Best MLB players not in the Hall of Fame: Cleveland Indians, Kenny Lofton
WAR value: 48.6
Kenny Lofton was a legitimate star with the Cleveland Indians. He won four consecutive Gold Glove Awards and any Indians highlight package from the 1990s is always guaranteed to feature at least one or two insane catches from Lofton.
His WAR also puts him fifth all-time in team history among position players. But Lofton spent 17 years in MLB and only 10 in Cleveland. He is another player whose longevity may be hurting his Hall of Fame case.
His stolen base totals from 1992-1996 are easily the most wild stats to his name. Lofton led the league for five straight years and had 75 stolen bases in 1996. He was swiping bags with ease and once he was on base, he was the ultimate distraction for any pitcher.
Lofton played until he was 40 years old and his production dropped drastically in 2002 when he left Cleveland for the second time. Still, this is a player with almost 2,500 hits and 622 career stolen bases.
The center fielder is already enshrined in the Indians Hall of Fame. But it may take a veterans committee to get him into Cooperstown as more time passes and his numbers hold up against modern players.