Thread by @trinitywasmine

I just saw an IG post about how Dwight Howard hurt his back at age 26, and how that changed the trajectory of his career.

Don Mattingly hurt his back in the offseason after his age 25 season, which was his 3rd full season in baseball. Here's what he did in those 3 years:

207, 211 & 238 hits, leading the league two of three times.

44, 48 & 53 doubles, leading the league all three seasons.

110, 145 & 113 RBI, leading the league once.

#NYYankees

.343, .324 & .352 BA, leading the league once, and when he hit .352, Boggs sat out his last series at .354, Mattingly went 7 for 12 and almost caught him.

He led the league in SLG% once, OPS once, and total bases twice.

#NYYankees

He hurt his back that offseason. In the next season, he set the record for grand slams in a season with 6, which still stands. He never hit a grand slam in any other season.

He never reached 200 hits again. He never led the league in ANYTHING, ever.

He won 9 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers, 1 MVP & was an All-Star 6 times.

He played in one, single playoff series in his career, in 1995, and he batted .417/.440/.708/1.148, with 4 doubles and a HR in a five-game loss to Seattle.

#NYYankees

The Yankees won a title the year before he came up, and they won the title the year after he retired.

One of the greatest "what-ifs" of all time. My favorite baseball player ever.

#NYYankees
#DonMattingly

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