3. Dave Parker
The Cobra, perhaps more than any other player on this list, has the accolades that should put him into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. While once an enemy of the Cincinnati Reds during the early-part of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dave Parker came back home in 1984.
Parker grew up in Cincinnati. The Pirates drafted Parker in 1970 out of Courter Tech High School and called him up to the big leagues three years later. By 1975, Parker led the league in slugging percentage and finished third in the NL MVP voting behind Joe Morgan and Greg Luzinski.
After another third-place finish in 1977, Parker won the NL MVP in 1978 and helped lead Pittsburgh to a World Championship a year later with the Pirates "We Are Family" team alongside slugger Willie Stargell and hurler Bert Blyleven.
Parker came to the Queen City in 1984 and was back in the MVP conversation in 1985. Parker fell just short of his second MVP after finishing behind St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Willie McGee that year. Parker ended his career with 339 career homers, 1,493 RBI, seven All-Star appearances, three Gold Gloves, two batting titles, and two World Series Championships.
Dave Parker has two world titles, something none of the three newly-elected members can lay claim to. Joe Mauer is at least in the conversation with Parker when it comes to MVP Awards, All-Star appearances, batting titles, and Gold Glove. But neither Todd Helton nor Adrian Beltré can hold a candle to Parker in those areas. Beltré, like Parker, has six Top 10 MVP finishes, but only The Cobra was able to take the award home.