Best MLB players not in the Hall of Fame: Philadelphia Phillies, Chase Utley
WAR value: 62.0
It is hard for any Philadelphia Phillies player to approach the numbers Mike Schmidt put up during his legendary career. But Chase Utley is a player right behind him in several all-time marks, including WAR.
Utley spent 13 seasons with the Phillies and made six All-Star Games. He also won four Silver Sluggers and was part of the 2008 World Series winning squad. His 9.0 WAR that season was key to the team’s success.
The aggressive second baseman finished his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and called it quits after the 2018 season, so he is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame. His case will be an interesting one, but it is unlikely he gets in right away.
Going over 60.0 in career WAR is always a plus. However, he was not a perennial All-Star and did not even reach 2,000 hits in his career. He also never took home a single Gold Glove Award. What he did do was have a six-year stretch of being an elite player. Whether that is enough for enshrinement remains to be seen.
Utley is someone who will also be beloved for his play in Philly. And he deserves all the recognition the team wants to give him. It would just be a surprise for him to make it into the Hall of Fame given the way the current voting system has worked.