Comments on: Best OPS+ Seasons By SS Age 37+ Since 1973

By: franco

franco — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:14:55 +0000

Omar's here twice as often as Ozzie. hmmmm.

By: David in Toledo

David in Toledo — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:06:14 +0000

It's reasonable to insist on a full season for the list. But to give props to Barry Larkin, note that in a part-season, at age 40, he hit with ops+ 101.

By: Bob M.

Bob M. — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:07:51 +0000

I never would have guessed Omar Vizquel and Ozzie Smith would have topped the list. Of course many shortstops switch positions at this stage. I bet Jeter will have an OPS+ near 98-100.

By: Steve Lombardi

Steve Lombardi — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:29:41 +0000

DavidRF-

1973 was just a line I picked.
Start of the DH. Steinbrenner came into baseball. And, that's when I started following baseball. Could have picked any other year. 1947? 1920? But, I wanted to keep it to guys that I saw play. Totally subjective.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:38:45 +0000

From 1984 to 1992, Ozzie Smith was an excellent hitter (for a shortstop) (and not counting 1990).

By: DavidRF

DavidRF — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:35:19 +0000

The cutoff dates always interest me. 1973 is the DH era?

Going back to 1961 doesn't change the top of the list... 1971-Maury Wills is the highest new entry 91... after that its Wills again the year before with just 80.

Mike is right in #2. Appling and Wagner are the only other players to crack 100. 1908-Dahlen at 94 is the only other one reasonably close.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:25:56 +0000

Interesting list... not very many names on here. For Smith, a player ripped (and largely deservedly so) for his anemic offense throughout his career, he actually has what could be considered a great offensive season, both for him, and for SS his age since 73. A bit of a surprise there.

Doesn't bode well for how historians will look back on the last bunch of years for Omar, however...

I hate to disagree with MikeD, but with the Yankees and their present slide, I see Jeter staying right at where he was last year, not the marked improvement he is calling for. That, and there are ALREADY the media reports of his changing positions.

IMO, as long as he wears the pinstripes, he's cemented at SS, no matter what the metrics, or the naked eye, suggest should happen.

By: Imbroglio21

Imbroglio21 — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 01:51:06 +0000

Here are the WAR Batting Runs for those players:

Smith ’92: 3 (tied for best)
Vizquel ’04: 1
Vizquel ‘06: 3 (tied for best)
Smith ’93: -8
Vizquel ’05 : -11
Concepcion ’85: -12
Bowa ’83: -14
Aparicio ’73: -15
Larkin ’02: -18
Vizquel ’07: -29

... and Jeter ‘10 at 36: -9.

Details : http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/ISmKt

By: Random Sports Guy

Random Sports Guy — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:43:23 +0000

By who???

By: MikeD

MikeD — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:35:36 +0000

...since 1973, I should add.

No, I don't expect Jeter to eclipse Wagner or Appling in OPS+, but a 106 is certainly within reach.