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 Join Our Discord & Support The Show: PL+ | PL Pro - Get 15% off Yearly with code PODCASTProud member of the Pitcher List Fantasy Baseball Podcast Network Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.