Harry Dunne said:
Nice, that cuts deep.
I like Beltre and he is a product of that era - I feel no different about his Hall of Fame chances than I do Bagwell or Biggio. I wouldn't have posted just to talk trash but I think it's funny that people are amazed he can play so well into his late 30s.
Just don't think we are going to see too many guys all jacked up having their best years in their 30s and playing into their 40s like we used to. That article explains a lot.
Same suspicion for Hank Aaron?
Aaron:
Ages 30-34 seasons: 34 HR; 101 RBI; .303/.370/.537
Ages 35-39 seasons: 41 HR; 101 RBI; .299/.396/.601
Beltre:
Ages 30-34 seasons: 27 HR; 89 RBI; .306/.350/.518
Ages 35-39 seasons: 20 HR; 80 RBI; .299/.358/..485
There's been no suspicion around baseball that Beltre ever used PED's. His averages dropped as one would expect of an aging player, but they stayed strong which one would expect of an all-time great player as well. Instead of PED's, could the simple fact that he went from traditional pitchers parks to more hitter-friendly stadiums have been a more likely factor in the strength of his numbers down the stretch of his career?
It's not uncommon for great players to play solid baseball deep into their careers. That typically is what distinguishes HOF players from those destined for the Hall of Very Good.