MLB: The 10 Most Underrated Players in Baseball

10- Brandon Crawford, SS, San Francisco Giants

Oct 25, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (35) throws the baseball to first base during the seventh inning of game two of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers at AT

2012 Stats: .248 AVG, 4 HRS, 44 RS, 45 RBI

As it always seems with any all glove, no-hit shortstop not named, Omar Vizquel, Brandon Crawford is not known at all outside the city he plays in.

Crawford started the 2012 season booting balls and grounding out, however, like seemingly all players for the Giants last season once Melky Cabrera was suspended he caught fire. In the playoffs Crawford was a wizard in the field and made a rally killing catch off the bat of Kyle Lohse in Game 7 of the NLCS. Crawford will need to hit for a higher average and more power if he ever wants to be considering among the elite at short, but the silence was deafening from Giants fans as this was the first offseason since Rich Aurelia left that they weren’t asking for an offseason upgrade at the position.

9- Mark Buehrle, SP, Toronto Blue Jays

2012 Stats: 13-13, 3.74 ERA, 202.1 Innings Pitched

When talking about the big Marlins-Blue Jays trade, everywhere I looked the Jays seemed to be getting more credit for snatching Emilio Bonifacio than grabbing Buehrle.

In fact, the ink that did go to the lefty (who has never finished a full season without at least 10 wins), all seemed to suggest that Mark would get blown up by returning to the AL.

Forgive me if I don’t see it, but Buehrle has never finished a season with an ERA of 5, never pitched under 200 innings and even when the team around him

Feb 24, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) against the Baltimore Orioles during a spring training game at Florida Auto Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

is in chaos he just goes to the bump, and does his job.

The biggest negative in Buehrle’s game is that he has never had high strikeout numbers, so teammates like Freddy Garcia, Jake Peavy, Josh Johnson, Gavin Floyd, and even John Danks have gotten more press.

Ten years from now, Buehrle’s mark on the game will mostly be remembered by White Sox fans, pit bull lovers, and for the one night he was perfect but if you ask me, the list should be very short of guys you’d want to start a season for your favorite team.