MIKE ADAMS

Mike Adams may have had one of the best batting eyes of his day, but he never received an extended opportunity in Major League Baseball.  He had brief big league stints with three teams over five different seasons.  His most extensive action came with the Twins in 1973, when he appeared in 55 games.

Looking at his numbers, his high walk rate really jumped off the page.  In that 1973 season, he picked up 17 walks in just 84 plate appearances, turning an underwhelming .212 batting average into an exceptional .381 on-base percentage.  For his big league career, his OBP sits .180 points higher than his batting average (.375 to .195).  Looking deeper at Adams' career minor league statistics, he posted a career .413 OBP and .891 OPS.

With a .195 batting average in 152 career plate appearances, Mike Adams is about as anonymous as any 1970s big league ballplayer.  I have to wonder, though, if he's a guy who simply slipped through the cracks.