Best MLB players not in the Hall of Fame: Detroit Tigers, Lou Whitaker
WAR value: 75.1
Lou Whitaker not being in the Hall of Fame is a genuine head-scratcher. This is a player whose career was filled with accolades in addition to his 75.1 career WAR value in 19 seasons.
The second baseman spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers and retired with a trophy case full of awards. He was the 1978 Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, three-time Gold Glove winner, and World Series champion.
Sometimes longevity is going to hurt any player’s case. But Whitaker was an everyday player for 16 of his 19 MLB seasons. And aside from a quick 20-game debut in 1977, he never posted a negative WAR value in any other season. In fact, he never even posted one below 1.5.
Whitaker ranks fourth all-time in WAR among Tigers batters and is third in games played. He is also tied 51st overall in MLB history for WAR among position players. At this point it is fair to question what exactly he did wrong for voters to ignore him so easily.
Is it a lack of one MVP-level season? The highest he ever finished in the voting was eighth in 1983, but winning MVP is not a qualification for enshrinement anyway. Several players on this list have strong cases for the Hall of Fame. But few can match Whitaker’s resume, and his WAR alone tells the tale.