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Detroit Tigers: Five best Tigers who weren’t All-Stars

By Andy Patton

NEW YORK - JULY 18: Outfielder Bobby Higginson #4 of the Detroit Tigers at bat during the game against the New York Yankees on July 18, 2002 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. TheYankees won 5-3. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - JULY 18: Outfielder Bobby Higginson #4 of the Detroit Tigers at bat during the game against the New York Yankees on July 18, 2002 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. TheYankees won 5-3. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers
OAKLAND, CA – JULY 19: Jose Canseco #33 gets a pat on the back from Tony Phillips #18 of the 1989 Oakland A’s as they celebrate their World Series championship 25 years ago, before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at O.co Coliseum on July 19, 2014 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Tony Phillips, UTL (25.3 bWAR)

Tony Phillips played in 18 major league seasons and racked up a 50.9 career bWAR, yet he never made an All-Star game and only placed in MVP voting once, finishing 16th in 1993. That’s because, similar to Rogell, Phillips was a high-OBP machine pre-Moneyball era, before it was a widely recognized skill.

Phillips spent five of those seasons in the Motor City, from 1990-1994. He  hit .281 with a .395 OBP and added 61 home runs and 70 stolen bases during that time.

Phillips was likely passed over because of his constant moving – not just teams, but positions as well. He played primarily second base, but spent a ton of time in left field and at shortstop in his career.

Related Story: Five Greatest African-Americans in Tigers history

1993 was Phillips’ best season in Detroit, and arguably of his career. He was slashing a scorching .313/.450/.404 with four home runs and eight stolen bases at the All-Star break. However, Roberto Alomar and Carlos Baerga were selected as second basemen, with Cecil Fielder and Travis Fryman making the team from the Tigers.

While his career numbers are excellent, outside of his high walk totals his performance was good, but not All-Star worthy. Phillips’ nice WAR totals are more a product of his long career than any particular dominance, which makes it less surprising that he wasn’t selected as an All-Star.

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