Hakeem averaged 19 and 10 as a 36 year old with a 23 PER. David Robinson went for 12 and 8 with a 20 PER at that same age. I just don't think guys kept it together at advanced ages back then like they do now with modern training and nutrition.
Or maybe it had to do with them playing during a time that wasn't soft. The league was WAY rougher back then. If you came down the lane you were going to be mauled or put on your @$$. Dudes could put their hands all over you (hand checks etc). You do any of this stuff now you're called for a foul, fined, thrown out of the game or suspended. Going through all of that would wear anyone down.
So did we lose some our prospects due to the age scandal or did we sign them to reduced bonuses? Especially since we recently traded away some our bonus money
I remember when I was 36. After a pickup game, my knees had a very long and painful discussion with my brain wrt playing basketball. My lower back had a similar opinion when I was about 40.
Off the top of my head: Nolan Ryan, Big Unit, Ortiz, Satchel Paige, Pujols, Honus Wagner, Nelson Cruz, Jamie Moyer, Mariano Rivera, Julio Franco, Rickey Henderson, Stan Musial, Phil Neikro, Ted Williams, etc...etc...etc... You can look up more.
Details have not come up but there were reports that Houston did lose prospects; 3 was the number mentioned in at least one place but it was not specified whether that was from this cycle or a future cycle. I pointed out upthread that several of their top bonus signings have not officially come across the transactions log yet.
PEDs change the calculation on some of those guys, and Pujols is a terrible example despite having a good last season as a part-time platoon player. Baseball players did age well back in the day though. I think increased velocity across the sport has made it much harder than it used to be, but there is always the extreme outlier (like JV).
Fwiw the 4 signings I saw confirmed online that still have not shown up on the MLB transactions page are OF Luis Rives, OF Anderson Paula, P Josue Lozano, and IF Samuel Brito. Rives and Paula were rumored to have significant bonuses.