photo

Position: Outfield

Career: 19 seasons (1961-79)

Teams: Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals

Career statistics/162: .293 BA, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 58 SB

WAR/162: 2.81

World Series titles: 2 (1964, 1967)

Year inducted: 1985 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Lou Brock

Lou Brock, during the 1967 World Series against the Boston Red Sox, scored 1,610 runs in his career. AP Photo

How does a world-class base stealer with 3,023 career hits not qualify for the Hall of Fame? Uh, let me try to explain.

First, he plays more than 2,600 games. “The Rocket” had four stellar seasons in his mid-to-late 20s, but otherwise, his career lacked extended excellence.

The guy thrived on raw athleticism, but bad habits reduced his effectiveness. (See Game 5, 1968 World Series). His career .344 on-base percentage and 75 percent stolen-base success rate were good at best. And his -51 Total Zone Fielding Runs were more like that of a designated hitter.

That said, we still would trade Ernie Broglio for him in a heartbeat.

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11. Jack Morris

Jack Morris won 264 games and lost 186 in his 18-year major league career. Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 18 seasons (1977-94)

Teams: Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians

Career statistics/162: 35 G, 242 IP, 16-12 W-L, 3.90 ERA

WAR/162: 2.75

World Series titles: 3 (1984, 1991, 1992)

Year inducted: 2018 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Jack Morris

Jack Morris won three World Series with three teams: the Tigers, Twins and Blue Jays. AP Photo

As many of those who covered him would agree, Jack Morris was an all-time … pain. Remember when this lovely human told a female intern in the clubhouse, “I don’t talk to women when I’m naked unless they’re on top of me or I’m on top of them”?

Yet I don’t buy that media bias is what kept Mr. Congeniality out of the Cooperstown for so long. It had a lot more to do with his career 3.90 ERA (worst of the 81 Hall of Fame pitchers), WAR total (No. 64) and win percentage (No. 49).

If not for his 10-inning gem in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, I bet the Veterans Committee wouldn’t have put him, uh, over the top, either.

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10. Bill Mazeroski

Bill Mazeroski had 2,016 hits in his career. AP Photo

Position: Second base

Career: 17 seasons (1956-72)

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Career statistics/162: .260 BA, 10 HR, 64 RBI, 2 SB

WAR/162: 2.74

World Series titles: 2 (1960, 1971)

Year inducted: 2001 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Bill Mazeroski

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski rounds third base after hitting his World Series-winning home run against the New York Yankees 1960. AP Photo

The eight-time Gold Glover was the defensive equivalent of Babe Ruth at second base. Let that sink in for a while. Yeah, I know what his other numbers say, but cavernous Forbes Field did right-handed, fly-ball hitters like him no favors whatsoever.

If Maz had played every game at Wrigley Field, for instance, he would have had 241 (not 138) career homers. Or 41 fewer than Ryne Sandberg, who ranks fifth at the position.

Oh, there’s also that 1960 World Series homer of his, still the greatest in baseball history. New York Yankees haters believe that should put him in Cooperstown automatically.

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9. Early Wynn

Early Wynn won 300 games in his career. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 23 seasons (1939, 1941-44, 1946-63)

Teams: Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox

Career statistics/162: 36 G, 238 IP, 16-13 W-L, 3.54 ERA

WAR/162: 2.69

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1972 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Early Wynn

Early Wynn won one Cy Young in his career, in 1959. AP Photo

We’re not picking on the 1959 White Sox here, but this is the third member of the American League champs on the list. Just saying.

“Burly Early” wound up with exactly 300 victories in his career, although it took Early Wynn seven starts and five months over two seasons to get the last one. At 43 years of age.

Dude, the guy pitched forever. Repeat after me, girls and boys: Longevity does not mean greatness.

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8. Rabbit Maranville

Rabbit Maranville played for five teams in his career: the Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Robins and St. Louis Cardinals. AP Photo

Position: Shortstop, second base

Career: 23 seasons (1912-33, 1935)

Teams: Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals

Career statistics/162: .258 BA, 2 HR, 54 RBI, 18 SB

WAR/162: 2.60

World Series titles: 1 (1914)

Year inducted: 1954 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Rabbit Maranville

Rabbit Maranville hit .258 in his career. Chicago Daily News / Wikimedia Commons

If there had been a Gold Glove Award in his day, Walter “Rabbit” Maranville would have won a bunch of them. At the plate, though, his puny .318 career on-base percentage was no match for his 5-foot-5 stature.

He hit .270 or better five times and never higher than .295 in his long career.

Even so, one of the all-time practical jokers finally got the last laugh when he was inducted posthumorously, er, posthumously into the Hall of Fame in his 14th year of eligibility.

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7. Jesse Haines

Jesse Haines won 210 games in his career. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 19 seasons (1918, 1920-37)

Teams: Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals

Career statistics/162: 40 G, 242 IP, 15-11 W-L, 3.64 ERA

WAR/162: 2.59

World Series titles: 2 (1926, 1934)

Year inducted: 1970 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Jesse Haines

Jesse Haines on a 1933 Goudey baseball card. Goudey / Wikimedia Commons

“Pop” was the only team member to play with the first five pennant winners in Cardinals history. Jesse Haines also beat the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1926 World Series.

Unfortunately, the right-handed knuckleballer spent too much of his athletic prime in the minors to put up gaudy numbers. He ranks a distant 76th in career ERA and 72nd in WAR (35.8) on the Hall of Fame list.

In a dozen tries on the BBWAA ballot, he received no more than 8 percent of the vote.

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6. George Kelly

George “High Pockets” Kelly batting for the New York Giants in 1922. AP Photo

Position: First base

Career: 16 seasons (1915-17, 1919-30, 1932)

Teams: New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers

Career statistics/162: .297 BA, 15 HR, 102 RBI, 6 SB

WAR/162: 2.52573

World Series titles: 2 (1921, 1922)

Year inducted: 1973 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: George Kelly

George Kelly played 1,622 major league games. Wikimedia Commons

Some critics consider the 6-foot-4 beanpole known as “High Pockets” to be the worst player with a HOF plaque. We won’t go there.

George Kelly was a one-time home run champion, two-time RBI leader and confirmed clutch hitter. The slick fielder also was credited with the advancement of fundamentals at first base.

Still, he received a total of 15 votes in seven BBWAA elections before the Veterans Committee went to bat for him. Let’s move him to the Nickname Hall of Fame, shall we?

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5. Jim ‘Catfish’ Hunter

Jim “Catfish” Hunter went 224-166 with a 3.26 ERA in his career. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 15 seasons (1965-79)

Teams: Kansas City-Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees

Career statistics/162: 35 G, 240 IP, 16-12 W-L, 3.26 ERA

WAR/162: 2.52569

World Series titles: 5 (1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978)

Year inducted: 1987 (BBWAA)

Bottom Line: Catfish Hunter

Catfish Hunter, pitching for the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1978 World Series, won five rings in his career. AP Photo

The best of “Catfish” was confined to five seasons. In that span, he recorded nearly half (111) of his 224 career victories, which rank 70th among Hall of Fame pitchers.

He also was fortunate to play with two loaded teams in a pitchers-friendly decade at the time. Otherwise, he had a 113-117 record, the definition of mediocre.

He led the league in two categories more than once — win percentage and homers allowed (twice each).

His postseason numbers were remarkably similar, which is to say, good to very good but not great.

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4. Rube Marquard

Rube Marquard struck out 1,593 batters in his 18-year career. AP Photo

Position: Pitcher

Career: 18 seasons (1908-25)

Teams: New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Braves

Career statistics/162: 39 G, 238 IP, 14-13 W-L, 3.08 ERA

WAR/162: 2.51

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 1971 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Rube Marquard

Rube Marquard won 201 games in his career. Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

The lefty is widely regarded to be the worst of the Hall of Fame pitchers, but let’s cut him some slack here. Rube Marquard did win 19 consecutive games in 1912, still the modern record for one season.

The run came in the midst of three stellar seasons (73-28 record) before he turned mediocre.

No matter. He never received more than 14 percent of the vote in a dozen BBWAA elections before the Veterans Committee got it wrong again.

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3. Harold Baines

Harold Baines finished his career with 2,866 hits. John Swart / AP Photo

Position: Outfield, designated hitter

Career: 22 seasons (1980-2001)

Teams: Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians

Career statistics/162: .289 BA, 22 HR, 93 RBI, 2 SB

WAR/162: 2.22

World Series titles: None

Year inducted: 2019 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Harold Baines

Harold Baines hit 384 home runs in his career, including 221 with the Chicago White Sox. Fred Jewell / AP Photo

In his last 17 seasons, Harold Baines never led the league in any category. In his last nine, he spent exactly two innings in the field.

He does hold one major league record — fewest words spoken in a long, long career.

If his former manager Tony La Russa and former team owner Jerry Reinsdorf hadn’t strong-armed the Veterans Committee, he would be a member of the Hall of Kinda Sorta Good.

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2. Tommy McCarthy

Tommy McCarthy played in 1,273 games from 1884 to 1896. The A.G. Spalding Baseball Collection, NYPL

Position: Outfield

Career: 13 seasons (1884-96)

Teams: Boston Pilgrims, Boston Beaneaters, Philadelphia Quakers, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Bridegrooms

Career statistics/162: .292 BA, 6 HR, 93 RB, 64* SB

WAR/162: 2.06

Championship Series titles: 1 (1892)

Year inducted: 1946 (Old Timers Committee)

Bottom Line: Tommy McCarthy

Tommy McCarthy on an 1887-1890 Goodwin & Company baseball card. Goodwin & Company / Wikimedia Commons

His claim to fame, if not the Hall of Fame, came as a pioneer of the hit-and-run play. Tommy McCarthy also was an excellent base stealer, although how excellent isn’t clear because caught-stealing numbers aren’t available for his era.

That and three bucks would get him a tall cappuccino at Starbucks if he were still here.

No way should it get him the highest honor in the game.

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1. Lloyd Waner

Lloyd Waner had 2,459 hits in his career. AP Photo

Position: Outfielder

Career: 18 seasons (1927-42, 1944-45)

Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Brooklyn Dodgers

Career statistics/162: .316 BA, 2 HR, 49 RBI, 5 SB

WAR/162: 1.96

World Series title: None

Year inducted: 1967 (Veterans Committee)

Bottom Line: Lloyd Waner

Lloyd Waner played in 1,993 major league games. Goudey / Wikimedia Commons

“Little Poison” was an accomplished high-contact hitter with speed to burn. His strikeout rate ranks behind only Joe Sewell and Nellie Fox in major league history.

The 5-foot-9 scatback played center field like he owned it. But after six stellar seasons, in what should have been the prime of his career, health and alcohol issues began to take their tolls.

Above average, definitely. All-time great, uh, don’t think so.

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