Anti HOF: Kevin Brown

2.1% of the 2011 MLB Hall of Fame vote

The name Kevin Brown just doesn't scream "dominance", "talent" or much of anything else on paper. Plus his face, physique and mannerisms were pretty non-descript. And yet the whispy Southerner was one of the top MLB hurlers of the Nineties. A 200 game winner who appeared on six All-Star teams and struck out 200+ batters in four different seasons, Brown was at worst durable and at best, transcendent, especially in 1997 when he posted a sparkling 1.89 ERA in the midst of the steroids era and led the fourth year Marlins to one of the most improbable World Series victories ever.

And yet Brown is largely forgotten for the era, perhaps in part due to his late careers meltdowns for the Yankees or because of the insanely inflated contract he earned while on the Dodgers (FYI: He actually put together three very solid seasons for LA before age and attitude reared their ugly heads. In retrospect, it was a foolish contract for any 34-year old, pitcher or otherwise).

So raise a wrist to Kevin Brown, a truly deserving member of the Anti HOF and a bit of a menace to your average family dinner or picnic. Class of 2011.

Top Baseball-Reference.com comperable of the modern era: Bob Welch