Kerry Wood -- Greatest what-if ever?

I wouldn't characterize Lynn as "pretty damn good" with the Angels, but he was solid. His best year with them was '82, when he was .299-21-86 in 138 games. He dropped to 117 games in '83, but he did hit that famous grand slam. He was an all-star three times when he was in Anaheim, but mostly on reputation.

His stats didn't change much from 1982-87, about .270-21-70 on average every year. Usually missed about 40-50 games a year. If not for injuries, he would've been much better than he ended up. Still, a long, solid 17-year career.

 

Not sure if you're asking about Jeff Allison or Josh Hamilton, but SI wrote about Allison, who was/is addicted to just about everything.

 

Lynn had a very interesting career. One of the greatest rookie years ever, then he alternated "pretty good" and "average" seasons until age 27, when he had another MVP/Hall of Fame-caliber season, then for an 8-year stretch, he hit between 21 and 25 HRs every single season, with BAs ranging mostly in the .265-.295 range. Decent, solid, but not great.

It's just that that rookie season and that age-27 season made you think he should be hitting .320/30 HR/100 RBI every year. He was never really BAD, but he was never consistently great -- not as great as everybody thought he would be.


As far as "what-if":

Muhammad Ali.

Say, instead of refusing induction, he takes the Army's offer of "ceremonial" duties. (Elijah Muhammad and the NoI would supposedly have been OK with that.) He serves a 2-year hitch, fights maybe 6-8 times in that time span, then meets the upcoming Joe Frazier in late '68 or '69 in one of the greatest title bouts ever. Without the financial pressures of being busted during his enforced layoff, Ali does not feel compelled to keep fighting forever.

He remains champion until maybe '73-'74, and then retires with a career record of 50-0, without taking the late-career beatings from Frazier, Norton and Holmes.

But if he hadn't refused the induction, he wouldn't be Muhammad Ali.

 

Josh Hamilton has enough demons for 10 of us ...
But I watched him play ball in high school and damn that kid could play. Also had a fastball and another pitch (I think a curve) that were major league quality. Some NL teams loved him as a pitcher who also could hit a ton. Since he went to Tampa Bay, he's an OF.
From the outside looking in, the parents made a monumental mistake by trying to be good parents. They babied him so much in hs and his first year in the minors that he never developed the social qualities and just ability to live that the rest of us (well most of us) did. So when they moved back home he started hanging out at tattoo parlors and such. From there came the alcohol and then the drugs.
Best thing for him is to be out of Raleigh. I remember the N&O doing a big Sunday feature on how he had turned his life around and was just hoping Selig would give him a chance. Maybe a week later he was pulled over for DUI.

 

THERE IS NO WAY DOC GOODEN OR STRAWBERRY DESERVE CONSIDERATION! They pissed their careers away by their own actions. It is a disgrace to mention these two clowns or that Josh Hamilton waste in the same breath as Herb Score, Conigliario or Wood!!!

SHAME ON YOU!

 

Provo ... Spain?

No, Utah.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

Having seen Carter in training camp prior to the injury, I'd say he might have been the product of a lot of Penn State hype (not to mention 10-foot holes to run through in college).

 

What if Cam Neely didn't have his knee obliterated by an Ulf Sammuelson check/cheap shot?

 

Your sanctimony has been duly noted.

 

J.R. House was a fuckin' two-sport stud in high school in West Virginia (later transferred). I believe he held several national passing records (football). Last heard was a bible-thumping catcher in the Pirates system.

 

I would add Teddy Dupay, who is (tragically) selling insurance in Salt Lake City at present. Hasn't touched a basketball in a year.

 

Yeah, the CBA is really missing out.