Best Player to never make an all-star team

Glyndwr · 10-30-2002, 06:31 PM

A couple of blogs I read are debating this.

Their suggestions are Tim Salmon and Tony Phillips

Any other ideas ?

VNV Nation · 10-30-2002, 06:33 PM

Assuming you mean since the All-Star era began, I think Kirk Gibson is the right answer.

Glyndwr · 10-30-2002, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VNV Nation
Assuming you mean since the All-Star era began, I think Kirk Gibson is the right answer.

sorry yes I should have qualified that!

Kirk Gibson is a great candidate. I would take Phillips over him though for his sheer versatility. I am amazed Gibson didnt make it as an all-star in his mvp year.

sweaver · 10-31-2002, 12:46 PM

Gibson had been hurt a good bit that year, and that was usually his problem: not enough PT to impress the voters, or the league brass/manager, to get a spot on the squad.

tortured angel · 10-31-2002, 01:20 PM

Salmon's a slow starter at a packed position. His time to be an AS may be past.

Fuzzy Bear · 10-31-2002, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tortured angel
Salmon's a slow starter at a packed position. His time to be an AS may be past.

Maybe not. He could always have 30 jacks at the break one year (on his way to a 2nd half fade) and be picked. That's often how it goes. Milt Pappas was a 2-time All-Star, neither year of which was one of his best seasons (1962 & 1965).

I nominate Billy Doran as perhaps the best player ever to never be an All-Star. He was a regular at one position (as opposed to Phillips) and his stats were diminished by the Astrodome. (Bill James once wondered if Doran would be the bigger star if he played at Wrigley and Sandberg played at the Astrodome; it's a bit of a fair question, although Doran was an old rookie whose decline came swiftly.)

Doran was, for many years in the 1980s, the second best 2B in the NL, although he was obscured by Steve Sax and Johnnie Ray.
Had he not been, he would have made several All-Star teams. Had he played in Wrigley he may have started a few. He's the third best 2B in Astro history, behind Biggio and Morgan. That's not too shabby.

pwdennis · 10-31-2002, 09:16 PM

A more interesting thread might be a listing of the worst players to ever make an all star team

Alan Smithee · 11-01-2002, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwdennis
A more interesting thread might be a listing of the worst players to ever make an all star team

steve swisher , 1976. HE had a great week at mid season and it was against the reds so sparky picked him but the guy was not even the best catcher on his team.

Skip · 11-01-2002, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alan Smithee
steve swisher , 1976. HE had a great week at mid season and it was against the reds so sparky picked him but the guy was not even the best catcher on his team.

Hey guys - if you (or anyone else) wants to continue with this, start a new thread on worst ever all-stars. Danke.

WiredTiger · 11-01-2002, 11:23 AM

At first glance I would go with Kirk Gibson. He was a better than average player for his career and was very good at times. He even won a MVP without making the All Star team for that year. He got squeezed out in 1984 and 1985 because the Tigers had so many players in the game already.

gyb13 · 11-05-2002, 11:50 AM

there should be a distinction between best all-around player never to make an all-star team and best season by a player not awarded with an all-star selection

LeGrandOrange · 11-05-2002, 04:43 PM

Tony Phillips, as much as I hate him for injuring Carlos Guillen, is the most underappreciated player ever. He put the "super" in super-utility man...and he actually should be a legitimate candidate for Cooperstown if you looked at everything he brought to the table. No offense to Kirk or future all-star Tim Salmon, but he's my choice as the best all-starless player.

And Frankie Zak is the worst all-star ever, no further questions your honour...

10-30-2002, 06:31 PM	#1
Glyndwr Guest Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 162	Best Player to never make an all-star team A couple of blogs I read are debating this. Their suggestions are Tim Salmon and Tony Phillips Any other ideas ?

10-31-2002, 09:16 PM	#7
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	A more interesting thread might be a listing of the worst players to ever make an all star team __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

11-05-2002, 11:50 AM	#11
gyb13 NS Omnipresent Brasilian Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Crazy George's playground Posts: 10,903	there should be a distinction between best all-around player never to make an all-star team and best season by a player not awarded with an all-star selection __________________ Gustavo NDF Moderator Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

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10-30-2002, 06:33 PM	#2
VNV Nation Membership Suspended 11/19/02 Join Date: May 2002 Location: VNV Nation Posts: 2,952	Assuming you mean since the All-Star era began, I think Kirk Gibson is the right answer.

10-31-2002, 12:46 PM	#4
sweaver Netshrine Cleanup Hitter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Mountain State Posts: 8,883	Gibson had been hurt a good bit that year, and that was usually his problem: not enough PT to impress the voters, or the league brass/manager, to get a spot on the squad.

10-31-2002, 01:20 PM	#5
tortured angel Guest Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: middle east Posts: 573	Salmon's a slow starter at a packed position. His time to be an AS may be past.

11-01-2002, 11:23 AM	#10
WiredTiger Guest Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The city of Kaline, Cobb and Greenberg Posts: 3,395	At first glance I would go with Kirk Gibson. He was a better than average player for his career and was very good at times. He even won a MVP without making the All Star team for that year. He got squeezed out in 1984 and 1985 because the Tigers had so many players in the game already.

11-05-2002, 04:43 PM	#12
LeGrandOrange Membership Suspended 4/11/04 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 3,783	Tony Phillips, as much as I hate him for injuring Carlos Guillen, is the most underappreciated player ever. He put the "super" in super-utility man...and he actually should be a legitimate candidate for Cooperstown if you looked at everything he brought to the table. No offense to Kirk or future all-star Tim Salmon, but he's my choice as the best all-starless player. And Frankie Zak is the worst all-star ever, no further questions your honour...

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