OTW 240 - Respect Your Elders; Drafting Players 35 & Older

Adam Howe and Kevin Hasting break down fantasy-relevant MLB veterans who will be 35 or older in 2026, discussing why age-based discounts often go too far in drafts. Position by position, they evaluate starters, relievers, and hitters who still provide stable volume, category juice, or late-draft value—especially in NFBC-style formats. The episode emphasizes trusting skills, roles, and projections over age bias while building balanced fantasy rosters.0:00–6:30 — Episode Setup & Draft PhilosophyWhy veteran players are often overdocked due to ageCan you build a competitive roster leaning heavily on 35+ players?Format considerations (NFBC, draft-and-hold, redraft)Setting criteria: age 35+ entering 2026 season 6:30–32:00 — Veteran Starting PitchersCore discussion around innings, risk, and projection valuePlayers discussed:Chris Sale, Jacob deGrom. Cole Ragans, Hunter Greene, Max Fried, Brian Woo, Merrill Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Kyle Hendricks (historical comp), Seth Lugo, Yusei Kikuchi, Shota Imanaga SuganoKey themes:Sale and deGrom as high-impact SP1/SP2 options despite capped inningsTrusting elite ratios over raw innings totalsBackfilling innings rather than chasing 200-IP arms early“Old and boring” starters stabilizing WHIP and ERA late32:00–48:00 — Veteran Relievers & ClosersEvaluating save security vs ADP costPlayers discussed: Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, Kenley Jansen, Robert Suarez, David Bednar, Josh Hader, Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Emilio Pagán, Sean ArmstrongKey themes:Iglesias vs Chapman at costConcerns about Chapman’s WHIP and role volatilityJansen as a discount saves sourceDrafting proven closers over speculative youth48:00–1:05:00 — Infield Veterans (2B, 3B, MI)Why some aging infielders still matterPlayers discussed:Marcus Semien, José Altuve, Gleyber Torres, Jorge Polanco, Matt McLain, Nolan Arenado, Max Muncy, Josh Bell, Mauricio Dubón, Miguel Rojas, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma OkamotoKey themes:No true veteran fallback at shortstopSemien as a volume-driven safety net at 2BArenado as a last-round corner infielder targetOBP vs AVG format differences for Muncy 1:05:00–1:25:00 — Veteran Outfielders & DHsDiscounted power and lineup contextPlayers discussed:George Springer, Giancarlo Stanton, Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki, Oneil Cruz, Michael Harris II, Tommy Pham, Aaron Judge (contextual)Key themes:Springer as a mispriced leadoff hitterStanton’s power vs inconsistent playing timeUsing veterans as category specialistsStreaming vs drafting fragile bats 1:25:00–1:40:00 — Draft Strategy Wrap-UpAge bias creating consistent market inefficienciesKnowing when to push veterans above ADPFormat-driven aggressivenessTrusting projections and roles over narrative 1:40:00–1:45:00 — Closing ThoughtsSpring training and draft season approachPosition and category previews coming soonFinal endorsement of balanced veteran usage Hosts: Adam Howe | Kevin HastingSubscribe: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube | RSSJoin: PL+ | PL ProProud member of the Pitcher List Podcast Network Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.