Albert Belle is the most underrated, under appreciated Major League Baseball Player in the history of the game. In contrast, Tony Gwynn, beloved Padres fixture, is the most overrated. Belle is a close call, but Gwynn wins by a landslide. The average reader (and sports writer for that matter) might think I accidentally switched the two names; trust me, I didn’t. These selections are based on pure statistical review, leaving out the media’s misrepresentations and deceptions.
Let’s start with Albert Belle, who played for multiple teams from 1989 to 2000. He finished his career with 381 home runs and 1239 RBI’s, despite limited plate appearances in ’89 and ’90 and strike shortened seasons in ’94 and ’95. From ’91 to ’99 he was baseball’s most dangerous hitter. He should have won 3 MVP awards during the time frame. Finishing second to Mo Vaughn in the ’95 season MVP balloting was one of the biggest sports writer rape jobs in baseball history, as Belle became the first (and only) player in history to compile 50 or more home runs and doubles in the same season. Remember, that was a strike shortened season. His awesome performance crescendoed toward the end of the season as he led the Cleveland Indians to the World Series. He narrowly missed a second 50/50 season in ’98. For his career, Belle ended with a .564 slugging average, 13th all time, ahead of Hall of Fame slugging legends like Mays, Aaron, and Mantle. Oh, and might I add, over a hundred points ahead of first year Hall of Fame inductee Tony Gwynn (career slugging average .459). Arrogant and vindictive sports writers unfairly labeled Belle to be a one dimensional player, when in fact he had better than average outfielder range, a powerful arm (a strong pitcher in college), and solid base running skills. The suggestion that Belle has been overlooked for Hall of Fame voting due to a short career may appear to have merit on the surface, but understand that voters inducted players with short careers like Sandy Koufax and Hack Wilson.
Tony Gwynn has been hailed to be one of baseball’s all time greatest, purest hitters. Playing his entire career in San Diego, Gwynn compiled a lifetime .338 career batting average (15th all time) and 3141 hits (18th). He’s also known to be a good guy, approachable for the public and media alike. So what’s my problem with Gwynn? He just wasn’t a particularly valuable baseball player. While I liked him as a human being and baseball personality, he was merely a cut above average in terms of true offensive production. Did you know that Gwynn only had over 75 RBI’s twice during his 20 year career? He also only scored more than 100 runs twice.
There are two parts to the gross misunderstanding of these two players, Belle and Gwynn. The first part has to deal with baseball’s over-reliance on batting average as a meaningful reflection of a player’s value. This misconception has developed from baseball’s infancy and initial lack of statistical bearing (and calculators). Batting average, in and of itself, should only be a secondary statistic. Yes, if a player bats .300, with 100 RBI’s and 30 HR’s, they are, indeed, a good player. However, if the player hits .318 with 57 RBI’s, 61 runs, and 7 homeruns, over the course of an entire season, they are average ballplayers--unless they play shortstop, second base, or catcher. Thus, Tony Gwynn was an outfielder with slightly better than average production. Gwynn was best in the ‘90’s, just like Albert Belle. Belle generated well over 50 more runs per season for his teams than Tony Gwynn did for the Padres. Gwynn has been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Belle will never be inducted.
The second part of the problem relates to unfair sports writers, who are responsible for ignoring a truly dominant player like Belle and worshiping an average player like Gwynn. While many writers don’t fully understand the statistical summary provided here (they will in years to come), most just show favoritism to accommodating players. I understand Belle reportedly drank excessively early in his career and was subject to temper tantrums. I don’t care. I believe he should receive the credit he is due. Let me know what you think.
