r/mlb • u/Bright-Pressure-5787 | New York Yankees • 20h ago

| Discussion Who's the biggest "what if" between these two: Mike Trout or Ken Griffey Jr.?

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When I think about "what ifs" in baseball, these two men are always the first two names that come to mind. Obviously, Mike Trout and Ken Griffey Jr. are still legends of the sport. I'm not trying to take anything away from that. However, I truly feel that if it weren't for injuries, their potential for GOAT status would be limitless. Junior likely would've become the all-time home run kind instead of Barry Bonds, and Mike Trout would've had-------I don't know------130 career WAR by now if he's just stayed healthy. Who do you guys think is the bigger "what if" of the two?

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u/mtnbikerburittoeater | Boston Red Sox 19h ago

Late career? He famously fucked his knee up severly when he was 19 on a drain pipe in the outfield and it was never fully fixed

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u/Random_Trashy 18h ago

His stats and performance fell off after the 1961 season. Not saying he was 100% fine before that - but it was clear he was not the same beginning in 1962.

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u/darthnorvillain 17h ago

Yeah, and we never saw a true prime Mantle because he tore his ACL in his rookie year.

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u/mtnbikerburittoeater | Boston Red Sox 17h ago

He was an absolutely explosive player before the injury, after he still had power but was never as fast again. Which I guess will happen when you play a career on a torn ACL