5 Most Underrated Reds of All-Time?

[Vottomatic]

I recently read a Bengals article by Geoff Hobson picking the 5 most underrated Bengals of All-Time, so I thought, for fun, we could discuss the 5 most underrated Reds players of All-Time. Meaning, players who never got that much credit, made the HOF, or made All-Star games, etc., etc.........but were still very good players.

By the way, the 5 most underrated Bengals in that article were - Willie Anderson, Ken Riley, Jim Breech, Rodney Holman, and Rich Braham.

Who are the 5 most underrated Reds of All-Time?

[GIDP]

I think its unfair for me to pick of all time because I mean what do I really know about guys rfom the 70s and stuff? In my lifetime though here is a few that come to mind quickly.

Dave Burba
John Smiley
Reggie Sanders
Bip Roberts

[will5979]

Based on what I've seen in my baseball viewing life 1985-present

1. PAUL O'NEILL-what can I say about trading him except wow, just wow.
2. ADAM DUNN-future HOFer mark my words, and everyone wanted rid of him.
3. Deion Sanders-with him we beat Atl. in 95 NLCS
4. Bronson Arroyo-best pitcher in our rotation for the past 5 seasons
5. Mike Cameron-if only the trade was Reese for Griffey straight up, stupid ass Jim Bowden-"Pokey Reese is the future of our franchise"

[Vottomatic]

Vada Pinson
Scott Sullivan
Bronson Arroyo
still thinking of my other 2

[flash]

Paul O' Neil can't disagree there.
Vada Pinson- best all around centerfielder the Reds have had in 80 years. I won't argue that Roush or Crawford might have been better. Should be in the hall
Bucky Walters- Should be in the hall

[redsfanmia]

nm

[redsfanmia]

Danny Graves has to be on the list

[1990REDS]

im gonna go with:
Smiley
Reggie Sanders
Bronson Arroyo
Arther Rhodes (i know hes only been here 2 years,and were not even half way through but the season hes having he should be a no doubt All-Star and getting a lot more press than he does)

BTW im in my late 20's so sorry for the lack of older players on my list

[sivman17]

Danny Graves has to be on the list

I agree with this completely.

[lidspinner]

im going to think about my other 4 but my number 1 is Adam Dunn......while I was one to want him out of here, I wanted him gone cause of his defense. The fella just cannot play defense to save his life....if he could just be a GG at 1st base then he would be money...but Adam Dunn is going to be a HOF'er. The guy is consistent and when all is said and done 700 home runs are not out of reach for a guy like Adam who is not injured all that much. If he can spend the last 10 years, starting next year, in the AL, DHing then I think he is a lock for the Hall.

I know I will get laughed at and people like to think Dunn is a waste, but you cannot argue his numbers that he puts up year in and year out...even the bad ones, he is consistent.

[Griffey012]

I am pretty young so I can't speak for players before about 1995 ish. Not sure if we are talking underrated by just Reds fans or all of baseball, I am assuming all of baseball.

Arroyo
Sean Casey (multiple .900+ OPS years, during his prime)
Scott Sullivan
Barry Larkin (he was that good)
Bip Roberts (Wish we kept him longer)

[Red in Atl]

I think Senior felt underrated by Reds management...I think management underrated Jeff Russel back in the day, and Keppinger and Cantu recently...and I think the fans underrated Big, Reggie Sanders a bit, and definitely Dunn.

But I don't get the Danny Graves stuff. I think the Reds overrated him. Starter, closer, starter, closer...they acted like he was the savior and used him all up. Though I don't think he helped himself out much with his childlike antics.

[texasdave]

In no particular order:

1) Cesar Geronimo
2) Rich Aurilia
3) Scott Hatteberg
4) Pete Harnisch
5) Freddie Norman

[Roush's socks]

The Reds have so much history that it would take quite a bit of research to really come up with a good list. But off hand I would throw out:
1. Bucky Walters- should be in the HOF. He won the regular season MVP while leading his team to a WS victory. That is kind of the ultimate in sports.
2. Dave Concepcion- at the time he was playing everyone agreed that his defense was of a different caliber than his peers. His hitting looks worse than it was becaused of the era he played in.
3. Ted Kluszewski- he was one of the best hitters of his era. If he would have had a couple more productive years he would have been in the HOF.
4. Kevin Mitchell- his 1994 season was simply incredible by any standards.
5. Bid McPhee- This Reds HOF'r from early baseball history has some of the most incredible fielding stats, by the standards of his time, of any player ever. He must have been just light years ahead of anyone else at the time. Now that he is in the HOF I don't know if you can call him "underrated."

[Norm]

Not so much career wise, but Greg Vaughn had an awfully strong back in 99. I also have to go with Pete Harnisch!