Jim Fregosi’s Major League debut coincided with that of the Los Angeles Angels, and it would not take long for the Shortstop to establish himself as one of the premier players at his position.

Fregosi went to his first All-Star Game in 1964 and then had a five-year streak beginning in 1966.  Fregosi was not a power hitter, but he had six 10-home-run seasons, which was good for a Shortstop of his era.  Defensively, he was very good, winning a Gold Glove in 1967, which was also the season he was seventh in MVP voting, and led the American League in Triples (13).  Fregosi also had seven other seasons where he received MVP votes.

The six-time All-Star also played for the Mets, Texas, and Pittsburgh, and he retired in 1978 with 1,726 Hits and 151 Home Runs.

Fregosi would later become a successful Manager where over reigns helming California, Chicago (AL), Philadelphia, and Toronto, he compiled a record of 1,028-1,094. 

Frank “Noodles” Hahn may not have completed the necessary ten years in the Majors to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but that does not stop us from ranking him.

In 1899, Hahn made his Major League debut eleven days before his 20^th birthday and, in his first five seasons were among the best by any Cincinnati Red Pitcher.  Hahn didn't own a commanding fastball, but he did have excellent accuracy.  He led the National League in Strikeouts in his first three seasons, and while Cincinnati was not that good, he had four 20 Win seasons over that time frame.   

Hahn had arm trouble in 1905, and he was never the same, out of the Majors by age 27.  Despite his short career, Hahn remains one of the best hurlers in Reds history.

Mark Langston was one of the most underrated flamethrowers in baseball history, and let’s give him a bit of due here.

The San Diego native led the American League as a Seattle Mariner in Strikeouts (204) as a rookie in 1994, and he was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award.  Langston led the AL in Strikeouts in 1986 and 1987, going to the All-Star Game in the latter year.  

After a brief stint in Montreal, Langston came to the California Angels, where he was a three-time All-Star.  As an Angel, Langston has four 13-win seasons and four campaigns with over 174 Strikeouts.  He would finish his career with a brief run in San Diego and Cleveland with 2,464 career Strikeouts.

Historically speaking, we don’t think that we are going out on a limb by stating that Willie Wilson was one of the best leadoff hitters in the game.

Wilson spent most of his career with the Kansas City Royals, a team that the Alabama native first debuted for in 1976.  Wilson entered the 1979 season as the Royals’ starting Centerfielder, and he batted .315 with a league-leading 83 Stolen Bases.  That was the best he ever did in terms of base-stealing, but there was so much more that the speedster had left to offer.

In the following season, Wilson led the American League in Runs Scored (133), Hits (230), Triples (15), and he won the Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and was fourth in MVP voting.  The Royals won the pennant that year, but the Royals lost to Philadelphia.  Wilson had solace in the fact that he was fourth in MVP voting, which would be a career high.

That was the best year of Wilson’s career, but far from the end of his productive ways.  Despite his drug arrest and jail time in 1984, Wilson was one of the best baserunners of the 1980s and batted over .300 three times in the 1980s, including winning the Batting Title in 1982 (.331).  Wilson had five AL leads in Triples and was a two-time All-Star for Kansas City.  

Wilson finished his career with stints in Oakland and Chicago (NL), and he retired in 1994 with 668 Stolen Bases and 2,207 Hits.