Biggest Cases of Falling Off the Map

[GD]

After Romero's start tonight, I got the idea of this thread. What's the biggest case of falling off the map you can remember? My case is Scott Kazmir. 5.1 WAR the next season, 2.0 the next, 2.3, and then -1.1. Ouch. He got released, too.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Ankiel is still the modern day poster child. Kazmir had injury problems. Romero's knees are f***ed but this is the classic case of the Yips

[GD]

There's always Andruw Jones.

[wilko]

Kevin Brown.

[Jimcanuck]

There's always Andruw Jones.

 

Vernon Wells has him beat by a mile

[connorp]

I agree with ecjf. Kazmir dealt with a variety of injuries.. This is Ankiel territory for RR. Guaranteed contracts are a beautiful thing.. For guys like RR anyway

[Jimcanuck]

wait

 

who fell fastest the hardest?

 

Wells or Lind?

[Metallijay]

Baseball needs to get rid of guaranteed contracts.

[GD]

wait

 

who fell fastest the hardest?

 

Wells or Lind?

 

Probably Wells.

[connorp]

I dont know. Lind in music would be like a one hit wonder.

[John_Havok]

Mark Prior. 7.5 WAR in 2003 followed by 2.7, 2.8 and never seen again

[GD]

Mark Prior. 7.5 WAR in 2003 followed by 2.7, 2.8 and never seen again

 

Damn, good one.

[Jimcanuck]

Mark Prior. 7.5 WAR in 2003 followed by 2.7, 2.8 and never seen again

 

don't think injuries should count in this thread

[Chappy]

Nobody's mentioned Dontrelle Willis??

 

2005: 22-10, 2.63 ERA in 236.1 IP, after winning ROY in 2003.

 

Two years later he's finished at age 25.

 

Nice find, that was a truly epic fall.

[Dr Negative]

Romero's problem is that he got fat.

[wilko]

Romero's problem is that he got fat.

 

I blame his ex.

[Captain Adama]

How about Darryl Kile?

 

He did more that just fall off the map unfortunately.

[Arkadium]

Mark Prior. 7.5 WAR in 2003 followed by 2.7, 2.8 and never seen again

 

We may just see Mark Prior called up this year if circumstances go his way... that would be something, since he hasn't played in the majors since 2006.

[Arkadium]

Nobody's mentioned Dontrelle Willis??

 

2005: 22-10, 2.63 ERA in 236.1 IP, after winning ROY in 2003.

 

Two years later he's finished at age 25.

 

WOW 13.1 BB/9 in 2008

[Stangstag]

WOW 13.1 BB/9 in 2008

 

Yikes

[RickJay]

No mention of Steve Blass?

 

1972: 19-8, 2.49, 4.0 WAR, and [pitched well in the NLCS:

1973: Maybe the worst season in the history of baseball by a pitcher who pitched that many innings; -4.0 WAR (really) in 88.2 IP. Walked 84 men. Just could not hit a battleship from sixty feet. His team finished 2.5 behind so it's fair to say his sudden yips cost the Pirates the division.

 

There's a reason they call it Steve Blass Disease.

[GD]

Holy crap Blass is bad. Wow.

[declan_44]

Brady Anderson? 50 to 18 HR...I suppose not

[Clomero]

How about Darryl Kile?

 

He did more that just fall off the map unfortunately.

 

classy post right there

[sachmo55]

For a lot of pitcher's it just a case of how the aging curve is completely different than that of many professional athletes (although they are similar to Running Backs).

They often enter the league with their best raw arm speed, and it slowly declines over time from there and the process gets sped up by injuries. As they age, many pitchers get smarter and are able to adapt, but some don't and try to overcompensate.

 

But Ankiel was more of a case of a guy who completely lost it mentally.

[Captain Adama]

Oh yeah, add Mark Wholers to the list, never was the same after the 1996 WS when he gave up the game tying home run to Leyritz in gsme 4

[Dick_Pole]

Darryl Strawberry

Dwight Gooden

 

Though both those guys had several successful seasons before taking a s*** in their 30's so you could blame age or "other issues"

[torontofan]

Rios took a big dive. 2007 War 5.0, 2008 War 5.4, 2009 War 0.0. However, Rios came back with some decent seasons and is still chugging along.

 

A decent case could be made for Ken Griffey JR.

[James]

Baseball needs to get rid of guaranteed contracts.

 

Ya. Could someone explain to me baseball contracts ? Are they all guaranteed? Is this because of the union ?

[KSaw]

Bob Hamelin, Joe Charboneau, Bobby Crosby, Juan Guzman...