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Ages 37-40 was much the same albeit at "only" an all-star rather than HOF level. Just under 120 games per year with a 120 OPS+.
I guess it isn't that odd, but he went from blowing out his knee in 1994 spring training to being remarkably durable '95 to '03 then a long coda missing on average 40 games a year but per at bat being incredibly…
Ages 37-40 was much the same albeit at "only" an all-star rather than HOF level. Just under 120 games per year with a 120 OPS+.
I guess it isn't that odd, but he went from blowing out his knee in 1994 spring training to being remarkably durable '95 to '03 then a long coda missing on average 40 games a year but per at bat being incredibly consistent. It seems to me that nearly all oft-injured players tend to have up and down performance too - just not Jones.
Chipper hit .364 as a 36-year-old. Only 3 players have hit for a higher average at age 36+ post-integration:
Ted Williams hit .388 in 1957 (age 38)
Tony Gwynn hit .372 in 1997 (age 37)
Barry Bonds hit .370 in 2002 (age 37)
Not a bad list! (honorable mention to Jim Eisenreich, who hit .361 in 1996 as a 37-year-old)
I haven't heard the name Jim Eisenreich in years. I did occasionally wonder what he could have become with better health care. An initial diagnosis of "stage fright" that caused him to wash out and eventually come back years later after being medicated for Tourrette's Syndrome. Fast centerfield who, in his brief time in the minors before medical issues cropped up did everything well. His eventual MLB time was fine but definitely a huge 'what if' career.
Chipper wasnt just a great all-around hitter -- he was a switch hitter who was good from both sides of the plate. I think this allowed him to age gracefully as a hitter into his 30s.
Not that this is anything but trivia ... however, I liked the tidbit that Chipper was the only switch hitter who batted. 300 for his career from both sides of the plate.
Anthony Rendon's a 1.000 hitter as a lefty, but Chipper looks safe because Rendon as a righty is only at .286.