Oh, what could have been . . .

[Clay]

Noticed reading the Stat of the Day today that former Teen Sensation Jeff Franklin is celebrating his 35th B-day.

Franklin took the BLB by storm in his teens.

Fizzled.

Bounced around.

Retired at 29.

So...that leads us to our question of the day...

If you could get a "do over" on one BLB career...who would you use it on? Maybe it was an injury or a version change but a promising career turned. who deserves a reset?

[Delandis]

If I had to do just one, it would have to be Franklin. He was so dominant and then that injury just killed him.

I believe that year, we had a 15 game lead over Philly and then ended up losing the division by seven games. Pitiful.

His injury is what motivated us to break up the great pitching staff that Skerik had here. After that we moved Daylln, Nathan exercised an option, and we moved Little and had nothing left and have been trying to find that right combo ever since.

Honorable Mentions: Loren Wallace (injury), Al Fleming (version change).

[BradZ]

Not my guy, but MAP burned bright and flamed out too soon.

From Philly it would have to be Anibal Alsina. Not sure what broke, but when he went south he went south. It was before my time, but my first order of business was clearing his contract off our books.

[BradZ]

Moved these to their own thread because I think this is an interesting subject. Good "Discussion of the Day" material.

[Clay]

Moved these to their own thread because I think this is an interesting subject. Good "Discussion of the Day" material.

Nazi Mod. This is the behavior that eventually killed OS (What's OS?).

[Carlos]

Jerry Dean. End thread.


Sent from my mobile device.

[Dave]

I remember one of the first things I did when I rejoined the league was look at Franklin's career trajectory. I was shocked. Such a shame.

[Pat]

Not my guy, but MAP burned bright and flamed out too soon.

From Philly it would have to be Anibal Alsina. Not sure what broke, but when he went south he went south. It was before my time, but my first order of business was clearing his contract off our books.

Mine is easily MAP.

[Pat]

Ivan Garcia. Part of the McEvoy trade. I thought he could start, moved him from CL to SP, from non-ranked to top 10, then blew out his arm.

[Z]

Not my guy, but MAP burned bright and flamed out too soon.

From Philly it would have to be Anibal Alsina. Not sure what broke, but when he went south he went south. It was before my time, but my first order of business was clearing his contract off our books.

He got his wrist broken by a pitch in September after signing that big extension. He was never the same after that.

My choice, though, is Cade Roberts.

Acid drafted him 5th overall for California in the 1978 draft.

I remember him being drafted out of high school with 5/7/8 potential. I thought he was going to be the next Greg Maddux.

Acid inexplicably called him up the next year at age 18. He may still be the youngest player in BLB history. But he wasn't ready.

And then Acid jerked him around in the minors.

And he was never really the same.

A shame.

[spot]

David Tardif.

He went down with a shoulder after one ST start in 1985. While he had some decent years after that he never had anything like he had prior to the injury and his stuff plummeted pretty steadily.

[Clay]

I'm trying to think of a Colonial example...

My first thought was Yan van Adel... but I think he was more of a bust.

Delmar Oyos was probably a bit of a victim of a version change, but not sure on that one either.

I think Danny Nelson got more GIGGA'd than anything, but he had a few decent years along the way, so he really didn't Franklin. However, when he did fall off, he fell off.

I remember Wilmington getting hit by a couple career-enders back before we edited them though.

[Jimmy]

Clarence Hobbs. I moved him up to AA a year too soon and started him. In one or two sims he was hurt for the season after a terrible performance. When he came back, my scout report gave me every indication he would only be a MR. I said CYA, and now he's a top prospect. I'd probably still make the trade though.

It was almost C-Victor Alvarez. Last year I tried to move him back down to A, after a terrible 2 months in AA, and he put up a full year long protest. It wasn't until recently that he got back on the top prospects list and actually started performing like he should.

[tomr1962]

Mark Fidrych

[Jimmy]

Ok, yes I make a lot of mistakes.

Dana Phillips! This kid was going to be a star(in my eyes). He had speed, projected contact of 7, awesome defense. Then he comes to L.A. In two years it's been nothing but one injury after another and all of his potential is gone. Worst of all, he hates himself for it. Tragic. Add Phillips to our growing list of AAAA All-Stars.