There are a few players in Major League Baseball who have built a career solely on swinging the bat at a very high level.
That includes newly acquired Chicago Cubs first baseman and designated hitter, Carlos Santana. Santana is 39 years old and has more than 14 years of service time in the show, just proving how worthy he is of playing at the highest level at this stage of his career.
In Santana's career, he's hit 335 home runs and has an OPS+ of 112.
Why do teams want a 39-year-old Carlos Santana?
There's a reason why teams want him, including the contending Cubs.
It didn't come as much of a surprise that the Cubs looked to make a move like this this late in the year. Santana is a proven veteran and should help the team in the short term.
According to Santana, several factors influenced his decision. One of those factors was Craig Counsell recruiting him.
“He called me and he told me, ‘I want you here,’” Santana said, per Marquee Sports.
“He showed me a lot of respect, so that’s why I came here,” Santana said. “I have another option, but he called me, and he told me, ‘I want you here.’ And I’m here. Thank you, God.”
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Counsell also understands what it takes to play at the highest level, and despite some Cubs fans being upset with his decisions at times, it's tough to ignore the fact that Counsell has many years as a manager and player.
Players respect him, and ultimately, that’s an important part of being a skipper.