I'll list one hitter and one pitcher.
Well, I'll try to keep it to one pitcher.
Both the hitter and pitcher have ties to the Mets, sort of.
The first one, the Mets should have signed when they had the chance. The other, they should have never let get away.
BARRY BONDS
The Mets signed Bobby Bonilla from the Pirates one off season, but didn't sign Bonds the next, when no doubt he would have wanted to play for the Mets (at least that's how I remember it).
Bonds, in case you never heard of him, won 7 MVPs and finished top 5 in several more seasons.
Steroids or no, Bonds' post-35 age performance was freaky, unmatched in baseball history, really, by any hitter UNDER 35:
From 2001 to 2007, age 36 through 42, Bonds went to the plate 3,465 times and got on base an insane 1,839 times, and had an on base % for that period of .531, along with a batting average of .325.
His on base % excluding any at bats where he had hits in that period? A mind-boggling .395!
He walked 1,011 times (fanning just 350 times) and still managed to hit 268 HRs and drive in 591 runs. He even stole 43 of 49 during that period.
In his last season at age 42, in 477 PAs, he had a .480 on base %.
Simply insane. Like putting a normal major league all star into AA ball.
Now for the pitcher....
NOLAN RYAN
An astounding 2,062 innings from his age 36 season onward, with 2,220 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA.
That K total would have him 63rd on the all time list, just ahead of Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for his entire career. His 119-106 record during that period was not representative, as he experienced then, as he did throughout his career, underwhelming offensive support.
He fanned an astonishing 301 batters at age 42, and 270 at age 40.
He also threw no hitters at age 43 and age 44.
His 320 appearances over those 11 seasons included 34 complete games and 11 shutouts.
Incredible.
Except for one thing:
From age 36 forward...
Randy Johnson was BETTER!
Three post-35 years with 334 or more Ks, and one with 290 Ks.
144-79 over that 10 year period - simply sensational.
2,215 Ks in 1,927 innings, too!
ERA? 3.34, a touch higher than Ryan's.
And at age 40, he tossed a perfect game.
Except for one thing:
Warren Spahn over his last 9 seasons was 160-110.
Exclude his last 2 seasons, in which he went 13-29 (including 4-12 with a horrific Mets team), and he was a truly amazing 147-81. In that post-35 span, 157 complete games, 26 shutouts, and 10 saves.
Pick which pitcher you choose.
I will say one thing: those 4 were incredible after 35!
(Pretty darned good before 35, too).
6 comments:
You forgot me...
Mack is the all time greatest...and only slightly over 35 :)
I'm over 35. At least that's what my IQ test said :)
Reese is over 35 and producing at Hall of Fame levels.
"Steroids or no"? Steroids are the only reason Bonds had those seasons, and the reason why he should never be in the HOF or included in articles like this.
Anonymous, whoever you are, whether Bonds should be in the Hall is certainly debatable. Whether he is in my article is not. It won’t be the last time he is in one of my articles. Thank you, however, for your suggestion.
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