If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

[24]

always like this if's in sports. for me one of the biggest "what if he didn't get injured" was a man by the name of Tony Conigliaro. Youngest player to hit 100 home run's (did it by the age of 22) and certainly was on the path for greatness and could have probably changed the out come of many games. He was a fantastic hitter.

[Sportsforever]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

always like this if's in sports. for me one of the biggest "what if he didn't get injured" was a man by the name of Tony Conigliaro. Youngest player to hit 100 home run's (did it by the age of 22) and certainly was on the path for greatness and could have probably changed the out come of many games. He was a fantastic hitter.

Yup, Tony C was a stud. Nailed in the eye in the 1967 season and never really recovered (had to retire after a short comeback).

A name that jumped to mind immediately is Pete Reiser, a young OF for the early 1940's Brooklyn Dodgers. His 1941 season is a great one at the age of 22. The problem was he played all out, running into outfield walls and through players. His body broke down and he never reached his potential.

The other one is Herb Score. Fireballing lefty for Cleveland in the mid-1950's. Gil McDougald of the Yankees smashed a line drive off of his eye in the 1957 season and he never was the same pitcher.

I would love to have seen what Koufax could have done if he could have pitched until he was 40.

[dalnet22]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Mark Prior
Stephen Strasburg

[Chip Douglass]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Nomar Garciaparra
JR Richard

[SPTO]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Stephen Strasburg

Huh?

Anyways the first name that jumps out to me immediately is J.R. Richard. Yes he did have a solid 10 year career before he got that stroke BUT he had only begun to blossom in the '77 season at age 27. He was a fireballer who racked up impressive strikeout numbers and an ERA that was very respectable. He was on his way to probably his best overall season in 1980 when his stroke happened as he was 10-4 with a 1.90 ERA, 0.924 WHIP, 2.98 K/BB rate and 119 strikeouts in 17 starts.

He would've been very valuable to the Astros in the early to mid '80s when they were a pretty good team overall.

[st0rmb11]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

I think the obvious answer to this is Ken Griffey Jr.


but for me, my 2nd favorite Braves pitcher from the 90s comes to mind.

Steve Avery.

He was on the path to being as good as Glavine, Smoltz, & Maddux
(he went 18-6 with a 2.94 ERA in in 1993, at 23 years old)

But in September of that season, he injured his muscle under his pitching arm pit, and was never the same. Sad to see because who knows how many games he could've won with that offense, and he likely would've stayed the 4th starter for most of his career in Atlanta, thus not having to face the other teams' aces.

[CWood2]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Roy Campanella could be called the greatest catcher of all time. Combine that with the fact that he played 10 years of pro ball before Jackie led the way to the majors, and it's even more magnificent what he did.

[st0rmb11]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

another one I think of, is Rick Ankiel. I would have loved to have seen what he could do as a starter for his entire career. He won 11 games with a 3.50 ERA in 2000 before he lost it. He could have been a great pitcher, in my opinion.

[Sportsforever]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Roy Campanella could be called the greatest catcher of all time. Combine that with the fact that he played 10 years of pro ball before Jackie led the way to the majors, and it's even more magnificent what he did.

Campy was great, but even by his own admission the greatest player he ever saw was Josh Gibson. I would have loved to see what he would have done in the Majors. Strat O Matic released a Negro League HOF set last fall that is a lot of fun to play with.

[baseball66]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.

[st0rmb11]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Campy was great, but even by his own admission the greatest player he ever saw was Josh Gibson. I would have loved to see what he would have done in the Majors. Strat O Matic released a Negro League HOF set last fall that is a lot of fun to play with.

Ditto on this.

[Shakedowncapo]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Jim Thome going down down in '05. Great guy but with Howard winning ROY, it re-wrote Phillies history. If he stayed healthy, I'm not sure Gillick pulls the trigger shipping him out before the deadline to allow Howard to come up.

Funny how the game works..

[M11x]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

If Bo Jackson didn't get injured.....

[st0rmb11]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

Completely different "if", but if Gooden and Strawberry didn't use drugs.

[ryan36]

Re: If *Insert Name Here* Didn't get injured

You guys are gonna laugh, but the most obvious one for me is Griffey (that's not the funny part)...

Edgar Martinez. Still a premier DH, but if he had been able to play the field and hadn't missed a year, he's an HOFer...he still is in my opinion , but hey to each his own.