Awesome MLB players from the 90s you probably forgot about

The sports stories don't get much better than this one. Born without a right hand, Abbott still developed himself into a first-round pick in 1988 and had an excellent 10-year career. Most memorably, Abbott pitched a no-hitter with the Yankees in 1993.

Aguilera is one of the best closers in MLB history, but he's rarely mentioned when categorizing that group. He played 16 seasons, becoming a full-time closer with the Twins in 1990. He converted most of his 318 career saves with the Twins, but also had stints with the Mets, Red Sox, and Cubs.

Appier was elite for much of his career, so it's hard to believe he was an All-Star only once. The right-hander pitched in KC for 13 of his 16 seasons, winning 169 games with a 3.74 ERA over more than 2,500 innings. He finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1990 and third in the Cy Young voting in 1993, winning the ERA Title that season.

Major league bullpens have presented some true characters over the years, and Beck was among the most interesting. He pitched from 1991-2004, recording 286 saves with a 3.30 ERA for four different teams and making three All-Star appearances.

A light-hitting middle infielder early in his career, Bell became one of the most powerful infielders. He had three consecutive seasons of 20-plus home runs from 1997-1999, including a 38 home runs, 112 RBI season with Arizona in 1999, in which he made his second All-Star appearance. Over Bell's 18-year career, he hit 195 home runs and won one Gold Glove in addition to the All-Star appearances, appearing with five different organizations.

You might have forgotten about Buhner's great MLB career if you're not a Seinfeld fan. The trade that sent him from the Yankees to the Mariners in 1988 was famously mentioned on the show when Frank Costanza asked George Steinbrenner in disgust why he made the move. Costanza had a point, as Buhner played 14 seasons in Seattle and turned into an elite power hitter from 1995-1997, totaling 124 home runs over that period. The powerful and strong-armed right fielder played 15 total seasons, hitting 310 home runs and finishing fifth in the AL Cy Young vote in 1995.

Dibble had a relatively short career due to injuries, playing only seven seasons, but he was a key member of Cincinnati's 1990 World Series squad. The closer played seven seasons, recording 89 saves and making two All-Star appearances with the Reds in 1990 and 1991. He was also known for having a short fuse on the mound, making the closer even more intimidating.

Fielder had a slow start to his MLB career with Toronto before playing for the Hanshin Tigers for one season in 1989. When he returned, the stout first baseman was a different player and an elite one for the Tigers. He finished second in the AL MVP vote in back-to-back years, hitting .277-51-132 in 1990 and .261-44-133 in 1991. He led the AL in homers in each of those seasons and in RBI three straight years. Over 13 MLB seasons, Fielder hit 319 home runs. His son, Prince, similarly became an elite power hitter from 2005-2016 before a neck injury ended his career prematurely.

Finley was an outstanding starting pitcher over 17 seasons, making five All-Star appearances and winning 200 games, mostly with the Angels. He was known for his forkball, which helped him produce 2,610 career strikeouts and dominate opposing lineups in the 1990s. Finely's life off the field is just as memorable as he was married to actress Tawny Kitaen until they divorced in 2002.

Fryman's consistency over 13 seasons with Detroit and Cleveland is often overlooked. The shortstop and third baseman hit at least 15 home runs in nine of his 13 seasons, making five All-Star appearances. He was also a key member of the talented Indians squads in the late 1990s.

Galarraga had an outstanding 19-year MLB career, and put up huge power numbers when he got the opportunity to play at Coors Field with the Rockies from 1993-1997. The big first baseman finished top 10 in MVP voting six times during his career, and smashed 132 homers in three seasons from 1996-1998 as a member of the Rockies and Braves. He finished his career as a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover with 399 home runs and a .288 batting average.

Gant developed into a muscular power hitter early in his career with the Braves, with three 30-plus home run seasons before going on to play for several other teams. During his 16-year career, Gant hit 321 home runs and made two All-Star appearances. He also offered protection in the Cardinals lineup during Mark McGwire's record-breaking home run season in 1998.

Juan Gone was a truly elite power hitter during his 17-year career, but is rarely mentioned on the short list of the best hitters during his era. Playing most of his career in Texas, Gonzalez had five 40-plus home run seasons and won two MVP Awards with the Rangers in 1996 and 1998. The three-time All-Star led the AL in home runs in 1992 and 1993, and in RBI in his 1998 MVP season with a whopping 157. While he hit 434 home runs with a .295 batting average over his career, Gonzalez has never come all that close to Hall of Fame likely due to part to steroid allegations from Jose Canseco and former Rangers owner Tom Hicks.

Grissom quickly developed into an elite leadoff man with Montreal in the early 1990s, leading the NL with over 70 steals in 1991 and 1992. The center fielder soon gained pop to go with his speed, hitting 227 home runs in his 17 seasons and also won four consecutive Gold Gloves from 1993-1996. He was a two-time All-Star and 20/20 man twice, playing for six different teams.

Jaha had a limited skillset but had a few big-time seasons as a first baseman and DH for the Brewers and A's. His breakout came in 1995 with Milwaukee, hitting .313-20-65 with a .968 OPS in 88 games, and he followed up that performance by hitting .300-34-118 with a .941 OPS the following year. He struggled to get back to that level until his lone All-Star appearance with Oakland in 1999, hitting .276-35-111 with 101 walks and a .970 OPS as a middle-of-the-order bopper.

Justice's life off the field is remembered almost as well as his great MLB career, as he was married to actress Halle Berry from 1993-1996. His playing career was far from a footnote, hitting 305 career home runs with an .878 OPS in 14 seasons. Justice won NL Rookie of the Year with the Braves in 1990 and finished top five in the MVP voting twice with three All-Star appearances. He also won two World Series and was the 2000 ALCS MVP for the Yankees in 2000.

The Cardinals predecessor to Jim Edmonds in center field, Lankford had an outstanding career but is usually only cited by St. Louis fans. He had all five tools, producing 20/20 numbers in four consecutive seasons from 1995-1998 and was an All-Star in 1997. Lankford hit 238 home runs and stole 258 in his 14 MLB seasons.

It was Lima Time every fifth day during Lima's impressive run with the Astros in 1998 and 1999. The right-hander was a character on and off the mound, and showed off elite control during that two-year run that including an All-Star appearance and fourth-place finish in the Cy Young voting with 21 wins and a 3.58 ERA over 246.1 innings in 1999. He was never able to repeat that success in a career that concluded in 2006, but Lima was able to pitch 13 seasons with five different teams and make many fond memories in Houston.

McDowell went on an elite run with the White Sox from 1991-1993, as an All-Star in each season and claiming the AL Cy Young Award in 1993. He won 20-plus games in back-to-back seasons during that stretch, but the tall right-hander didn't have the most longevity in the league. McDowell famously flipped off the Yankee Stadium crowd while being booed off the field as a member of the Bronx Bombers in 1995, and his career declined from there, concluding his 12-year career with Cleveland and Anaheim.

Phillips was ahead of his time as a regular in the 1980s and 1990s, playing all over the field and drawing walks at an elite rate. He had 1,319 walks in his 18-year MLB career, helping him produce an outstanding .374 on-base percentage. Even after producing an OPS above .800 in four consecutive seasons from 1993-1996, Phillips could never muster an All-Star appearance. Still, Phillips almost always made his team better, playing for six different organizations including the A's.

A fun power hitter with a short prime that spanned from 1996-2000 primarily with the Expos and Cubs, "Oh Henry!" became a popular home run call that was accompanied by the tossing of candy bars with the same name. Rodriguez hit .276-36-103 during his lone All-Star campaign in 1996, but he totaled 139 home runs in five seasons during his prominent five-season power run.

If you collected baseball cards in the late 1980s or early 1990s, you likely have a card or two with Sabo donning Rec Specs. Sabo was a revelation for the Reds over six seasons, making three All-Star appearances and winning the 1988 NL Rookie of the Year. The third baseman's best season came in 1991, when he hit .301-26-88 with 19 stolen bases for the defending champs. His nine-year career also included short stints with the Orioles, White Sox, and Cardinals.

Sanders remains a household name because of his Hall of Fame NFL career and now prominence as a college football head coach, yet his baseball career is rarely mentioned these days. The two-sport star played parts of nine seasons in MLB from 1989-2001. His football career limited the number of games he played each season, but Sanders' speed and defense were so valuable that four different MLB organizations didn't mind. Sanders stole 186 bases in 641 career games, with his most impressive season coming with the Braves in 1992 when he hit .304 with a league-leading 14 triples in only 325 plate appearances.

Smiley had an excellent 12-year career as a starting pitcher, with his best season coming with the Pirates in 1991. During that campaign, Smiley went 20-8 with a 3.08 ERA over 207.2 innings to make his first of two All-Star appearances and finish third in the NL Cy Young voting. He made his second All-Star appearance four years later with Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Smiley's playing career ended in a heart-breaking way in 1997 when he fractured his elbow while warming up.

Mo Vaughn is one of the best-remembered power hitters of the 1990s, but his cousin, Greg, was no slouch. The outfielder played 15 seasons, hitting 355 career home runs and making four All-Star appearances. He finished fourth in the NL MVP vote in back-to-back seasons, hitting .272-50-19 for the Padres in 1998 and following up that performance by hitting .245-45-118 with the Reds in 1999.