07-09-2025, 12:54 PM
No right answers, just curious as to your opinion.
Who is the best MLB player never to have made an All-Star team (in the All-Star team era)?
Tough call. Maybe Eric Karros, former Rookie of the year. Five seasons 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs. No All Star. Mike Torrez had 185 wins, most wins by pitcher to not make an All Star team.
Which player had the best single season but did not make an All-Star team?
For me, it's Don Newcombe, 1956. Newcombe had already made three All-Star teams prior to serving two years in Korea and one All Star team in 1955 when he went 20-5. But in 1956, he exploded. 27-7, won the MLB Cy Young Award (just one was given in both leagues that year) and won the Most Valuable Player, had league best WHIP. Didn't make the All-Star team. Next most wins were Antonelli and Spahn with 20. Robin Roberts (19-18), who led the league in losses that year and the next year, made the all star team, as did Joe Nuxhall (13-11) and Bob Friend (17-17), who started for the NL.
McCormick's Cy Young year, he went 22-10. No All Star. Mays, Haller and Marichal made it that year from the Giants. And Bryce Harper, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Morneau, Chipper Jones, Juan Gonzalez, Terry Pendleton, Willie Stargell, Kirk Gibson. Dave Parker, Hank Greenberg and Robin Yount all won MVPs but didn't make the all star team. Greenberg's was most interesting. Led the AL with 25 HRs and 101 RBIs at the All-Star break in 1952, but there was this fella named Gehrig in front of him, and Gehrig played all nine innings the two prior all star games. They didn't even have another first baseman on the team. And Greenberg went on to become the first unanimous MVP.
Who is the best MLB player never to have made an All-Star team (in the All-Star team era)?
Tough call. Maybe Eric Karros, former Rookie of the year. Five seasons 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs. No All Star. Mike Torrez had 185 wins, most wins by pitcher to not make an All Star team.
Which player had the best single season but did not make an All-Star team?
For me, it's Don Newcombe, 1956. Newcombe had already made three All-Star teams prior to serving two years in Korea and one All Star team in 1955 when he went 20-5. But in 1956, he exploded. 27-7, won the MLB Cy Young Award (just one was given in both leagues that year) and won the Most Valuable Player, had league best WHIP. Didn't make the All-Star team. Next most wins were Antonelli and Spahn with 20. Robin Roberts (19-18), who led the league in losses that year and the next year, made the all star team, as did Joe Nuxhall (13-11) and Bob Friend (17-17), who started for the NL.
McCormick's Cy Young year, he went 22-10. No All Star. Mays, Haller and Marichal made it that year from the Giants. And Bryce Harper, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Morneau, Chipper Jones, Juan Gonzalez, Terry Pendleton, Willie Stargell, Kirk Gibson. Dave Parker, Hank Greenberg and Robin Yount all won MVPs but didn't make the all star team. Greenberg's was most interesting. Led the AL with 25 HRs and 101 RBIs at the All-Star break in 1952, but there was this fella named Gehrig in front of him, and Gehrig played all nine innings the two prior all star games. They didn't even have another first baseman on the team. And Greenberg went on to become the first unanimous MVP.
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