Carlos Beltran Reaches Elite Milestone

During the St. Louis Cardinals’ loss to the Kansas City Royals Friday night, Carlos Beltran pulled off what no other switch hitter ever has.

But, really, the milestone has little to do with his bat.

With a stolen base in the second inning (his seventh of the season), the outfielder became the first switch hitter in Major League history to accumulate 300 steals and 300 home runs.  And, overall, he became just the the eighth player overall to achieve the feat.

Incredibly, there are only nine switch hitters who have 300 career home runs (Beltran has 321), and of those nine, only Mickey Mantle had any sort of history on the base paths.

He finished his career with 153 career steals.

Paul Konerko Reaches Home Run Milestone

He's already off to a great start this season...so why not add in a milestone.

Wednesday, Paul Konerko became just the 48th player in Major League history to reach 400 career home runs when he sent a Grant Balfour offering deep to left to force extra innings against the Oakland Athetics.

And the best part...he did it in grand fashion. 

The milestone homer was also the slugger's 2000th hit in a Chicago White Sox uniform.  Konerko sits ninth among active players in home runs...or eighth if you don't count Manny Ramirez.

Happy 40th Birthday Chipper!

Sure, he's not the oldest guy in the league (we all know who holds THAT distinction), but I think it's fair to say that Chipper Jones is having one heck of a birthday.

Matter of fact, the Atlanta Braves third baseman celebrated his 40th birthday Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers in pretty much the same way he's celebrated most of his birthdays in the league...he caught fire.

Thirteen times, Jones has played on his birthday (April 24) and in those games, he's batted .429 (21-for-49) with five home runs and 11 RBI.  And his team, they've done alright too...going 11-2 along the way!

Oh, about those five home runs.  Yeah...that ties Jones with Todd Helton with the most birthday roundtrippers among active players.  We'll have to wait until August 20 to see if "The Toddfather" can get his sixth.

So, Jones does well on his birthday...cool.  But how does he do the day after?  As it turns out...not so shabby.

In fourteen April 25 games, the future Hall of Famer has hit .333 (18-for-54) with two homers.

2012 is Full of Milestones for A-Rod

The upcoming season brings us a bunch of milestones on the horizon for both the National League and the American League.  That said, there’s one guy out there that is a walking milestone tracker.

Alex Rodriguez.

The New York Yankees superstar has been creeping up all-time greatest lists for a while now and beginning next week, he continues his assault.

1997

Alex Rodriguez needs just ten RBI to move into tenth place on the all-time list.  Should he reach 104 RBI and get to 1997 for his career, he’ll surpass Barry Bonds and be behind just Hank Aaron (2297), Babe Ruth (2213) and Cap Anson (2075).  Not a bad jump for a 36-year-old.

660

Assuming he can bounce back from his 2011 injuries, A-Rod will have a legit chance of passing Willie Mays and become fourth all-time on the home run list.  Rodriguez enters the season with 629 homers, one behind Ken Griffey Jr. and a mere 31 behind Mays’ 660.

500

In addition to his home-run and RBI milestones, the three-time MVP needs just five doubles to reach 500 for his career. When he hits that mark, he would become just the fifth player ever with 600 home runs and 500 doubles, joining the impressive company of Hank Aaron (755 home runs/624 doubles), Barry Bonds (762/601), Willie Mays (660/523) and Babe Ruth (714/506).

88

A milestone that no one talks about is A-Rod’s place on the all-time strikeout list.  Dude enters the season seventh all-time with 1917 whiffs.  With 88 Ks, he’ll reach 2004…and end the season fourth all-time.

65

Alex Rodriguez starts 2012 15^th all-time with 1824 runs scored.  After he crosses the plate for the 65^th time, Rodriguez will leapfrog into tenth place all-time.

40

2011 saw Alex Rodriguez with a career low 37 extra base hits.  With 40 extra base hits, he’ll move into 6^th all-time.

4

And because it’s already been announced that the Yankees thirdbaseman will be at WrestleMania 28 this Sunday, it warrants mention that his girlfriend, former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson, will be making her fourth WrestleMania appearance.  She appeared in the ring three times (at WrestleMania XX, 22 and XXV…yes, that’s what they’re called), but this year, she’ll be ringside in Miami live blogging the event.

Ten American League Milestones to Watch For

With the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season just around the corner, it’s time to check out some upcoming milestones. And unlike years in the past where The Hall has broken down the leagues division by division…we’re going league-by-league.

Yesterday, we took a look at the milestones on the horizon in the National League.  But today…it’s all about the American League!

2500
Last year, New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter entered the season on the cusp of 3000 career hits. This year, we’re not as lucky. The most exciting hitting milestone involves Ichiro Suzuki. The Seattle Mariners outfielder is 72 hits from 2500. Why is that cool? Should the perennial All-Star get those in his first 36 games…he would become the second fastest all-time to reach 2500 hits. Also on the docket for Ichiro…with another 200-hit season, he’ll have a record breaking 11 seasons with 200-plus base knocks.

712
On May 15, 2003, the Boston Red Sox faced the Texas Rangers in front of a packed house.  711 games later...they're still playing to a sold out stadium.  And while 2012 marks 100 years of the BoSox at Fenway Park, 712 consecutive sellouts is pretty darn impressive.  Heck, it bests the second longest streak by more than 250 games!

400
Chicks dig the longball, right? No? Maybe?!? Well, if that’s still true, they’re going to love following three American League sluggers as they approach 400 career home runs. Chasing down the milestone…Paul Kornerko (who enters 2012 with 396), David Ortiz (378) and Adam Dunn (365).

200
New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia has an outside chance of reaching 200 victories this season. Sure, he’s going to need to channel Justin Verlander and win 24 games, but with some run support…the big lefty could pull it off.

192
Derek Jeter already has 3000 career hits…now it’s time for the New York Yankees legend to move up the ladder. The shortstop enters the season with 3088 hits and should he duplicate last season’s output (162 hits), he’ll jump from 20th all-time to 13th…right between Eddie Murray (3255) and Nap Lajoie (3242)

191
No one is going to argue with you if you said that Adam Dunn’s first season with the Chicago White Sox was awful. Lost in his dismal .159 batting average were his 177 strikeouts in just 122 games. Entering 2012, the “Big Donkey” is 191 strikeouts away from becoming the fastest player to ever reach 2000 career whiffs. And before you think it isn’t possible…he’s K’d 191 or more times three other times in his career.

13
Should Octavio Dotel make the roster for the Detroit Tigers (and he will), he’ll be pitching for his record 13th team. The 38-year-old righty is currently tied with Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs and Ron Villone.

12
With Tony LaRussa out of the picture, Detroit Tigers skipper Jim Leyland enters 2012 as the wins leader among active managers with 1588. With 12 victories, he’ll not only reach 1600, but he will surpass Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda who sits 17th all-time with 1599 wins.

7’1”
It's times like these that I am glad that Disney no longer has anything to do with the ownership of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Because if they did...we'd be subjected to them knocking the cobwebs off Shawn Bradley, dressing him up in a baseball uniform and throwing him on the silver screen Gheorghe Muresan-style to play 7’1” pitcher Loek Van Mil. Should the big righty get called up by the Halos...he'll enter the Majors, not only as the game's tallest player ever, but also the first seven-footer baseball has ever seen.

3
And speaking of the Angels…Bobby Abreu has a chance to make some history this season. The veteran is seven stolen bases shy of 400 for his career and 16 home runs away from 300. If he reaches those milestones, he’ll become just the third player (and the first not named Bonds) to hit 300 home runs and steal 400 bases.


 

Ten National League Milestones to Watch For

With the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season just around the corner, it’s time to check out some upcoming milestones. And unlike past years when The Hall has broken down the season division by division…we’re going league-by-league.

Up first…the National League!

2598
With 604 career home runs, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Jim Thome is going to continue to move up the all-time home run list with every mighty swing of the bat. Almost more impressive is what he’s on the cusp of doing with every swing…and miss. The veteran enters 2012 second all-time in strikeouts with 2487. With increased playing time, Thome has an outside chance to pass Reggie Jackson on the all-time list. He would need 111 Ks.

300
After just seven seasons in the Majors, Ryan Howard is quickly climbing the active home run list. The Philadelphia Phillies first baseman is looking to return from injury and reach the 300 career home runs. The perennial MVP candidate is 14 long flies away from the milestone.

200
And speaking of the Philadelphis Phillies…ace Roy Halladay is a dozen wins away from reaching the 200. This past season, the big righty got his 12th victory shortly after the All-Star break. Also chasing down 200 career victories is Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson. Dude enters the season at 181.

88
Quietly, Dusty Baker is second in wins among all active managers and, should the Cincinnati Reds reach 88 wins…dude will leap frog a couple of Hall of Famers on the all-time list. Baker currently sits at 1484 wins…right behind Clark Griffith (1491) and Dick Williams (1571).

50
The 2012 season will also mark the 50th anniversary for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros. To celebrate their golden anniversary, the Mets will don 50th anniversary patches in place of the Mets skyline logo on their left sleeves. The Astros’ anniversary, on the other hand, looks to be a bittersweet one. Season number 51 will open with them in the American League.

49 years, 4 months and 18 days
If Jamie Moyer makes the Opening Day roster for the Colorado Rockies, he’ll start the season just north of 49 years of age. If/when he wins a game…he will become the oldest player ever to win a Major League game. Jack Quinn was 49 years, two months and 12 days old when he won his last game in 1932. On another note…15 members of the Rockies 40-man roster were born after Moyer’s big league debut.

10
More Roy Halladay? Yup. With an Opening Day start, Halladay will have started ten straight season openers. How has he fared you ask? Dude is 4-3 with a 3.75 ERA and 46 strikeouts in his previous nine Opening Day appearances between the Toronto Blue Jays and his current team, the Philadelphia Phillies.

9
Being the setup man to Milwaukee Brewers closer John Axford will certainly hinder Francisco Rodriguez from getting any saves, but should “K-Rod” get a few opportunities here and there, he’ll become the 23rd reliever in baseball history with 300 saves.

6
Here’s a fun one. Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton has hit five career home runs on his birthday. Should he go deep on August 20 he’ll get his sixth and break a tie with Al Simmons and Derrek Lee in that category.

4
Miami Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco is just four wins away from becoming the team’s all-time franchise leader with 68. Coincidentally, he’s also four losses away from becoming the franchise leader in that category with 55.

Tomorrow...we'll take a look at the American League!

Ten Things About Tim Wakefield

When Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield announced his retirement Friday it marked the end of an era.

For 19 seasons, we've watched his knuckleball flutter and baffle opponents to the tune of 200 career victories.  And, sure, it took a slew of starts this past season to get to that mark, but when he did...the 45-year-old became just the seventh knuckleballer (Phil Niekro, Ted Lyons, Joe Niekro, Charlie Hough, Jesse Haines and Eddie Cicotte were the others) to do it.
Here are ten more things about Tim Wakefield that you might not have known.

2010
After being up for the Roberto Clemente Award seven times, Wakefield finally took home the award on his eighth and final nomination in 2010.

186
Of dude's 200 wins, 186 of them came with the Red Sox...placing him third all-time with the club.  Ahead of the knuckleballer, pitching immortals Cy Young and Roger Clemens with 192 apiece.

186
Over the course of his 19-year big league career, Wakefield plunked 186 batters...ranking him seventh all-time.  Twice (in 1997 and 2001), he led the league in hit batsmen.

146
In Tim Wakefield's Major League debut, he threw 146 pitches.  While a high pitch count isn't that out of character for a knuckleballer, his pitching line was.  The rookie threw a complete game shutout...striking out ten St. louis Cardinals in the process.

.117
Even though the right handed pitcher was a record breaking hitter while in college for the Florida Tech Panthers (more on that later), Wakefield only managed at .117 career batting average.  In 1993, he hit his only big league home run when he took Houston Astros righty (and eventual Red Sox teammate) Mark Portugal deep.

97
Of all the pitchers that have taken to the mound at Fenway Park since it opened, only seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens (100) has more victories at the century old stadium than Wakefield's 97.

44 years, 282 days
When the knuckleballer relieved John Lackey on May 11, 2011, he became, at 44 years, 282 days...the oldest player to ever appear for the Red Sox.

40
In 1987, then-first baseman Tim Wakefield set a Florida Tech record with 22 home runs and 71 RBI.  Over his career, the one-time Panther hit a school-high 40 dingers.

15
On August 10, 1999...Wakefield struck out four Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning to become just the fifteenth American League pitcher to accomplish the task.  Incidentally, then-Anaheim Angels pitcher Chuck Finley accomplished the feat twice in the same season.

2
Possibly more important than any of these other numbers...Wakefield is a two-time World Champion.  The veteran was a member of both the 2004 and 2007 Boston Red Sox teams.

Ten Things About Mariano Rivera's 602 Saves

I'll make this short.

With a save in Monday's 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is now the all-time saves leader with 602.

Here are ten things about Rivera's 602 saves.

110
Since Mariano Rivera inherited the New York Yankees closer’s job prior to the 1997 season, there have been 110 saves tallied by other members of the bullpen.  Now, while that sounds like a lot, consider this…Rivera has 597 by comparison.

89.32%

Of the number of Major League records that Mariano Rivera holds…this is one of the more impressive.  Say what you want about the value of saves, but dude has closed out close to 90% of all the save opportunities he’s had.

68

In Mariano Rivera’s time as a member of the Yankees, he’s closed out a number of games for a number of different pitchers.  The pitcher that he’s been paired up with the most on the win/save ledger…Andy Pettitte.  Of Pettitte’s 203 wins in pinstripes, Rivera saved 68 of them.

60

Trivia time!  Two of Mariano Rivera’s record 602 saves have been one pitch saves.  The most pitches he’s thrown to get the save came August 23, 1996 when he threw 60.

51

In May 2010, mariano Rivera tied Eric Gagne for the most consecutive saves at home with 51.  Sure, it isn’t a Major League record, but given the Bombers play in, arguably, the toughest division in baseball…51 straight at The Stadium is impressive.

42

Sure, sure, 602 career saves is great and all…but how many did Mariano Rivera have in the postseason?  Answer.  42…with 11 of them coming in the World Series.

25
We all know Mariano Rivera enters Yankees Stadium to “Enter Sandman”, right?  Sure, that’s been documented plenty.  But did you know that the album the track comes from (“Metallica” by Metallica) is the 25th best-selling album of all-time in America?

12
Due to injury, Mariano Rivera saved a career-worst 28 saves in 2002.  But picking up the slack was Steve Karsay.  Karsay, incidentally, recorded his only saves as a member of the Yankees during the time Rivera was on the shelf.

4
Let’s break this down.  Mariano Rivera now has a record 602 regular season saves, 42 postseason saves and, four All-Star Game saves.  Anyone who says “saves don’t matter” haven’t watched the 648 games that have been watched with Rivera left standing on the mound.

1

And speaking of the “saves don’t matter” crowd…here’s some fuel for their fire.  21 times Mariano Rivera came in to secure the victory by only facing one batter.

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Mariano Saves Number 600

Baseball sure does like its round numbers doesn't it?

On the same night that Boston's Tim Wakefield became the 108th pitcher to win 200 games and Tampa Bay's Johnny Damon became just the ninth member of the 200/400 (home runs/steals) club comes this...New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is now only the second pitcher to reach 600 saves.

"It's a great number," Rivera told reporters following the game. "I'm not a guy who looks for things like that."

The master of the cutter joined fellow future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman after closing out the Bombers 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners Tuesday night

"I don't know if we'll ever see it again. That's how much of an accomplishment this is that he and Trevor Hoffman have done. Simply remarkable," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "This is a guy who I believe is the best closer that's ever been in the game and I've had the fortune of catching him, coaching him and managing him and it's a treat."

Up next for Rivera is Hoffman's all-time record of 601 saves.  After that, when he reaches 602...the saves record will be his for, probably, ever.

But hey, let's not talk just about 600 saves...what else has Rivera done to secure his spot in Cooperstown?

• 12-time All-Star (1997, 1999-2002, 2004-2006 and 2008-2011)
• Five-time World Series champion (1996, 1998-2000 and 2009)
• 1999 World Series MVP Award
• 2003 AL Championship Series MVP Award
• All-time leader in postseason saves with 42
• All-time leader in games finished
• One of two pitchers to record at least 40 saves in eight separate seasons
• One of two pitchers to record at least 50 saves in two separate seasons

I'm going to stop now, because something tells me this post could go on for a while otherwise.

  

Tim Wakefield Locks Down 200th Win

What's the old saying..."the ninth time is the charm"?

Something tells me that if you asked Tim Wakefield, that would be the answer.

Tuesday night, the Boston Red Sox knuckleballer notched his 200th career victory with an 18-6 rout over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 45-year-old Wakefield is the 108th pitcher to reach the milestone.  Since 1900, only 89 have reached the mark...and just 69 have done it since 1920.

Currently, he sits third all-time among Red Sox hurlers with 185 career wins in Boston. 

Who is he trailing?

A couple of guys you might have heard of before...Cy Young and Roger Clemens.  Each of them collected 192 victories while playing in BeanTown.

Dale Murphy Talks Chipper Jones

It's natural for a ballplayer, any ballplayer really, that, once they finish their career...they go on to talk about it on a daily basis.

Many get paid handsomely to do it (i.e. Nomar Garciaparra, Harold Reynolds, etc.).

Plenty don't.  And I guess that's what the internet it for.

One of the more recent entries into the whole social media fray is two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy and, suffice it to say, the former Atlanta Braves superstar has a few thoughts about his former team and, namely, Chipper Jones.

Read!

Lately a few people have asked me about Chipper and whether he can get to 500 home runs. I definitely think he has a chance at 500, seeing as how he’s sitting at 450 right now. If he comes back next year (and I think he’s already announced that he will), he could be even healthier than he was this year (he was recuperating in spring training this year, if you remember). In fact, not only do I think he could he get to 500 home runs, but I think he could get to 3,000 hits and finish his career with some truly impressive numbers (either way, he’s still a Hall of Famer, no question about it).

I'm with Murphy on the Hall of Fame thing...Jones will, without a doubt, get in on the first ballot. Dude is, along with Eddie Murray and Mickey Mantle one of the best switch hitters of all-time.

But, I'm not buying the whole 3000 hits and 500 homers prediction.

Consider this.

Jones is currently 39-years-old (he'll turn 40 three weeks into next season) and, basically, 400 hits and 50 homer shy of the milestones. Or, essentially, the same amount of hits and homers as the 1999 National League MVP has hit since the 2008 All-Star break.

Yes, I know the guy has been injured. But it isn't like a 40-year-old thirdbaseman is going to get more durable as he gets older.

Plus...it isn't like you can put him at first a la George Brett and prolong his legacy given the Braves have a bonafide stud in Freddie Freeman already occupying the position.

So, let me hear it, gang. Do you agree with me or one Dale Bryan Murphy? And, no, no hearts will be broken if you side with Murph...the guy is an '80s baseball immortal.

Happy Anniversay, Kuip!

On this date in 1977, Cleveland Indians second baseman (and current San Francisco Giants broadcaster) Duane Kuiper hits the one and only home run of his 12-season major league career.

The "blast" comes off of Steve Stone of the Chicago White Sox, in the second inning of the Tribe's 9-2 victory at "The Mistake On The Lake". Two other Indians homer off of Stone in the same inning...first baseman Andre Thornton (an inside-the-parker) and left fielder Bruce Bochte.

Here's the boxscore!

Suffice it to say, "Kuip" has probably called more home runs in the last few days than he ever hit.

Friends of The Hall, Cardboard Gods author Josh Wilker and Larry Granillo from Baseball Prospectus have both written about Kuiper in the past year or so.  You can read their pieces by, as luck would have it...clicking their names.

***Knowledge courtesy of Dan Epstein from Big Hair & Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball In The 1970s.***

Chipper Jones is Coming Back, Gang!

Hey Atlanta Braves fans...don't book your July 2017 trips to Cooperstown just yet...Chipper ain't done.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Chipper Jones is playing in 2012.

“I’m playing next year,” the 1999 National League MVP said Friday. “I still feel like I can go out there and play a good third base and be a threat, at least, at the plate."

Two hours later, he hit a home run for the second night in a row.

With 448 home runs, Jones is adding to career numbers that have already earned him the distinction of being the only switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to have a .300-plus batting average, 400 bombs and 1500 RBI.

“I take a lot of pride in those numbers,” Jones said. “Those are awfully big numbers over an 18-year career. But that’s not what drives me. I want to punctuate my career helping these guys win a championship.”

Jim Thome Quietly Reaches Milestone

Shhhh.  You hear that?

That's the silence surrounding Jim Thome's 600th home run.

You see, Monday night, Thome did what plenty of others attempting to reach major milestones couldn't. 

He didn't milk his pending accomplishment.

Long story short, he took four months of the season to get within two home runs of 600, then, nearly two weeks later...knocked out homers 599 and 600 in the same game.

Well.  Done.

In all honesty, Thome has been a great guy for this site.  Allow me to explain.

Or for some of you...re-hash the tale.

Nearly two years I wrote the following and a powder keg was ignited.

There you have it...Thome is very good, not great. Hall of Famer? Perhaps…but not on the first couple of ballots.

To this day (and especially after dude's most recent achievement), Google directing people (mostly those who look for information on "Jim Thome and steroids" or "Jim Thome and the Hall of Fame") in droves to a little post where I suggested that the man might not make it into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.

My reason was simple.

His home run total, while incredible, will not be as eye popping five years after Thome's retirement. Basically, we’ve got a guy who smacked the Hell out of the ball, but was never the most dominant, much less feared, player of his era. And because of that, he'll get lost in the mix.

Since then, he's hit 102 more home runs and is one of eight players to have reached the 600 home run mark.  And, while I still believe it (to an extent)...I'll gladly eat my words.

I'm ready to take the heat.

So, to the chimps over at Baseball Think Factory...bring it on. I can take it.

Now...watch Jim Thome dressed up as Paul Bunyan!

More on The Jeter Filter

Remember a couple of weeks ago after Derek Jeter became just the 28th member of baseball’s 3000 hit club I introduced you to the “Jeter Filter”?

Well, as it turns out, the thing is now blowing up.

Thursday, Kevin Kaduk mentioned Rob Spectre’s pet project over at Yahoo’s Big League Stew and later in the day…Jim Rome himself dropped the 4-1-1 (watch the clip below) on how you can rid yourself of those pesky Jeter headlines.

“If you told me in high school I'd eventually do something that ended up on ESPN,” Spectre responded to the news via Facebook. “I'd call you a liar.”

Now, I’m not saying the discovered this thing (honestly, I saw Jimmy Traina tweet about it first)…but, man, I do feel good for my boy Rob.

And in case you’re not up to speed on what exactly the “Jeter Filter” is…here’s the skinny.

Jeter Filter quickly and carefully scours the Internet for signs of Derek Jeter and removes him while you browse, making Jeter disappear...right before your very eyes.

Get a visual notification when Derek Jeter might be on the webpage you are viewing. If the Jeter Filter's search patterns are tripped, your address bar gets a subtle warning icon, serving as a cue you should navigate away immediately.

Job. Well. Done.

***The Jeter illustration used in this post was lifted from Big League Stew. Don't hate.***

Hideki Matsui Hits 500th Home Run

It's one of those "blink and you missed it" sort of achievements...but with a sixth inning home run Wednesday night against the Detroit Tigers, Hideki Matsui did something that no one else has ever done.

You see, the Oakland A's designated hitter became the first slugger to hit a combined 500 home runs in both Japan and here in the States.

25 Major Leaguers and eight Japanese ballplayers have reached the 500 mark. But for some reason...Matsui wasn't all that impressed with what he pulled off.

"It isn't like I've been aiming for this, because I don't really combine numbers from Japan and herem" the slugger told reporters after the game. "To me, they are two separate leagues."

Whatever. It's still wicked cool.

Oh...if you're keeping track, Matsui's blast (his seventh of this season) was number 168 of his Major League career. He hit 332 for the Yomiuri Giants.

Derek Jeter...Mentally and Physically Exhausted?

Saturday, after Derek Jeter became baseball's 28th member of the 3000 hit club, I questioned the apparent love affair with the New York Yankees shortstop.

What I found was this, Yankee haters hate Jeter as well...but (some) will go as far to say they respect him. Seems simple enough.

But then, dude took the seemingly nationwide adulation and ignited a whole other firestorm by sitting out of the All-Star Game citing "mental and physical exhaustion".

Bob Young from the Arizona Republic caught up with some All-Stars during the festivities earlier this and asked them about Jeter's reasons behind not just sitting out of the game...but ignoring it completely.

"It's good to be here," injured New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes said. "As a baseball player you want to be at the All-Star Game, but we have to understand Jeter. He is coming off an injury, so it's good for him."

"I think Derek Jeter has been a great ambassador of the game," Kevin Youkilis from the Boston Red Sox added. "He's been huge for the game of baseball and had a great day the other day with his 3,000th hit. I don't think anybody can say anything bad about Derek Jeter not being here."

Naturally, members of the baseball fraternity will back the Yankees captain, but you can't expect fans to feel the same way.

Meet Bob Thompson from Drinking With Bob.

So what do you think...what's next?

Me? I don't know if I agree with Bob completely...but I do think that Jeter should have been in Arizona to, at the least, tip the cap (or whatever it was Brian Wilson did) and acknowledge the fans that have voted him in.

Not Everyone Loves Derek Jeter

Without a doubt, the New York Yankees are one of the most polarizing sports teams (not just baseball teams) on the planet.

People love them or loathe them…it’s true. And the same can be said about most of their players, both past and present.

Except Derek Jeter.

As Jeter became just the 28th player in Major League history to get to 3000 hits on Saturday, a quick glance at Twitter or “The Worldwide Leader” would lead you to believe there is a nationwide lovefest for the 12-time All-Star.

Or is there?

Ladies and gentlemen...the “Jeter Filter”.

Wait…what?

According to the website (aptly JeterFilter.com), the creator (Rob Spectre, a Boston Red Sox fan) has developed an application that “quickly and carefully scours the Internet for signs of Derek Jeter and removes him while you browse, making Jeter disappear...right before your very eyes.”

Sounds simple enough…but why?

“Because in these dark times, when Fenway faithful around the world are only a click away from torn-ligament-this and three-thousand-hits-that, Red Sox Nation DESERVES some recourse so that they can live their lives worry-free,” Spectre told The Hall.

“Fortunately, we also live in times where technology can be that respite,” Spectre continued. “I believed then as now that if we applied some basic engineering to the problem of Derek Jeter, we could at least remove it as the center of our lives online. That if we worked hard, we could make a world without Derek Jeter and that world would be a glorious one indeed.”

Now…I’m not sure if or how this thing works (Spectre assures me it does and, honestly, I don’t have the mental makeup to doubt him), but I know one guy who would probably enjoy the heck out of NOT having to see Derek Jeter news every time he logs on to his computer.

Enter Gene Hutmaker.

The lifelong baseball fan is the self-proclaimed “biggest Yankee hater on this planet Earth” and author of Banned in the Bronx, The Yankee Hater Memoirs: 1953-2005. Basically, the book chronicles the year-by-year account of each baseball season with little or no mention of the success of the New York Yankees…but rather a highlight of their failures.

Like Spectre, Hutmaker has to be the other guy out there that hates Jeter, right?

Right.

“As the Nation's foremost Yankee hater I canNOT root for any player from the darkside, however, I am objective on the accomplishments of them,” Hutmaker told me. “For example, Babe Ruth is the Zeus of baseball…everyone else is a secondary God. Mickey (Mantle) is the second best player I ever saw behind Willie Mays. It’s hard to hate Yogi (Berra) and Lou (Gehrig) is the all-time greatest first baseman in Major League history.”

Hold on…is Hutmaker actually soft on the Yankees or just a smart baseball fan?

I believe it is probably the latter, but I still had to ask about Jeter.

“Since Jeter is from the darkside, I detest him on the field,” Hutmaker responded. “However, I do respect his achievements as he is one of the top five shortstops in the game's history.”

He said "detest".  Whew.

Given the media coverage, I figured everyone loved the newest member of the 3000 hit club. But when I talked with Spectre and Hutmaker, I realized this…Yankees haters also hate Jeter.

But, apparently, they do respect him.

Case closed...mystery solved.

Ten Things About Derek Jeter's 3000 Hits

Well...there you have it.

With a third inning home run off of Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price, Derek Jeter became just the 28th player in Major League history to get 3000 hits and only the second to do it with a roundtripper.

"It means a lot. It's a number that has meant a lot in the history of the game, because not too many people have done it," the shortstop said about the milestone following Saturday's 5-4 victory. "This is the only team I've wanted to play for, and to be the only one to do something like this, I don't know if I can describe it."

It seems like not that long ago, Jeter made headlines when he surpassed Lou Gehrig and became the Yankees all-time hit king. But did you know that just a month before he passed up the Yankees Iron Man, he became the all-time hit leader among shortstops?

Perhaps...but perhaps not.

Here are ten other things you might not have known about Derek Jeter and his 3000 hits.

1508
Like many of his current teammates, Derek Jeter has played at the two latest incarnations of Yankee Stadium. That said, he clearly has the most hits. Combined…the future Hall of Famer has 1508 hits at home in the Bronx.

1171
Throughout his 17-year career, the Yankees captain has faced 1171 different pitchers. He’s gotten hits off of close to two-thirds of them. You can do the math on how many that is, but in case you were wondering…Derek Jeter has gone hitless against 349 of them.

538
And speaking of going hitless. Derek Jeter has put up a goose egg in the hits column in 538 of the 2362 regular season games he has appeared in.

175
In 2001, Derek Jeter was named “Mr. November” thanks to a tenth inning home run off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim just after midnight on October 31. Despite the nickname, Jeter was 3-for-12 in November baseball that postseason. That aside…“Mr. November” is also the all-time leader in postseason hits with 175.

37 years, 13 days
While not the youngest ever player to reach 3000 hits (Ty Cobb was the youngest at 34 when he reached the feat in 1921), the youthful-looking Derek Jeter was 37 years and 13 days old when he got to 3000 hits. And yeah, he is also the fourth youngest to get there…behind just Cobb, Hank Aaron and Robin Yount.

34
Of those aforementioned 1171 pitchers the 12-time All-Star has faced, Derek Jeter has 34 hits (in 122 at bats) against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Next up on the list…Wakefield’s former teammate Pedro Martinez and the Aruban Knight Sidney Ponson at 29.

25
All-time hit king Pete Rose once hit in 44 straight games. Derek Jeter’s longest hitting streak came in 2006 when he hit in 25 straight games.

5-for-5
You might think that Derek Jeter got a lot of his hits in bunches. He didn’t. Before Saturday's performance, only twice (May 23, 2001 and June 21, 2005) did the shortstop get five hits in a game. Not once did he get six hits in a game.

3
Curious as to just how great Derek Jeter is? Consider this…dude is now one of only three players with more than 3000 hits, 1700 runs scored, 200 home runs, 1100 RBI, 300 stolen bases and a .300 or better career batting average. The other two? Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Paul Molitor.

1
2999 of baseball’s latest baseball’s latest 3000 Hit Club member’s hits came as a starter for the New York Yankees. Only one of Derek Jeter’s hits came off the bench. As a pinch hitter, Jeter is 1-for-6 (.167)…a far cry from Lenny Harris’ record 212 pinch hits.

So, yeah...there you have it!

Derek Jeter 's Quest to Resume

You're going to be inundated with two different Derek Jeter stories this week.

One concerns the 37-year-old chump who, by being selected to his 12th All-Star Game robbed the world of watching Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta next Tuesday night.

The other follows the New York Yankees captain's quest, while sitting at 2994 hits, to become the 28th member of the 3000 hit club.

Frankly, with all due respect to Mr. Peralta, I'd prefer to focus on milestones and the history of the game rather than the SABR-fueled snubbings

Well, after a brief, less than spectacular, rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder this past weekend, Jeter is set to return Monday when his Yankees open up a three game set against the Cleveland Indians.

And now that he's back...our eyes turn to when he'll get hit number 3000 and who will surrender it.

Unfortunately for Jeter, there are no long-time veterans that he's seen a number of times. Basically, until David Price takes the bump for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Yankees this weekend...the shortstop is facing mostly unknown commodities.

Monday, the Indians send second-year starter Josh Tomlin to the mound and Tuesday, the ball goes to 24-year-old Carlos Carrasco. Combined, Jeter has three hits in nine at bats off the top hurlers.  Sure, three-for-nine is good for a .333 batting average, but still...less than ten plate appearances doesn't scream "historical matchup".

Wednesday night is a little better for Jeter. But not much.

Taking the hill for the Tribe is Justin Masterson. Jeter has faced the Indians ace twelve times (getting five hits), but that doesn't really compare to, for example, the 130 plate appearances against Masterson's former Boston teammate Tim Wakefield.

But let's be honest with ourselves...do we really think number 3000 is going to happen in Cleveland?

Not a chance.

Thursday night, the Bombers return home and square off against divisional rivals Tampa Bay.

On the mound for the Rays in those four games...Jeff Niemann, Jeremy Hellickson, David Price and James Shields.

Jeter is a combined six-for-eleven against Niemann and Hellickson and six-for-25 against fellow All-Star David Price.

But it is the James Shields matchup Sunday that intrigues me most.  And it is against Shields that I think Jeter gets hit number 3000.

It would be fitting right?

Against all odds, and on the eve of the Midsummer Classic, the Yankees superstar returns from injury to become the 28th player to reach 3000 hits and, in front of the world, is coronated baseball's latest hit king...therefore negating the opinions of those that scoffed at his selection.

Just watch...it'll happen.

Thoughts?