32 years old used to be a lot younger in MLB

By Bill Chuck

Special to the Sun-Times

So you are looking around for some free-agent hitters or perhaps looking to pick one up in a trade and you happen to notice that this hitter’s contract will take him to about 35 or 36 years old.

Well that’s not too old….

Or is it?

32 years old used to be a lot younger

Guess how many batter 32 or older hit over .300 last season? Eight? Nine? Six? I think they are all good guesses. All wrong, but I think they are good because I would have made those guesses as well.

There were three: Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez, and Justin Morneau.

No, back in the day, all the way the back in 2001, there were 15, but those days have been disposed of… kind of like a used syringe.

15 seasons of .300 hitters who were 32+ years old

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Generated 11/11/2014.It’s hardly better when it comes to 32+ year old 30+ HR hitters

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Generated 11/11/2014.32 is the new 35

Teams and fans have to realize now that whatever they are still getting from their 32, 33, 34 and 35-year old players in terms of premium production is, well simply good fortune.

And, we can only assume that luck lasts for only so long. The drop off appears be significant… so

watch

out

below.

Nine to Know: Lowest BA 29-32 year olds in 2014

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Generated 11/12/2014.