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Year		Comment
2011		Carlos Delgado missed most of the season with problems in his non-surgically repaired hip and was unable to help the Sox fill their first-base needs.
2010		Delgado's strong second half in 2008 convinced the Mets to pick up his $12 million option, and he made that decision look good in the early going. Sadly, his hip was on the verge of collapse, with a bone spur and a torn labrum (the latter of which hereby is awarded the first annual Baseball Prospectus Most Popular New Injury citation). Delgado played with pain into early May and then underwent surgery. The rehabilitation was endless and when Delgado strained an oblique while running, the injury proved fatal to hopes that he would return. A free agent at this writing, Delgado is playing winter ball in the hopes of showing suitors that he can still play. Delgado was not terribly mobile before the injury and should probably be limited to DH duty, but the Mets are reportedly open to bringing him back.
2009		After already slipping badly in 2007, Delgado was hitting .229/.306/.396 almost three months into the season. Throngs of Val Pascucci backers were set to march on Shea, but in the first game of a home-and-home doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on June 27, Delgado hit two homers and doubled while setting a club record with nine RBI. From that game onward he put up a .308/.392/.626 line with 27 homers in 372 PAs, helping carry the Mets throughout the second half. The turnaround was attributed primarily to Delgado's going the other way with the high fastballs with which pitchers had been toasting him. His unexpected surge made it an easy call for the Mets to pick up his $12 million 2009 option. He's 31 homers from 500, which combined with the walk year gives Delgado plenty of incentive.
2008		Last year was Delgado's age-35 season, but he looked more like 45. Coming off elbow and wrist surgery over the winter, Delgado developed a sore neck in spring training, and during the season he hyper-extended his left knee, strained a hip, then finished the season with a fractured hand. Even if healthy, Delgado needs a platoon partner and another ballpark-he has struggled at Shea Stadium in both seasons as a Met. After a dreadful April, Delgado shaped up enough to hit .274/.348/.489 the rest of the way. Those numbers are below average for a NL first baseman, but unless Delgado moves into a more favorable environment, they would seem to be his best-case scenario for the near term. This from a player that is going to cost the Mets $20 million this year: $16 million for the final year of his contract and, barring some sort of miracle return to form, $4 million to buy out his 2009 option at the end of the year and make him go away.
2007		As with Beltran, the home fans didn`t see the best of Delgado last year--he batted .304/.390/.608 on tour but just .226/.331/.487 in soon-to-be dismantled Shea Stadium. The Marlins kick in $2 million of his $13.5 million salary this year, and $4 million of his $16 million in 2008, so although the contract was designed to be backloaded, it doesn`t work out that way for the Mets. Delgado`s season was terrific by the standards of Mets first basemen in the post-John Olerud era, but a bit less than his best. Delgado`s 2006 level of play seems representative of his true level of ability, making a reversion to his 2003/2005 form unlikely. That should nevertheless be enough for the Mets over the final two years of his contract.
2006		Shea Stadium isn`t going to hurt him anymore than Dolphins Stadium did, and that wasn`t much. There is no doubt that in the short term he will be the best first baseman the Mets have had since John Olerud left town. We can speculate on two potential problems: First, Delgado`s defense is scary bad and it`s not likely to get any better. Second, he`s signed through 2008, with a club option for 2009. Many of his PECOTA comps are guys like Luzinski and Powell, players whose careers didn`t have big second acts or soft landings. It could be that the Mets will be back in the first base hunt sooner than they think.
2005		He's still an excellent hitter. Delgado's 2004 line was killed by his attempts to play through a rib-cage injury. He spent June on the disabled list, then came back to hit .305/.408/.625 after the All-Star break. His overall numbers and the perception that he was overpaid the last few years in Toronto have diminished the market for him. Still, with the Mets and Marlins reportedly bidding—one report had the Fish offering three years, $35 million—The Slender One may not be a bargain.
2004		The second-best season for the greatest Blue Jay of all time. It was a superb ramp-up to the last year of his contract, but a major part of the difference was that Delgado significantly improved his hitting against lefties, reaching .284/.395/.475 against them after hitting .246/.338/.433 and .238/.325/.360 vs. LH the previous two seasons. The real question is whether he's going to be able to be pleased by the Jays under the game's new economics. The Jays are smart enough to know that a 30-something first baseman?no matter how good?isn't worth the $18.5 million he'll make in 2004. He also has a no-trade clause though, so he won't be flipped for goodies at the deadline.
2003		The grand prize winner in Gord Ash’s Big Buck Bonanza after the 2000 season. While the new regime would love to move the remaining $36 million owed Delgado, the simple fact is that he is comfortable in Toronto and has a no-trade clause he won’t waive. The good news is that he’ll continue to be one of the top 15 hitters in the league over the final two years of the deal. Delgado has deteriorated against southpaws (.238/.325/.360 last year), to the point where Tosca should remove him from the lineup and spot Josh Phelps at first base once a week.
2002		When heads start rolling, the finger pointing follows. With Delgado suffering an off-year and carrying the team’s heftiest contract, many digits were aimed his way in the off-season. Being the best player on the Blue Jays’ roster wasn’t enough; management expected him to take responsibility for everybody else’s performance as well. Most of Delgado’s problems last year were due to his struggles against left-handers—his OPS against southpaws fell nearly 180 points from his 1998-2000 performance. There is nothing in Delgado’s peripheral numbers to suggest he won’t return a monster in 2002.
2001		It's interesting to note that in a season in which Carlos Delgado's defensive reputation improved, his Prospectus Fielding Runs score continued its decline. Of course, a .363 EqA means that no one is really talking about Delgado's defense. Delgado is a complete hitter, comparable to what Frank Thomas was throughout the 1990s. The Wilton projection looks pessimistic; another 100 extra-base-hit season is unlikely, but a performance closer to a .360 EqA seems within reach.
2000		About as consistent a power threat as you can ask for, Delgado continues to improve his game each season. His defense, once a disaster, has become passable, and he’s gotten better at hitting left-handers every year that he’s been a regular. He’s a younger, more lithe Mo Vaughn. In something of a surprise, the Jays re-signed Delgado to a three-year deal worth about $36 million.
1999		Delgado's fast comeback was a huge surprise, and he went on to enjoy his best season yet. For sluggers, doing this at this age isn't extraordinary. He's consistently improved parts of his game; in '98 he started hitting left-handers well, and worked his way to being adequate in the field. Statistically, the expectation should be that he won't be much better than he's been, but I can't shake the feeling that he's going to have a better career than your typical slow slugger.
1998		The years he lost to organizational silliness will cost him a chance at some career milestones. Delgado has great power to all fields, and his improvement against left-handers continued in 1997. Development from this point will be comparable to Mo Vaughn’s, with some average traded for some power.
1997		Exhibit A on how not to treat a top prospect. Delgado came up in ’94 and was red hot. When the inevitable adjustment period came, the Blue Jays lacked the fortitude to ride it out, and Delgado was undone with extended time on the bench sprinkled with three weeks of spot starts. Then the organization decided it needed to show it was serious about the season by playing Mike Huff. Delgado was demoted, and was allowed to show that he still had nothing left to learn in the minors for almost two years before the team finally, grudgingly, handed him the lineup slot that should have been his all along. His days at catcher or in the outfield are over; he’ll either get first base if the Jays come to their senses about Joe Carter or continue to DH.
1996		Should be the DH on the 1996 team, but seems to be undergoing serious transitional problems to the major leagues. His struggles in winter ball are also worrisome. However, his upside is tremendous and he really dominated AAA last year. The Jays should certainly give him a shot, because he could be the best hitter on their team. With the departure of Molitor, I don't see how the Jays can't let Delgado get 400-500 at bats this year.

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