Biggest “What if” Players?

[boxbuster7]

Originally Posted by Rbradleigh

Jose Fernandez


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This one still...just ugh... what a tradegy

[DaryanLenz]

Originally Posted by thosebackpages

dwight gooden

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[JWBlue]

MadBum if he hadn't wrecked on the ATV and injured his shoulder.

[NatsSBR]

Strasburg and Ryan Zimmerman would be more than hometown favorites if they'd stayed healthy.

[dream34]

Adding onto the Trout Draft "What If"...

Nationals also had the #1 (Strasburg) & #10 Pick (Drew Storen) in the 2009 Draft. Trout went #25 Overall in that Draft. If he was scouted better in High School, imagine a Strasburg, Trout, Harper (2011 Draft #1) centered dynasty that later has Soto join them.


In basketball, there was actually a very possible MJ, Olajuwon, Drexler trade scenario in the 1984 NBA Draft.

[PejaD]

Oscar Tavares and Daniel Flores

[redauto5]

Eric Davis and Ronald Acuna.

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[quackhead]

Kirby.

[as921011]

Mike Trout

[Rbradleigh]

Originally Posted by as921011

Mike Trout

Is this sarcasm? Trout doesn’t get another MLB at bat he’s still a HOFer and perhaps even 1st ballot.


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[49ersSF]

Karl Spooner

[as921011]

Originally Posted by Rbradleigh

Is this sarcasm? Trout doesn’t get another MLB at bat he’s still a HOFer and perhaps even 1st ballot.


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Sorry if there is a misunderstanding. I mean if Trout doesn't get hurt this often at the prime of the career. Like OP's example with Griffey, I don't see where the scarcasm is.

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[carlo16]

Lou Gehrig

[AllHofers]

Kirby Puckett

[Tarvan]

Tucupita Marcano

[Chris Lyle]

Guys that I would have mentioned as players have been pointed out already.

One that I would mention is Carlos Baerga.

Being a Cleveland fan Herb Score and Sizemore stick out.

A non-player what if, that doesn't get mentioned often is: What if George Steinbrenner bought the Indians like he wanted to??

[jas1214]

Bo Jackson

[NotGoSportsBall]

Joel Zumaya before Guitar Hero wrecked his arm

[ScooterD]

Originally Posted by NotGoSportsBall

Joel Zumaya before Guitar Hero wrecked his arm

The poor kid has a string of bizarre injuries. After healing from the Guitar Hero incident, he separated his throwing shoulder while helping his father move boxes due to an approaching fire. After healing from that, he fractured his right elbow throwing a pitch during a game while playing for the Twins.

[Handsome Wes]

My goodness. There are no wrong answers in this thread.

Aside from segregation (Josh Gibson / Satchel Paige / Monte Irvin), war (Ted Williams / Willie Mays), injury (Mike Trout / Ken Griffey Jr / Mickey Mantle / Bo Jackson), substance abuse (Darryl Strawberry / Dwight Gooden), freak accident (Tony Conigliaro / Roberto Clemente / Jose Fernandez), etc.

...I think the answer has to be Shoeless Joe Jackson / the entire Black Sox scandal.

The entire situation damaged trust in the game and led to the creation of a powerful commissioner. That alone had huge ramifications in terms of player and labor relations / modernization of the league. Furthermore, the public relations black eye led to baseball embracing Babe Ruth, which led to an excitement with home runs, which changed the way the game was played again...

That being said, as a Mets fan I would hop in a time machine to change a few things:

- David Wright doesn't dive to tag out Carlos Lee
- Duaner Sanchez doesn't get in a cab
- Darryl Strawberry stays in New York
- Dwight Gooden goes to rehab
- Jacob deGrom can have my UCL
- Passing on the opportunity to acquire Jim Fregosi (and keeping Nolan Ryan)
- Passing on the opportunity to fix Victor Zambrano (and keeping Scott Kazmir)
- Nelson Doubleday turns down buyout offer from Fred Wilpon
- Tom Seaver gets a raise and not a ticket to Cincinnati
- Mets cool on infatuation with Steve Chilcott and instead of picking him at #1 overall go with the #2 selection, Reggie Jackson
- Tell Matt Harvey he doesn't have to be Willis Reed and can sit out the 9th inning
-

[slogue2]

I was not aware of the Tony Conigliaro injury. Just read up on that. I was shocked to hear he was able to come back and play!

[eye4talent]

Originally Posted by texmcpherson

Tim Lincecum and Stras are two others I often think of too.

I don’t think Lincecum could’ve played out differently. There wasn’t a major injury or off-field issues. That small frame deploying that maximum-effort pitching motion just ran out of gas.


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[kaisersoze]

johan santana

[hochunk5]

Mark Prior - Would have been interesting to see what kind of career and how some of those cubs seasons played out if he didn’t blow his arm out.


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[seanrs1]

Fernando Tatis Jr.-no lockout, no injury, no fungus/steroids