MLB is not that easy - For some players it’s all downhill

[tedzan]

Hey Frank

Do you remember Kevin Maas' rookie year starting off the 1990 season with 10 HR's in just 72 AB's (a new record).

Furthermore, Kevin continued to hit 15 HR's in 133 AB's, which broke Wally Berger's old record.

Kevin hit 21 HR's in 79 games that season and batted .252

His MLB career ended in 1995.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[bocca001]

What about 1980 ROY Joe Charboneau. Hit .289 with 23 home runs, and nothing really after that. 3 years

[Jason19th]

Position Player - Kevin Seitzer- if he played 8 seasons at his rookie level he would have been a HOFER. He wasn’t a bad player thereafter and he played almost 15 years but he was very average after year one

Pitcher- Cal Eldred - went 11-2 with a 1.79 era and .98 whip over 14 starts. Had a long career as a starter and reliever but was always an average or slightly above average guy for the rest of his career

Pre war- Wally Moses - doesn’t quite fit but one of the odder stat lines you will see

[rats60]

Russ Ford went 26-6 1.65 ERA .881 WHIP 209 Ks 11.4 WAR as a rookie in 1910. He even has a t205 to commemorate the season.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by rats60

Russ Ford went 26-6 1.65 ERA .881 WHIP 209 Ks 11.4 WAR as a rookie in 1910. He even has a t205 to commemorate the season.

I thought this was the prewar player I was trying to find, but..........


He pitched 3 innings in 1909. My decision to exclude players with insignificant first years was based on not having to determine where to draw the line.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Arguably, Ichiro.

[maniac_73]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Arguably, Ichiro.

U being serious?

[gonzo]

Ralph Houk

Of his 20 years as a manager, his rookie season helming the 1961 Yankees was easily his best.

As a bonus, his career as a player stretched 91 games over 8 years, and his rookie year as a player was his most productive.

[howard38]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

I thought this was the prewar player I was trying to find, but..........


He pitched 3 innings in 1909. My decision to exclude players with insignificant first years was based on not having to determine where to draw the line.

Could be Vean Gregg is the pre-war pitcher you were thinking of. For pre-war batters it would be hard to top jimmy Williams.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by howard38

Could be Vean Gregg is the pre-war pitcher you were thinking of. For pre-war batters it would be hard to top jimmy Williams.

Both Gregg and J Williams are excellent candidates with lengthy careers and progressive decline from their rookie years that you don’t need a micrometer to measure.

Both surpass anyone already mentioned and clearly satisfy the criteria. Both also had careers spanning at least 10 years.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

I thought this was the prewar player I was trying to find, but..........


He pitched 3 innings in 1909. My decision to exclude players with insignificant first years was based on not having to determine where to draw the line.

If not Ford, then Vean Gregg. 23-7 1.80 ERA 1.054 WHIP 8.8 WAR 10th in MVP voting. Led league in ERA, ERA+, WHIP and H/9. He had 2 more productive years, but neither as good as his first and then struggled with injuries.

If you are going by WAR it would be Fidrych, but another prewar pitcher would be Irv Young who had 9.3 WAR as a rookie and negative .8 for the rest of his career. His W/L wasn't that great 20-21, but 41 CG, 7 SH, 378 IP, 2.90 ERA, 1.079 WHIP. Led league in WAR for pitchers, IP and CG. 2nd in shutouts, 5th in wins, Ks 6th in WHIP. He was on a really bad team the Braves went 51-103.

[rats60]

Here is the best modern era regular player, Mitchell Page with Oakland in 1977. He hit .307/.405/.521 with an OPS+ 154 WAR 6.1. His career WAR is 8.1. 21 HR 75 RBI 85 runs scored. He saw a significant drop his 2nd year to 2.3 WAR and the stuck around for 6 more years as a replacement level player under 1 WAR. Interesting that future Hofer Eddie Murray beat him out for ROY by 3 votes by hitting 6 more HR and driving in 13 more runs, but with much lower ave, obp, slg and only 3.2 WAR.

[egri]

I nominate Joe Black, Harry Byrd and Angel Berroa, who all won Rookie of the Year and then never came close to matching their performance again.

[frankbmd]

Good ones so far.

Perhaps other credentials should be added to support your nominee.

FIDRYCH was in his rookie All-Star game.
He was second in Cy Young voting as well.
He also led the league in Complete Games with 24

[todeen]

1999 ROY Scott Williamson. Appeared in 62 games, 12-7 record, 2.51 ERA, Helped the 1999 Reds to a 90+ win season, but didn't go to the playoffs. They lost to the Mets in a one game playoff. He wasn't the same afterward, but he still had a 9 year career. I believe he won a world series with Boston in 2004.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by egri

I nominate Joe Black, Harry Byrd and Angel Berroa, who all won Rookie of the Year and then never came close to matching their performance again.

Byrd and Berroa are both disqualified by OP's criteria since they both played before their rookie years.

But Black is a terrific pick.