The Most Underrated player in baseball is....

[Conner]

That's a pretty lofty prediction...

I say .310, you say .420.

We'll see....

There's a lot of space between those numbers. I don't see Ichiro having his worst professional season this year.

It wouldn't necessarily be his worst season. He hit .312 and .321 in the two years before last year (I believe that's is the 49th time I've said that in this thread). The difference between those two averages and .310 is pretty slim. And theres a whole heck of a lot more involved than just batting average when judging a hitters season, overall.

There's just about always some luck involved, anyway...so, eventhough I said .310...I wouldn't be suprised at all with .320....or even .300.

[perlick29]

It's a little funny how you're range for him has been going up slightly throughout the thread. First it was .300 (typo on your part) then .310, then .310-.315, and finally .310-.320. I have no comment on your things, because at least you are arguing nicely, and being contrite if you overlook something as Tavish pointed out. Just wanted to point out that interesting observation. Also I think Ichiro hit .312 one year, .321 another.

Underrated players: ABREU, David Dejesus, Latroy Hawkins, Paul Konerko.

[Conner]

It's a little funny how you're range for him has been going up slightly throughout the thread. First it was .300 (typo on your part) then .310, then .310-.315, and finally .310-.320.

Heh...Yea, I noticed that.

Thats why I snuck in an "or even .300." at the end of my last post....kinda even things out a little bit.

Some people like to come up with "pinpoint" predictions...(.287, 104 RBI, 3.87 ERA, 174 K's etc...I don't, I guess.

"Somewhere in the general vicinity of .310" is my final prediction.

[ukrneal]

I find that whole Mariners team pretty interesting and I think their value will be highly correlated. So I see them all doing really well or very poorly. I just wish I knew which it would be!

One other player gets no love: Preston Wilson. The guy, when healthy, can put up numbers ala Beltran/Abreu and can be had 10-12+ rounds later. That's under-valued!

[The Thrill]

How about Coco Crisp? I think he has 5 tool potential and he should have an incredible year.

I was thinking of Coco Crisp as well in terms of underrated players.

....but everytime I hear his name, I get unusually hungry for cereal.

[quietstorm]

How can only four people have listed Abreu? Do you people realize that last year, considered his "career year," he finished 27th in MVP voting? In WARP1 (wins above replacement level) from '98 through '04, he was ninth. The list of players above him?

1. Barry Bonds 87.2
2. Alex Rodriguez 70.6
3. Pedro Martinez 68.6
4. Randy Johnson 63.6
5. Todd Helton 62.5
6. Jeff Kent 60.6
7. Scott Rolen 59.8
8. Sammy Sosa 59.7
9. Bobby Abreu 58.4
10. Curt Schilling 58.2


Career averages?

162 GP, 23 HR, 29 SB (75.3%), 104 R, 94 RBI, 106 BB, 60 XBH, .305/.412/.517.


We're not talking most underrated in roto. The title was "in baseball." Abreu is, hands down, the single most underrated player in baseball.... now, and possibly ever.

[Purple Haze]

Pitcher = Livan Hernandez
(Never gets the respect his numbers should)

Hitter = Hideki Matsui
(Top 10 OF, and is lucky to be top 20-30 selected)

[TheYanks04]

I am sort of looking for big comebacks from Felix Heredia and Shawn Chacon...I figure both have a decent shot at posting sub 6.5 ERAs this year.

[agchris02]

KEVIN MENCH

he's going undrafted in 10 team leagues, he'll be a .300, 30HR, 120RBI of in TX -- thats underrated

[agchris02]

also, on the ichiro thing -- if youre arguing about 5-6 draft spots thats not overrated or underrated -- thats simply peoples opinions and a MINOR change. When I see underrated I think of a player who goes in undrafted or in round 20 whos value should have him ten rounds minimum higher

(as in santana last year)

Or, as i said, Mench this year