His knack for clutch hitting and his solid .297 postseason batting average attest to that fact.

Unfortunately, the Venezuelan native hasn't enjoyed similar success when it comes to connecting with Hall of Fame voters. In that regard, he's been the equivalent of a hitter who merely fouls off pitches.

This past Tuesday, Concepcion's latest quest to enter Cooperstown ended once more in disappointment. By garnering a pedestrian 74 votes ( 13.6% of the ballots cast ), the one-time Red standout wasn't even in the ballpark as far as getting the requisite 75% needed for induction.

In baseball parlance, he didn't even get to first base.

Concepcion now has but one more year of eligibility remaining before his fate would fall into the hands of the more demanding veteran's committee process. Good luck there!

If you were handicapping the likelihood of Concepcion ultimately be honored with a plaque in upper state New York, you'd classify it as a long shot at best. The odds Davey now faces are astronomical. Hell, Rosie O'Donnell has a better chance of winning the Miss USA Beauty Pageant.

Concepcion's Hall of Fame dream has all but struck out.

The fact that Concepcion generates such modest support for his Hall bid is rather perplexing. The slick-fielding, dependable hitting Reds' mainstay was the real deal in every sense of the word. His reputation should have proceeded him.

For starters, Davey could really pick it. Agile and lean at 6-2, Concepcion possessed superior range and covered a passel of real estate. His hands were supple and his arm was lively.

He got to most everything he chased and rarely did he mishandle a grounder that he hunted down.

During his lengthy 19-year career, Concepcion earned five Gold Gloves and his .972 fielding percentage is just a few ticks below that of Ozzie Smith ( .978 ), who's reputed to be the finest fielding shortstop ever. During much of the 70's and 80's, Smith and Concepcion were considered the yardsticks by which all other middle infielders were measured.

Defensively, Concepcion was also an innovator. The ever resourceful Red was the first shortstop to consistently use the skip throw to first when the situation warranted. Many were the times that Concepcion would intentionally bounce a toss off the artificial turf instead of airing out a lower percentage long-distance heave.

By doing so, he significantly reduced the number of in-between hops that his first baseman had to face.

Tellingly, Concepcion was just as capable of shining with the stick. The man who helped make wearing the number 13 fashionable was also an accomplished batsman. A two-time Silver Slugger winner, Davey batted .281 or better eight times, spanked 25 or more doubles on nine occasions and finished his career with 2,326 hits and a combined 1,943 runs scored and driven in. 

And just to show that he could get some mileage out of his legs as well, Davey found time to motor his way to 321 stolen bases.

For a infielder at any position, that's notable production.

Concepcion's unique combo of hit-field-run prowess made him a nine-time All-Star. There weren't many things he couldn't do on a baseball diamond.

So, why does Davey get such little respect when it comes to his Hall candidacy? After all, his numbers, both with the lumber and the glove, rival or better those of some already in the HOF including Pee Wee Reese, Phil Rizzuto and Bill Mazeroski.

The guess here is that because he was surrounded by such wondrous talent in Cincinnati for much of his career, Concepcion definitely suffers in comparison. That should come as no surprise.

With legendary icons and forceful personalities like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez igniting the Big Red Machine, it's no wonder Concepcion's excellence may have been overlooked and somewhat taken for granted.

Concepcion is akin to the sprawling oak tree. On its' own, set off by itself, it's quite noticeable and impressive. But stick it in amongst some towering redwoods ( i.e. Rose, Bench, Morgan and Perez ) and suddenly it doesn't seem quite so majestic. It loses some of its' impact and grandeur.

Or how about this analogy? Call it the younger sibling syndrome.

Davey was like the gifted kid brother, unquestionably a marvelous talent but one who could never quite supersede the feats of his more dynamic older bros like Rose and all. No matter what he did or what magic he worked on the diamond, the specter of their glory always hovered over him. Their immense shadow tended to obscure much of  Davey's radiance. In many respects, they dwarfed him and because of that he might not have gotten his full due.

So, it's reasonable to assume that, more than anything else, what's basically killed Concepcion's HOF prospects is the perception that he was more of a complementary player as opposed to being a star in his own right.

To many voters, Concepcion is likely viewed as a valuable component of the Big Red Machine but not as an indispensable one regardless of how faulty and misguided that logic may be.

It was Concepcion's great fortune to have the opportunity to play alongside the four Red immortals mentioned above. Without them, he wouldn't have won a  pair of World Series rings and been a member of one of the greatest teams in baseball annuals.

Conversely, however, because he toiled among such mythic figures, Davey often got lost in the shuffle, his worth almost forgotten when weighed against the magnificence of those around him.

And because Davey wasn't all that comfortable with English at times, he tended to stay in the background and kept mum. As a result, he wasn't sought out by the media and this has probably worked against his HOF chances as well. The press loves and embraces those who feed them stories and quotes. For the most part, Concepcion never did.

So, justified or not, Davey's stuck with the image of being the dutiful little brother, the one who did what he was told, said very little and respectfully deferred to his elders.

And in the minds of HOF voters, that's how they picture him. The precocious youngster who followed his brothers' lead but who's own light didn't shine as brightly. The perception was that Davey needed them more than they needed him. The truth is they needed each other.

But perception is reality and nothing can change that. And in the real world, it's usually the big brothers that are remembered while the younger bro often fades into oblivion.