Bid McPhee played second base for the Cincinnati franchise (later the Reds) in both the American Association and the National League from 1882 through 1899. A defensive wizard, McPhee was the last professional player not to wear a glove in the field, holding out until 1897. A quiet and unimposing man, McPhee was forgotten for over a century before the Veterans Committee inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
While McPhee was a truly stellar defender, his offense leaves a lot to be desired. His slash line was a fairly modest .272 / .355 / .373, good for an OPS+ of 107. While this number is usually no detriment for a second baseman, it is important to realize that second base was an offensive position until around 1920. Once the live-ball era kicked in, first base became an offensive position and second base a defensive one.
In addition, McPhee played the first eight years of his career in the American Association, which is typically considered inferior to the National League. He led the AA once in triples and once in home runs, but never led the NL in any offensive categories.
My opinion: Bid McPhee is probably not a Hall of Famer.
