Brian Walton
December 29, 2004
Age is a factor - Creaky Cards
By Brian Walton
With all the recent trades and signings, the Cardinals are getting longer in the tooth.The players on the current 40-man
roster, sitting at 36 in number, average 29.7 years of age. That is third highest in the game, after the Red Sox
(30.5) and the Yankees (30.6).
Looking at the projected 25-man roster based on what we know today, not surprisingly it gets worse, at 30.56 years of age on average. I assumed a roster of 12 pitchers, with the starting shortstop and second baseman open and generously allowing young Hector Luna to keep his backup role in the middle infield.
Pitchers (12): Ankiel (25), Carpenter (29), Eldred (37), Izzy (32), King (30), (Lincoln – not included – 29), Marquis (26), Morris (30), Mulder (27), Myers (35), Reyes (34), Suppan (29), Tavarez (31).
Position players (11): Diaz (31), Molina (22), Pujols (24), Rolen (29), Luna (24), Cedeno (30), Edmonds (34), Mabry (34), Sanders (37), Taguchi (35), Walker (38).
Spread by age range:
20-24: 3
25-29: 6
30-34: 9
35-39: 5
Even counting Matt Morris as a starter and Rick Ankiel as a reliever, the average age of the bullpen is an advanced 32. But, the outfield is even worse, with an average age of 34.67. Perhaps the team can live with a seven-man pen and get by with all the oldsters, but there is no way this outfield can survive the season intact.
The re-signing of So Taguchi is a feel-good story, but it weakens the bench to the point that any prolonged injury to a starter would require an immediate trade for a dependable replacement. I cannot envision a scenario wherein Cedeno, Taguchi or Mabry could hold down a regular outfield job for a pennant-winning caliber team.
