Your favorite non-star player of all-time?

What a great question.

One of my all time favorites, whose number 34 I still use in passwords and pin numbers, is former A's pitcher Dave Stewart. He was a guy who went from the bottom of the barrel to four 20 win seasons and a Bay Area favorite. He hadn't won a game in three seasons when the A's picked him up, the first year I think he was like 8-6, then he had the four straight 20 win seasons. He never won a Cy Young and only made a couple all star games, but he was the guy you wanted on the mound in the important game (especially against the Bosox who he owned). And he gave a lot back to the community and you'd only hear about it long after because he didn't do it for the glory - he did it because he's a nice guy.

I grew up in the second hey day of the Oakland Athletics, went to a lot of games with my father. The one player that really stood out to me that no one gives enough credit to was Terry Steinbach, the catcher for all those great A's teams in the late 80's and early 90's. He handled the pitching staff great, he was a solid hitter for a catcher. He was also tough as nails...came back from a broken orbital bone in a month and played the rest of the season in pain. He was the glue to that franchise for quite some time.

I really liked Tony Fernandez.

He was a great defensive SS with the Jays, then left, then came back. He went to Cincy and played an amazing 3b (actually setting a record for fielding % at 3b), then came back to the Jays.

Then he left to go play 2B with Cleveland with Omar Vizquel, then came back.

Never a big power hitter, I believe only stole 30 bases once, hit .300 a few times, but those flip throws were like an operatic aria, an art form.

What I wouldn't give for the Jays to have someone even half as good right now.

Cookie Lavagetto. He made one of the greatest World Series catches of all time in the 1947 World Series. With his back to the bullpen gate in Yankee Stadium, he pulled down a mammoth fly ball hit by the great Joe DiMaggio.

He never again played a game in the Major Leagues. Truly an outstanding non-entity

Luis Sojo was always one of the my favorites. The perfect utility man for those championship Yankee teams. He could play every position (except catcher) and play them well. He was a great bunter, great at the hit-and-run, rarely struck out and was a smart baserunner. He was also clutch in the post-season, and never let the moment get the best of him. Just an awesome guy to have on the team. I'll never forget the hit he got off Al Leiter in the 2000 WS to clinch it for the Yankees. *sigh*

Oh, and he also got Manny in trouble with the Sox fans, LOL.

Great question.

EDIT: Never mind that last part, I got him confused with Enrique Wilson.

Mine is also a catcher: Mike Matheny

Recipient of the Darryl Kile Award with the Cardinals in 2003

Recipient of the Willie Mac Award with the Giants in 2005

MLB record for most consecutive games without an error at catcher position (252)

With the power of today's media it's hard for even a half decent player not to be a "star". With that said I actually have two. Paul O'Neill who was surrounded by "super stars". Not a hall of famer but a hard worker with impressive career stats.

The other was Kent Hrbek. Another good all around player who worked hard and was a very dependable teammate with decent numbers and of course a couple of rings as well.

Current Player: Robby Hammock (caught a perfect game)

Retired Player: Buddy Schultz (runs a great multi-sports legends charity week in Scottsdale)

Gil McDougald -- except for ending Herb Score's career, he wasn't too famous. I loved the way that he had 9 different batting stances.

Oh -- and by the way, it was Pat Borders' daughter who pitched in the minors for a year and a half or so. Little bit o' trivia.

Jody Davis

Jody, Jody Davis.... catcher without a fear

- sang to the tune of Davey Crockett by Harry Caray