Elder Statesmen: Analyzing Five Infielders/DH

All owners want to get the next top young player.  We look at the potential, at what the player could possibly develop into.  We are willing to take the risk and hope for the best.

But what about those chiseled veterans who have been there, done that?  I’m talking about players who are age 37 or older.  I know they aren’t the sexy names, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t help a fantasy roster. 

These are all players who have been superstars before, but are now on the downside of their career.

Can they return to glory?  Let’s take a look at five Infielder/DH types at least 37 years of age who could be on your fantasy radar for 2009:

Carlos Delgado - New York Mets - 37 years old
By June 2008, it appeared that Delgado’s long run of success was finally behind him.  He suffered from a bad 2007 season and hit just .248 in the first half of ‘08.

Without warning, Delgado suddenly was revitalized, looking like the player of old.  He hit .303 with 21 HR and 64 RBI, bringing out cries that he should be the league’s MVP.  Over the season’s final three months, he went:

• July - .357, 9 HR, 24 RBI
• August - .248, 7 HR, 24 RBI
• September - .340, 8 HR, 22 RBI

It was a stunning power explosion, though that August average should give some cause for concern.  It was great that he was on fire for two months, giving him the allure of a higher average. 

He actually did the same thing in ‘07, hitting .323 in July and .321 in September.  If those are the only months he hits for a good average, he’s not going to be much help there.

Also, can we expect the same type of power?  I find it doubtful.  He should be a decent slugger, but I wouldn’t expect a 35-40 HR campaign.

It was a tremendous renaissance, but duplicating it seems unlikely.  Without excessive power, Delgado is a stretch to help fantasy owners in 2009.

Chipper Jones - Atlanta Braves - 37-years old
He celebrated an unbelievable season, flirting with a .400 average deep into June and even early July (on 7/4, he was still hitting .390). 

Yes, his .364 came courtesy of a .388 BABIP, but his ability to hit for average has never been in question.  He is a .310 career hitter and has been .324 or better each of the past three seasons.

Jones’ problem has always his inability to stay on the field.  He hasn’t appeared in over 150 games in a season since 2003, and last season seemed to struggle with every injury under the sun. 

It certainly should make fantasy owners hesitant, and know that if you grab him you are in desperate need of a very good backup.

You also need to be at least a little bit concerned with the power, as just four of his 22 HR coming after the All-Star Break.  He’s never suffered that type of falloff before, so injuries were most likely the culprit.

Still, he’s only had one 30 HR season in the past seven, and even that was just barely.  He’s not an elite power option anymore, that’s for sure.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?