"Pistol" Pete Reiser might be one of the biggest "what could have been" in Dodger history, as very few players on the diamond lost greatness so quickly due to injuries.

Reiser was pegged to be a star by St. Louis Cardinals management, and they were dismayed when he was one of the Minor League players that Commissioner, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, deemed free agents.  Cardinals GM, Branch Rickey, had an agreement with the Dodgers, who signed Reiser to trade him back to St. Louis, but Brooklyn Kept Reiser, and Rickey, himself, would join Brooklyn in 1943.

Reiser made it to the parent club in 1940, appearing in 58 Games, but he was an everyday player in 1941 and had one of the most explosive campaigns in Dodgers history.  He led the NL in Runs (117), Doubles (39), Triples (17), Batting (.343), Slugging (.558), OPS (.964), and bWAR for Position Players (8.0), but was jobbed out of the MVP to Home Run and RBI leader, Dolph Camilli, who was also his teammate.  Brooklyn won the Pennant that year but was crushed by the Yankees in five.  

Reiser had an interesting 1942, again going to the All-Star Game, but mid-season, he suffered a concussion when he crashed face-first into the outfield wall.  He returned but was not the same player for the rest of the season.

Like many other Americans, Reiser served in the U.S. Military and missed three years, but a shoulder injury in an army baseball game hampered his batting.  Reiser was still the same player regarding effort, but the oft-injured Outfielder never came close to what he was in 1941.  He was traded to the Braves after the 1948 Season, ending his Dodgers run.

Reiser compiled 666 Hits with a .306 Batting Average.