In recent weeks, we have gone over some of the most incredible postseason performances that, for one reason or another, have been lost to the sands of time. Now, we will look at those regular-season performances that have suffered the same fate. In the following entry, we will discuss the most obscure MLB MVPs of all time and see why they might have been forgotten. Becoming an MVP in Major League Baseball is one of the toughest accomplishments in all professional sports. So, it is a travesty that some of these names have fallen through the slats of the collective consciousness.
Our search for the most obscure MLB MVPs ever begins with some criteria. First of all, nobody on here has made it to Cooperstown. Secondly, this writer found it helpful to look for names that people don’t often think of. Sometimes, a player will win an MVP Award and be well thought of by the fanbase but not make it to Cooperstown (case in point, Dale Murphy). No, these are names from history’s address book written towards the back. But, all the same, their stories deserve to be told. So, without further ado, here are the three most obscure MLB MVPs.
Three of The Most Obscure MLB MVPs
Frank Schulte-1911
We begin with the very first NL MVP ever. Frank Schulte was made to do two things: hit and run. He had already made a name for himself with the Chicago Cubs by the time 1911 rolled around. But, that season, he exploded. Not only did he hit .300 and lead the league in RBI (107) and total bases (308), but he also had a season of power unheard of in those days. This was the middle of the Dead Ball Era, and players who hit five or six home runs a season were considered a viable threat. Schulte upped the ante by hitting a whopping 21 dingers in 1911.
Now, this may seem like little. After all, 12 players hit 21 home runs in 2023 alone. However, this was any player’s first real home run explosion since 1901. So, the question is why it gets buried. This writer believes it is because of three specific reasons, or, more specifically, one of baseball’s most famous infields. Yes, Joe Tinker, Frank Chance, and Johnny Evers were all stalwarts on the Cubs during this season. Pair those Cooperstown legends with another in Mordecai Brown (better known as Three Finger), and you’ve got the makings of something special. Schulte was simply the icing on the cake…and that’s why he’s on this list of the most obscure MLB MVPs.
Jim Konstanty-1950
Jim Konstanty played for 11 Major League seasons, seven of which were with the Philadelphia Phillies. It was here that Konstanty experienced his most tremendous success. In 1950, the reliever was named NL MVP, beating out Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Ralph Kiner. He even defeated his teammate, Robin Roberts, a Cooperstown honoree. The results weren’t particularly close, either. Konstanty took home 85% of the vote, while runner-up Musial garnered 47%. So, the question of how Konstanty defeated men with much higher statistical prowess, even by today’s standards, is a mystery.
One thing that’s not a mystery is why Konstanty winds up on a list of the most obscure MLB MVPs in 2023. Simply put, he was outshone in many ways by people who finished beneath him. Musial won the batting title with a .346 average and swatted 28 homers. Kiner led the league with 47 bombs. Eddie Stanky finished four total WAR points ahead of Konstanty and walked a league best 144 times. Warren Spahn had 21 victories and 191 strikeouts. So, it’s pretty simple to see that many names surrounding Konstanty had better seasons. Once again, Konstanty’s selection as the 1950 NL MVP is one of the significant baseball anomalies.
Jeff Burroughs-1974
From 1973-1978, Jeff Burroughs was one of the more consistent hitters in the big leagues. Over the span, he racked up 893 hits, 166 homers, and well over 1,500 total bases. However, it was his 1974 campaign that landed him here. He won the MVP that year thanks to his .301 average, league-best 118 RBI, 167 hits, and a .901 OPS. But again, as with Konstanty, we must stop, scratch our collective heads and ask ourselves why. Burroughs beat out a slew of Hall of Famers to win the award. Guys like Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Fergie Jenkins are among the Cooperstown elite that Burroughs defeated.
The Texas Rangers outfielder had a case of his own, however small it may have been. Aside from what was previously mentioned, he also added 29 homers and 279 total bases. That said, he also grounded into 17 double plays and executed poorly with his glove (-2.9 dWAR). So, once more, we find ourselves with a terrific anomaly. The candidacy of Burroughs as an MVP in 1974 could have been better at best. It is odd, to say the least, to look back with multiple decades of hindsight and advanced statistics and see just how far off Burroughs was from everyone else in the league. But anomaly or not, Burroughs is a player here and a solid way to end this look at the most obscure MLB MVPs.
Main Photo Credits: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
