Number 3,000!

Jeter Adds another One for the Storybook

Derek Jeter has done it again… and again, and again, and again throughout his career. Jeter made history again Saturday and he did it unlike any other Major League Baseball player has ever done. Entering Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays just 2 hits shy of 3,000, in his second at bat Derek Jeter became just the 28^th player in MLB to collect 3,000 hits for his career, and he did it in style.

On a perfect day in New York and in front of a sell-out crowd, with over 48,000 in attendance, Derek Jeter hit a line-drive home run to left off Ray’s starting pitcher and MLB All-Star, David Price, to cement his place in Yankee and baseball history.

In Jeter’s first at bat he hit a single to left field to place him within one of 3,000. When Jeter came up to bat in the bottom of the third he hit a one-out solo home run off a 3-2 pitch for his 3,000 hit; his third home run of the season and 236 home run of his career. Jeter was greeted by his teammates and the Yankee faithful with cheers and a standing ovation. The bullpen pitchers opened up the gates and rushed out on the field to congratulate their Yankee captain and perhaps one of the greatest Yankee players to ever play the game.

Not that Jeter needs any help adding to his historic baseball legacy but his performance Saturday showed why he should be considered one of the all-time great MLB players. Jeter is just the second player to hit a home run for his 3,000^th career hit, the other being former teammate Wade Boggs (with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999). Jeter’s home run put the Yankees on top 1-0 in the third. In typical Jeter style and class, he lowered his head as he rounded the bases even though he had every right to show his excitement for his achievement, he didn’t want to show up David Price.

“Jeets” led off the 5^th with a double allowing Curtis Granderson to single him home to tie the score 3-3. Two batters later, Robinson Cano would hit a sacrifice fly to put the Yankees ahead 4-3. In the 6^th inning Jeter singled to right and then executed a double steal with Brett Gardner; Jeter’s 8^th on the year. With the score tied 4-4 in the 8^th inning, Jeter singled in Eduardo Nunez, playing third base for the injured Alex Rodriguez, for the winning run.

Possible note to history, Nunez appears to be the short stop of the future for the Yankees once Jeter retires or if Jeter is moved to another position.

Jeter’s stat line for the game was:

5 for 5, 2 Runs, 2 RBIs, and 1 stolen base

He knocked in the initial go ahead run; 1-0

He scored the tying run; 3-3

He collected his 5^th hit of the night by knocking in the winning run; 5-4

He finished a triple shy of the cycle; something Jeter has never done before

He tied a personal best for hits in a game going 5-5

He raised his season average to .270

0 Errors

Skip the Plaque, Start Building the Monument for Jeter

For those of you unfamiliar with Monument Park in Yankee Stadium, Monument Park is the highest honor given to a Yankee player. Only five such monuments have been awarded and all five have been awarded posthumously; Miller Huggins (Manager 1918-1929, 1932), Lou Gehrig (1941), Babe Ruth (1949), Mickey Mantle (1996), and Joe DiMaggio (1999).

Monument Park is a section of Yankee Stadium behind the centerfield wall that serves as a shrine to the franchises’ storied history. The five blue granite monuments stand surrounded by plaques of other Yankees’ greats.

Former Yankee Players with Plaques in Monument Park and the Year Awarded

Thurman Munson 1980

Roger Maris 1984

Elston Howard 1984

Phil Rizzuto 1985

Billy Martin 1986

Whitey Ford 1987

Yogi Berra 1988

Don Mattingly 1997

Reggie Jackson 2002

George Steinbrenner 2010

Just to Clarify

Remarkably Jeter is the only Yankee player to collect 3,000 career hits while playing for the Yankees; Paul Warner (3,152, 16^th on the career hits list), Dave Winfield (3,110, 19^th on the career hits list), Rickey Henderson (3,055, 21^st on the career hits list), and Wade Boggs (3,010, 25^th on career hits list) are the other one-time Yankee players with 3,000 plus career hits.

Jeter is a career .312 hitter with 1,159 RBIs, 1,725 runs, and 331 stolen bases.

Jeter is only the 11^th player to collect all 3,000 hits with one team.

Craig Biggio (3,060) was the last MLB player to collect his 3,000^th hit; 2007. Biggio also collected 5 hits in the same game he got his 3,000th, he went 5-6. 

Jeter has 3,003 hits. He only needs 5 hits to pass Al Kaline (3,007) to move to 26^th place on the all-time career hits list.

If Jeter can collect 54 more hits this season, he can finish 2011 20^th on the career hits list by passing Craig Biggio.

For Jeter to crack the top 10 hits list, he needs 313 more hits. He would then pass Eddie Collins (3,315).

New York Yankees Notes of Interest

Alex Rodriguez has 2,762 career hits and is 50^th on the career hits list.

Babe Ruth had 2,873 career hits and is 40^th on the career hits list.

Lou Gehrig had 2,721 hits in his career. Had he not fallen ill to the motor neuron disease, ALS, Gehrig would’ve been a 3,000 career hitter. He is 57^th on the career hits list.

Gary Sheffield had 2,689 career hits and is 63^rd on the career hits list.

Reggie Jackson had 2,584 career hits and is 81^st on the career hits list.

Mickey Mantle had 2,415 career hits and is 112^th on the career hits list.

Graig Nettles had 2,225 career hits and is 166^th on the career hits list.

Joe DiMaggio had 2,214 career hits and is 169^th on the career hits list.

Don Mattingly had 2,153 career hits and is 188^th on the career hits list.

Yogi Berra had 2,150 career hits and is 190^th on the career hits list.

Haven’t had enough of Jeter and Yankee mania? Try the retired numbers list!

Add #2 to the Retired Yankees Jersey List

Player/Retired Number

Billy Martin, 1 (player and manager)

Derek Jeter, 2*

Babe Ruth, 3

Lou Gehrig, 4

Joe DiMaggio, 5

Mickey Mantle, 7

Yogi Berra, 8

Bill Dickey, 8

Roger Maris, 9

Phil Rizutto, 10

Thurman Munson, 15

Whitey Ford, 16

Don Mattingly, 23

Elston Howard, 32

Jackie Robinso, 42 (All MLB teams have retired Jackie’s number)

Reggie Jackson, 44

Rod Guidry, 49

* Jeter’s number has not been retired to date. 

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2011 Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game Starting Positions

The 82^nd Annual All-Star Game starting positions were announced on Sunday via a selection show on TBS. MLB fans voted in record numbers casting 32.5 million ballots for their favorite players to fill out the starting rosters.

Fans picked the 17 starting position players for the American League and National League teams. The players voted for 17 position players and 6 pitchers and the managers picked 10 pitchers and 6 reserves each for a total of 66 roster positions. The rosters will be completed with one additional pick for each team. The final two positions can be voted for online at Major League Baseball’s website (see HogManInLA’s Final Voting for All-Star Positions for further information).

The AL starters are not close to the 1985 team that started seven future Hall of Famers (Carlton Fisk, Rickey Henderson, George Brett, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Dave Winfield, and Jim Rice) but talented none the less. The AL roster has 7 AL East starters; 4 New York Yankees will start, leading all teams in position players starting (6 total players selected), 2 Boston Red Sox players (4 total players selected), and 1 Toronto Blue Jays player. Alex Rodriguez is making his 14^th All-Star appearance tying him with Ivan Rodriguez for the most All-Star appearances by an active player.

American League Starters

C Alex Avila (Tigers)

1B Adrian Gonzalez (Red Sox)

2B Robinson Cano (Yankees)

3B Alex Rodriguez (Yankees)

SS Derek Jeter (Yankees)

OF Joes Bautista (Blue Jays)

OF Curtis Granderson (Yankees)

OF Josh Hamilton (Rangers)

DH David Ortiz (Red Sox)

Small market this! The Milwaukee Brewers’ fan base showed up big in 2011. Ryan Braun led all NL position players in voting giving Braun his 4^th consecutive All-Star Game start. The Brewers lead the NL in total starting positions with 3 starters. Prince Fielder gets the start at first with the injury to St. Louis Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols. The Phillies’ and Giants’ loaded pitching staffs placed 3 starting pitchers in the NL rotation giving the Phillies and Giants 4 total All-Star selections.

National League Starters

C Brian McCann (Braves)

1B Prince Fielder (Brewers)

2B Rickie Weeks (Brewers)

3B Placido Polanco (Phillies)

SS Jose Reyes (Mets)

OF Ryan Braun (Brewers)

OF Lance Berkman (Cardinals)

OF Matt Kemp (Dodgers)

National League Reserves:

Starting Pitchers

Jair Jurrjens (Braves), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), Matt Cain (Giants), Tim Linececum (Giants), Ryan Vogelsong (Giants), Cliff Lee (Phillies), Roy Halladay (Phillies), and Cole Hamels (Phillies)

Relievers

Jonny Venters (Braves), Brian Wilson (Giants), Tyler Clippard (Nationals), Heath Bell (Padres), Joel Hanrahan (Pirates)

Infield Reserves

Catcher Yadier Molina (Cardinals), 1B Gaby Sanchez (Marlins), 1B Joey Votto (Reds), 2B Brandon Phillips (Reds), SS Starlin Castro (Cubs), SS Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), 3B Chipper Jones (Braves)

Outfielder Reserves

Carlos Beltran (Mets), Jay Bruce (Reds), Matt Holliday (Cardinals), Hunter Pence (Astros), Justin Upton (Diamondbacks)

American League Reserves

Starting Pitchers

Jared Weaver (Angels), Gio Gonzalez (Athletics), Felix Hernandez (Mariners), David Price (Rays), James Shields (Rays), C.J. Wilson (Rangers), Josh Beckett (Red Sox), Justin Verlander (Tigers)

Relievers

Chris Perez (Indians), Brandon League (Mariners), Aaron Crow (Royals), Mariano Rivera (Yankees), Jose Valverde (Tigers)

Infield Reserves

Catcher Russell Martin (Yankees), Matt Wieters (Orioles), 1B Miguel Cabrera (Tigers), 2B Howie Kendrick (Angels), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians), 3B Adrian Beltre

Outfield Reserves

Matt Joyce (Rays), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), Michael Cuddyer (Twins), Carlos Quentin (White Sox) and DH Michael Young (Rangers)

Just to Clarify

The 2011 All-Star votes by the fans seemed to be spot on this year. 2010 AL MVP, Josh Hamilton, was having an all-star first half to his season before he broke his arm thus a good pick by the fans. One could argue about Derek Jeter’s selection; .260, 2 home runs, and 20 RBIs. Jeter is making his 12^th All-Star appearance, 7^th straight as a starter, and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. His quest for 3,000 hits before the midway point of the season has been put on hold due to his hamstring injury. Jeter is supposed to be available to play in the All-Star Game.

The NL is loaded at first base. With the injury to Albert Pujols this allows Prince Fielder to start and Joey Votto (the 2010 NL MVP) and Gaby Sanchez to make the team. Absent from the NL squad is strike out king and power hitter Ryan Howard. You have to give the Phillies’ fans credit for not stuffing the ballot box for him.

Jose Reyes started the year off well but not great. Since the first month of the season he has arguably been the best player in baseball. He’s playing like he’s in a contract year… wait he is in a contract year. Amazing to see what these guys can do when the apply themselves everyday.

30-30 or maybe 40-40? Matt Kemp is having the MVP type season all baseball fans and Dodger fans have been wanting from him. The 6’ 3” 220 lbs 5 tool player has been slugging and stealing bases for the lowly Los Angeles Dodgers all season. He’s hitting .327, with 64 RBIs, and 52 runs. He already has 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases, time will tell how well his season ends up. Kemp could be the first player since Alex Rodriguez in 2003 to win the MVP Award playing for a last place team in their division (In 2003 the Rangers were 71-91; in AL West). 

MLB All-Star Game is July 12^th, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Sports Quick Hits

History Put on Hold for 15 Days

Derek Jeter is 6 hits away from baseball immortality and for 15 days he will have to wait as his strained right calf heals. Jeter strained his calf (grade 1 sprain) running out hit 2,994 against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

This is only the 5^th time in Jeter’s 17 year career that he has been on the disabled list.

Yankees Keeping DL Full

With Jeter on the DL and Russell Martin flirting with DL status, the Yankees are more than a little banged up. Martin missed his 6^th game in 7 days due to a stiff back on Tuesday night. Jeter joins a solid Yankees pitching staff on the DL:

Phil Hughes, April 15^th, 60-Day DL, Right Arm Fatigue

Eric Chavez, May 6^th, 60-Day DL, Fractured Left Foot

Rafael Soriano, May 14^th, 15-Day DL, Sore Right Elbow

Joba Chamberlain, June 6^th, 60-DayDL, Right Elbow Surgery-Out for Season

Bartolo Colon, June 12^th, 15-DayDL, Strained Left Hamstring

Amauri Sanit, June 11^th, 15-Day DL, Right Elbow Inflammation

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Derek Jeter approaches 3,000 career hits

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Major League Baseball has many career milestones a player needs to pass to be a legitimate consideration for the Hall of Fame. 3,000 career hits is one of those remarkable milestones. Derek Jeter has 2,985 hits, 15 hits shy of the 3,000 hits milestone that will take him from eventual Hall of Famer to first ballot Hall of Famer. Only six other active players are on the top career 100 hits list and within at least 500 hits of 3,000. Will we see another 3,000 career hitter once Jeter reaches that plateau?

Ivan Rodriguez, 2,835 hits, age 39, #45 on the career hits list.

Omar Vizquel, 2,820 hits, age 44, #46 on the career hits list.

Alex Rodriguez, 2,730 hits, age 35, # 55 on the career hits list.

Johnny Damon, 2,631 hits, age 37, #74 on the career hits list.

Chipper Jones, 2,541 hits, age 39, #88 on the career hits list.

Vladimir Guerrero, 2,490 hits, age 36, #95 on the career hits list.

* Manny Ramirez is listed at 2,574 hits and ranks # 84^th on the all-time hit list.

Other players of interest:

Ichiro Suzuki, 2,307 hits, age 37, # 139 on the career hits list.

Albert Pujols, 1,964 hits, age 31, # 277 on the career hits list.

Adrian Beltre, 1,946 hits, age 32, # 286 on the career hits list.

Carl Crawford, 1,535 hits, age 29, # 556 on the career hits list.

Miguel Cabrera 1,462 hits, age 28, # 625 on the career hits list.

Ivan Rodriguez looked like he was finished 8 years ago. Yet he keeps playing and is considered an excellent receiver and mentor for younger catchers and pitching staffs. Father Time may have finally caught up with him. Sadly he’s 160 hits away, but he’s only collected 18 hits so far this year. Chances are he will not reach 3,000.

Omar Vizquel is an ageless wonder. The 44-year old is filling in for the Seattle Mariners as an infield utility player. He’s hitting a very respectable .280 on the year with 21 hits in limited action. He may have another year as a backup left. Chances are he will not reach 3,000 either.

A-Rod only needs 270 more hits to reach 3,000. He’s cranked out 58 hits this year and appears to be on track for 140 hits or so this season, if he stays healthy. A-Rod could reach 3,000 in 2013 barring any major injuries.

Johnny Damon is quietly sneaking up on a Hall of Fame type career. He’s got more hits than Joe DiMaggio (2,214) and he’s only 23 hits away from tying Ted Williams. His career average is only .287 and he’s never been known for his defense which will work against him. He’s won two World Series, 2004 with the Red Sox and 2009 with the New York Yankees. Coming up through the Kansas City Royals system as opposed to a high profile team like the Yankees or Red Sox will hurt his chances and has hurt his career numbers. His career hits numbers would be on par with Jeter’s had he played in the same role for the Yankees his entire career.

Chipper Jones is 459 hits away and hinted at retiring at the end of last season before an injury sidelined him for most of the year. At 39-years old, Chipper is still 3-4 years away from reaching 3,000. To his credit he would rather retire having played his entire career with the Braves than latch on as a Designated Hitter for an American League team to chase the mark. He should be a Hall of Famer a couple of years after he’s eligible.

Vladimir Guerrero is 510 hits away. The free-swinging 36-year old continues to chop away at pitches anywhere close to the plate. Last year he collected 178 hits, he’s collected 63 so far this year. He doesn’t walk much and he doesn’t strike out that often either, which is what will have to happen for him to reach 3,000. If he can continue to compile 178 hits over the next couple of years he could reach 3,000 hits in 2 ½ years. He’s earned every one of those hits since he doesn’t bunt or get infield hits to pad his stats.

Death, taxes, and Ichiro getting at least 200 hits in a season are all things you can count on in life. He’s off to a slow start this year, for him, as he’s only hitting .261 on the year with 63 hits; no triples or home runs. If he reaches 200 hits this year he will be 516 hits shy of 3,000. He could be there by early 2014 if he keeps playing at his usual pace.

Anyone surprised to see Adrian Beltre neck and neck with Albert Pujols on the career hit list? Both players are within a year in age and only 18 hits a part; that’s where the comparisons between the two should stop. Albert’s played in 276 few games, has a 131 more career home runs (420), 216 more RBIs (1,267), and a higher career batting average .329 to .274. At the end of the season King Albert could be close to 2,100 hits putting him 5 years away from 3,000.

Carl Crawford is entering his 8^th full season in the pros. He routinely gets around 180 hits each year. If he reaches 180 hits this season he will be 1,660 shy of 3,000 putting him 9-10 years away. Playing in Fenway Park will help him get extra hits if he can utilize the Green Monster and having solid hitters in the line-up around him. 3,000 hits seems like a long shot for him. He could benefit playing DH later in his career.

Of the players listed, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols should be first ballot entries into the Hall of Fame. Ichiro Suzuki, Chipper Jones, and possibly Ivan Rodriguez will make Canton at some point. If Ichiro had played his entire career in MLB, he would be considered a first ballot player. 

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