OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

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ecleme22
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OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by ecleme22 »

I'll start: Adam Dunn.

You might say, "Adam Dunn?" But he entered his age 31 season with 346 HR before signing with the White Sox. His previous 7 years HR totals: 46, 40,40,40,40, 38,38. His previous 7 years of walk rates was 15.9, 17.0, 16.4, 16.0, 18.7, 17.4, 11.7.

His first 10 seasons, his OPS was over .900 OPS.

That's Dunn at 30 years old. Schwarber is 32 and has 340 HR.

You might say, "Adam Dunn isn't a HOFer!" I'm sorry, but if Dunn had 550-570 HR, he's a lock.

And he seemed destined when he signed w the White Sox. Wasn't to be. Played 4 more seasons, only hitting 108 HRs and a .725ish OPS

Weird career...
Catfish4U
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by Catfish4U »

Kris Bryant - first 7 seasons had over 29 bWAR at the age of 29. In the past four seasons he has a grand total of -1.5 bWAR. A NEGATIVE bWAR over four seasons while getting paid a total of $101 MILLION! He is still due $81 MILLION over the next three years! What a HORRIBLE falloff and contract!
ecleme22
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by ecleme22 »

Catfish4U wrote: 13 Nov 2025 23:50 pm Kris Bryant - first 7 seasons had over 29 bWAR at the age of 29. In the past four seasons he has a grand total of -1.5 bWAR. A NEGATIVE bWAR over four seasons while getting paid a total of $101 MILLION! He is still due $81 MILLION over the next three years! What a HORRIBLE falloff and contract!
Great one. Thank you!
juan good eye
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by juan good eye »

Cutch looked like he would be a division problem for many years (remember wishing we had him instead of Colby) but fell off a cliff not too long after winning MVP.

Felt bad for him although he still had a very good career.
mattmitchl44
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by mattmitchl44 »

Jason Heyward

25.3 fWAR through his first six seasons (4.2 fWAR per year on average) and only through his age 25 season at that point (when he'd had a career best 5.6 fWAR season in 2015 with St. Louis) - not even in what should have been his prime.

Figure maybe 5 fWAR per year over the next five of his prime to get to 50 fWAR by age 30. Then would needed only another 13.3 fWAR to reach Ernie Banks level (and Top 100 in position player fWAR all time).
Basil Shabazz
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by Basil Shabazz »

Jordan Walker :D
lidstrom5
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by lidstrom5 »

Pete Reiser. To many brick walls won.
AL57
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by AL57 »

Andruw Jones...I thought he was a lock..
Basil Shabazz
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by Basil Shabazz »

Nolan Arenado
12xu
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by 12xu »

Ryan Howard - fastest player to reach 200 HR, was on a HOF pace until tearing his achilles heel in NLDS game 5 vs Cardinals in 2011. He was never quite the same in his last 5 seasons.

Fred Lynn - Rookie of the year AND MVP in 1975, 4 time GG CF, his first 5 full years in MLB averaged 22 HR, 90 RBI, .308/.381/.523/.904. He had a fine career after but nothing like those first 5 seasons.

Don Mattingly - first full 6 seasons were incredible, averaging 27 HR, 114 RBI, .327/.372/.530/.902. He won 9 GG, 1 MVP, but back injury sapped him of power and he was never the same.
OldRed
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by OldRed »

12xu wrote: 14 Nov 2025 08:12 am Ryan Howard - fastest player to reach 200 HR, was on a HOF pace until tearing his achilles heel in NLDS game 5 vs Cardinals in 2011. He was never quite the same in his last 5 seasons.

Fred Lynn - Rookie of the year AND MVP in 1975, 4 time GG CF, his first 5 full years in MLB averaged 22 HR, 90 RBI, .308/.381/.523/.904. He had a fine career after but nothing like those first 5 seasons.

Don Mattingly - first full 6 seasons were incredible, averaging 27 HR, 114 RBI, .327/.372/.530/.902. He won 9 GG, 1 MVP, but back injury sapped him of power and he was never the same.
By today's standards, Lynn and Mattingly are still HOF worthy in my opinion.
12xu
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by 12xu »

OldRed wrote: 14 Nov 2025 08:21 am
12xu wrote: 14 Nov 2025 08:12 am Ryan Howard - fastest player to reach 200 HR, was on a HOF pace until tearing his achilles heel in NLDS game 5 vs Cardinals in 2011. He was never quite the same in his last 5 seasons.

Fred Lynn - Rookie of the year AND MVP in 1975, 4 time GG CF, his first 5 full years in MLB averaged 22 HR, 90 RBI, .308/.381/.523/.904. He had a fine career after but nothing like those first 5 seasons.

Don Mattingly - first full 6 seasons were incredible, averaging 27 HR, 114 RBI, .327/.372/.530/.902. He won 9 GG, 1 MVP, but back injury sapped him of power and he was never the same.
By today's standards, Lynn and Mattingly are still HOF worthy in my opinion.
They are close, I agree.
cardinalsfever44
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by cardinalsfever44 »

Catfish4U wrote: 13 Nov 2025 23:50 pm Kris Bryant - first 7 seasons had over 29 bWAR at the age of 29. In the past four seasons he has a grand total of -1.5 bWAR. A NEGATIVE bWAR over four seasons while getting paid a total of $101 MILLION! He is still due $81 MILLION over the next three years! What a HORRIBLE falloff and contract!
Very good one. The only time I ever even think of Kris Bryant is when my boys and I are opening packs of cards and someone will pull a Kris Bryant Rockies card and I'll again remember that THAT is what happened to that guy.

Man did that guy just disappear.
cardinalsfever44
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by cardinalsfever44 »

Anthony Rendon.

The dude accumulated 30.3 WAR by the age of 29.

In the subsequent 5 seasons, he has accumulated 3.9 WAR.

Yikes.
jcgmoi
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Re: OT: A player who was on a HOF track, then totally fell off...

Post by jcgmoi »

David Wright. 48.7 fWAR through age 30, 2.6 fWAR after. Back problems did him in.
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