Plesac first came to attention when he was drafted by the Brewers in the first round in 1983. He got to the Majors in 1986 and established himself as a premier setup man and part-time closer. Plesac played in the All-Star game in 1987. He played in the All-Star Game in 1988. He played in the All-Star Game in 1989. After three more seasons with the Brewers Plesac spent two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, two seasons in Pittsburgh, parts of three seasons with Toronto and parts of two seasons with Arizona, had a second stint in Toronto for two more seasons, and finished his career with a two-season stretch in Philadelphia. Over his career he posted 65 wins, 71 losses, 158 saves, and 1,041 strikeouts. The proof is in the pudding though. Plesac was a setup man who stayed in the Majors for 19 seasons. Over those two decades he pitched in 1,064 games and maintained a 3.64 ERA over that time period.Honorable Mention:
RF Jay Buhner, Seattle Mariners
Buhner got to the Major Leagues in 1987 with the Yankees and was traded in mid-1988 to the Mariners before being named to the Topps All-Rookie Team at the end of the year. He hit for the cycle in 1993. In 1995, he won a Player-of-the-Week Award and finished the season with 40 homers. In 1996, he participated in the Home Run Derby, played in the All-Star Game, finished the season with 44 homers, and won a Gold Glove Award. He hit 40 homers in 1997. He was suspended for two games in 1999 for participating in a brawl. He retired in 2001. Buhner finished his career with 310 home runs, the most ever by a player from Kentucky. Despite his great career Buhner was never considered to be a Hall of Famer and he didn't make the cut for this list either.
RF Jeromy Burnitz, Milwaukee Brewers
Burnitz first gained attention when he was drafted in the first round by the Mets in 1990. He continued to draw attention in 1991 when he had a 30-30 season in the Eastern League. People continued to take note of the young Burnitz in 1992 as he emerged as a top prospect. Burnitz spent two seasons in the Majors with the Mets before he was sent to Cleveland for parts of two seasons. He landed in Milwaukee after his time in Cleveland came to an end. In 1999, he participated in the Home Run Derby, played in the All-Star Game and won a Player-of-the-Month Award. In 2001, he twice hit three home runs in a game and won a Player-of-the-Week Award. After leaving Milwaukee Burnitz returned to the Mets for parts of two seasons, had a cup of coffee with the Dodgers, and played one season apiece for Colorado, the Cubs, and Pittsburgh. He finished his career with 315 home runs but probably falls a notch below the Hall of Fame level and he wasn't good enough to make this list.
LF Ralph Kiner, Pittsburgh Pirates
Kiner's baseball career was delayed when he served in the U. S. Navy in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He returned to the States and got to the Majors in 1946 with the Pirates. He hit 51 home runs in 1947. In 1948, he played in the All-Star Game and finished the season with 40 homers. In 1949, he played in the All-Star Game and finished the season with 54 homers. In 1950, he hit for the cycle, played in the All-Star Game, and finished the season with 47 homers. In 1951, he played in the All-Star Game and finished the season with 42 homers. He played in the All-Star Game in 1952. He was traded to the Cubs mid-season in 1953 and played in the All-Star Game that year. He spent another year with the Cubs and finished his career with a season in Cleveland. Kiner hit three home runs in a game four times in his career. He finished his career with 369 home runs, the most ever by a player from New Mexico. After he retired his number 4 was retired by the Pirates. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975. Despite his impressive credentials and place in Cooperstown Kiner didn't make the cut for this list.
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