Using the PI game finder, which limits us to games since 1919 we can find the oldest pair of starters at each position for a given game. For our purposes, "oldest" will be defined as the highest age which was reached by both players in the game (as opposed to the sum of their ages).
Pitchers
Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | Pit | Str | GSc | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jamie Moyer | 44.245 | PHI | W 12-4 | GS-7 ,W | 6.2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 122 | 72 | 45 | 0.040 | |
David Wells | 44.062 | SDP | L 4-12 | GS-5 ,L | 4.1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 79 | 50 | 20 | -0.401 |
Close Calls: While this was the only game with two 44 year old starting pitchers, the 2007 season featured the only 4 games since 1919 in which both starting pitchers were at least 43 years old. Randy Johnson mixed it up along with Moyer and Wells for part of that season.
Catchers
Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | GDP | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bob Boone | 42.290 | KCR | L 0-3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.018 | |
Carlton Fisk | 42.253 | CHW | W 3-0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.116 |
Close Calls: The last of four 1990 meetings as opposing starters by the 42 year old catchers.
First Base
05/10/2003 SFG@ATLPlayer | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andres Galarraga | 41.326 | SFG | L 3-6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.233 | |
Julio Franco | 44.260 | ATL | W 6-3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.032 |
Close Calls: The last of six match-ups by the duo as 41+ year-olds.
Second Base
08/16/2007 HOU@LADPlayer | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | GDP | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Craig Biggio | 41.245 | HOU | L 2-6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.029 | |
Jeff Kent | 39.162 | LAD | W 6-2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.177 |
Close Calls: The last of 4 matchups by the elderly second basemen.
Third Base
Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | HBP | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Davey Lopes | 41.062 | CHC | L 1-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.061 | |
Graig Nettles | 41.318 | SDP | W 2-1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.004 |
Close Calls: The latter of 2 games on consecutive days.
Shortstop
08/29/1948 CHW@PHA Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luke Appling | 41.149 | CHW | W 7-2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Skeeter Webb | 38.299 | PHA | L 2-7 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Close Calls: Appling and Webb both started the first game as well, but by the time second game had rolled around both players were older. Other games that featured 38+ year old shortstops included Rabbit Maranville/Dave Bancroft (2) and Jimmy Austin/Terry Turner.
Left Field
05/09/2007 NYM@SFGRk | Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | WPA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
55 | Moises Alou | 40.310 | NYM | W 5-3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.116 |
56 | Barry Bonds | 42.289 | SFG | L 3-5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.046 |
Close Calls: The last of a three game series involving the two quadragenarians. Other games included a matchup between Willie McGee and Rickey Henderson in 1999, as well as one between McGee and Otis Nixon that same year.
Center Field
Player | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rickey Henderson | 39.204 | OAK | L 7-8 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.080 | |
Otis Nixon | 39.189 | MIN | W 8-7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.108 |
Right Field
07/16/1991 BAL@CALPlayer | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dwight Evans | 39.255 | BAL | L 1-2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.149 | |
Dave Winfield | 39.286 | CAL | W 2-1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -0.063 |
Close Calls: There have been 19 games in which both starting right fielders were at least 39 years old. This includes 2 games with Willie McGee and Tony Gwynn in 1999, 5 games with Dwight Evans and Dave Winfield in 1991, a single game with Lee Lacy and Reggie Jackson in 1987 and 11 games from 1934. Those 1934 games involved Babe Ruth pitted against Sam Rice 9 times and twice against Bing Miller. Ruth rarely finished those games (or many others) in his last season for the Yankees. (Check out this 1934 see-saw battle. It must have been something.)
Designated Hitter
09/18/1992 TEX@TORPlayer | Age | Tm | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | WPA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brian Downing | 41.345 | TEX | L 0-13 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.001 | |
Dave Winfield | 40.351 | TOR | W 13-0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.154 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Close Calls: While no game has featured two starting DHs that were both at least 41 years old, there have been 32 games with both players past their 40th birthdays including the following pairings:
Ken Griffey, Matt Stairs. 2008 Matt Stairs / Frank Thomas (2), Rafael Palmeiro/ Ellis Burks , Rickey Henderson / Harold Baines , Wade Boggs / Paul Molitor (3), Molitor / Eddie Murray(4), Andre Dawson/Dave Winfield, Winfield/ George Brett (4), Winfield/Brian Downing (3), Winfield/Carlton Fisk, Downing/DaveParker(6), Darrell Evans/Reggie Jackson, Rico Carty/Carl Yastrzemski (2), Hank Aaron/Frank Robinson (2)
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