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

[Seven]

Originally Posted by brett 75

Would have liked to see Thurman Munson play out his career. One of the top catchers at the time of his demise. HOF? Being aYankee might have helped his chances.
The other player was Lyman Bostock. Put up good numbers his first couple seasons but was shot and killed. Never got the chance
Didn’t get to see Tony C play but still collected all his cards.
Brett

I think Munson was borderline when he tragically passed. Can't imagine how much longer he would've caught but maybe 3-4 more seasons of what he was doing in his final year would've done the trick.

Bostock is a tragic story, I heard he was a fantastic Contact hitter. Another guy that comes to mind is Pitcher, Herb Score. Had some great years before that comebacker.

[JollyElm]

In two words, Don Mattingly. He went from being Superman to having a back made of kryptonite. Truly heartbreaking.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

In two words, Don Mattingly. He went from being Superman to having a back made of kryptonite. Truly heartbreaking.

Mattingly is my guy with a bat, and Ben Sheets on the mound.

Sheets took that step as a true ace at age 25, and just was never the same after that season. It's too bad that he got hurt, and that the Brewers team he played on was utter trash. Sheets was a legit stud.

Check out the video on Youtube of his striking out 18 Braves that season. Just nasty stuff.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Seven

I think Munson was borderline when he tragically passed. Can't imagine how much longer he would've caught but maybe 3-4 more seasons of what he was doing in his final year would've done the trick.

Bostock is a tragic story, I heard he was a fantastic Contact hitter. Another guy that comes to mind is Pitcher, Herb Score. Had some great years before that comebacker.

Doing what in his final year, being a below league average offensive performer?

Thurman was on the downside of his career. His power was all but gone. Being behind the plate is a rough way to make a living, and his future was either being moved to first (which Don Mattingly would soon claim), or being traded to another team.

I just don't think he had a long enough peak to get into Cooperstown. Fine player, and it's tragic how he passed. Appreciate the way he played, and let's not try to put every borderline Hall-worthy guy in.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

Doing what in his final year, being a below league average offensive performer?

Thurman was on the downside of his career. His power was all but gone. Being behind the plate is a rough way to make a living, and his future was either being moved to first (which Don Mattingly would soon claim), or being traded to another team.

I just don't think he had a long enough peak to get into Cooperstown. Fine player, and it's tragic how he passed. Appreciate the way he played, and let's not try to put every borderline Hall-worthy guy in.

He was on the downside, from a WAR perspective (not that it's the be all and end all, far from it) he had a 2.4 WAR in 97 Games. Had he put together a few more 3+ WAR seasons I think he would've been borderline. I should correct my original statement. Though on the subject of the Hall I'm more of a Small Hall type of guy, and I do agree, not every borderline guy should be voted in. Mattingly was a tragedy, that back injury really did him in. Such a good hitte.r

[egri]

I don't think Cecil Travis has been mentioned yet, so I'll bring him up. He led the league in hits before enlisting a couple days after Bob Feller. He almost lost a foot due to frostbite during the Battle of the Bulge. He was never the same afterwards, and was washed up at 31.

[David W]

As a Cardinal fan I will bring up the cases of John Fulgham, Bill DeLancey and Austin McHenry.

Fulgham pitched 2 seasons for the Cardinals in 1979 and 1980.

In those 2 seasons he went 14 and 12 in 233 innings with a WHIP of 1.06 and ERA of 2.84 with 3 shutouts.

He was only 24 when he pitched his last game, and a torn rotator cuff did him in.

I am sure he will be the last pitcher to have career totals of complete games equal to or higher than his career wins, as he had 14 wins and 14 CG.

Bill DeLancey, who Branch Rickey said was one of the 3 greatest catchers of all time, died at age 35. At age 22 he was the catcher on the 1934 WS champs. Tuberculosis and lung issues would end his career at age 23, and he would die at age 35.

Austin McHenry played for the Cardinals from 1918-22. He was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, when he died at age 27 from a brain tumor.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/john-fulgham/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bill-delancey/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/austin-mchenry/

[David W]

Fulgham, McHenry, and Delancey

[packs]

It would have been nice to see what Buzz Arlett could have done with a major league career. He only got one shot at age 32 and put up an OPS of 925, which wasn't too shabby.

But as a career minor leaguer he was essentially Babe Ruth. Not only did he hit 341 over his career and over 400 homers, but he also won over 100 games as a pitcher.

[howard38]

Originally Posted by David W

As a Cardinal fan I will bring up the cases of John Fulgham, Bill DeLancey and Austin McHenry.

Fulgham pitched 2 seasons for the Cardinals in 1979 and 1980.

In those 2 seasons he went 14 and 12 in 233 innings with a WHIP of 1.06 and ERA of 2.84 with 3 shutouts.

He was only 24 when he pitched his last game, and a torn rotator cuff did him in.

I am sure he will be the last pitcher to have career totals of complete games equal to or higher than his career wins, as he had 14 wins and 14 CG.

Bill DeLancey, who Branch Rickey said was one of the 3 greatest catchers of all time, died at age 35. At age 22 he was the catcher on the 1934 WS champs. Tuberculosis and lung issues would end his career at age 23, and he would die at age 35.

Austin McHenry played for the Cardinals from 1918-22. He was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, when he died at age 27 from a brain tumor.

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/john-fulgham/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bill-delancey/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/austin-mchenry/

Fulgham's contemporary, Rick Langford, had more complete games than wins (85-73) & pitched for a few years after 1980.

[stlcardsfan]

Herb Score is a huge what if had he not been hit by a Gil McDougald line drive given his performance up to then.

[David W]

Originally Posted by howard38

Fulgham's contemporary, Rick Langford, had more complete games than wins (85-73) & pitched for a few years after 1980.

Lankford is likely to be the last pitcher to do so, unless there is a significant change in the way Baseball is played.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by Seven

He was on the downside, from a WAR perspective (not that it's the be all and end all, far from it) he had a 2.4 WAR in 97 Games. Had he put together a few more 3+ WAR seasons I think he would've been borderline. I should correct my original statement. Though on the subject of the Hall I'm more of a Small Hall type of guy, and I do agree, not every borderline guy should be voted in. Mattingly was a tragedy, that back injury really did him in. Such a good hitte.r

I really liked Munson. Though he died young, I've watched about everything I could find about the man on Youtube. The man had guts, and loved playing in New York. It's spooky watching the video of the last game he played. I watch him at the plate, and think to myself "somebody tell him to skip going out to the air field for a few days." The most heartbreaking aspect to Munson's death is that he got the plane, and his pilot's license, so he could fly home between days off to see his family. I'm sure after he started, the allure of being a pilot kicked in. But the impetus was spending more time with his wife and kids. That realization is a punch in the gut.

I hate that he didn't have the opportunity to rebound, because the man was a gamer. If anybody could have gutted out a couple more All Star seasons, he'd be that guy. He's one of those players that you'd have had to literally drag off the field, like Mantle. Mickey tried to will himself to 600 home runs. His body just completely gave out on him. And Munson was the kind of guy every manager dreams of having. The Yankees have had an absurd bevy of riches behind the plate, haven't they?

If Munson does get in, you won't hear a single negative word from me. There are occasional guys that transcend mere statistics. His contributions to one of the best teams in baseball in the mid to late 70s, championship teams, cannot be overlooked. And I waffle on his worthiness. My heart says put him in, but my brain gets in the way.