Best player no one has heard of.

[LeGrandOrange]

Originally posted by sweaver
Stephens got a bad rap because the writers said he would hit homers in blowouts, but wasn't worth anything in close games: in other words, was not a "clutch hitter." I'd like to see someone refute that statistically, but between you and me it's all hooey.

Stephens, Cruz, Blyleven and Raines are all good choices. If Raines does not make the Hall, I would name him. Otherwise, it's a tough choice.

What's interesting about Vern Stephens is that while his case for the hall is great, he's not even the best SS not in yet, that honor falls to another worthy candidate for this thread, Bill Dahlen. It doesn't matter that he has the record for most career errors, the career numbers speak for themselves. If George Davis can make it in, so can Dahlen.
This does not take away from Stephens' accomplishments, of course. The only reason I bet that Stephens isn't in the hall is because of his career length. If he reached 2,000 hits, he'd likely have a plaque in Cooperstown.
(Now, personally, after Dahlen, I think Ed McKean and Herman Long should be in among SS's, but I digress)
But he's probably the best answer to the thread. Because until I saw his name on Baseball-Immortals.net, I had never heard of Stephens. And I only recently found McKean and Long as well, but I digress again.
And I've digressed to the point where I'll stop.