Photographic Evidence of Real R.J. Anderson

For years now, the exact identity of former FanGraphs contributor (now of mortal enemy Baseball Prospectus) R.J. Anderson has been a subject of no little speculation.

Was he a 13-year-old boy, as some suspected? Was he a cyborg created by other FanGraphs writer Dave Allen? Was he both the father and son of Rays VP Andrew Friedman?

Thanks to DRaysBay and RotoGraphs contributor Erik Hahmann, however, the mystery of R.J. Anderson’s true self has been demystified. Hahmann recently attended a Rays game with Jonah Keri and some other stone-cold nerds — including Anderson himself.

Regard, photographic evidence (courtesy of Hahmann):

In fact, Anderson is a tambourine-playing pensioner. Who knew?

Although, come to think of it, some of Anderson’s articles give it away. For example, in a bizarre aside from an article dated September 2009, Anderson wrote, “I generally have to pee four or five times a night.” And last June he wrote, “My grandchildren are my whole life to me.”

And then, of course, there’s the fact that he lives in Florida, at all — the population of which state is 98% geriatric. That’s just facts, people.