09-04-2009, 07:23 PM
<!--quoteo(post=61882:date=Sep 4 2009, 06:53 PM:name=dk123)-->QUOTE (dk123 @ Sep 4 2009, 06:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=61878:date=Sep 4 2009, 05:34 PM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Sep 4 2009, 05:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->You know what's strange? The Cubs seem to have a history of guys coming up to the big leagues, and succeeding immediately, and then, for some reason, sucking for the rest of their careers.
Guys like me and tom vividly recall the '89 division winners that featured not only the Rookie-of-the-Year Jerome Walton, but also the guy who was #2 in the ROTY vote, Dwight Smith. Smith had a freaking 141 OPS+ that year, which was better than Ryno or Mark Grace. I thought we were set for <i>years</i>. Then, not just one, but <b>both</b> of those guys suddenly did a Soto/Prior/C Patterson...they just fell off the table, and that was that.
Why?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have a feeling it's not that uncommon.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not only that, but the Soto/Prior/Patterson analogies are bad ones. Patterson's good season was 2003, his 4th season overall in the majors, and his 3rd season with substantial playing time (including 153 games played in 2002). Same for Prior who was up for most of 2002, and he also had success in the majors through 2005 when healthy. Too soon to even make a comparison on Soto.
Guys like me and tom vividly recall the '89 division winners that featured not only the Rookie-of-the-Year Jerome Walton, but also the guy who was #2 in the ROTY vote, Dwight Smith. Smith had a freaking 141 OPS+ that year, which was better than Ryno or Mark Grace. I thought we were set for <i>years</i>. Then, not just one, but <b>both</b> of those guys suddenly did a Soto/Prior/C Patterson...they just fell off the table, and that was that.
Why?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have a feeling it's not that uncommon.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Not only that, but the Soto/Prior/Patterson analogies are bad ones. Patterson's good season was 2003, his 4th season overall in the majors, and his 3rd season with substantial playing time (including 153 games played in 2002). Same for Prior who was up for most of 2002, and he also had success in the majors through 2005 when healthy. Too soon to even make a comparison on Soto.
This is not some silly theory that's unsupported and deserves being mocked by photos of Xena. ![[Image: ITgoyeg.png]](http://i.imgur.com/ITgoyeg.png)