Welcome to another Top 10 Ranking and in today’s video, we’ll be looking at the Top 10 Flash in the Pans – players who were absolutely elite for a short amount of time but were unable to sustain that success for very long. To make this list, players had to have between 1-3 amazing seasons that created big hype and expectations. However, they ended up being here and gone flash in the pan players who could never replicate that success again.
10. Mark Prior
Mark Prior
The first player on the list is one of the most hyped up prospects of all time, Mark Prior. He was taken in the 1st round twice. My busts videos have received quite a bit of criticism for not including Mark Prior, but the reason I didn’t is simple – he did have one great year in the big leagues. After being taken second overall by the Cubs, Prior went 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA in the minors before being called up. He had a decent rookie year, going 6-6 with a 3.32 ERA but followed it up with the season the Cubs were hoping for. In 2003, Prior threw a shutout in his second start of the season and ended the year going 18-6, making the All Star Team and striking out 245 batters in 211 innings. He helped the Cubs make the playoffs then threw a complete game 2-hitter in the NLDS. He also pitched extremely well in the NLCS, winning Game 2 then throwing 7 scoreless innings in Game 6. Unfortunately, this was that historic moment when the Cubs completely collapsed. We all remember the Gonzalez error, the Bartman incident, Moises Alou freaking out over it and the complete meltdown that occurred, leading to the Marlins victory. However, Mark Prior still had a fantastic season and for that year alone, doesn’t belong in a Top 20 Busts list in my opinion. He fits better in this Flash in the Pan list as Prior only pitched three more seasons in the big leagues, struggling with injures and under performance the entire time. He continued to pitch in the minors and independent leagues for years, but continued to struggle to stay healthy. He retired in 2013 after a stint with the Reds Triple-A team, but for a short time in 2003, he did live up to the hype.
9. Chase Headley
Coming up next is a San Diego Padres second round pick who first got called up to the big leagues in 2007. By ‘09, he was a regular in the lineup, hitting around .265 per year with about 9-12 home runs. Suddenly, in 2012 at age 28, Headley had his breakout season that no one saw coming – not even Headley himself who set a goal of hitting 15 homers and 75 RBIs. Instead, he crushed 31 bombs and led the league with 115 runs driven in. He finished 5th in the MVP voting, won a Silver Slugger and won the NL Player of the Month award twice during the season. He also had a great year defensively and took home a Gold Glove. Headley set a career high in basically every offensive category and was suddenly on the verge of becoming a legit MLB superstar. That is, until 2013, when he was injured in Spring Training and after returning, reverted back to the normal Chase Headley, hitting just .250 with 13 home runs. In 2014, he was traded to the Yankees with whom he later signed a 3-year deal. He was a regular in the lineup for them but never got close to replicating his amazing 2012 season. He returned to the Padres in 2018 but was released after hitting just .115 in 52 at bats. Although Headley had a respectable 12 year career, he was a legitimate power hitting star for a quick flash in 2012.
8. Ubaldo Jimenez
Ubaldo Jimenez
One team that has always struggled to find elite starting pitching has been the Colorado Rockies. However, at one time, they had what appeared to be hands down the best pitcher in the game. The Rockies drafted Ubaldo Jimenez as an amateur free agent in 2001. He worked his way slowly through the minors, but eventually earned a call up in 2006 after going 14-4 between Triple and Double-A. He became a solid arm in the rotation but nothing overly spectacular. That is, until 2010, when Jimenez suddenly took his performance to another level, starting with the first no-hitter in Rockies history on April 17th. He won five games in the month of April alone and set a franchise record with 25 1/3rd consecutive scoreless innings then broke his own record later that season, throwing 33 straight. He won 11 of his first 12 starts, maintain an ERA under 1. By the All-Star Game, he was 15-1 with a 2.2 ERA. The Rockies appeared to have found the elite starter they were looking for. He finished the year 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA, struggling a bit down the stretch. This remarkable performance put his name on the map and is what likely allowed him to play another 7 seasons in the big leagues. He never came close to repeating it. He started 2011 going 6-9 with a 4.46 ERA and was traded to Cleveland. There, he went on to lead the league with 17 losses in 2012. He had a nice rebound in 2013, going 13-9 with a 3.3 ERA but 2010 was his only All Star season and Jimenez ended up retiring in 2020 after being released from his second stint with the Rockies.
7. Zoilo Versalles
Zoilo Versalles receiving the MVP Award
Versalles was a Cuban ballplayer signed as by the Washington Senators in 1958. He played well in the minors but struggled in the bigs after his first callup in 1959, hitting just .153 with a homer. In 1960, it was more of the same as he hit .133, causing the Senators to trade him to the Twins. He found his comfort zone there and ended up a regular in the lineup, hitting .241 with 17 homers in 1962. In 1963, he led the league in triples and bumped his average up to .261. However, everything came together in 1965 when Versalles suddenly became a hitting machine, finding the gaps, driving the ball down the lines and hitting for power with 19 home runs. He ended up leading the league in doubles, triples, runs and total bases and was second in hits. He made the All-Star Team, had a 7.2 WAR for the season and won a Gold Glove. Unsurprisingly, he won the American League MVP Award. At just 26 years old, it looked like Versalles might be on a Hall of Fame path. Unfortunately, his performance declined after that season as he hit just .249 in 1966 then .200 in ‘67 with just 6 home runs despite 581 at bats. He never led the league in an offensive category again after the amazing 1965 season. He bounced around a bit but never played in the big leagues again after hitting .191 with for the 1971 Braves. Sadly, he struggled financially after retirement and ended up having to sell his MVP Award. Although Versalles certainly didn’t have a Hall-of-Fame career, he should still be remembered for an amazing run in the mid-60’s when he was, ever so briefly, one of the best players in the game.
6. Dontrelle Willis
Next up is the D-Train, Dontrelle Willis, who was taken in the 8th round by the Chicago Cubs in the year 2000. He was traded to the Marlins in 2002 and went 12-2 with a 1.83 ERA in the minor leagues. In 2003, he was a regular in the Marlins rotation and had a phenomenal rookie year, going 14-6 with a 3.3 ERA, taking home the Rookie of the Year. Willis had a memorable old-time baseball windup that included a high leg kick and massive twist of the body. By 2005, Willis was one of the best in the game and started the year 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA. He made the All Star Team and finished the year with a 22-10 record, leading the league with 7 complete games and 5 shutouts. He finished 2nd in the Cy Young voting to Chris Carpenter but did win the Warren Spahn Award, given to the best left-handed pitcher in each league. The hype around Willis was massive as a Rookie of the Year winner who had just won 22 games as a 23-year old. Unfortunately, this was the height of his success. He started 2006 by going 1-6 with a 4.93 ERA and ended the year with a 12-12 record. In 2007, he went 10-15 with a terrible 5.17 ERA, leading the National League in runs allowed. He spent the rest of his career trying to stay off the disabled list, bouncing around from team to team but never winning more than 2 games in an entire season. His last year was 2011, when he went 1-6 for the Reds. Willis continued to attempt comebacks through 2015, when he finally announced his retirement from the game.
5. Kevin Maas
Kevin Maas
Next up is Kevin Maas. Maas was a big time prospect for the Yankees who appeared to be the real deal once he made it to the majors. Maas was taken in the 22nd round but showed immense talent in the minor leagues by hitting 28 home runs in 1988 with a .271 batting average and .382 on-base percentage. He became one of the Yankees top prospects and was promoted midway through the 1990 season. The Yankees hoped that they had found their next great Yankee slugger, who could eventually be the heir to Don Mattingly. He came out of the gate on fire, starting his career about as hot as possible, crushing 10 home runs in his first 72 at bats, an MLB record at the time. In one 3-game series in Texas, Maas homered off Kevin Brown, Bobby Witt and Nolan Ryan. Despite not being called up until July and only playing in 79 games, he still managed to crush 21 home runs and finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year only because he played half a season. Maas was a dead pull hitter and pitchers, catchers and coaches certainly studied him going into the 1991 season. He had a huge sophomore slump, hitting just .220. He managed to hit 23 home runs but it took almost twice as many at bats as he had when he hit 21 the prior season. By 1993, he turned into a fringe prospect, bouncing back and forth between Triple A until moving on to other organizations in 1994, who kept him in the minors. Maas hit .193 including his final big league homer for the Twins in 1995 and was out of baseball two years later. During his brief rookie year, Maas put on an insane display of power that has rarely been seen. He was one of the greatest flash in the pans of all time.
4. Eric Gagne
Next up is a pitcher who had an interesting path the big leagues, not signing when drafted by the White Sox in the 30th round of the ‘94 draft to attend Seminole State College in Oklahoma. He wasn’t drafted in 1995 at all but signed as a free agent with the Dodgers. He was a starter in the minor leagues and showed excellent stuff, going 12-4 with about a 10 per 9 strikeout ratio in 1999. Through his first 5 big league starts, Gagne had a 2.1 ERA. However, the Dodgers needed a closer entering the 2002 season and thought Gagne might work in the role. It turned out they were right as he dominated batters, striking out 114 in 82 innings of work while saving 52 games for LA. He made his first All Star Team and immediately became known as one of the elite closers of the game. Then, in 2003, he was even better, closing out a league leading 55 games with a sick 1.2 ERA. He averaged 15 strikeouts per 9 innings and easily won the Cy Young Award despite being a reliever. He had his third and final successful season in 2004, saving 45 games with a 2.19 ERA. Unfortunately, injuries limited his 2005 season he had to have Tommy John Surgery. He experienced several setbacks and other injuries as he attempted to come back. He became a free agent by 2007 and signed with the Rangers, but continued to struggle with injuries although he managed 16 saves. He pitched for the Red Sox and Brewers later on but with limited to no success. He attempted a comeback with the Dodgers in 2010 but was released during Spring Training. It is unfortunate that Gagne wasn’t able to have a healthy and long MLB career but for three years, there was nobody more feared coming out of a bullpen than Eric Gagne.
3. Mark Fidyrch
Mark Fidrych
Although his success was short-lived, Mark “The Bird” Fidyrch is one of the memorable players of all time. This 6’3” pitcher was drafted by the Tigers and brought a fun quirkiness to the mound as well as, for a while, pure domination. After spending his first two years in the minors, Fidyrch was a non-roster invitee during 1976 Spring Training. He impressed enough to make the Opening Day roster, then, after throwing a 2-hit complete game in his first start, earned a spot in the rotation. The fans loved watching him, as he would march around the mound after each out, talk to the baseball and not allow the groundskeepers to work on the mound during the game. He completed nearly every game he started as the All Star Game approached and was elected not only to play in the game, but start it. Fidrych continued to show amazing stamina and stuff as he finished out the year with 19-9 record, 2.34 ERA and an incredible 24 complete games, including 4 shutouts. He won the Rookie of the Year award and finished 2nd in the Cy Young voting to Jim Palmer. The next season, Fidrich started to experience injury issues, starting just 11 games. He went 6-4 with a 2.89 ERA and was elected to the All Star Game although he couldn’t play due to injury. He was able to appear in just 7 games over the following two seasons, suffering from a torn rotator cuff that was never diagnosed or treated properly during his career. He made his last MLB appearances in 1980, going 2-3 with a 5.68 ERA. It is sad that Fidyrch’s injury was never diagnosed as he was a control pitcher who didn’t rely on heat and could have had a long and successful, perhaps a Hall of Fame, career, had he gotten the proper treatment. Still, he will always be remembered for his hilarious antics and amazing personality, along with his phenomenal rookie season.
2. Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum with Fresno Grizzlies mascot, Parker
Coming in at #2 is Tim Lincecum, who the Giants drafted 10th overall in the 2006 MLB Draft. It was seen as a slight risk given Lincecum’s smaller frame, but he absolutely dominated the minor leagues and the hype was through the roof in 2007 as he went 4-0 with a 0.29 ERA through 5 starts with the Fresno Grizzlies. He struck out 46 batters in 36 innings. The Giants were forced to promote him that year and he showed signs of brilliance, but it wasn’t until 2008 when The Freak hit his full potential. The domination was next level and Tim Lincecum became an instant superstar, striking out 265 batters and going 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA. He took home the Cy Young Award and was elected to the All Star Game. The following season, he did again – All Star Game and Cy Young Award - going 15-7 with a 2.48 ERA and 261 strikeouts. A star was born. He declined a bit in 2010, but was still solid, helping the Giants win their first World Series in San Francisco. He also pitched well in 2011 but his strikeout ratio fell to the lowest of his career and poor run support helped cause an unimpressive 13-14 record. By 2012, he was simply bad, going 3-10 with a 6.42 ERA during the first half. The 2-time Cy Young Award was demoted to the bullpen for the 2012 playoffs. He continued to pitch with the Giants through 2015, but never found the magic from his Cy Young Award seasons and eventually had hip surgery and signed with the Angels. He went 2-6 with a 9.16 ERA. After missing the entire 2017 season, Lincecum made one last comeback effort with the Rangers in 2019, but pitched poorly in Triple-A and never made it back to the big leagues. It should be noted that Lincecum did throw two no-hitters outside of his Cy Young seasons and was very effective in the postseason for the Giants. Still, Lincecum was easily the most unhittable and dominant pitcher in the game for a 2-year period until a slow decline led to the unfortunate end of his career.
1. Denny McLain
Denny McLain
Another extremely interesting character who pitched for the Tigers is Denny McLain. He began his pro career with the White Sox organization in 1962 and threw a no-hitter in his Minor League Debut. The Tigers were able to claim him on waivers by 1965, he was a regular in the rotation, going 16-6 with a 2.61 ERA. McLain was a great arm for the Tigers and continued to pitch well until suddenly, in 1968, he took it to another level entirely. During the first half of the year, he went 16-2 with a 2.09 ERA, putting himself on a pace to win over 30 games. He only got better from there, lowering his ERA to 1.96 for the year and finishing with an incredible 31-6 record, taking home not only the Cy Young Award but also the MVP Award. He had 280 strikeouts and just 63 walks, the best strikeout to walk ratio in Tigers history until Justin Verlander came along. McLain also completed an insane 28 games. The following season, he won 24 games and took home another Cy Young Award. He looked like a future Hall of Famer until suddenly the downfall began in 1970. Before the season even started, his off-the-field gambling issues became public and he apparently had connections to organized crime. McLain had always been an interesting character. For example, he was late to the 1969 All Star Game because he had a dental appointment. He barely pitched in 1970 due to three separate suspensions, one of them due to carrying a gun on the team flight. He was traded to the Washington Senators but led the league with 22 losses in 1971 and did not get along with his manager, Ted Williams. He pitched for the A’s in ‘72 and Brewers in ‘73 but had an ERA above 6 both seasons. Since retiring, McLain has been arrested multiple times and spent time in prison for trafficking cocaine, embezzlement, racketeering and mail fraud. During his sentencing in 1985, he said “I don’t know how you get to where I am from where I was 17 years ago,” McLain said. He was referring to the amazing 1968 season – still the last time in MLB history a pitcher won 30 games.
