Best DH Seasons For Greybeards

Can Lance Berkman, 37, make like Edgar Martinez and Frank Thomas by raking as a greybeard DH?Since the Yankees' Ron Blomberg stepped to the plate as Major League Baseball's first designated hitter on April 6, 1973, the DH has been a saving grace for slow-footed or injury-prone sluggers looking to prolong their careers. Case in point: Lance Berkman, who recently signed a one-year, $11 million deal with the Texas Rangers. "Big Puma" was once nimble enough to patrol center field, making circus catches on Tal's Hill. But these days, the 37-year-old's brittle knees would make his still-potent bat irrelevant if he had to cover ground in the field.

The Rangers hope that Berkman can stay healthy and at least partially make up for the loss of Josh Hamilton. It's not a totally crazy notion, considering Berkman's OPS+ over the past three seasons (139) is close to that of the Angels' latest free agent mercenary (146). If Berkman's bat remains that dangerous, he'll join an elite list of greybeard DHs. Courtesy of Baseball-Reference's Play Index Tool, here are the highest OPS+ totals posted by DHs at age 37 or older (minimum 400 plate appearances):

Rk	Player	OPS+	PA	Year	Age	Tm
1	Edgar Martinez	160	581	2001	38	SEA
2	Edgar Martinez	158	665	2000	37	SEA
3	Frank Robinson	151	630	1973	37	CAL
4	Edgar Martinez	141	603	2003	40	SEA
5	Frank Robinson	141	579	1974	38	TOT
6	Frank Thomas	140	559	2006	38	OAK
7	Edgar Martinez	139	407	2002	39	SEA
8	Ellis Burks	139	570	2002	37	CLE
9	Paul Molitor	138	516	1994	37	TOR
10	Dave Winfield	138	670	1992	40	TOR
11	Rico Carty	138	593	1978	38	TOT
12	Harold Baines	136	486	1999	40	TOT
13	Harold Baines	132	572	1996	37	CHW
14	Brian Downing	132	476	1991	40	TEX
15	Chili Davis	131	567	1997	37	KCR
16	Eddie Murray	129	480	1995	39	CLE
17	Hal McRae	129	654	1983	37	KCR
18	Brian Downing	128	590	1988	37	CAL
19	Frank Thomas	125	624	2007	39	TOR
20	Jim Thome	124	602	2008	37	CHW