Who he was: Juan Gonzalez lasted just two rounds on the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame, peaking at 5.2 percent of the vote in 2011.
For most, his case probably looked open-and-shut. The Texas Rangers slugger was one of baseball’s biggest stars in the 1990s before declining dramatically in his early 30s. Throw in allegations of steroid use from former teammate Jose Canseco, coupled with Gonzalez’s 38.5 WAR, and it’s no surprise he came up short with Hall voters.
For a certain type of fan, though, Gonzalez offers appeal. According to Baseball-Reference.com’s Play Index tool, Gonzalez had 362 home runs through his age 30 season in 2000, 12th-best in baseball history.