Major Leaguers on Social Security

by conrad on Aug 20, 2006 12:32 PM CDT

What is it with all of the middle age players this year?

Certainly there are the obvious examples of Julio Franco and Roger Clemens, but doesn't it seem like there are many more players hanging around into their 40's with some success lately?

Steve Finley, Jamie Moyer, Kenny Rogers, David Wells, some kid named Maddux, even Barry Bonds. It seems like these days players just don't want to retire. Is it ego? People think they can get closer to the Hall of Fame if they can put together a few good seasons? Better conditioning? Money?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Dilution

I think it's a combination of an overall drop in the talent level and steroids aside, better conditioning on the part of some of those players. The money doesn't hurt, either. However, if MLB still had just 20 or 24 teams, you wouldn't see most of those guys around now, nor some of the younger kids with ERAs of 5.00 or so.

by BeerCub on Aug 20, 2006 12:36 PM CDT reply actions

I agree with this completely

Expansion teams definitely help MLB in terms of increasing nationwide interest, but can you imagine how much more competetive and talented baseball teams would be if there were only 20 total teams? Obviously steroids contributed to some of the huge season HR totals of the last 10 years, but the increase in the number of young, inexperienced pitchers probably accounted for quite a few of those homeruns too.

by Zachary on Aug 20, 2006 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Dilution

I've always wondered when people say that there's dilution. It's true that the number of teams has increased, but so has the pool of talent.

Forty years ago, MLB drew players almost exclusively from the U.S.. Now Latin America, Japan and Korea are all regularly scouted by the major league teams. Plus, the population is significantly higher everywhere. I don't really believe the talent level is diluted.

Let me put it another way: in 1950, major league baseball's talent pool was a country of 150 million people. Today, its talent pool is something like a billion people worldwide. I don't believe that talent actually is diluted.

by maximumbob @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Aug 20, 2006 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions