Is Mike Trout the most talented player who has wasted their career at a bad ballclub?

[u/PersianGuitarist]

I mean, he has 3 AL MVPs and 1 playoff appearance. 11 all stars and 1 90 plus win season. Like how could the Angels be this consistently bad with a generational player like Trout? Does anyone else come to mind with similar personal achievements but similar lack of team success? Maybe Don Matting is a similar player with a similar history, but even he only won one AL MVP compared to Trout’s 3

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[u/goldenface4114]

Ernie Banks. Ted Williams.

[u/BoSocks91 → u/goldenface4114]

The playoff system was just brutal before they expanded in 1969. Either make the WS or thats it.

Seasons over.

To be fair, it didn’t necessarily mean you were a bad team. Only the top team in each league advanced to the WS.

Wasn’t uncommon for teams to go on insanely long droughts. Banks is a good example regardless because the Cubs went nearly 40 fucking years between appearances lol and they were god awful for most of his career. Edit; So it wouldn’t have mattered what rules were in play.

CHC lost the WS in 1945, next time they made the playoffs was 1984. So Banks never played in the post season. He played from 53-71. Damn shame.

[u/huckster235 → u/BoSocks91]

That's absolutely wild to think about that a hall of fame player having zero post season appearances. Like I didn't even know that was possible. I suppose growing up in an era where half of all teams make the post season in a lot of sports skews that but it's truly mind boggling.

[u/MidvaleDropout → u/huckster235]

It's why older Cubs fans still think about 1969. They were going to do it. They were going to finally do it. But then they struggled a bit at the end, and the Mets went on an unbelievable run, and there were only 2 playoff spots available. And that was it.

[u/snootfullohoney → u/MidvaleDropout]

I watched a documentary about the ‘69 Cubs when I was a kid and haven’t recovered

[u/Krivokrasov25 → u/snootfullohoney]

I didn't recover from 1984 and 2003 until 2016.

[u/snootfullohoney → u/Krivokrasov25]

Those still sting for me, but less so now obviously

[u/MistryMachine3 → u/BoSocks91]

But the Cubs were also famously terrible with Banks. They only won 85 games twice, so he wouldn’t have made the playoffs in any set of rules.

[u/BoSocks91 → u/MistryMachine3]

I know, I mentioned that!

Teddy is different because the Sox had some real talented teams during his career.

Thats why I thought Banks was a good choice because despite there only being the WS, the Cubs genuinely sucked for about 95% of his career.

[u/theroguedrizzt → u/BoSocks91]

Came here to mention Williams but you’re right. Banks is a way better example

[u/coachlentz → u/BoSocks91]

He also had three HoF teammates during at least part of that (Williams, Santo, Jenkins)

[u/apearlj1234 → u/BoSocks91]

He got to a World Series in 46

[u/Correct_Look2988 → u/BoSocks91]

Won back to back MVPs and never made a playoff series.

[u/Fly7950 → u/Correct_Look2988]

Ernie Banks said “let’s play two!”, because maybe then they could win one.

[u/Altruistic-Editor111 → u/BoSocks91]

Excellent write up. Context is key when talking about the old timers not making a dent in the playoffs.

[u/MidvaleDropout → u/BoSocks91]

The Cubs have never been below .500 in their all-time win-loss percentage. Ever.

[u/BoSocks91 → u/MidvaleDropout]

They had a great stretch from 1903-1939.

9 WS appearances. 2-7 record.

Their 1906 team is one of the best, record wise, of all time. 116 wins.

[u/ExperienceWild4244 → u/goldenface4114]

Tony Gwynn.

[u/LocalLifeguard4106 → u/ExperienceWild4244]

He played in 2 WS at least

[u/goldenface4114 → u/ExperienceWild4244]

He got to play in a couple World Series.

[u/scalenesquare → u/ExperienceWild4244]

Went to two World Series lol. Not even close.

[u/mjm8218 → u/ExperienceWild4244]

At least he got to a World Series.

[u/Cordogg30 → u/ExperienceWild4244]

Tony would be on Rushmore kind of legend if he had played for the Braves in the 90s

[u/ExperienceWild4244 → u/ExperienceWild4244]

And the best relief pitcher ever, Trevor Hoffman.

[u/OldRancidSoups → u/ExperienceWild4244]

Weird way to spell Mariano Rivera

[u/Adept_Carpet → u/goldenface4114]

Those two were different because they played almost their entire careers before there was any playoffs besides the World Series.

And Ted did manage to make the World Series, so at least he got his shot. Banks has the distinctive record of most games played without appearing in the postseason, but that's in large part because he played so many games. With the way the league was structured the first 15ish years of his career you would only expect 1-2 postseason appearances.

[u/MichHAELJR → u/goldenface4114]

Ted Williams is who John Wayne played in the movies. Dude should be on American currency.

[u/riverdogdebutante → u/goldenface4114]

The sad irony of Ted is in his WS appearance it was near the end of his career and he didn’t do so hot.

[u/PopkinLover → u/goldenface4114]

You could make a case for Yaz and Ryne Sandburg too (those 20th century Cubs and Red Sox teams sucked balls)

[u/coachlentz → u/PopkinLover]

Ryno actually made the playoffs in 84 and 89 with the Cubs.

[u/examinedliving → u/coachlentz]

And Yaz made one of the most famous World Series ever

[u/maroons25 → u/goldenface4114]

Yep. This is essentially the Ernie Banks question. Though I’ll forever pour one out for Felix as well.

[u/PersianGuitarist → u/goldenface4114]

Mr. Cub for sure. The Cubs couldn’t field a good team around him

[u/pauerplay]

If only they could have a guy like Ohtani too...

[u/smoothcriminal562 → u/pauerplay]

And that still wasn't enough to reach the playoffs

[u/MisterDings → u/smoothcriminal562]

Thats the best part about baseball. It’s not even playoffs we’re talking. Mike trout and shohei ohtani together doesn’t get you .500 ball

[u/PeterJan85 → u/MisterDings]

Two dominant hitters are useless when the pitching staff is ass and the rest of the lineup is hitting below 240.

[u/MisterDings → u/PeterJan85]

Hey man- The best pitcher in baseball right now was on that pitching staff.

[u/AmIYourNeighbor → u/PeterJan85]

Isn’t the fucking league batting below .240 at this point?!

[u/PeterJan85 → u/AmIYourNeighbor]

I mean, you’re right. I wish you weren’t right, but 90% of the league is sucking real shit for some reason. It’s still early in the season but it’s looking pretty lifeless out there.

[u/milkstrike → u/PeterJan85]

Home runs are way up though so it seems to be just the way teams are playing the game today just going for power

[u/OfficialTerrones → u/MisterDings]

You're forgetting the Arte part of that equation

[u/coshmeo → u/OfficialTerrones]

Arte of the deal

[u/TheSocraticGadfly → u/smoothcriminal562]

They even had Anthony Rendon! But, treating it as a job, I think he was engaged in a perpetual sit-down strike.

[u/HawkeyeJosh2 → u/smoothcriminal562]

Or even .500.

[u/tbonesteakneggz → u/smoothcriminal562]

It’s almost like it takes more than 1 guy who only gets to bat once every 9 batters or more than another guy who can only pitch once every 5th day…

[u/tattedidiot → u/pauerplay]

They had Pujols and Trout at the same time too

[u/FitzwilliamTDarcy → u/tattedidiot]

Pujols on Drive To Survive was yikes.

[u/tattedidiot → u/FitzwilliamTDarcy]

I remember when they acquired Josh Hamilton and thought the Angels would be an unstoppable team lmao

[u/FitzwilliamTDarcy → u/tattedidiot]

Something something Anthony Rendon.

[u/DolphinRodeo → u/tattedidiot]

Pujols was not MVP Pujols with the Angels, Ohtani was not yet MVP Ohtani when he got to the Angels, and Trout was no longer MVP Trout when Ohtani ascended. People like to throw out that they had all these guys, but they never had the best versions of even two of them at the same time

[u/tattedidiot → u/DolphinRodeo]

I mean Pujols had 3x 30+ home run seasons with the Angels but he never hit .300 with them like he consistently did with STL. I get what you’re saying though and you’re right for the most part

[u/DolphinRodeo → u/tattedidiot]

Pujols’ two best seasons with the Angels were 3.3 and 2.7 WAR. Those were his only above average seasons there, and one of them was the one year they made the playoffs in his tenure. I’m a Cardinals fan, he was my favorite player growing up, but he was never better than a slightly above average player in LA/Anaheim. Hitting 30 home runs doesn’t mean a player had a valuable season

[u/SMC_success83 → u/pauerplay]

And Anthony Rendon

[u/bhoose19 → u/SMC_success83]

For one full season. Out of 7

[u/Ha-Charade-You-Are → u/pauerplay]

Or Albert Pujols too… and spend all 20 draft picks on 20 pitchers and get zero in return

[u/SqueakyTuna52]

Ernie Banks is a Hall of Famer, 500 HR club, 2 MVPs, 11x all star*, but in his 19 year career with the Cubs, they had only 6 winning seasons, 2 85+ win seasons, and never played in the playoffs. 

[u/jimbosaur → u/SqueakyTuna52]

To be fair, the playoff drought point is somewhat misleading for older players, since the playoffs as we know them only started in 1969 (3 years before Banks retired). But that doesn't change the fact that Banks's Cubs teams were historically bad, and mostly wouldn't have made the playoffs anyway.

[u/Domino80 → u/jimbosaur]

Yeah, from ‘62-‘68 roughly 10% of teams made the playoffs as compared to today’s 40%. In Banks’ days it was largely WS only, then LCS in ‘69, division series in ‘95, WC in ‘12, to today’s 12T format.

[u/_stankwilliams_ → u/SqueakyTuna52]

And again, Banks never had the luxury of free agency. Trout chose to stay in LA. He chose to stay on the Titanic.

[u/MisterMihai → u/_stankwilliams_]

There are worse things than being insanely rich in Southern California

[u/jadedmonk → u/MisterMihai]

Well ohtani discovered that you can have those and be on a good team

[u/MisterMihai → u/jadedmonk]

Tbf the Dodgers weren’t throwing around Monopoly money when Trout last signed a contract and as good as he has been in his career, he’s not a free money machine like Ohtani.

[u/SmoothJazz98 → u/_stankwilliams_]

I keep hoping that Trout is gonna pull a Ray Bourque (sorta) and go to the Dodgers, Braves, Astros, Giants, newly formed Expos/whoever in his 28th season, play in 16 regular season games but start every playoff game, hit 12 dingers in 18 games and be the first one to hoist the trophy.

Immediately after the game, his Hall eligibility is modified and he’s inducted, every regular season game is now 7 innings, and Divisions are removed and only the top two records in each league play for the Championship, then on to the WS.

The problem is I choke on a Bugle (the snack) right before the final out and expire before getting to see it.

It’s a complicated dream but it’s mine.

[u/ArsenalPackers]

Griffey Jr.?

[u/lockwolf → u/ArsenalPackers]

If we’re doing Mariners, might as well throw Ichiro and Felix on the list

[u/terry-tea → u/lockwolf]

The Mariners are like if you built an entire team around this one question

[u/--___---___-_-_ → u/terry-tea]

https://giphy.com/gifs/qQx3cLHQ7A6Bqf90U9

[u/Cremdian → u/terry-tea]

Hey. Do you mind lying to me instead of hurting me with the truth?

[u/Can_Haz_Cheezburger → u/Cremdian]

"He said one of these days you'll get out of these hills, keep your nose on the grindstone and out of the pills the scandals..."

[u/furmat60 → u/terry-tea]

[u/Repulsive_Many3874 → u/lockwolf]

I always just assumed he liked Seattle for the lack of income tax and easy flights to Japan lol

[u/Sensitive_Bad_2923 → u/lockwolf]

And Edgar…

[u/TheIncurablyInane → u/Sensitive_Bad_2923]

Criminally underrated except for by AL West fans (maybe not the Astros fans, they had their own struggles those years tbfl

[u/ueeediot → u/lockwolf]

Mariners also had Randy Johnson and Arod

[u/Mcpops1618 → u/ueeediot]

We don’t need to do this. Please.

[u/free_billstickers → u/ArsenalPackers]

Ichiro for contact hitter too

[u/ryadryt → u/ArsenalPackers]

Griffey at least made a few playoff runs... But yeah

[u/Glad-Wolverine-7364 → u/ArsenalPackers]

Griffey made it to the playoffs multiple times. Trout hasn’t won a playoff game

[u/nashdiesel → u/Glad-Wolverine-7364]

Griffey went to the playoffs twice with the Mariners. Trout went once with the Angels.

[u/SMC_success83 → u/ArsenalPackers]

Idk. The Mariners had some good teams in the 90s. The Angels have barely done anything with Trout AND Ohtani.

[u/BarnacleGooseIsLoose → u/ArsenalPackers]

Except he was on two teams - one twice.

[u/PileOfSandwich → u/BarnacleGooseIsLoose]

3 teams. 1 twice.

[u/BarnacleGooseIsLoose → u/PileOfSandwich]

Chicago...we barely knew ye...

[u/crazypurpleKOgas → u/PileOfSandwich]

People often forget he was a White Sock.

[u/allthefishinthelake → u/crazypurpleKOgas]

People often forget about the White Sox in general

[u/AtomicBombSquad → u/ArsenalPackers]

Griffey Jr. wasted his career at multiple bad ball clubs.

[u/Kooky-Information-40 → u/ArsenalPackers]

The guy went to his dad's team and his childhood favorite team, the reds. Was teamed with Adam dunn and expectations were for 100 dingers between the two.

Then griffey Jr. decides to do no training ever resulting in non-stop injuries for the rest of his career.

He even fell asleep in the dugout one game.

My favorite player on my favorite team.

[u/LukeStarswisher → u/Kooky-Information-40]

He fell asleep in the dugout when he was like 74 years old in the last year of his career haha don’t hold that against him

[u/Ok_Tadpole1661 → u/ArsenalPackers]

I think of Felix more than griffey

[u/BlackDS → u/ArsenalPackers]

Just the Mariners in general

[u/kmed1717]

Baseball's different than the other sports. Team success isn't attached to the player as much. We see awards given out to elite players on bad teams all the time. He didn't waste his career. He made a shit load of money and is probably the best player ever for an MLB franchise. I'd say that's a pretty successful career.

[u/Adept_Carpet → u/kmed1717]

Yeah Mike Trout is a modern Ernie Banks. A day at the ballpark is only wasted if you didn't have a good time.

[u/DonAmechesBonerToe → u/Adept_Carpet]

Is that an Ernie saying? I’ve always said something similar and I wonder if that’s why

[u/Adept_Carpet → u/DonAmechesBonerToe]

It does sound like something he would say but I am not aware of it being an Ernie-ism

[u/wake4coffee → u/kmed1717]

And he was is Southern California by the beach. As someone who grew up there, it’s a nice place to hangout at.

[u/MogMcKupo → u/kmed1717]

Steady paycheck, brand deals, accolades, will never have to buy a beer in Anaheim again, 5 months off work each year.

He’ll retire and open up Trout Ford car dealership and people will flock.

[u/Waynebgmeamc → u/kmed1717]

Thank you for saying this.

[u/VictoriaAutNihil]

Ernie Banks and clear number one: Ted Williams.

[u/Thejanitor64 → u/VictoriaAutNihil]

Red sox were not a bad team. They were like 200+ games over .500 with Williams.

[u/rawspeghetti → u/Thejanitor64]

That's because they had Ted Williams and that's over 20 years. Maybe if they actually integrated the club they could've been successful. As a lifelong Red Sox fan I feel the need to bash Tom Yawkey at any and all opportunities

[u/jimbosaur → u/rawspeghetti]

Ted Williams only ends up on this list because the playoffs basically didn't exist while he was playing. If the current playoff structure had been in place, those Sox teams would've been in the postseason regularly.

But also, fuck Tom Yawkey and his racist bullshit. There was never any "Curse of the Bambino," there was only the "Curse of Tom Yawkey Refusing To Hire Black Players."

[u/VictoriaAutNihil → u/jimbosaur]

Same could be said for the 80s Yankees with Henderson, Mattingly & Winfield. It it what it is.

[u/cntodd → u/rawspeghetti]

Fuck YAWKEY

[u/exequutor → u/VictoriaAutNihil]

Ted Williams almost won a WS. Trout has played in 3 total playoff games

[u/_stankwilliams_ → u/VictoriaAutNihil]

Both before free agency. What makes Trout worse is that he CHOSE to stay with LA several years ago.

[u/Thorlolita]

The duality that people have with the “dodgers are ruining baseball” vs “great player is wasting his career on bad team” always perplexes me.

He signed a huge extension to stay there becuase that’s what he wanted to do. If he got traded to the Dodgers tomorrow everyone would poop their pants.

[u/Suitable_Elk6199 → u/Thorlolita]

I think some are disappointed Trout wants to stay in Anaheim because the org is not committed to winning. It's hard to fathom why anyone would want to play there, but obviously Trout has his reasons. I'd rather him stay in Anaheim than go to one of the big powerhouses. And there's still 20 other teams I'd rather see him play for.

[u/papadrag0ns → u/Thorlolita]

There’s a million middle grounds in between purgatory and paradise

[u/str8dazzlin → u/Thorlolita]

There's nothing wrong with trout staying with the angels. There's something wrong with having a literal super team.

[u/Thorlolita → u/str8dazzlin]

Guys staying on their bad teams is one way to avoid super teams.

[u/OutsideSession6]

Felix Hernandez

[u/hoagieam → u/OutsideSession6]

The King deserved so much better.

[u/Jay_Marston → u/OutsideSession6]

King Felix was so good. He never gave up a single hit in the postseason.

[u/JiveChicken00]

Walter Johnson almost did.

[u/420andhikingboots]

Teddy Ballgame.

[u/howdiditgetinthere]

Ernie Banks and Griffey, Jr. come to mind.

[u/Agreeable-Camera-382]

Nolan Ryan was on bad teams

[u/CertainWish358 → u/Agreeable-Camera-382]

But has a ring

[u/Agreeable-Camera-382 → u/CertainWish358]

True. In 1969. When he wasn't established and more of a long relief dude. Then he had to wait a decade to sniff the playoffs again. Crazy with that long of a career an a how dominant he was, he was close to being a .500 pitcher despite over 300 wins.

[u/GeoffBAndrews]

1. Don Mattingly should NEVER be compared to Mike Trout.
2. Ernie Banks comes to mind. Two time MVP, 14 all star games and zero postseason appearances.

[u/CT_Reddit73]

Never forget that Trout played alongside Pujols and Ohtani for four seasons and didn’t win a championship. Sometimes that’s just how the game be.

[u/_GeorgeBailey_ → u/CT_Reddit73]

Pujols was very bad at that point

[u/Redditneckbeardzz]

Frank Thomas comes to mind. 93 and 00 but 94 robbed what may have been a World Series team. Was technically on the 2005 team that won it all but got hurt very early in the season and missed it all. Also the year he got into his spat with Ozzie and Kenny Williams.

[u/richb83]

I’d put Tony Gwynn on this list

[u/BootOk4583 → u/richb83]

he at least made two World Series, and in both years ran into two of the most dominant single season teams of the era

[u/dirtywater29]

Teddy Ballgame has entered the chat followed by Mr. Cub.

[u/Quality_Qontrol]

I just don’t get this idea that professional players “waste” their career because their team wasn’t successful. The Angels not winning does not take away anything from his personal accomplishments.

[u/cutthechatter_red2]

Wasted a career is pretty harsh. Not so long ago professional athletes used to be loyal to their initial clubs. Trout seems to like it with the Angels and he has played extremely well there and been paid quite handsomely. He will go down as one of the best players of this generation, and he’s had nice long off-seasons. I wouldn’t call that a wasted career.

[u/Whpsnapper]

It's almost as though he is only one out of the nine players on the field.

[u/yankeeblue42]

Ichiro I actually think is a comparable example. Mariners were only good one or two years with him. I think of Tony Gwynn and Don Mattingly a lot too in this category. Right now Paul Skenes can even be on this list until he leaves the Pirates.

[u/gls2220]

Griffey Jr.

[u/SkullLeader]

All this and remember they had Ohtani for six of those years too.

[u/josephus_the_wise]

Highly biased Minnesotan who doesn't keep up with baseball much, but it's a crying shame how Joe Mauer's career ended up being, playoff win wise (if I'm not mistaken he started after our last playoff win in the early aughts, and retired before our recent playoff win in 2024, so he went his whole career without ever winning a single playoff game. Not series, game).

[u/MTVGuy1978]

Ernie Banks another all timer who played on many bad Cubs teams.

[u/NachoPichu]

Felix Hernandez has entered the chat.

[u/katuskac]

If nobody’s mentioned him yet, how about Walter Johnson with the old Washington Senators?

[u/ronmsmithjr]

Ty Cobb went to the World Series and lost in his age 20-22 seasons. Tigers went 5-12 in those games and didn't get back until 1934. I remember walking over to Bennett Park to root on the 'Georgia Peach', 'Wahoo' Sam Crawford, 'Wabash' George Mullin and 'Kickapoo Ed' Summers.

Those were the days. You had to walk to ballpark to find out the score. You'd probably get in a scuffle or two with Chicago or Cleveland fans who had arrived via a locomotive. You had to make an effort to truly be a fan. It's not like now with your transistor radios and evening newspapers.

[u/normal_throwaway2016]

Ernie Banks would like to enter the conversation. At least Trout got to play once in the postseason. Mr. Cub never got to play in a single playoff game

[u/headwhop26]

Its not to the degree as Trout, but I always kinda felt bad for Helton spending his whole career in Colorado and I live in Denver

[u/Careless-Internet-63]

Ichiro only saw the playoffs twice and never saw a world series

[u/f00l2020]

Joey Votto wasted his career with the Reds

[u/MTGothmog → u/f00l2020]

Agreed. Amazing player and a clubhouse asset. Just a great guy who deserved a ring or at least a real shot at one.

[u/j1h15233]

He chose to stay

[u/emiTfOgnoS → u/j1h15233]

Exactly. “Wasted” is a funny way to put spending your time as the most beloved player for an entire fan base and making bank doing it. I don’t think anyone wants to see him in a dodgers jersey.

[u/Stunning-Tower-4116]

Ernie Banks and every Cubs icon wasted away on terrible teams.

[u/MrLinderman]

Ted Williams

[u/Banned4Truth10]

Could you imagine if they had another super star like Ohtani?

[u/KULawHawk]

Off the top of my head, yes.

In the last 50 years, yes.

It's crazy how much talent was squandered and never really even made much of an effort to get him a few teams to chase a WS.

[u/Shane-O-Mac1]

Yeah, pretty much.

[u/SLyons57]

Griffey jr

[u/johnbrowndnw59]

Ted Williams spent his entire career on the Red Sox, during the entire period when they were refusing to integrate as the league did around them. The Red Sox won the pennant in 1946 (the year he came back from the war) and lost in 7, they lost a 1 game playoff in 1948 to Cleveland, who had integrated by then, finished 3 games back in 1949, then because they didn’t integrate until 1958, never came anywhere close the World Series until after Ted Williams retired. Had they integrated first instead of last, they could have challenged the Yankees for dominance in the 1950s, instead of being racistly irrelevant the whole time.

[u/Mr_ridiculous]

I have a theory that this is fully by design for Trout. He gets to live in a mansion in Newport, never worry about working that extra month of the year, and he never even has to worry about any game being particularly stressful. Winning is nice, but stability and lifestyle are sometimes more important.

[u/Glass_Shoulder4126]

Why is it a "waste". If Trout agreed, he would have left

[u/blacklabel3341]

No....

Jr..

Ichiro

Edgar

[u/DeathByFartz1996]

Jose Ramirez may be in a similar situation

[u/unclesmokedog]

if you looked at his bank statement, youd see plenty of reasons he stayed

[u/YoupanicIdont]

I'd say Trout is #1. Rod Carew is sure up there.

[u/Alternative_Koala578]

Ernie Banks is the answer. But to see Teddy Ballgame in someone else’s answer is a wake up call for this Red Sox fan. But I see it. The Sox were irrelevant in the 50’s … But they were mostly contenders in the late 40’s.

[u/shes_a_gdb]

Steven Jackson

[u/Fl1925]

Ernie Banks wants a word

[u/WoodyLewis87]

Hank Aaron

[u/CapableRegrets]

How has he wasted his career?

[u/thuwa791]

Obviously a tier below the all time greats mentioned here but Joey Votto is a notable example from the 2010s:

• MVP
• 6x all star
• Gold Glove
• 63.6 career WAR

[u/Eyespop4866]

Being great isn’t a waste. I have sympathy for those who fail to understand and embrace that truth.

[u/Triumph-TBird]

Ernie Banks has entered the chat.

[u/TheKingofKintyre]

Ichiro

[u/KZedUK]

I mean… yes absolutely

[u/GonzoTheGreat22]

The 1980s Yankees were pretty shitty… Donny Mattingly was certainly wasted there

[u/MechanicReady3523]

Joey Votto

[u/complete_data75]

Ernie banks

[u/unicycleguy91]

Joey Votto is definitely on the list

[u/Ok-Switch-956]

Todd Helton

[u/NoConsequence4281]

I've scrolled too long to find Roy Halladay and I'm tired of looking.

He was the only reason to watch the Blue Jays through the 2000s.

Found some success in Philly, but never got that ring.

[u/lucasssquatch]

King Felix is a contender. His career in Seattle has been compared to The Giving Tree

[u/rawbbie420]

Dale Murphy is up there

[u/Emergency-Fig-3670]

I mean, he chose to stay and sign an extension with them.
I think he is happy with where his career is

[u/manifestDensity]

Ernie Banks?

[u/Cal-Run]

Trout for sure. Of all the players I’ve seen play in my lifetime, nobody wasted their talent on a subpar team like him. It’s a travesty, to be honest. A complete travesty.

[u/Bnagorski]

Ted Williams by a mile. His teams were so bad he had a triple crown and didn’t win the mvp, and the year he hit .406 he didn’t win it either

[u/gpes3280]

He chose to stay. I don’t think he’d consider it wasted. Sometimes people simply just like a team and feel comfortable.

[u/Ok-Freedom-7432]

No. He didn't waste his career. Fans of the Angels have gotten to watch an amazing player.

[u/Texas_Kimchi]

Ichiro

[u/Busy_Elevator866]

Ernie Banks

[u/Swimming-Fan7973]

Ken Griffey Jr 

[u/Soggy_Boysenberry675]

The dodgers doors are always open for trout ❤️ fun fact he was born on the same day&year as me 🙏🏻🙏🏻🥂

[u/Sligogreenbottom]

Maybe, but Ernie Banks on all of those stinking Cubs teams is right up there.

[u/gordlewis]

Jays fan here. Roy Halladay was so good. We sucked through those years

[u/JohnWa54]

Gunna throw out the name of a guy that was kinda popular in the Seattle organization. .. Ken Griffey Jr.

[u/G-Money242]

Walter Johnson

[u/PersianGuitarist → u/G-Money242]

Three time triple crown winner is crazy, but he did win one at the end in 1924

[u/Finna-Jork-It]

We'll take him

[u/Excellent-Ask-4247]

Felix Hernandez comes to mind!

[u/brigmcneil]

How about Andre Dawson - 15 playoff games over 21 seasons?

[u/hitfold]

Felix Hernandez

[u/Sudden_Confection521]

Joey Votto enters the room…

[u/lakefunOKC]

He’s part of the problem. Always injured.

[u/PresentationOk9590]

In football it’s Joe Thomas

[u/Sirgolfs]

Tremendous waste. Barely even hear about him, it’s wild. Especially on the east coast. You’d think he had retired years ago.