Ah, but what wonders were packed into the years between. There were unbelievable highs. The National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2005. The franchise-record 58 home runs and NL MVP in 2006. The string of five straight division titles that began the following year, including that championship season of 2008.
And yes, there were lows. Making the final out of the 2011 NL Division Series against the Cardinals, crumpling to the ground as his Achilles popped. He would never again be the player he was while averaging 44 homers and 133 RBIs with a .927 OPS for the six previous seasons.