Players "Best if Used" By Dates
They say timing is everything....
What players do you think ended their carears at the exact right time so they went out with class and "at the right time"? What makes you think this?
Conversely...
What players do you think hung on a little too long? What makes you think this?
Re: Players "Best if Used" By Dates
Went out gracefully:
Jim Rice and Dale Murphy had ~10 great years then lost it about age 33. Instead of hanging on to pad stats they retired gracefully.
And because of this they don't have the magic numbers for the hall of fame.
Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield had productive years on winning teams late in their careers then retired gracefully.
Hung on too long:
Wade Boggs hung on as a singles hitter to get his 3000th hit.
Re: Players "Best if Used" By Dates
Probably Ted Williams since he left for the war he was trying to get back lost time.
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Seriously, no Junior? Before he came to Cincinnati it looked like he could reach 800 HR (you know his story).
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Speaking of players that are/were hanging around, whatever happened to Fred McGriff? I swear he fell off of the face of the earth!
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I think Johnny Bench went out at about the right time. If he had wanted to play a couple of more seasons I think he would have been productive. Conversely Pete Rose hung on too long. He should have retired the day he broke Cobb's record. He wasn't even a shadow of himself his last season.
Re: Players "Best if Used" By Dates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
harangatang
Seriously, no Junior? Before he came to Cincinnati it looked like he could reach 800 HR (you know his story).
IMO, this is about age catching up with a player, not injuries. Injuries caught up with Junior before age did.
I'd put Barry Larkin in the "hung in there too long" category.
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I'm thinking that Albert Pujols guy is hanging on wayyy too long. It's about time for him to go. :)
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Larkin's last season was pretty impressive -- good enough to erase the memory of his injury-marred 2001 and 2003 and his terrible 2002.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
RFS62
Wade Boggs -
http://www.tbt.com/multimedia/archiv...406_29233d.jpg
Or anyone on the 2000 Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Here are some names "holding on"
Fred McGriff
Jose Canseco
Ozzie Guillen
a washed up Vinny Castilla (pre-rejunivation)
Greg Vaughn
Doc Gooden
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I forgot Mickey Mantle and Rickey Henderson
Re: Players "Best if Used" By Dates
Quote:
Originally Posted by
degenerate10
Rickey Henderson
Rickey is a prime example of hanging on to long.
Wasn't he playing for a minor league team a year or two ago?