Baseball's Most Ignored Players

They are not superstars, but they are closer to that distinction than baseball's lower class producers. They are the middle child - the ignored ones - as they receive only little to average attention (publicity), when they deserve more credit.

(Pitcher)

Jeremy Bonderman: Bonderman is an excellent pitcher with multiple go-to pitches. While fans recognize who he is, he is not yet considered one of the best in the game. For the past few years, he has put up 13-15 wins a season, by starting off strong and cooling off later in the season. So far this year, he has started of better than ever. His record is 10-3, but that does not account for the amount no-decisions he suffered early in the season. With those included, he should be more like 14-4. This year, with the added experience he may finish the season strong as well. He has proven time-and-time-again that he can flat out pitch, and now he needs to prove that he can be consistent. Being that he is still young, motivated, and gives tremendous effort every outing, I would bet on him to do just that eventually. If you need a win, put this guy on the mound. He proved that last year, against the Yankees, when he helped the Tigers close out their opponents in the first round of the playoffs.

(Catcher)

Victor Martinez: Martinez is solid. He is a young and talented catcher, with a lot of potential. Fortunately for the Indians, he is already performing, as his numbers are towards the top among catchers. He plays good defense behind the plate, and he can hit. Did you see the homerun he hit in the all-star game? With him, the best is yet to come.

(Firstbase)

Justin Morneau: I do not know if this guy is the right pick for an underrated lineup, because he was last years MVP, but he is still not considered to be on the same superstar level that Pujols is on. Yet his numbers are comparable. In fact, he leads all first basemen in RBIs and is third in homeruns.

(Secondbase)

Placido Polanco: What record is this guy about to set? That's what I thought: no one knows outside of Tigers fans. For most people, Polanco is a household name, but not a household face, because people hear his name occasionally on ESPN, but they do not take the time to watch him play. Polanco is as solid as it gets, and when you compare him to other superstars, you ask yourself, 'what's the difference?' He has not made an error since the turn of the century. Well, it has not been that long, but he is about to break the record for most consecutive errorless games. He does not make many spectacular plays, and fans may think that is boring, but to a championship contender, solid play is essential, and Polanco provides just that. He does it offensively too, because he is smart and knows how to play the game. His stats, excluding his batting average are not inflated, but he produces for his team nonetheless. He will get the big hit, and bunt when necessary. This guy may be the best second basemen in baseball, and is clearly not appreciated enough outside of Detroit.

(Thirdbase)

Brandon Inge: This guys offensive numbers are not so hot, but not all underrated players put up great offensive production. Despite that, Inge is capable of coming up with clutch hits for his team. He is underrated because he can do it with the glove, but has not been considered for Gold Gloves in the past. This year may be different, with the way he seems to frequently make Baseball Tonight's Web Gems for diving into the stands, stopping sharp ground balls, making bare-handed plays, and showing off his bullet of an arm.

(Shortstop)

Carlos Guillen: Recently, Carlos has earned slightly more publicity with his above average play. No one, considers him a superstar, though, and in a league with Jeter, Reyes, and Ramirez, he is underrated. He leads all shortstops in RBI's, and is towards the top in homeruns. Furthermore, his batting average is fourth among shortstops. Announcers rave about his smarts offensively, and some even said he deserved to start in the all-star game above Jeter, yet fans do not consider him to be in the same level as other great shortstops. Offensively, though, he is crucial to the Tigers success.

(Leftfield)

Matt Holiday: this guy was an all-star, and showed some power in the Home Run Derby, but who is he? That is exactly why he is on the underrated list. Like others, his name may be vaguely familiar, but not many fans outside of Toronto know a lot about him. Statistically, though, he is having a sound season.

(Centerfield)

Curtis Granderson: Granderson is yet another Tiger who ironically leads this list of underrated players. He is no superstar - yet - but he is coming along offensively, and already there defensively. With the bat, he has continued to improve each season. He does strike out a lot, but that is a small price to pay for his overall production. Unlike most leadoff hitters, he can hit for power. That does not just mean home runs either, as he leads the league in triples, and is towards the top in total bases and extra base hits. He can steal a base when necessary, and has been caught this year. Being that he is a young player who is still learning the game, I would expect that his numbers would only improve. Defense is where he shines. He does not make errors so he is solid, but when called upon he can make the great play as well. Baseball Tonight Web Gems prove that. It is exciting to see the player that is going to become, and his value is immense to the Tigers outfield.

(Rightfield)

Alex Rious: This guy is at the same level as Holiday in terms of underratedness. Both players made the all-star game, yet both are relatively unrecognized. Nevertheless, Rious is putting up quality numbers.

(Designated Hitter)

Travis Hafner: Sheffield is putting up better numbers than Ortiz, as he has staked a claim to the being the best DH in baseball, and he was still kept off of the all-star team. Nevertheless, he still has a big name. Hafner and Vidro are the only two DH's who have never achieved big-name status, so the competition lies here. Hafner, despite posting a batting average that is about .50 lower than Vidro's, actually has an on-base-percentage that is steadily better. In the power number categories Hafner blows Vidro away as well. So he is the most underrated player at this position.