Has Derek Jeter Found the Fountain of Youth?

Count Derek Jeter as one of the biggest early-season surprises in baseball.

Only a couple of months from his 38th birthday, the Yankee captain has had perhaps the best start of his Hall of Fame career. He entered the second game of the series against the Texas Rangers batting .411 with 30 hits and a 1.08 OPS.

Never known as a home run hitter, Jeter has four homers this season compared to six in all of 2011. It wouldn't be realistic to expect him to keep up this kind of pace, but the resurgence at the plate has helped the Yankees overcome some shoddy starting pitching to lead the American League East.

It also got us to thinking about how some other players performed when they reached Jeter's age. Barry Bonds obviously set the bar at a level most 38 year olds could never reach when he batted .341 with 45 home runs and 90 RBI in 2003.

Bonds walked 148 times that season and had an off-the-charts OPS of 1.278.

But we're reluctant to use Bonds as the benchmark for aging players because of the steroids cloud that  surrounds him. He was a great player before the steroid controversy tarnished his reputation and accomplishments but it's hard to envision anyone putting up the numbers he did without some pharmaceutical help.

So we're going to take a random sampling of position players who were still contributing in a major way when they turned 38. It's by no means a complete list so don't be offended if your favorite geezer is left out.

It demonstrates, however, that Jeter may be able to turn back the clock this season and give fans an encore presentation from his youth.

Charlie Hustle Was Great Late in His Career Too

Pete Rose may be barred from the Hall of Fame because he gambled when managing the Cincinnati Reds, but no one will question that he is an all-time great who appeared as if he could hit with his eyes closed.

Rose was with the Philadelphia Phillies when he turned 38 in 1979 and he hadn't slowed down a beat. He batted .331 in 163 games that season with 208 hits, 40 of them doubles. He walked 95 times and stole 20 bases, not too shabby for an old guy.

Baines a Hit at Any Age

Harold Baines spent 1997 with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox. At the ripe old age of 38, he batted .301 in 137 games with 16 home runs and 67 RBI. He had an OPS of .832.

In 22 seasons, Baines had a career average of .289 with 384 homers. He also had 2,866 hits and was a model of consistency during his career. 

Omar Fits Shortstop Like a Glove

For a player who has made his reputation as a defensive stalwart for 24 years, it is often overlooked that Omar Vizquel is not a weak link at the plate. Vizquel turned 38 in 2005 when he was with the San Francisco Giants and turned in a typical year, batting with .271 with three home runs and 45 RBI in 152 games. 

He made only eight errors that season and finished with a .988 fielding percentage, earning him a Gold Glove. It was his first in four years.

At 45, Vizquel has seen limited time with the Toronto Blue Jays this season. 

Rickey Still on the Run Late in His Career

Rickey Henderson was the consummate leadoff hitter.

He was a combination of power and speed, hitting 297 home runs in his career and stealing 1,406 bases, the most in baseball history.

Henderson played for the Angels and Padres in 1997 when he was 38. In 120 games, he batted only .248 with eight homers and 34 RBI. But Rickey was still the Man of Steal, with 45 steals in 53 attempts.

Henderson played for 25 years, ending his career in 2003 with the Dodgers at the age of 44.

Andre the Giant On and Off the Field

In 1999, when he was 38, Andres Galarraga was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and was forced to sit out the season.

But Galarraga would not be defeated by the disease. He returned in 2000 with the Atlanta Braves, and at the age of 39, he responded with .302 batting average with 28 homers and 100 RBI in 141 games.

Galarraga was still a force in 2003 when he was 42 years old. He batted .301 with 19 homers and 61 RBI for the San Francisco Giants.

Dave the Rave Could Rake with Anyone

The Yankees and Padres can claim Dave Winfield as their own. He spent most of his 22-year career with those teams and compiled some impressive numbers.

Winfield had a career batting average of .283 and hit 465 home runs.  

In 1990, when he was 38, Winfield split the year with the Yankees and Angels. In 132 games he batted .267 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI.

There are a lot of young hitters who would consider that a good year.

Winfield finished his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1995 when he was 43.

Me and Julio at the Ball Yard

Julio Franco played until he was 48 years old.

That made him virtually a kid when he was 38 in 1997. He split the season with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers, batting .270 with seven homers and 44 RBI in 120 games.

Franco made his mark with the Cleveland Indians and later had a career year in 1991 with the Texas Rangers when he won the American League batting title with a .341 average. He also had 15 home runs, 78 RBI and 36 stolen bases.

He finished with a .298 career average and played until he was 48 years old.  

Gaetti Often Overlooked

Gary Gaetti spent his first nine seasons with the Minnesota Twins where he was steady, if not spectacular.

Gaetti, a third baseman by trade, would play 20 years and was well-traveled, playing for five teams after the Twins. He was with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997, when at the age of 38, he batted .251 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI in 148 games.

Gaetti finished with only a .255 career average, but his 360 home runs and 1,341 RBI attest to his ability to hit when it mattered.

As we said, this is by no means an all inclusive list of players who excelled as they approached 40.

But it shows that Derek Jeter may have a vintage year in the making.