MLB History: Ten Greatest One Hit Wonders in Baseball
Every so often, there is a player who puts up an incredible season, but never duplicates those numbers again in their MLB career. Let us take a look at some of the biggest fluke seasons in the history of the game.
Today happens to be Davey Johnson‘s 74th birthday. While he is likely remembered for his time as a manager, he also put together one of the more surprising seasons in MLB history. In 1973, despite never hitting more than 18 home runs in a season, and hitting just five the previous year, Johnson belted 43 homers. That would be the only year he hit more than 18 long balls, and Johnson finished his career with 136 home runs in total.
Seeing Johnson on the list of baseball birthdays today led to the question of which players had just that one stellar season out of nowhere, and never were able to replicate their success again. Just like musicians along the lines of Rockwell and Chumbawamba had that one song become a success, these players were amongst the one hit wonders of baseball.
In some cases, these incredible seasons came during the player’s rookie campaign. Others were veteran players, and even stars, before they had that one year that defied explanation. Yet, injuries, a regression to the mean, or in some suspected cases, PEDs, led to those years never happening again.
And so, in honor of Davey Johnson, let us take a look at a few players who became one hit wonders in the Majors.
Fred Dunlap (1884): .412/.448/.621, 13 home runs, 185 hits, 256 OPS+
Fred Dunlap had already established himself as a solid second baseman during the early part of the 1880’s. Playing with the Cleveland Blues, he led the National League with 27 doubles as a rookie in 1880, and was an above average hitter with a decent amount of power during his first four seasons.
However, in 1884, when the Union Association formed, he jumped over to the St. Louis Maroons. The highest paid player in the league, Dunlap put up some of the best numbers of anyone in the 19th century. That year, he led the league in all three categories on the batting line, home runs, hits, runs, and posted an OPS+ of 256. That number has only been surpassed by one player in MLB history – Barry Bonds. In fact, the top ten for OPS+ in a single season has Bonds three times, Dunlap, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Ross Barnes, who had three seasons with an OPS+ over 200.
After the Union Association folded following that one year, Dunlap went back to the National League. While he continued to be a solid player, Dunlap never approached those numbers again. In face, Dunlap would never hit .300 again in his career, which lasted until 1891.
Dunlap was more than an offensive force during his playing days. He was nicknamed ‘Sure Shot’ for his strong arm, and contemporary players such as John Ward and Sam Crane called him the best second baseman of the 19th century. Stanley Robinson, a manager and team owner, went so far as to call him the greatest player in the history of the game.
He was certainly a solid player, but Fred Dunlap was never able to replicate his incredible 1884 campaign. It took until the 21st century, and the explosion of Barry Bonds before anyone was able to top his performance that year.
Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Bill James (1914): 26-7, 1.90 ERA, 1.140 WHiP, 332.1 innings
One of two pitchers named Bill James that played during the 1910’s, Seattle Bill had one glorious season when the Miracle Braves won the World Series in 1914.
After a solid rookie campaign in 1913, James became the ace of the Boston rotation. He made 37 starts, and completed 30 of them, throwing 332.1 innings that year. It was understandable as to why the Braves would look to get him on the mound for as long as possible, as he posted a 26-7 record with a 1.90 ERA and a 1.140 WHiP, striking out 156 batters. James also notched three saves that year in his nine relief appearances.
James led the league with a .788 winning percentage, and finished second in wins and ERA. He was second in the National League with an 8.3 WAR, and finished third in complete games and innings. He continued that dominance in the World Series, throwing eleven shutout innings against the mighty Philadelphia A’s.
However, after that season, James developed arm problems. He only pitched in 14 games for a total of 73.2 innings after that season, with the majority of that time coming in 1915. He returned for one game in 1919, then was in the minors until he retired in 1925.
One of the key pieces of the Miracle Braves, James was never able to build off his stellar second season. Even though he pitched until he was 33 years old, he was never able to recapture that form.
Mark Fidrych (1976): 19-9, 2.34 ERA, 1.079 WHiP, 24 complete games
Few players ever captured the imagination the way Mark Fidrych did as a rookie for the Detroit Tigers. From his antics like talking to the baseball and grooming the mound with his hands, he was a player like no other.
It took a while for Fidrych to get a chance. After facing only one batter in April, and getting in an inning on May 5th, he was given a chance to start on May 15th. He won in a complete game two hitter, and was given another start ten days later. Despite taking the loss, he threw another complete game, and was immediately inserted in the starting rotation.
From that point, Fidrych became a phenomenon. He made the All Star Game, and finished the year with a 19-9 record, leading the American League with a 2.34 ERA and 24 complete games. He was second in the Cy Young balloting that year and won the Rookie of the Year award. A major star, his 18 home starts accounted for half of Detroit’s attendance that year.
However, that workload caught up with Fidrych. Despite the Tigers being below .500, Ralph Houk continued to send Fidrych out for inning after inning. He felt his arm go dead in the middle of his ninth start the following year, effectively ending his career. About a decade later, when his career was over, he was diagnosed with a tron rotator cuff, which had been exacerbated by his heavy workload.
Mark Fidrych burned like a comet, only to flame out due to overwork. Even now, over 40 years after he burst onto the MLB, his rookie campaign is fondly remembered.
Bob Hamelin (1994): .282/.388/.599, 24 home runs, 25 doubles
Bob Hamelin set the Kansas City Royals record for home runs by a rookie, en route to beating Manny Ramirez for the 1994 Rookie of the Year award.
He certainly had an excellent year. As a 26 year old, he produced a .282/.388/.599 batting line, hitting 24 home runs, 25 doubles, and driving in 65 runs. Hamelin crushed buffets, and he crushed baseballs, making him the type of player we could all relate to. He finished in the top ten in homers, slugging, OPS, and home runs per at bat, as it appeared that he would become the next slugger for the Royals.
Instead, he became a part of the rookie curse for the franchise. He struggled mightily the following season, and was sent back to the minors. After being released before the 1997 season, he found his batting stroke for one more season with the Tigers, before being out of baseball following 1999.
Hamelin’s legacy extends beyond that moment of glory. He had one of the all time worst baseball cards in the 1996 Pinnacle set, and has (possibly) a glorious Twitter account. After all, with tweets like this one, who wouldn’t want to follow the former Rookie of the Year?
One had to expect that Bob Hamelin would struggle to produce at that level going forward, but his struggles after that season were worse than imagined. At least we still have those memories.
Kevin Maas (1990): .252/.367/.535, 21 home runs in just 300 plate appearances
Whenever a rookie comes up and sets the MLB afire, the name Kevin Maas is often brought up. In a way, he became the poster child for the one hit wonder, especially as a rookie.
A solid power hitter in the minors, Maas came up to the Majors at the end of June in 1990 and blew away any expectations. He became the fastest player to hit ten home runs in his career, doing so in just 72 at bats. Although he struck out a lot, Maas finished the season with a solid .252/.367/.535 batting line, hitting 21 home runs in only 254 at bats.
Unfortunately, that would be the high water mark for him. While he did hit 23 home runs and draw 83 walks the following year, Maas only produced a .220/.305/.406 batting line. He would be sent back to the minors in 1992, and by 1994, had been released by the Yankees. He spent some time with the Twins in 1995, and after continuing to struggle, his major league career was over.
At one time considered the heir apparent to Don Mattingly at first, Maas never was able to live up to expectations after his stellar rookie campaign. In fact, he finished his career with just 65 home runs, with approximately 70% of those coming in his first two seasons.
Kevin Maas made the record books as the fastest player to ten, 13, and 15 home runs in MLB history. He is also possibly the greatest one hit wonder in the history of the game.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Charboneau (1980): .289/.358/.488, 23 home runs
The Cleveland Indians were pretty much unwatchable from 1960 through 1993. However, in 1980, they had their own Mark Fidrych in rookie Joe Charboneau.
Another player who marched to the beat of his own drummer, the stories about Charboneau are legendary. He was said to eat cigarettes, was known to open beer bottles with his eye socket, and drank the beer through a straw in his nose. He did these things because he could, and enjoyed every moment of his eccentricity.
The Indians, meanwhile, enjoyed what he did on the field. He rapidly became a fan favorite, helping the Indians to draw crowds despite their typically abysmal performance. Charboneau, meanwhile, produced a solid .289/.358/.488 batting line, hitting 23 home runs en route to winning the Rookie of the Year award. There was even a song titled “Go Joe Charboneau” in his honor.
However, it all fell apart in Spring Training the following year. After injuring his back on a headfirst slide, Charboneau was never able to hit again. He underwent surgery, and struggled to the point where he was sent down to AA. He made his last appearance in an Indians uniform in 1982, and retired after the 1984 season. He did, however, make one last appearance in the Frontier League in 2000, getting a single in his only at bat with the Canton Crocodiles.
Much like with Fidrych, injuries ruined what could have been a productive career. And, like Fidrych, Charboneau’s antics made it certain that he will never be forgotten.
Wayne Garland (1976): 20-7, 2.67 ERA, 1.240 WHiP
Sometimes, a player times their one great year perfectly, putting that performance up in a contract year. Wayne Garland did just that in 1976.
After spending three years as a long reliever/spot starter for the Orioles, Garland had a chance to stick in the rotation. He responded with an excellent year, posting a 20-7 record with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.240 WHiP. Out of 25 starts, Garland threw 14 complete games, and even recorded a save. A free agent after the season, the Indians signed him to a ten year, $2.3 Million contract, expecting the 26 year old to front the rotation for years to come.
Instead, Garland failed to live up to that contract year. He was decent in 1977, as his 13-19 record belied his 3.60 ERA and 1.305 WHiP. However, after that season, he battled injuries, including a torn rotator cuff. In his five seasons with the Tribe, Garland posted a combined 28-48 record with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.461 WHiP.
Although he was signed through 1986, the Indians released Garland before the 1982 season. He signed with the Yankees, and was sent to AA, where he continued to struggle. After 27.2 innings, Garland was released after posting a 7.48 ERA and a 1.663 WHiP.
Wayne Garland is one of the players that serves as a cautionary tale about signing pitchers to long term contracts. However, no one could expect that he would struggle to that extent.
Brady Anderson (1996): .297/.396/.637, 50 home runs, 110 RBI, 156 OPS+
Every so often, a player produces a season that comes out of nowhere despite having established themselves in the Majors. 1996 was that season for Brady Anderson.
The Baltimore Orioles leadoff hitter had never hit more than 21 home runs in a season before that year. However, in 1996, he came out swinging for the fences and never stopped. By the time the season was over, Anderson had hit a shocking 50 home runs, while producing a .297/.396/.637 batting line. That power did not cause an end to his trademark speed, as Anderson also stole 21 bases that year.
Predictably, after that year, Anderson went back to his previous levels. He would hit 24 home runs 1999 for the only other year he eclipsed the 20 homer mark, but would never come close to 50 again. In fact, when he finished his career, Anderson’s 210 home runs were the fewest of any player who hit 50 homers in a season.
As we came to learn about PED usage in the game during the middle of the 2000’s, it became fair to wonder whether or not this fluke season was chemically enhanced. But the bigger question would be, if he did juice, why did he only take PEDs for one year? Instead, his outlier year may have come naturally, despite coming at the beginning of what would be known as the Steroid Era.
We may never truly know if Brady Anderson used PEDs or not, but for one season? If nothing else, his 1996 campaign is a great topic for debate.
Luis Gonzalez (2001): .325/.429/.688, 57 home runs, 142 RBI, 174 OPS+
Luis Gonzalez had been a solid hitter from the moment he arrived in Arizona, and even led the National League with 206 hits in 1999. However, his 2001 season was entirely unexpected.
Even with the PED fueled power surges of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds, Gonzalez’s campaign was a shock. Although he had done better than his .325/.429/.688 batting line before, at least in terms of batting average, his on base percentage and slugging were career highs. To add to that, Gonzalez slugged 57 home runs, after a previous career high of 31 set just last year.
Gonzalez would never come close to that 57 home run mark again. In 2002, he hit a mere 28 home runs, which was his highest total for the rest of his career. Prior to that outburst, Gonzalez had averaged only 16 home runs in each of his first ten full seasons. That dramatic of an increase was entirely explainable, although we can certainly have our suspicions given the timeframe when it happened, especially since he was allegedly one of the players that failed a PED test in 2003.
Unlike the other players on this list, Gonzalez is not remembered so much for that one year as he was for another accomplishment. It was his bloop single off of Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning that gave the Diamondbacks the 2001 World Series, making him an instant hero in Arizona.
Was Luis Gonzalez’s incredible season the result of PED usage? We may never know for certain, but it certainly looks suspicious.
Marcus Giles (2003): .316/.390/.526, 21 home runs, 49 doubles
Marcus Giles did not exactly come out of nowhere, as he was a former top prospect. He also earned the MVP award in the South Atlantic League in 1998, and in 1999 in Carolina League. Add in the performance of his older brother Brian Giles, and there was talent in the smaller second baseman.
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However, no one could have imagined his 2003 campaign. In his first two seasons, where he bounced back and forth from the minors, Giles had a combined .247/.327/.416 batting line with 17 home runs in 515 plate appearances. He had decent power, but looked like a player who would not hit much aside from that.
Then, in 2003, everything came together. He produced a career best .316/.390/.526 batting line, hitting 21 home runs and 49 doubles. Giles made his only All Star Game that year, and finished 18th in the National League MVP vote.
The following year, Giles produced a .311/.378/.443 batting line, but only had 22 doubles and eight home runs. In 2005, the power numbers returned, with 45 doubles and 15 homers, but his batting line started to fall off. He was let go after a poor 2008 campaign, and after spending one disastrous year with the Padres, never returned to the Majors again.
Given that today is Davey Johnson’s birthday, and that he himself could make a list like this, it is fitting to end with an Atlanta Braves second baseman.
