No matter how good the player, age will take its toll. | SportsonEarth.com : Joe Posnanski Article

If I were building a team from scratch (and I am in my sim league this year) I would take Hosmer and Perez. At least I would if my league’s setup wasn’t so geared to this year. :)

All of which brings us back to the original question: Who would you rather have in the middle of your lineup for the next five years—Pujols and Hamilton or Hosmer and Perez?

And I’ll just say it: I would take my chances with Hosmer and Perez. Hosmer had a terrible 22-year-old season, but he was terrific as a 21-year-old rookie, and it’s too easy to forget just how young a 22-year-old player really is. The player Hosmer reminds me of—Joey Votto—was in Double-A as a 22-year-old. Heck, Votto spent most of his age-23 season in Triple-A. I think Hosmer is going to be a masher.

And Salvy Perez? Superstar. Defensively he’s incredible—best catch-and-throw catcher in the American League right now, at 22. Offensively, he’s undisciplined, but he hit .301 with some power in a half-season—way ahead of where they thought he’d be. Sure, it’s insane to compare those meager accomplishments against two men with 630-plus homers and four MVPs and 14 All-Star appearances and ...