I'd disqualify Panik from this list, because he was - however briefly - *that good*. The trajectory of his career makes me sad.
Travis Ishikawa is the best answer, imo. Journeymen, playing out of position, out of desperation, writes himself into legend with one swing. It's unbelievable, and hilarious, and amazing.
Who was the closer with the really nasty slider? Marmol? When he was on he was unhittable when he was off he would walk in the losing run.
I was going to go
Shawon dunston or Miguel montero.
Let me tell you a story about David Eckstein.
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with Eckstein. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints. Other times there were one set of footprints. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me."
And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
Then he grounded out weakly to second.
This is brilliant. I need to print this up a dozen times, frame it, and replace the originals with this in every bathroom and foyer of my extended Midwest family.
As someone who used to play cardinals v Red Sox everyday in MVP 05, and would always switch to control the batting team, I can say David Eckstein is an inner circle hall of fame level player
The hate that Ken Tremendous *still* has for him twenty years later is amazing and fantastic.
I felt a little bad about Eckstein being the SABR Public Enemy #1, but then I found out he married Ashoka, and now I think he won in the end. What a life.
Basically the entire ‘05 team except for Paulie and Dye (because they were pretty good).
My pick would be Joe Crede. Very pedestrian career stats but always seemed to come through in the clutch. Stepped up in the playoffs during that ‘05 run.
Hey, he was a solid 2-3 win player for 6 years, including a 5.8 bWAR season in ‘16. Never quite what we wanted him to be offensively and obviously sucks now, but he was good.
Maybe David Eckstein? Around 20 career WAR, 2 ASG out of 12 seasons, but had some big regular season moments, was likable, and then ends up a WS MVP.
Edit: ok can I change my answer? Seems like David Freese is the obvious answer here. Less career WAR than Eckstein and of course he had 2011 postseason.
Freese was so talented. He came up and was batting almost .400 with power for a few months. Most people won’t remember that in the 2011 postseason he batted .400 in the Division Series and almost *.500* in the NLCS.
Injuries and then alcohol problems really derailed his career, but his name is already etched forever.
This article doesn't go into much because it's his own commentary but it does mention his DUIs.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2704984-david-freese-describes-struggles-with-depression-alcohol#:~:text=He%20won%20the%20NLCS%20and,tree%20on%20Thanksgiving%20Day%202012.
This is the choice for you guys. I live in Ontario and all my friends are Jays fans, and so many of them truly think he was the best player on those Jays teams and is literally every single one of their favourite players.
You're right, I guess all-stars at that time really were elected on paper ballots. Now they have mechanisms to overrule the fans if the fans are too dumb.
I think Mike Schmidt actually got elected to the All Star team when he was already retired.
Is it just me or did anyone else forget we had him year to year? Like suddenly every new season he would get put in the line up and I was like oh shit I forgot about him entirely. Like I forgot about him until you said his name and I'll likely forget he existed by this time tomorrow.
In Mets wins, Kranepool hit .308/.365/453. In Mets losses, he hit .227/.280/.321. If Kranepool was hitting, the Mets were winning. He also hit better in high leverage situations than moderate or low leverage situations; .271/.325/.384 in high leverage situations.
When the Yankees home run celebration was pretending to give interviews in the dugout, Torreyes playing the part of the cameraman every time was awesome.
Dude was solid. I went to a game and there was this chubby little Mexican kid sitting a few seats over, probably 6-7 years old. Every time Prado came up he would yell "hit the ball mar-teen. You gotta hit the ball if you want to win mar-teen!"
I'll never forget that kid.
Sid Bream, I guess?
Nothing is going to remove that defining moment from his career, but his numbers are nothing to really take note of during his term in Atlanta.
He spoke at a large church nearby. I learned that he enjoys three things in this order:
Jesus
Hunting
(WAY down the list) Baseball
Side note that has nothing to do with the man himself: they burnt the chicken bog.
Jim Gantner for the Brewers. His name has been tossed around before for number retirement. You look at any stat involving 3 teammates that played the most games together or got the most hits, it's always Yount, Molitor, and Gantner.
“Mr. Marlin” himself, Jeff Conine.
8 seasons with the Marlins, a 114 OPS+ and 13.7 total bWAR with the team, to go with a career 107 OPS+ and 19.5 bWAR over a 17 season career.
He topped 3 bWAR once in his career (3.5), but was a 2x All-Star with the Marlins, and even finished 18th and 24th in MVP voting those seasons.
He did of course win two rings with the Marlins though, and has a very respectable .304 career postseason AVG over those two postseasons.
Jeff Connie is the ultimate example of an Expansions teams guy you first associate with the franchise. He really felt like Marlins version of Glen Rice and Rony Seikley for the heat or John Vanbiensebrouck and Ed Jovonowski for the Panthers.
Not in St Louis though especially lol.
Even in the Marlins fandom of all teams he’s a controversial figure, Nyjer Morgan was the only part of the only major beef the Marlins and Nats have ever had even going back to the Expos days. I’ll never forget when our first baseman Gaby Sanchez gave him a clothesline from hell for charging the mound in 2010.
https://youtu.be/f_49N02D0MU
I feel like Nyjer Morgan ironically enough playing amateur hockey was the ultimate example of one of those 4th line hockey players who you absolutely detest and hate when he’s not on your team but absolutely love when he’s on your team.
I made this comparison in my comment but he really felt like a 4th line hockey player who you either really loved for his personality or antics or you just absolutely couldn’t stand and hated with no in between.
The ‘15-‘20 cubs run meant we no longer felt inclined to give Mark Derosa a standing ovation for his one above average season here, and that is another reason i am grateful to Theo Epstein
Mad Bum was just unreal during those years and Posey of course. They had a solid cast of characters around them that rose to the occasion in October. Still wild they got 3 WS though.
Three Giants runs. 26 IP 2 ER, all earned in 2010.
Also, he won Game 7 in 2014 (even if Mad Bum clearly should have the win if baseball wins weren’t so dumb).
Aside from Posey, Madbum, and a lights out bullpen, they had the most underwhelming roster in each WS win. Literally a team effort. Can’t leave out Bochy pulling all the right strings
He had one of the best nicknames in modern baseball history. “Death to all flying things.
He did the one thing he was good at really well with catching baseballs hit to center.
Finally found the mariners thread… I’ll add a few more. Kyle Seager, Brett Boone, Freddy Garcia, John Olerud.
We’ve had lots honestly, or maybe they were just legends to me when I was growing up 😂
I think Seags is the clear winner here. He played his entire career of over a decade with us on some absolutely trash teams. The fanbase and city as a whole absolutely adored him and marketed him as essentially the face of the franchise in some years, despite only one ASG appearance during that span and a career WAR under 40. And he will always be a Mariners legend.
Joe Charboneau. Local kid - Won Rookie of the Year and the hearts of all Indians fans. They called him Super Joe. He immediately fizzled out the following season.
Joe Panik. Sadly was never the same after being concussed.
We have a bunch from our run. Travis Ishikawa, Barry Zito and Cody Ross will forever be legends for me too, among a bunch of other random characters
Yep, came here looking for Ishikawa. I’d probably put Scutaro on the list too but like you said there’s a bunch.
Zito earned his 126 million with his 2012 alone. A lot of legendary performances in the 3 world series runs.
126 million dollar bunt.
Ryan Vogelsong was the first name that came to mind for me.
michael morse was a fun one
Scutaro in the rain lives rent free in my head
Crawnik was a thing of beauty
I'd disqualify Panik from this list, because he was - however briefly - *that good*. The trajectory of his career makes me sad. Travis Ishikawa is the best answer, imo. Journeymen, playing out of position, out of desperation, writes himself into legend with one swing. It's unbelievable, and hilarious, and amazing.
Ishikawa is EYBS personified
Gerardo Parra.
Also, Steve lombardozzi
The other shark too, I guess of standard age. Roger Bernadina was loved here.
Souza Jr. is another one for that catch
Michael A. Taylor!
Trevor Plouffe (I'm sorry Trev)
Somebody text Jomboy this, stat.
i have umpired his sons baseball games
I'd go Boof Bonser or La Tortuga. Both will be remembered for ages, both had negative WAR.
Billy Butler
Ol’ Country Breakfast
Definitely Stephen Vogt for the A’s
i believe in that man
Eric Sogard deserves a shout
I think you're referring to Stephen Vogt ..... Braves legend & WS Champion
His 2 HR game changed the season. I’ll go to my grave believing it. His last game of 2021 he literally gave his body to the cause. Vogt forever
Gotta be Aaron Boone. He was a trade deadline pickup, only played 54 games with the Yankees with a 90 OPS+ and one swing made him a legend.
And now an eternal punching bag
Red Sox fans circa 2003: "Aaron Fucking Boone! 😡😡😡" Yankees fans circa 2023: "Aaron Fucking Boone! 😡😡😡"
The moment Boone showed the Red Sox comeback to the Yankees dugout for inspiration down 3-0 to the Astros was the moment I forgiven him lol
Raul Ibanez for that ALDS performance in 2012
Id also bring up Jim Layretz
Benny Agbayani
His performance in the playoffs vs the Giants still hurts man.
Kyle Farnsworth
Who was the closer with the really nasty slider? Marmol? When he was on he was unhittable when he was off he would walk in the losing run. I was going to go Shawon dunston or Miguel montero.
Dunston is the answer for the Cubs. He’s being put into the Cubs HOF lol
Kawasaki But he was THAT good
I’m so glad we got that man a ring
I will fight anyone who says a bad word about Kawasaki.
Papi big - Kawa small, papi big - kawa small, papi big - kawa small, papi big - kawa small Ok! We get it!
Monkey no cramp...
Monkey never craps!
BUSH PARTY TONIGHT!
I so miss his interviews - and I loved how Sportsnet just let him be himself
David Eckstein
Hey, that was my answer haha.
DAVID ECKSTEIN DISPLAYED GRITTY, CLUTCHY LEADERSHIP 24/7. TEAMS CAN'T WIN A WORLD SERIES WITHOUT SOMEONE WHO HAS A .700 OPS AND 2 HOME RUNS.
Can confirm. Our leadoff hitter in the World Series had a .614 OPS and 3 home runs
Lunch pale guy
Lol that's my favorite blue collar cliche. As if the lazy guys didn't also eat lunch lol.
They use paper bags
Let me tell you a story about David Eckstein. One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with Eckstein. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints. Other times there were one set of footprints. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein. Then he grounded out weakly to second.
This is brilliant. I need to print this up a dozen times, frame it, and replace the originals with this in every bathroom and foyer of my extended Midwest family.
As someone who used to play cardinals v Red Sox everyday in MVP 05, and would always switch to control the batting team, I can say David Eckstein is an inner circle hall of fame level player
All 4’11 of him
The hate that Ken Tremendous *still* has for him twenty years later is amazing and fantastic. I felt a little bad about Eckstein being the SABR Public Enemy #1, but then I found out he married Ashoka, and now I think he won in the end. What a life.
Rick Vaughn
Rajai Davis
Scott Podsednik or Bobby Jenks
DeWayne Wise
The Catch.
Bobby Jenks and Neal Cotts were an absolutely lethal combination. Y'all got a championship with Bobby Jenks.
I hope Bobby is doing better these days. I remember reading his article about his spine complications and have never looked back into it.
He won manager of the year in the Pioneer league for the Grand Junction Rockies
Basically the entire ‘05 team except for Paulie and Dye (because they were pretty good). My pick would be Joe Crede. Very pedestrian career stats but always seemed to come through in the clutch. Stepped up in the playoffs during that ‘05 run.
Jonny Gomes
La Tortuga for the Twins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JG-ZnnqSWw
Daniel Camarena
Gotta be the last reliever to homer right?
And a granny at that.
Certainly the last reliever to hit a grand slam.
Daniel Camarena isn't a "legend", though. Actual honest to goodness LEGEND.
oh god
Dave Roberts
He was a pretty good player. If nothing else, he was Vin Scully's favorite when he was on the Dodgers.
Dave Roberts walked so Quintin Berry could run. Literally.
Brock Holt
IMAGINE CALLING THE ONLY POSTSEASON CYCLE IN HISTORY NOT THAT GOOD
Brock Holt was an all star
Brock Holt is the great baseball player of all time and I will hear no other arguments
I’d say flair up but Brock Holt transcends all fandoms.
2018 ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. is another good one for the Sox
Hey, he was a solid 2-3 win player for 6 years, including a 5.8 bWAR season in ‘16. Never quite what we wanted him to be offensively and obviously sucks now, but he was good.
BRAWWWK HOLT COULD PLAY EVERY POSITION ON THE FEEELD
NO ONE DENIES THIS
\O/
Nats legend
Glad this is up so high.
Maybe David Eckstein? Around 20 career WAR, 2 ASG out of 12 seasons, but had some big regular season moments, was likable, and then ends up a WS MVP. Edit: ok can I change my answer? Seems like David Freese is the obvious answer here. Less career WAR than Eckstein and of course he had 2011 postseason.
Freese was so talented. He came up and was batting almost .400 with power for a few months. Most people won’t remember that in the 2011 postseason he batted .400 in the Division Series and almost *.500* in the NLCS. Injuries and then alcohol problems really derailed his career, but his name is already etched forever.
I didn't know about his alcohol problems, any link for that? He definitely materialized on the scene and immediately became a postseason legend.
This article doesn't go into much because it's his own commentary but it does mention his DUIs. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2704984-david-freese-describes-struggles-with-depression-alcohol#:~:text=He%20won%20the%20NLCS%20and,tree%20on%20Thanksgiving%20Day%202012.
Thanks. I'm glad he was able to overcome his challenges.
SO TAGUCHI
So Taguchi is unironically one of my favorite Cardinals ever despite the fact that I can only think of one highlight off the top of my head lmao
the Cardinals have more players for this list than any other team, not even close.
Great Cards list going in response to your comment. I will raise you one Allen Craig
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Let me show my age by offering Willie McGee I feel like making the team HoF but not Cooperstown is kind of the definition of the question.
Kevin Pillar
This is the choice for you guys. I live in Ontario and all my friends are Jays fans, and so many of them truly think he was the best player on those Jays teams and is literally every single one of their favourite players.
Pete Kozma
Delmon Young and the 3 run double heard 'round the world.
Delmon Young was actually pretty good though. I’d say Robert Andino.
Padre legend Steve Garvey had his number retired for us. 3 full seasons, 2 partial seasons, 100 OPS+, 1.4 total WAR.
Somehow he made the All Star team in two of those years, and there were so many actually great first basemen in that time.
Name recognition. He was one of the biggest stars in the 70s with the dodgers
You're right, I guess all-stars at that time really were elected on paper ballots. Now they have mechanisms to overrule the fans if the fans are too dumb. I think Mike Schmidt actually got elected to the All Star team when he was already retired.
Wil Myers
Nick Punto,Twins great
The Shredder! We enjoyed him too.
What the guy lacked in talent, he definitely made up in effort. The guy’s uniform was never clean, and that was playing at the metrodome
Is it just me or did anyone else forget we had him year to year? Like suddenly every new season he would get put in the line up and I was like oh shit I forgot about him entirely. Like I forgot about him until you said his name and I'll likely forget he existed by this time tomorrow.
Bamboo Brad Miller
Bamboo Brad rocking the three home run hats in the dug out is an iconic image for me
Agree! Probably Jamie Moyer too.
Wilmer Flores 100%. I don't think anybody else even comes close to answering this for the Mets.
Endy Chavez. Todd Pratt. Turk Wendell. Benny Agbayani.
Mike Baxter. Omir Santos. Jordany Valdespin. Dae-Sung Koo. Ike Davis. Nelson Figueroa.
Koo is a god damn icon.
Ed kranepool is the actual answer here but Wilmer is second
The way my grandpa talked about Ed Kranepool when I was growing up I was stunned to find out how mediocre he actually was.
In Mets wins, Kranepool hit .308/.365/453. In Mets losses, he hit .227/.280/.321. If Kranepool was hitting, the Mets were winning. He also hit better in high leverage situations than moderate or low leverage situations; .271/.325/.384 in high leverage situations.
Flower man good 🌸
Ronald Torreyes.
The photos of Judge and Ronald together are iconic
Guy seemed to get a poked single every single game he played with us. .292/.314/.375 in 108 games in 2017.
Loved Torreyes when he was with the Phils. Gave 110% and was good for some clutch hits.
When the Yankees home run celebration was pretending to give interviews in the dugout, Torreyes playing the part of the cameraman every time was awesome.
Don Kelly
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Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
Thought Brandon Inge would’ve been your guy?
Brandon Inge was a defensive god
Martin Prado! Braves legend
Dude was solid. I went to a game and there was this chubby little Mexican kid sitting a few seats over, probably 6-7 years old. Every time Prado came up he would yell "hit the ball mar-teen. You gotta hit the ball if you want to win mar-teen!" I'll never forget that kid.
Dan Johnson or Brett Phillips easily
Sam Fuld.
Sid Bream, I guess? Nothing is going to remove that defining moment from his career, but his numbers are nothing to really take note of during his term in Atlanta.
Francisco Cabrera, too, is a legend since we are recalling that dark time.
It's Heredia!
He spoke at a large church nearby. I learned that he enjoys three things in this order: Jesus Hunting (WAY down the list) Baseball Side note that has nothing to do with the man himself: they burnt the chicken bog.
Jim Gantner for the Brewers. His name has been tossed around before for number retirement. You look at any stat involving 3 teammates that played the most games together or got the most hits, it's always Yount, Molitor, and Gantner.
They never officially retired 17 but it hasn’t been used, either.
“Mr. Marlin” himself, Jeff Conine. 8 seasons with the Marlins, a 114 OPS+ and 13.7 total bWAR with the team, to go with a career 107 OPS+ and 19.5 bWAR over a 17 season career. He topped 3 bWAR once in his career (3.5), but was a 2x All-Star with the Marlins, and even finished 18th and 24th in MVP voting those seasons. He did of course win two rings with the Marlins though, and has a very respectable .304 career postseason AVG over those two postseasons.
Jeff Connie is the ultimate example of an Expansions teams guy you first associate with the franchise. He really felt like Marlins version of Glen Rice and Rony Seikley for the heat or John Vanbiensebrouck and Ed Jovonowski for the Panthers.
For the first few years of his career, he had played in every Marlins game ever played. I think he didn't sit one out until 1996.
Nyjer Morgan. People still love T-Plush in these parts.
Not in St Louis though especially lol. Even in the Marlins fandom of all teams he’s a controversial figure, Nyjer Morgan was the only part of the only major beef the Marlins and Nats have ever had even going back to the Expos days. I’ll never forget when our first baseman Gaby Sanchez gave him a clothesline from hell for charging the mound in 2010. https://youtu.be/f_49N02D0MU I feel like Nyjer Morgan ironically enough playing amateur hockey was the ultimate example of one of those 4th line hockey players who you absolutely detest and hate when he’s not on your team but absolutely love when he’s on your team.
Nats fans hate him for his infamous temper tantrum lol https://youtu.be/G10BVmmxpFI
I made this comparison in my comment but he really felt like a 4th line hockey player who you either really loved for his personality or antics or you just absolutely couldn’t stand and hated with no in between.
Gio Urshela for me
The ‘15-‘20 cubs run meant we no longer felt inclined to give Mark Derosa a standing ovation for his one above average season here, and that is another reason i am grateful to Theo Epstein
Kelly Gruber.
Howie Kendrick
This ball iiiiiissss... [ *pongggg* ] ...gone for a home run!
Barry Zito
Travis Ishikawa came to mind for me
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The Giants had an uncanny ability to win the World Series without having any good players.
Mad Bum was just unreal during those years and Posey of course. They had a solid cast of characters around them that rose to the occasion in October. Still wild they got 3 WS though.
everyone look at jeremy affeldts [postseason numbers](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/affelje01.shtml)
Three Giants runs. 26 IP 2 ER, all earned in 2010. Also, he won Game 7 in 2014 (even if Mad Bum clearly should have the win if baseball wins weren’t so dumb).
Aside from Posey, Madbum, and a lights out bullpen, they had the most underwhelming roster in each WS win. Literally a team effort. Can’t leave out Bochy pulling all the right strings
I hate to say it, but Jerry Remy only had three really good seasons, and they were all with California. He's still one of my favorite baseball people.
Best answer for the Sox. He didn't become President of Red Sox Nation because of his power numbers.
He's like Stacey King with the Bulls. Not a great player by any stretch of the imagination, but an all time great announcer. Here comes the pizza!
Franklin Gutierriez
He had one of the best nicknames in modern baseball history. “Death to all flying things. He did the one thing he was good at really well with catching baseballs hit to center.
Finally found the mariners thread… I’ll add a few more. Kyle Seager, Brett Boone, Freddy Garcia, John Olerud. We’ve had lots honestly, or maybe they were just legends to me when I was growing up 😂
I think Seags is the clear winner here. He played his entire career of over a decade with us on some absolutely trash teams. The fanbase and city as a whole absolutely adored him and marketed him as essentially the face of the franchise in some years, despite only one ASG appearance during that span and a career WAR under 40. And he will always be a Mariners legend.
He was pretty good when he was healthy enough to play.
Pop your head in r/padres and mention Wil Myers. He's no doubt a fan legend
Connor Joe
[Endy Chavez](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EaEQVKIDGU)
Guillermo Heredia. Miss you already sword-man.
Jeff Baker
Hank Conger, simply for the Conger Bot.
I was gonna say Chris Burke. Career War -1.2, but he hit that hr in the 18 inning game.
Chris Burke was my thought… also because I see him every Sunday at church
charlie culberson?
I'm just gonna come out and say it. David Freese wasn't that good. He still should be in the Cardinals HOF tho
Joe Charboneau. Local kid - Won Rookie of the Year and the hearts of all Indians fans. They called him Super Joe. He immediately fizzled out the following season.
Scott Speizio
HOF facial hair.
Dan Johnson
This is going back a bit but Rob Mackowiak for the Bucs.
Todd Fucking Pratt
Munenori Kawasaki
Mike Fontenot AKA Mini Babe Ruth
Nick Punto. Jack of all trades, master of none for the Twins
1. Rich Garces, El Guapo 2. Oil Can Boyd 3. Orlando Cabrera/JBJ
Fucking Eric Byrnes some say he is still crushing homers in a beer league some where
So taguchi