What could have been...

[Uncle Ruckus]

I saw the video of Billy Hamilton scoring from first after a routine single and it got me thinking about all the people who has signed with MSU over time that never made it to campus. So, if you had to pick one player out of all the people who have signed and never made it over the years, who would it be? Monta Ellis, Sandberg, Keyshaun Johnson, Hamilton, etc. It's gotta be Hamilton for me. Not only would he have been incredible to watch on the diamond but I wonder what role he would have played under Mullen, besides setting the MSU record for returns for touchdowns.

 

[thekimmer]

Gotta be Ellis....

He would have played in a pretty good era for us and no telling what kind of difference he would have made. The only thing is he probably would have only played one year. Stans might still be HC had he played.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

That Bender-Outlaw-Ellis stretch was brutal. Three program changers who never played a minute.

 

[AFDawg]

How is Sandberg doing? Any chance he comes back to us? Or is that a pipe dream?

 

[aTotal360]

Add the kid from Slidell that went to Duke. Supposedly he would have came to State if Bender would have.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Since being drafted he's progressed a level each year, from rookie ball right after the draft to low A to A ball last year to high A this year. Not really anything noteworthy in his stat lines. While there are some from that draft round and year who are also at that same level, there are a goodly number of the guys chosen then who are at least in double-A by now. I would have to think that into your fourth season and not doing anything special in high A ball is a little it of a disappointment for a third round pick. I'm not at all implying he is or should consider giving it up though.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=sandbe000cor


Also not listed as one of the Phillies' top 30 prospects on MLB.com.

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016?list=phi

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Chris Duhon? I've never heard that one before.

 

[aTotal360]

Yeah. My understanding was that he and Bender were AAU bffs. I never partied with either so I cannot confirm.

 

[Philly Dawg]

You can probably progress through single A that way simply by sticking around.

 

[MedDawg]

Keyshawn Johnson signed w/State but went to JUCO. KJ+Moulds together...

would have been a heck of a WR lineup.

Also, I believe Roy Oswalt signed with State but I guess went to the minors from HS. Would have been a good pitcher for us in 1997, 1998, and 1999 when we were already good.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

He signed with MSU? I thought he went to Holmes and then straight to MLB. May have committed while at Holmes though

 

[121Josey]

Add the kid from Slidell that went to Duke. Supposedly he would have came to State if Bender would have.

I remember hearing that at the time (Duke was winning a National Championship).

 

[57stratdawg]

I would pick Ellis if we were guaranteed 2 years. That team probably isn't talented enough even with Ellis his freshman year to make much noise. That soph year though would be pretty nasty:

M Ellis
J Gordon
Slater
Rhodes
Delk
Delk
Handsbrough
Stewart
Varnardo

 

[rem101]

If he couldn't hack it as the phillies manager, I don't want him replacing Cohen.**

 

[Bulldog from Birth]

JJ Grant ***

Bonus points for signing 15 times.

 

[BossDawg78]

Seems appropriate for this thread...

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Seems appropriate for this thread...

Hahaha. +1.

 

[RepeatDawg13]

I'm picking Ellis. Not having monta suit up in the maroon and white always pains me a little. I wonder what could have been every year when basketball season starts.