Your biggest what if's and thoughts on Tony Conigliaro?

[Mark17]

I think about Tony Horton and the career he could've had, if he could've put his career in perspective and enjoyed the game.

[frankbmd]

Eddie Gaedel could have literally “walked” into the Hall of Fame.

[steve B]

What if the Red Sox had signed Dave Kingman?

A right handed hitter who hit lots of massive popups in Fenway? We might be talking about how even the juicers fell short of the season HR record.

[brett 75]

Eddie G may have come up a little short, to make the HOF

[SAllen2556]

What if the Bird hadn't wrecked his wing? He and Jack Morris together would have been fun to watch through the 80's.

And as long as it's a "what if" why not an imaginary '76 rookie card to go with it.

36444236045_16b1254418_w.jpg36444241455_2881b20068_w.jpg

[Eric72]

What if Mickey Mantle had been healthy...

[jgannon]

When I think of Tony Conigliaro, I remember getting his card back in 1968 and looking at his stats and seeing 104 home runs after just four years playing. It was my first year as a baseball fan, and the first year I collected cards.

When I saw his stats, I said, "Yeah, he must be good". I didn't know about his getting hit by the pitch at that point. What a shame. He was really on the road to what looked like a great career.

J.R. Richard is somebody else I think of when it comes to this subject...

[Mike D.]

What if Bo Jackson didn't have the football injury?

What if Dustin Pedroia didn't have the knee injury (I'd argue he's borderline HOF now...imagine 3-4 more good seasons)

What if Nolan Ryan's career wasn't cut short by injury at only 46?

[egri]

Here's one: what if Dean Acheson had included South Korea in the Asian Defense Perimeter? It likely would've prevented the Korean War (the Russians and Chinese were unwilling to support an invasion when they thought it likely the US would intervene, and omitting South Korea convinced them the US wouldn't). Leaving aside the political implications, with no war in Korea, Ted Williams doesn't get recalled, Willie Mays and Whitey Ford don't get drafted, and Mickey Mantle doesn't get hounded by alleged draft-dodging. Mays almost certainly hits 700 home runs. He might not have topped Hank Aaron, but he would have come close. Williams plays a full 1953 season where he tore the cover off the ball, and I'm sure there are other players as well who could've benefitted.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by brett 75

Eddie G may have come up a little short, to make the HOF

Gaedel was a tough man to pitch to, but miserable on the base paths. Took him a full minute to go from first to third.

[Directly]

Originally Posted by brett 75

Eddie G may have come up a little short, to make the HOF

Eddie might of had the all time record for number of walks or hit by a pitch??--

[egri]

Originally Posted by Directly

Eddie might of had the all time record for number of walks or hit by a pitch??--

No one will be ever beat his OBP. If only he’d come up 50 years later, the sabermetrics people would’ve found a place for him.