Rather than just list a bunch of people/places/things/teams/qualities/ideas, etc. and then stating whether they are over-rated/under-rated/or just rated exactly right, I will select a topic and then name people/places/things/teams/qualities/ideas, etc. that are over-rated/under-rated or rated exactly right. For example, if the category is colors: I could say red is over-rated, then explain why, say green is under-rated, then explain why, and say that yellow is rated correctly, then explain why. For your color aficianados, this is just to show how the system works. One over-rated/one under-rated/one rated correctly for each topic.
My first topic grew from a facebook post of friend of WeMakeItRain Allison after visiting Camden Yards for a baseball game early this year. I saw her post and I new I wanted to do something with it, but it only recently occurred to me how to do it. That post, admittedly is unrelated to this column, but like my ideas, they sprout away from the original gestation. Here is her post:
I was kind of surprised that so many Cal Ripken shirts were still available in the team store this many years later... but I bought one anyway. #2131
My topic then is: Baltimore Orioles
OVER-RATED - CAL RIPKEN, JR.
Yes, he is a great player. Yes, he is deservedly in the Hall-of-Fame. Yes, he was part of the three that saved baseball (along with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa - company with whom Ripken probably doesn't want to be mentioned.) All this is true, and he is still way overrated.
First off, let's consider that Cal Ripken, Jr. is considered a God by Baltimore Oriole fans, as well as by other baseball fans. Some might even try to argue that he is the best shortstop of all time. But, let's look at the numbers in comparison to other Hall-of-Famers.
Ripken's career batting average is .276, which puts him at 136th among Hall-of-Famers, tied Roy Campanella and Harry Wright. However, the average batting average among hitters in the Hall-of-Fame is .302. Ripken is a full .027 points behind the average. For those more interested in Moneyball stats, Ripken's career .OPS is .788, or good for 123rd among Hall-of-Famers, tied with Frank Chance and behind such legendary powers as Craig Biggio, and even fellow shortstop Barry Larkin.
To be fair, Ripken rates better in the power numbers; his 431 homers ranking 25th among Hall of Famers and his 1695 RBIs ranking 20th, although he still trails legendary shortstop Honus Wagner in RBIs.
So, Ripken is truly great, and deserves to be in the Hall-of-Fame; but he isn't the greatest Oriole as most would suggest, nor is he the greatest shortstop, as others would argue.
Thus, Ripken, Jr. is over-rated.
UNDER-RATED - FRANK ROBINSON
Frank Robinson deserves consideration among the best baseball players ever, not just relegated to the third or fourth Baltimore Oriole ever (conventional wisdom has Ripken and Brooks Robinson as the two team favorites).
Frank Robinson ended with a career batting average of .204 (105th among Hall-of-Famers), but with an OPS of .926; 23rd among those in the Hall of Fame, ahead of guys like Duke Snider, Mike Schmidt, and y es, Cal Ripken, Jr.
Like Ripken, his power numbers are much more impressive, ranking 5th among Hall-of-Famers in home runs with 586 and 16th in RBIs with 1812, playing the exact same number of years as Ripken.
Add to his resume the facts that he won MVPs in both the American and National Leagues (with the Cincinnati Reds) and was the major league's first African-American manager while playing in Cleveland. After that, he became the first African-American manager in the National League.
Frank Robinson is continually, under-rated.
RATED - EDDIE MURRAY
This was a tough category because seven names came to my mind: Jim Palmer - who might be a bit overrated because of the underwear commercials; Brooks Robinson - but he is a bit overrated because of his defense; Boog Powell - but he is a bit overrated because of his BarBQ restaurants; Mark Mussina - too New York Yankees; Adam Jones - too recent; and Mark Belanger - quite possibly the true definition of this section. But, when all is said and done, it is about Eddie Murray.
Eddie Murray, always thought of as good, never makes the list of greatest of his era, or greatest at his position. Hell, his nickname for some was "Steady Eddie". Although he was a first ballot Hall-of-Famer, you would be hard pressed to come up with his name if you were to go through the list of first ballot Hall-of-Famers. He hit .287 for his career with 504 homers, but, of course, he is last in the 500 homer club among those in the Hall-of-Fame.
Yes, a great player, but thought of as exactly that: Great. Not exceptional, not amazing, just great. He is properly rated.
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