In the last 100 years, there have been 18 outfielders who have had multiple seasons worth more than 3 WAR after turning 36. Just four of them have come since 2000. Now, those four were Barry Bonds, Moises Alou, Kenny Lofton, and Steve Finley, so it’s possible that being the type of person who would consider playing with the Giants augers well for post-36 excellence. But it’s far more likely for an old-timer to disintegrate completely than it is for him to put up more than one good season.
Whichever team pays Bautista will be paying for more than one good season.
Jose Bautista is coming off his worst season in years
His .234/.366/.452 line was his worst since transforming into Super Bautista in 2010. It’s a blip when you’re 30. It’s a red flag when you’re 35.
Plus, there are signs that he’s not that hard to pitch to at the moment:
It’s out of this meeting that the scouting report against Jose Bautista was born. The scouting report against Bautista went like this: a steady diet of breaking balls, and nothing on the inner-half.
It worked, and he looked awful in the ALCS. This probably isn’t going to change next year.
Jose Bautista is a designated hitter, not an outfielder
He used to be a fine outfielder with a marvelous arm. But shoulder surgery and age has sapped his defensive talents and made him a liability, especially for a National League team.
