Players who could have been the face of baseball but…

[Robles Fan]

Don Mattingly

[DioBrando]

Don Mattingly? 5 elite years before injuries took their toll? Same with Eric Davis.

[vwnut13]

Vlad Guerrero Jr.

His pouty ass face could have been the face of baseball, but he just sucks.

[Onepocketj]

Yep. Going with Donny Baseball

[fabiani12333]

Mark Fidrych

[Trueblue]

Stras

[fabiani12333]

Another former Tiger -- Cecil Fielder.

Led the league in home runs in 1990 and 1991 with 51 and 44, respectively. Then he steadily dropped off.

[fabiani12333]

Originally Posted by panamamyers

JD Drew has to be in the mix doesn't he?

Drafted 3 times:

Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 20th round of the 1994 MLB June Amateur Draft from Lowndes HS (Valdosta, GA), the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1st round (2nd) of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft from Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) and the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (5th) of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft.

The Philadelphia Phillies made Drew the second overall pick, after pitcher Matt Anderson, in the 1997 MLB draft. Drew and his agent Scott Boras chose not to sign with the Phillies, insisting Drew would not sign for less than $10 million. The Phillies had no plan to pay an unproven player this amount of money, and despite Boras' warnings, drafted Drew nonetheless. They offered him $2.6 million. Consequently, Drew ended up playing for the St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League. Boras had Drew sign with an independent baseball league because of a loophole in the rules of the MLB draft.

[Gthompson1978]

Hideo Nomo

[ctau00]

Jose Canseco.

[JoshMN]

Originally Posted by dashcol

All four of those guys were the face of baseball when they were on top. Their infamy came after they were on top.

Never since Bonds home run chase did every game cut to his every at bat, regardless of what was going on in their game. Literally EVERY game cut to his at bat. Even stadiums would play his at bats on their Jumbotrons. He wasn’t only baseball at the time, he was sports and America. Even non sports fans talked about the Bonds at bats from the previous day. He was probably bigger than Ohtani is now.

Bonds didn’t exactly maintain that fame for very long though, did he? That’s part of the OP’s question. He got attention for the season record, but the gig was already up by the time Bonds broke the career record.

[JoshMN]

Dale Murphy. Will Clark.

[ctau00]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Mark Fidrych

Joe Charboneau was right there with him.

[dashcol]

Originally Posted by JoshMN

Bonds didn’t exactly maintain that fame for very long though, did he? That’s part of the OP’s question. He got attention for the season record, but the gig was already up by the time Bonds broke the career record.

That’s fair, but yes he did maintain the limelight for a few years after that until the steroids scandal really took off.

[spuds1961]

Daisuke Matsuzaka comes to mind, at one time everyone was trying to pull his rookie card.

[tyrith]

Yasiel Puig immediately came to mind for me here.

[MotorboatJones]

Brien Taylor

Born in Beaufort, North Carolina, Taylor attended East Carteret High School, where his pitching ability caused him to be chosen by the New York Yankees with the first overall selection in the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft. After two full seasons in the minor leagues, he injured his shoulder in a fight, and was ineffective after returning to baseball. He retired in 2000, having never played a game above Class AA. He is one of three players to be drafted first overall in the Major League Baseball Draft and never play in the major leagues, along with Steve Chilcott and Brady Aiken.

After retiring from baseball, Taylor moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, with his five daughters and worked as a UPS package handler, then worked as a beer distributor. By 2006, he had moved back home and was working as a bricklayer with his father.

In March 2012, Taylor was charged with cocaine trafficking after undercover narcotics agents purchased a large quantity of cocaine and crack cocaine from him over a period of several months. He was federally indicted on cocaine trafficking charges in June 2012. Taylor pleaded guilty in August 2012 and was sentenced to 50 months in prison, followed by three years' supervised release; he was released on September 12, 2015.

[phisouza33]

Originally Posted by ctau00

Jose Canseco.

He was the face for about 4 years anyway.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by dashcol

All four of those guys were the face of baseball when they were on top. Their infamy came after they were on top.

Never since Bonds home run chase did every game cut to his every at bat, regardless of what was going on in their game. Literally EVERY game cut to his at bat. Even stadiums would play his at bats on their Jumbotrons. He wasn’t only baseball at the time, he was sports and America. Even non sports fans talked about the Bonds at bats from the previous day. He was probably bigger than Ohtani is now.

McGwire and Sosa were the face of baseball for one summer. People realized pretty quick that what they were watching wasn't real, but guys on steroids. As the OP points out, guys who couldn't maintain their statis for a prolonged period of time. That fits those 4 perfectly, as well as Mattingly, Strawberry, Gooden, Canseco, etc.

[Sportnut08]

Toe Nash

[Rbradleigh]

I think Jose Fernandez is at the top of this list, tragic all around and really not close.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sandyfrank]

I second the vote for Josh Hamilton so pure a hitter yet so tortured by his demons.

[ctau00]

Originally Posted by phisouza33

He was the face for about 4 years anyway.

He had his run but it was short lived. He possessed all the tools where he could've been time eternal but some of his off field decisions weren't the best. I think the down slide started with the HR off his noggin.

Changing my choice to Jose Fernandez. Good looking, great comportment and well spoken. He would've been a great ambassador for the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNVADsgO-FQ

[fabiani12333]

Look at the list of Rookie of the Year Award winners: https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/roy.shtml

Ben Grieve, son of former Texas Ranger Tom Grieve. He was an All Star his rookie year in 1998. He was drafted 2nd overall out of high school in 1994. He hit 28 home runs his sophomore season, but never took it to the next level.

Ron Kittle, 35 home runs his rookie season in 1983 and was named an All Star. He helped the White Sox win the West division that season. He never made another All Star team and was relegated to part-time DH duties later in his career.

Alvin Davis had a monster rookie season with the Mariners -- 27 home runs and a 147 OPS+. Was an All Star and got some MVP votes. He never made another All Star team.

John Montefusco finished 4th in the Cy Young Award vote as a rookie in 1975 and was an All Star his sophomore season. He was never an All Star again.

[ctau00]

Originally Posted by fabiani12333

Look at the list of Rookie of the Year Award winners: https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/roy.shtml

Ben Grieve, son of former Texas Ranger Tom Grieve. He was an All Star his rookie year in 1998. He was drafted 2nd overall out of high school in 1994. He hit 28 home runs his sophomore season, but never took it to the next level.

Ron Kittle, 35 home runs his rookie season in 1983 and was named an All Star. He helped the White Sox win the West division that season. He never made another All Star team and was relegated to part-time DH duties later in his career.

Alvin Davis had a monster rookie season with the Mariners -- 27 home runs and a 147 OPS+. Was an All Star and got some MVP votes. He never made another All Star team.

John Montefusco finished 4th in the Cy Young Award vote as a rookie in 1975 and was an All Star his sophomore season. He was never an All Star again.

Grieve had a good start, especially the first 3 years when the A's had a lot of good talent around him. Years 4 & 5 weren't bad although they dropped off some.

Kittle had a decent career but was never going to be the darling of the game just on looks alone. Still, he had some longevity and a decent career. Same with Davis and Montefusco, plus the Count also and a cool nickname!