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I've said it before, and I'll repeat it here, as it directly applies to an oustanding essay ...
Players do NOT get better *because* they get older.  They get better because they learn SOMETHING.  Every word of the above article supports the likelihood that Lopez has matured, (25 is when this typically happens), and that he LEARNED to leverage his skill set much, much better.  This is a fantastic example of going to the plate WITH A PLAN.  Doesn't mean he's going up there to walk, (which would be a miserable plan for THIS hitter).
What's scary to me about this knowledge?  That this places Lopez' upside at Alfonso Soriano production levels.  What people forget about Soriano is they had his age wrong initially.  He hit 18-HR and 25-2B as a 25-year-old ROOKIE.  Lopez is likely to beat both of those numbers.  If the kid truly has Sheffield bat speed?  Yes, 40 HRs is really a possibility, even in Safeco.