Welcome to another Humm Baby countdown and today we’re talking about my top 15 “one-and-dones,” the ultimate flashes in the pan, these are players who had one and only one excellent MLB season and were never able to do it again. Unlike my Flashes in the Pan video, the players on this list were only good for literally one season. I’ll be ranking them from the least impressive single good season to the best, and many of these players you probably never even heard of, but they all had one thing in common – one impressive big league season that probably earned them a spot in a lineup or rotation the following year, but none of them were able to ever repeat that one amazing year. Players with more than one All-Star nod are ineligible for the list, since that means they had at least 2 good seasons. So, let’s get right into it, starting at #15…
15. Warren Morris, IF – 1999 (1.7 WAR)
Warren Morris was a Louisiana State hero who smashed the game winning home run in the 1996 College World Series. He was drafted by the Rangers but traded to the Pirates and in 1998, drove in 103 runs in the minor leagues. He made his big league debut in 1999 and looked like he was off to a long and prosperous career, finishing 3rd in the Rookie of the Year vote by hitting .288 with 15 bombs and 73 runs driven in. But in 2000 he hit just 3 bombs all season long and his batting average dropped 30 points. Things only got worse from there and Morris ended up back in Triple-A in 2001. He never had another big league season like his first.
14. Bob Hamelin, 1B/DH -1994
A top power-hitting college prospect in the late 80’s, Bob Hamelin was drafted by the Royals in the 2nd round of the ‘88 draft and slowly moved through the minors. He showed he was ready for a shot in the big leagues in 1993 when he crushed 29 home runs for Triple-A Omaha. He was put into the Royals lineup for the ‘94 season and absolutely crushed it and was hitting .282 with 24 home runs when the season abruptly ended due to the player strike. Awards were still given out and Hamelin won the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award. Unfortunately, in 1995, he was hitting just .168 when he was sent back to Triple-A. Hamelin ended up with the Tigers and Brewers but could never repeat his amazing rookie season. He retired in the middle of a Triple-A game in 1999 after grounding out, telling his manager simply, “I’m done.”
13. Jerome Walton, OF – 1989
Jerome Walton became a top prospect while in the Cubs minor league system when he hit .331 with 42 stolen bases in 1988. The Cubs put him in their everyday lineup in 1989 and he became one of the most exciting young talents in the game. At one point, Walton became the talk of the baseball world when he went on a massive hitting streak that eventually ended at 30 games. Meanwhile, he was stealing bases, making amazing plays in the outfield and even tore it up in the playoffs, hitting .364 in the NLCS. Overall, Walton hit .293 with 24 steals and won the Rookie of the Year and even got some MVP votes. In 1990, he had what appeared to be a Sophomore slump, hitting just .263 with 14 steals. But he only got worse from there, hitting .219 in 1991 then an abysmal .127 in 1992. He bounced around the league throughout the 90’s, with some short-lived success, but could never stay fully healthy and productive for an entire season again.
12. Joe Charboneau, OF/DH – 1980 (2.4 WAR)
Another rookie sensation, the powerful Joe Charboneau made his debut in 1980 with the Cleveland Indians and looked like a future MLB superstar. He not only put up big numbers but was a huge hit with the fans, who loved his crazy personality. Charboneau died his hair different colors and consumed beer through his nose. “Super Joe,” as he was called, hit .289 and crushed 23 home runs his rookie season, driving in 87 runs. He took home the Rookie of the Year Award and looked to be a future staple in the Indians lineup. Unfortunately, he injured his back in 1981 Spring Training and struggled to regain his 1980 form, hitting just .208 when he was sent back to Triple-A. He was the first Rookie of the Year to get demoted the following season. He played in just 22 big leagues games in 1982, hitting .214, and spent the rest of his career in the minor leagues.
11. Fernando Tatis, 3B - 1999 (3.0 WAR)
Fernando Tatis, now more commonly known as Fernando Tatis Sr., played in parts of 11 big league seasons, but was never really a major impact player – except in one season – an absolutely incredible 1999 performance. To say he started the season with a bang is an understatement – on April 23rd, 1999, he did something truly unbelievable and crushed 2 grand slams not only in the same game, but in the same inning, breaking an MLB record for RBIs in a single inning. And he kept hitting all year long, ending the season with a .298 average, 34 home runs and 107 RBIs. In 2000, though, injuries limited him to 96 games and he hit just .253. He went on to play for the Expos, Orioles and Mets with some limited success but nothing close to the incredible 1999 campaign.
10. Wayne Garland, RHP – 1976 (3.8 WAR)
Garland was drafted by the Orioles in 1969 and after 5 solid years in the minors, made his MLB debut in 1973. For the next 3 seasons, he was mostly used as a reliever with occasional starts, putting up average numbers. Then, in 1976, after a trade opened up a spot in the rotation in June, Garland took it and thrived, going 20-7 with a 2.67 ERA. He didn’t strike out a ton of batters but induced soft contact and rarely allowed home runs. Garland’s epic season garnered him Cy Young Award votes and instantly made him a top highly sought after MLB starter. Unfortunately, he didn’t get along with his manager, Earl Weaver, and wanted to leave the O’s. He was able to enter free agency after the epic 1976 season and signed a lucrative 10 year deal with the Cleveland Indians, the first 10 year contract in MLB history. In 1977, his first year in Cleveland, he led the league with 19 losses and allowed 23 home runs as opposed to just 10 in ‘76. In 1978, he tore his rotator cuff and started just 6 games, not pitching well. He continued to struggle with injuries and under performance until the Indians released him after the 1981 season. He tried to make a comeback as a knuckleballer with the Yankees in 1982, but had a 7.48 ERA in 6 Double-A starts before being released, ending his career.
9. Atlee Hammaker, LHP - 1983 (4.6 WAR)
Hammaker was a 1979 first round draft pick who ended up with the San Francisco Giants and showed some promise in 1982 with a 4.11 ERA in 27 starts. Then, in 1983, it all came together for the lefty and he had a season for ages, leading the league with a 2.25 ERA and making his first and what would turn out to be his only All-Star Team. Through June, he was absolutely dominant, going 9-3 with a 1.52 ERA. He had a few struggles in the second half, which would be more reminiscent of the remainder of his career. In 1984, he started just 6 games before needing surgery on his rotator cuff and to remove bone spurs in his elbow. In 1985, he went 5-12. From there, he continued to deal with injuries and was sent to the bullpen, pitching for the Padres and White Sox. Hammaker never had another year like 1983.
8. Joe Mays, RHP – 2001 (6.6 WAR)
Mays was a 1994 6th Round pick who showed some excellent stuff as a starter in the minor leagues, leading to his big league promotion to the Twins in 1999. He was not great, going 6-11 with a 4.37 ERA but showed some promise, including one complete game shutout. In 2000, he struggled again, however, with a 5.56 ERA and 7-15 record. The Twins stuck with Mays for another year and it paid off as in 2001, everything came together and Mays dominated, making his first and only All-Star Team. He won 17 games for the Twins with a 3.16 ERA and led the league in ERA+. He threw 233 innings and had 4 complete games. The Twins inked him to $20 million 4-year extension. This turned out to be a mistake as Mays never repeated that 2001 performance. He had a 5.38 ERA the next year then missed all of 2004 with Tommy John Surgery. He was eventually sent to the bullpen, bounced around the league a bit and retired after a poor Triple-A season in 2007.
7. Cito Gaston, OF – 1970 (5.1 WAR)
Known now for his time as a big league manager with the Toronto Blue Jays, Cito Gaston was once a big league ballplayer and put together an 11-year career that started in 1967 with Atlanta. In 1969, with the Padres, he played his first full season but hit just .230 with 2 home runs. He did not look to have a bright future until 1970, when his bat absolutely exploded. Gaston crushed 29 bombs with a .318 batting average and 93 RBIs. He made the All Star Team and was instantly propelled into superstardom. But then, in 1971, his stats plummeted. Gaston hit just .228 with his slugging percentage falling over 150 points. The Padres kept giving his opportunities in the years to come but he could never come close to repeating his 1970 season. In 1974, he hit just .213 and was traded to the Braves. In Atlanta, he never hit more than 6 home runs in a single season, mostly coming off the bench. He retired after the 1978 season, only having made the one All Star team in that incredible 1970 season in which Gaston looked like an absolute superstar. Incredibly, despite having a single season 5.1 WAR in 1970, his career WAR in the negatives. Of course, he went on to become a great manager, helping lead the Blue Jays to World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.
6. Billy Grabarkewitz, IF – 1970 (6.5 WAR)
Billy Grabarkewitz, AKA Grabs, was an excellent multi-sport athlete in High School who went on to become an intriguing MLB prospect at St. Mary’s University. The Dodgers drafted him in 1966 and he instantly impressed in the minors, hitting .281 with 27 home runs in 1967. In Double-A in 1968, he bumped his average up to .308 and by ‘69, he was in the big leagues. His first big league stint was a rough one, and he went 6 for 65, an .092 average with zero home runs. The kid looked like a bust, but the Dodgers would give him an extended shot in 1970 just to be sure. Grabs made the most of it and had an incredible season. By July, he was hitting over .400 and was selected to play in the All-Star Game. He slumped a bit in the second half, but still had a phenomenal season, hitting .289 with a .399 on-base-percentage, and 17 homers. The Dodgers planned to use him as their everyday second baseman moving forward, but in 1971 Spring Training, he suffered an arm injury. He played in just 44 games that year, hitting .225 with no home runs. He 1972, he was even worse, hitting .167. He started to have more injury issues, including shoulder and ankle problems. He was traded to the Angels but hit .163 for them in 1973. Teams continued to sign him, hoping to find that 1970 performance, but it never happened. Grabarkewitz played for the Phillies, Cubs and A’s before retiring after the 1975 season, which he spent mostly in Triple-A.
5. Kyle Freeland, LHP – 2018 (7.7 WAR)
A top prospect in the 2014 MLB Draft, Kyle Freeland was taken 8th overall by the Colorado Rockies and after 3 solid minor league systems, was put into their rotation for the 2017 season. He went 11-11 but showed more than enough to stay in the rotation for the 2018 and that’s when he had his special season. He got off to a slow start, going 0-3 after 4 games, but then dominated the rest of the way. Freeland broke a franchise record with a 2.84 ERA and ended the season with a 17-7 record. He had an insanely impressive 2.4 ERA at the super hitter friendly Coors Field. He then dominated in the playoffs, throwing 6+ scoreless innings in the Wild Card game. Freeland finished 4th for the Cy Young Award and it looked like the Rockies finally found their Ace. Unfortunately, in 2019, he was awful, going 3-11 with a 6.73 ERA. He has only had losing records ever since, and has not put together as season remotely close to 2018, although Freeland is still active and has a chance to get off this list with one more excellent season. So far in 2024, he has dealt with an elbow problem and is 4-6 with a 5.51 ERA.
4. Chase Headley, IF - 2012 (6.4 WAR)
Although Headley did have a respectable 12-year career with a few decent seasons, there was only one season in which he really excelled – a freak outlier of a year in 2012. Headley had already earned a spot in the every day lineup for the Padres and was a solid fielder who could hit around .265 with about a dozen homers. But in 2012 Spring Training, he set a goal for himself to hit at least 15 home runs. He was having an excellent year, on pace to meet his goal, when he suddenly turned into one of the best power-hitters in the league in the 2nd half of the season. He was the NL Player of the Month in August and September, and over the last 2 months of the year, hit .313 with 19 bombs. For the 2012 season, Headley hit .286 with 31 home runs and a league leading 115 RBIs. He won his only Sliver Slugger, his only Gold Glove and finished 5th for the MVP Award. Headley came back to Earth in 2013, hitting .250 with 13 home runs. He never had another season like 2012 again.
3. R.A. Dickey, RHP – 2012 (5.7 WAR – Cy Young Award)
Although knuckleballer R.A. Dickey pitched in parts of 15 seasons, he only had one in which he was clearly one of the best in the game, but unlike many of the players on this list, it didn’t happen early in his career. Dickey was drafted in the 1st round in 1996 out of Tennessee as a traditional right-handed pitcher. He pitched well in the minors, but not as well as the Rangers had hoped from a 1st round pick. For 10 years, he bounced up and down from Triple-A to the big leagues and, in fact, spent time in the minor leagues every single season of his career from 1997 all the way through 2010. 2011, with the New York Mets, was his first full big league season without a demotion. But Dickey had developed a powerful knuckler that took years to perfect. In 2012, he used that knuckleball to completely baffle the competition and went 20-6 with a league leading 230 strikeouts, 5 complete games and 3 shutouts. He had a 2.73 ERA, made the All-Star team, and won the Cy Young Award, the first knuckleballer to win the award. He was also awarded with a trade to the Blue Jays that included a $25 million extension. Unfortunately, although he gave the Blue Jays some good stamina and plenty of innings, he never repeated his 2012 performance and 2012 would be the only elite season of his career.
2. Mark Fidyrch, RHP – 1976 (9.6 WAR)
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 one season, his first in 1976, 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 and started the All Star Game during an incredible season. 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. Things only got worse from there and 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.
1. “Seattle” Bill James, RHP – 1914 (7.9 WAR)
There might be two people in baseball with the same name more famous than this player – Bill James, the statistician who was hugely influential in introducing the analytical era of baseball and “Big” Bill James, a pitcher who played for 8 seasons and was a clean member of the 1919 White Sox team made famous by the Black Sox Scandal. “Seattle” Bill pitched in parts of just 4 seasons, but it was his second in which he looked like a future Hall of Famer. James picked up his nickname with the Boston Braves, because they purchased him from a minor league team, the Seattle Giants. He went 6-10 his first big league season, but in 1914, everything came together for James and he went 26-7 with a 1.9 ERA, finishing 3rd for the MVP award. He could also handle the bat, hitting .256. He was instrumental in helping the Braves, who were in last place on July 4th, make one of the most unlikely late season pushes in MLB history. They miraculously won the pennant and James was unhittable in the 1914 World Series, throwing a complete game shutout in Game 2, then coming in as an emergency reliever in the 11th inning of Game 3, throwing 2 shutout innings to help secure the victory. The Braves ended up sweeping the Phillies and Bill James became an instant legend in Boston. Then, James missed most of Spring Training in 1915 while trying to negotiate a new contract. He could never get it going and struggled with a sore arm all season long. He was sent home in August to rest his pitching arm, finishing the year with a 5-4 record. He was back in the minor leagues the next year and other than 1 relief appearance in 1918, James never pitched in the big leagues again. He finished his pro career in 1925 with the minor league Sacramento Senators. His one good big league season was absolutely phenomenal, and without it, another team would’ve won the 1914 World Series, so he comes in on today’s list as the greatest “one-and-done” player in MLB history.