by Jonathan Clayton

Created on: August 27, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The absolute truthful answer to this question is....... Yes they can! Now, having made that statement. Let me clarify my answer. If we are talking about the pure physical strength of the sport. The players nearing middle age are slightly behind. But not by much! The reason being is this. The older player try's to stay in much better shape. He watches his diet. Stays in the weight room longer, and get's the proper amount of rest. Where as the younger player does not do near enough to take care of himself, as well as his skills! The reason this is the case is really quite simple. It's called the mental attitude of each individual player!

The older player knows the limits of his strength and endurance. Most younger players take their body, and their skills for granted. Simply assuming they are up for just about anything, which is true in some cases. But the greater part of the game of baseball, is entirely mental! Sure, If you're six foot six, and weigh two thirty five, you ought to be able to knock the cover off the baseball, every time your at bat! But, as we all know, this is not the case. You can just as easily knock the ball out of the park by pure finesse and technique. This is only learned by time in the game! Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. are the perfect example of this trueisim.

A younger athlete should absolutely be able to out run a player in his late thirty's, but a great deal of the time, it's knowing when to run that makes all the difference! Can a younger player out run a grounder to first? He better be able to! But the older, more experienced player will be looking where the infield players are located when he comes to bat. He will be looking for the absolute best placement of the ball, before he connects with it! Nine times out of ten, it's the placement of the hit that brings the runner into homeplate. Again my friends, this is only learned through experience!

Here is another case of experience over youth. Let's take the pitcher for example. A young pitcher may have a ninety eight mile an hour fastball. He will absolutely strike out a great deal of batters. But eventually the opposing team will time that fastball, and knock it out of the park. Bank on it! Where as a older pitcher will rely on a good curve ball, or a seventy eight mile an hour slider. Or even a seventy five mile an hour sinker. His placement is the key! I can guarantee you that an older pitcher, with a good assortment of off speed pitches, will strikeout more batters, and leave more runners on base at the end of the inning, than a young fastball pitcher ever will! The perfect example of this kind of pitcher is, Greg Maddux.

In conclusion of this article, let me just say for the record. I grew up in a baseball family.
Two of my brothers were pitchers as well as myself. Not a single one of us had a blazing fastball. But all of us had a great assortment of off-speed pitches.Curves, Sliders, and Sinkers! This simple fact allowed every single one of us to make it to the state championship games, and win!

So. Can an older baseball player compete with team mates twenty five years younger than he is? Without a doubt my friend's. Without a doubt!

Learn more about this author, Jonathan Clayton.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.