Five veteran players who surprised us by bouncing back to have a fantastic 2016
Veterans age and fade. New rookies emerge to take their place. That is the way that baseball works. (Cue "The Circle of Life.")
Sometimes, though, the proclamations of a Major Leaguer's fade out are premature. For these five players, 2016 was a reminder that, no, they're still the best there is at what they do -- and what they do is very nice to watch.
2016: .299/.351/.521, 32 HR, 94 RBI, 88 SO, 42 BB
Last year saw the Mariners' second baseman have his worst season since a down year in 2008, when he was just 25 years old. His average dipped below .300, he struck out more than 100 times for the first time in his career and Mariners fans began to worry that the then six-time All-Star was aging prematurely.
Not so much.
After struggling with a stomach parasite in 2015, Cano has returned to play like the future Hall of Fame candidate we all know he is. His average and on-base percentage are back near his career norms and, despite playing in Safeco's spacious park, he's two home runs from setting a career-high. It's a wonder what happens when you don't have a parasite stealing your strength.
Cano even made it back to the Home Run Derby where, despite hammering out seven home runs, he lost to
2016: 12-3, 1.80 ERA, 95 IP, 10.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9
From 2005-14, Hill pitched for six teams, showing bursts of skill in between injuries. In all that time, he only topped 100 innings in a season once. After a stint with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League in 2015, the Red Sox picked him up. By an act of fate, pitching guru Brian Bannister was in Pawtucket at the time and, after looking at Hill's otherworldly, unhittable curveball, convinced him to pitch off the breaking ball instead of following conventional wisdom and working off his low-90s fastball.
That change made all the difference. It's also what allows him to leave batters flummoxed with a pedestrian heater:
Of course, you're here for the curve:
Blisters and a variety of maladies have kept Hill on the sidelines at times -- and necessitated him exiting after seven perfect innings on Saturday -- but ever since he made the Majors with the Red Sox last year, he's posted a 1.74 ERA with over four times as many strikeouts than walks.
In other words, he's the $6 million version of
2016: .275/.323/.517, 31 HR, 85 RBI, 129 SO, 39 BB
The face of the Rays and their all-time leader in WAR ended his 20s on a down note. While still a contributing hitter, his power production was troubling. Signed through 2022, the Rays may have thought this was the end of their 30 home run slugger.
Instead, Longoria is back. In a year with quite a few players making power surges, Longoria has joined the trend and gotten himself back over 30 home runs for the first time since 2013, with his slugging percentage cresting over .500 for the first time since 2012.
Not that there haven't been a few changes: Longoria is hitting fly balls at a career-high rate, and he's seemingly unconcerned with going to the opposite field. Those are the exact kinds of things someone would do if they were looking to add some dingers. Given that he's managed to do it without the rest of his numbers suffering, I think the Rays will take it.
2016: .291/.378/.498, 13 HR, 35 RBI, 52 SO, 34 BB
Built more like a barrel than a triangular Adonis, Pearce played for three different teams in 2013. His transaction history looked more like an appetizer sampler plate, and he seemed doomed to the role of a Quad-A bench bat.
But in 2014, he broke out. All the things he did in the Minors came to fruition in the big leagues, as consistent playing time led to 21 dingers and a Mike Trout-ian .930 OPS.
Then, in 2015, it all went sideways. Sure, the power was still there -- the power was always there -- but everything else cratered. The fans and pundits that said that the previous season was nothing but a mirage were proven right.
But Pearce is back. After signing for a bargain basement $5 million with the Rays, Pearce reverted to his 2014 form. It's no secret how he's done it, either: The lefty-masher had slumped to just a .191 average with four home runs in 2015. But, he's back to crushing southpaws to the tune of .329 with seven dingers in 92 plate appearances this year. Yeah, that'll do.
Of course, given that this is Pearce, it also meant another in-season move. This time, it was back to Baltimore.
2016: 14-8, 3.33 ERA, 200 IP, 9.72 K/9, 2.21 BB/9
Justin Verlander has gone full Cher and turned back time. It's something that doesn't happen often for Major League pitchers -- velocity lost is rarely regained.
The right-hander posted his lowest ERA+ in a full season at just 85 in 2014. With his velocity falling, his strikeouts dipped. At the age of 31, it looked like he may have been done being a frontline Major League starter.
While the stage was set for his comeback after a strong end to 2015, this year has seen his "Cocoon" like re-emergence. His fastball velocity is back up to 2013 levels. His strikeouts are up. He's even changed the way he's pitching, as he's throwing his changeup less than ever before and throwing his slider at a career-high level.
With a pitching-staff leading fWAR of 4.3, that the Tigers are only two games back of a Wild Card place is a testament to Verlander's return to dominance.
