One and done: Miguel Tejada
Tejada played 16 seasons for a half-dozen teams, spending the bulk of his career as a shortstop for the Oakland Athletics from 1997 through 2003.
For a shortstop, the guy could hit. He batted .270 with 2,307 home runs, and, in 2004, drove in a league-leading 150 for the Baltimore Orioles. He had a lifetime .791 OPS.
In 2002, American League voters decided that Tejada deserved the MVP award. Playing every game that year — one of five seasons he did so — Tejada batted .308 with 34 home runs and made the All-Star team for the first of a half-dozen times.
The Bill James Hall of Fame Monitor quantifies Tejada as a strong Hall of Famer. It scores him at 149 on a scale where 100 equals electability. Baseball-Reference lists five Hall of Famers — Ryne Sandberg, Ted Simmons, Alan Trammell, Carlton Fisk, and Yogi Berra — among his closest comps.
Tell it to Hall voters. In the 2019 election, only five of 425 voters included him among their 10. That left Tejada at a paltry 1.2 percent, consigned to wait consideration by some special committee at some future date.
To the extent that players are hurt by their lack of attachment to one team, that may have hurt Tejada. After taking free agency following the 2003 season, Tejada became a highly skilled journeyman. He played five seasons in Baltimore, then two in Houston, followed by one each in Baltimore, San Diego, San Francisco, and Kansas City.
His postseason record also did him no favors. He played in four postseasons, all with the A’s between 2000 and 2003. Tejada batted .212 with one home run.