The brightest stars burn the fastest

[Jaydumo20]

I am not a very empathetic guy (I know, shocker) but it made me feel really bad for him when he'd talk about how much he hated his tattoos because they reminded him of his times of drug use. He used to wear wrist bands to cover them up.

He really went downhill again after he tossed that ball into the stands and the kids dad fell over the railing trying to make the grab. I do feel very bad for him. He had it rough.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Not that this guy was in that league but:

Yasiel Puig.

That dude took l.a. by storm for a week

Similar story:

Dontrelle Willis.

 

[knicksin7]

I think Lin is the best example (someone referred to him as David Lin lol), but he actually was a pretty good player - injuries really screwed him. I remember when he hung like 40 on us, and dunked on someone.

What about Kerry Wood. I still remember that 20 strikeout game. Granted, he was actually pretty good for a few years, but the guy was the next coming of Clemens.

 

[storrsroars]

Nick Kingham was the 67th rated top prospect in MLB entering the 2018 season. He was called up at the end of April. In his first start, he threw 6.2 perfect innings vs the Cards, being removed after the 7th. His line was one hit, no walks, nine Ks. We Pirates fans were ecstatic.

His MLB career lasted 43 games. He ended up with a record of 9-9, an ERA of 6.08, and a career bWAR of -1.5.

 

[nomar]

Roy Batty, the Nexus-6 combat model replicant, was superior to humans in almost every way but only had a life span of four years.

But he performed consistently over those 4 years; from Orion to Tannhauser Gate to the Tyrell Building he never lost a step.

 

[boog204]

Not that this guy was in that league but:

Yasiel Puig.

That dude took l.a. by storm for a week

On that vibe, you could throw Nomo in there. He was enormous in his first couple of years before becoming just a "regular" pitcher. Still one of the few to ever throw two no-hitters, including one in Coors.

And my memory is that Jose Contreras and Hideki Irabu were hugely popular debuts and actually pretty good before the reality of both became pretty apparent.

 

[Jaydumo20]

On that vibe, you could throw Nomo in there. He was enormous in his first couple of years before becoming just a "regular" pitcher. Still one of the few to ever throw two no-hitters, including one in Coors.

And my memory is that Jose Contreras and Hideki Irabu were hugely popular debuts and actually pretty good before the reality of both became pretty apparent.

Good call. Irabu especially. I felt so bad for the guy. He felt the full force of that fanbase. He ended it all shortly after that. Actually really tragic. Not to make light of if at all, but being a yankee and not succeeding is the MLB's version of CTE. They all won't bounce back like sonny grey

 

[superjohn]

On that vibe, you could throw Nomo in there. He was enormous in his first couple of years before becoming just a "regular" pitcher. Still one of the few to ever throw two no-hitters, including one in Coors.

And my memory is that Jose Contreras and Hideki Irabu were hugely popular debuts and actually pretty good before the reality of both became pretty apparent.

I was at Nomo's MLB debut at Candlestick. There was so much hype for it and it turned out to be a crazy game. Sadaharu Oh was there and we were in the bleachers between Deion Sanders in centerfield and Barry Bonds in left. Nomo left the game in something like the 6th inning with a 1 hitter. The game went on forever into extra innings.

 

[Dove]

Not that this guy was in that league but:

Yasiel Puig.

That dude took l.a. by storm for a week

PuigMania.

I almost wrote him down but his career was long and pretty decent.

 

[superjohn]

Good call. Irabu especially. I felt so bad for the guy. He felt the full force of that fanbase. He ended it all shortly after that. Actually really tragic. Not to make light of if at all, but being a yankee and not succeeding is the MLB's version of CTE. They all won't bounce back like sonny grey

I was at one of Irabu's games for the Norwich Navigators. Can't remember if it was his debut or not but it was an event, there were so many Japanese press/photographers there.

 

[boog204]

I think Lin is the best example (someone referred to him as David Lin lol), but he actually was a pretty good player - injuries really screwed him. I remember when he hung like 40 on us, and dunked on someone.

What about Kerry Wood. I still remember that 20 strikeout game. Granted, he was actually pretty good for a few years, but the guy was the next coming of Clemens.

Wood is a good one! He was electric as any pitcher I'd ever seen in the early Cubs days. Ended up being a decent reliever and was awesome in his brief Yankee stint.

Can't remember his name, but didn't the Cardinals have a rookie throw a no-no in like his 2nd or 3rd start and then never do much again? Bud Smith, maybe?

 

[Jaydumo20]

PuigMania.

I almost wrote him down but his career was long and pretty decent.

Yeah. He played for awhile but didn't even touch the hype. Kinda like Yoenis Cespedes, who was better than Puig but never fulfilled his destiny. some of YCs throws to the plate from the outfield I still watch when I'm drunk at 2am

 

[storrsroars]

Can't remember his name, but didn't the Cardinals have a rookie throw a no-no in like his 2nd or 3rd start and then never do much again? Bud Smith, maybe?

Wow, that's an obscure one. Actually it was his 11th start of his rookie year. As the story goes, pitching coach Dave Duncan was hoping someone would break up the no-no as Smith was throwing a ton of pitches. But the Cards left him in and he threw 134 pitches that night.

His career was over after the following season.

 

[Hondo 77]

Could throw a fastball 168mph.

And barefoot.

 

[Hondo 77]

Tony Mandarich​

 

[mauconnfan]

Kevin Maas. The next Babe Ruth… for two weeks

Well done stole it from me

 

[JB75]

I remember Chris Shelton led the league in homers for a period.
Also, RB Chris Johnson

Oh yeah. Chris Johnson. Titans rb. Believe he played at east Carolina. WTH happened to him. Totally forgot about him

 

[Deepster]

Oh yeah. Chris Johnson. Titans rb. Believe he played at east Carolina. WTH happened to him. Totally forgot about him

He had a fine career. A slight build for the workload he had. And most every RB that goes for 2,000 yds burns up a lot of mileage to do it and has an effect from that.

 

[mauconnfan]

James Bouknight certainly captivated UConn Country for a couple covid years. Lots of kids leave early though and it doesn't pan out.

Victor Page from Georgetown left after his sophomore year and didn't even get drafted.

Victor Page good one. How about Toby Bailey UCLA probably a career game against our Huskies in 95 or JC may have won his first earlier than 99.

In a way, at least for power year, Brady Anderson. I mean the kid had nothing close to his 50HR year he stabbed himself in the butt.

 

[controlfade]

Brian Bosworth and Matt Leinhart

 

[knicksin7]

I was at Nomo's MLB debut at Candlestick. There was so much hype for it and it turned out to be a crazy game. Sadaharu Oh was there and we were in the bleachers between Deion Sanders in centerfield and Barry Bonds in left. Nomo left the game in something like the 6th inning with a 1 hitter. The game went on forever into extra innings.

He was a trailblazer! I remember that crazy windup. Nuts how good Japanese players are today now!

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I was trying to remember his name. Absolutely fits in this topic.

I saw Horn hit a foul ball over a light tower at Muncipal Stadium against the Waterbury Indians when their AA affiliate played there at the time. I remember the bat looking like a toothpick in his hands.

 

[boog204]

Good call. Irabu especially. I felt so bad for the guy. He felt the full force of that fanbase. He ended it all shortly after that. Actually really tragic. Not to make light of if at all, but being a yankee and not succeeding is the MLB's version of CTE. They all won't bounce back like sonny grey

I remember watching Irabu's debut live on TV, and his stuff was killer. He was the Japanese Nolan Ryan, and he was pretty nasty that first start. His second year (98), he was a borderline all-star at the break and had a pretty good year before Big Stein decided to ruin him.