30 greatest MLB players to never make the playoffs

27. Hooks Dauss

George “Hooks” Dauss, so named because of his ability to command an excellent curveball, was one of the last great dead-ball pitchers for the Detroit Tigers. He won 223 games over 15 years, completing 245 of his 388 starts.At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Dauss was not an imposing figure on the mound, but he was a workhorse.

Dauss made his MLB debut at the end of the 1912 season and was impressive enough to earn a spot in the Tigers starting rotation in 1913. He strung together six very dominant seasons from 1913 to 1918, going 104-82 with a 2.74 ERA. The heavy workload at a young age eventually began catching up to Dauss.

The introduction of the new live baseballs in the early 1920s also hurt the second half of the right-hander’s career. Dauss saw his ERA rise by a full run with the new baseballs. He went 97-90 with a 3.86 ERA during the seven years he pitched in the Live Ball Era.

Dauss also had to contend with the erratic managing of Ty Cobb during the final years of his career. Dauss became the only pitcher Cobb trusted in 1923, and he pitched 316 innings in 50 games. He won 21 games, but it was the last good year of his career. Cobb had busted his pitcher’s arm. Dauss retired after the 1926 season due to an irregular heartbeat.