MLB Milestone Watch – Baseball-Reference.com
Posted by Sean Forman on July 18, 2011
MLB Milestone Watch: Hits - Baseball-Reference.com
I'm a few weeks late for the countdown to Jeter's big hit, but don't miss another milestone as our Milestone Watch points out all of the batters, pitchers and fielders as they cross major statistical milestones and move up the career leaderboards. This new feature will be linked on the front page just below the standings.
Any suggested additions will be welcome. These pages should be updated daily as the site updates. Please note that we include National Association stats in our leaderboard stats. Thanks to Justin Kubatko, who had this on <a href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/">Basketball-Reference.com</a> quite awhile ago.
July 18th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Well, we've just had the Braves' 10,000th win, so it must be about time for their 10,000th loss:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/
July 18th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Anything for managers? Next year Tony LaRussa passes John McGraw for wins. In a week or so, Terry Francona will win his 1,000th game.
July 18th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Oh, and for pitchers, you could add when guys approach a .500 career record (though obviously you should limit it to people with X-number of decisions -- maybe 100 or more).
You could also add it for managers and franchises, too.
July 18th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Todd helton is nearing 4000 TB, no?
July 18th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
I-Rod will make 15000 PO before he passes Martinez. Any chance of DPs being added to fielding milestones?
Batters have K, fielders have E, shouldn't pitchers have L ?
July 18th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Oh Hallelujah! Have been doing this manually for the last couple years since the one on mlb.com stopped working!
July 18th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
Not necessarily a milestone, but a first: Pat Burrell needing 8 home runs to become the only member of the 300 HR club to never be selected to an All Star team.
July 18th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
It's interesting to see Tim Wakefield and Javier Vazquez at the top of many of the active leaders list. As far as I can tell, this is the first time since 1879 the active leader in wins was under 200.
July 18th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
@8, Dagnabbit, I was about to post that!
Since each page has the top 250 all-time, I find it interesting to find those with the most who have clearly been rejected by the HoF. For example, the most hits are by Harold Baines, Vada Pinson and Al Oliver. This tells us something about the real HoF requirements.
July 18th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
The Giants next loss will be number 9000.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:08 pm
I swear every time I think this site has everything I'd ever want to use, you guys add something new that's amazing.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
@8: it looks like Jim Bunning was the active leader at the beginning of the 1969 season with 196 wins. Of course that's assuming there wasn't a pitcher who entered the season with 200 wins and finished with <209 wins, which I suppose is possible.
Ok nevermind, there was a guy: Don Drysdale. But...he started 1968 with 190 wins, so there's a chance he was the active leader with under 200
July 18th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
@7
Tim Salmon - 299 HRs, no AS selections. That's a fine line, and an illustration that we are all programmed to prefer round numbers!
July 19th, 2011 at 2:08 am
@7, Rogers Hornsby had 301 homers and no All-Star selections.
July 19th, 2011 at 3:44 am
Are fielders that much better these days, or were errors recorded differently back in the day? No one current in the top 250, and not many in my lifetime (72).
Might be interesting to separate assists and putouts separately by positions, putouts dominated by first basemen.
July 19th, 2011 at 5:51 am
Juan Pierre is closing in on 2000 hits! He has been playing great ball lately and if he stays hot the Sox will win the division.
July 19th, 2011 at 6:12 am
And don't forget future HoFer Johnny Damon who is also closing in on 3000 and should be there year after next. Johnny has to get to 3088 though to make up for the added AB's he got because of the steroid era. Although he himself has never been linked to steroids, he benefited from the steroid era to the tune of 88 hits over the course of his career.
July 19th, 2011 at 7:08 am
Johnny Damon is above 1500 runs scored
July 19th, 2011 at 7:14 am
I guess Damon's milestone would be 2000 runs scored. Doubt he'll make it but he could wind up close if he stays healthy enough to get 3000 hits.
3000 hits and 1800 runs scored sure do perk up the ears on any HOF candidacy.
July 19th, 2011 at 8:17 am
Timmpy D.
The number that everyone knows from the formula (DAMONHITS -STEROID INDUCED CREATED ATBATS AND PITCHERS FEARING THE STEROID LADEN #3&4 HITTERS) or DH-SICA&PFSL3&4H or the more common NEWSTAT 598, is 3,094, when refering to Damon's 'real' hit total. Common TimmpY, get with the program.
July 19th, 2011 at 8:19 am
@19 Great point Rainbow about Damon and runs scored. S
July 19th, 2011 at 8:25 am
@14
A little unfair. Hornsby was 37 and had hit 283 of his 301 HRs before an AS game was ever played. Surely he would have played in many in his prime had they existed back then.
July 19th, 2011 at 9:26 am
@15,
Fields are much better today, gloves are bigger and better, sunglasses and night games under good consistent lighting.
July 19th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Wakefield was one out from win # 199 last night.
More Importantly, he was kept one win less from wiping Clemens out of the RedSox record book.
That win would of put him 8 shy of 193. I can't see him getting 9 more wins this season, and I don't think he will pitch next year.
Clemens wins again.
July 19th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Speaking of the Rocket, what a great week it was for Clemens. So much of the case against him has been political, and to bring a case into court without much more that some guys wife overheard this or that reeks of desperation. George Mitchell is a die-hard Red Sox fan and he was going to try to nail Roger in his report regardless of the facts. The more you learn about the case against Clemens you can clearly see the incentive Pettitte had to help nail Roger.
July 19th, 2011 at 11:01 am
Timmy-
I agree that charging Clemens was a waste of the goverments time and money. The way in which it ended makes you wonder if they didn't also
agree at the last minute.
I disagree that George Mitchell would have allowed his status as a Red Sox fan to bias the report that he did for MLB. His reputation politically was and is above reproach. He is universally respected by both parties.
If you have any proof as to what you charge, let's hear it.
Finally, two points, Damon is never going into the HOF unless he buys
a ticket.
Roger Clemens did something, he can make all the excuses he wants, but his career trajectory doesn't lie.
July 19th, 2011 at 11:23 am
George Mitchell never did anything in his life that was not political. You do not rise to the post of Majority Leader unless you are an extreme partisan, that is that nature of that job and why the men that hold those positions are never elected president, Lyndon Johnson being the exception, but his ascendancy was a fluke of history. George Mitchell set out to embarrass and stick it to Roger Clemens. His reputation politically was and is above reproach. He is universally respected by both parties I think you need to turn off the Red Sox game and pick up a history book my friend. That statement is factually wrong.
July 19th, 2011 at 11:40 am
If Pudge (IRod) can come off the DL and continue chipping away at 3000 hits, he will most likely get 14 more GIDP and catch the Iron Bird.
July 19th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Ivan Rod. is kind of like Gary Carter in that since he was a catcher, we can overlook his very average hitting stats. Granted IRod was a great defensive catcher, whereas Carter was decent early in his career and overrated the rest. But IRod has strike out and walk numbers that are terrible, and are on par with Alphonso Soriano. If IRod was not a great defensive catcher he would have probably never gotten the AB's needed to get anywhere close to 3000 hits. Plus it has been rumored that he used steroids.
July 19th, 2011 at 11:59 am
Chipper Jones is one of my favorite players. Because of his injury problems I hope he retires after this season. Currently he is on the DL, but hopes to come back for part of this season. He has hit several milestones this season. His 2500 hits and 1500 RBIs would have to top the list.He holds numerous National League records for switch hitters.
Some of the milestones he should get if he recovers from his knee ssurgery include 998 extra base hits, 4489 total bases (22 behind Mantle) 4023 times on base, second to Eddie Murray in RBIs for switch hitters--he passed Mantle this year, 516 diybkesm passing Roberto Alomar for switch hitters, 9983 plate appearances. I am sure there are others.
He is the only switch hitter to hit .300 lifetime, 400 home runs, 1500 runs scores, 1500 RBIs and 1000 bases on balls. Only eight others have accomplished these milestones.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Timmy-you are entitled to your opinions. But you haven't shown any evidence to support your position.
Why would someone risk their professional reputation that they spent
a lifetime building? Take a minute and read Mitchell's resume. Your comments reflect an obviously solid foundation politically, and while I may not agree with your statements I am anxious to hear them.
You really believe that Mitchell was such a huge Red Sox fan that he
would falsify this report?
Why would Clemen's trainer lie? Every player that was named in the report
was sent a letter, and given the chance to respond, before the report was published. Clemens never did.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Frankie Frisch is the only switch hitter with a highes lifetime batting average than Chipper Jones. The only other two switch hitters with lifetime averages of over .300 are Pete Rose and Roberto Alomar. I hope Chipper doesn't extend his career and end up with a batting average of under .300 like Mickey Mantle, Bernie Williams and Tim Raines.
There are other players who had .300 averages until the end of their career. They include Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Tim Raines and Orlando Cepeda.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
@31 I never said anything about falsifying a report. I'm saying that the Mitchell report was written by a partisan politician that happens to be a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. There was no player in that report that was gone after harder than Clemens was, and that's a fact. Not only was Roger Clemens hated in Boston, he was a well known friend of the Bush family. I can see Roger asking his lawyer about the Mitchell probe and his lawyer telling him not to talk with him.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
As far as the trainer and a reason for him turning on Clemens. Clearly the investigators wanted the biggest fish possible, and the trainer would receive a lighter sentence and reduced charges if he names Clemens.
July 19th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Beltran 300 HR / 300 SB
Abreu 300 HR / 400 SB
Damon is an accumulator who lacks the "black ink" stats for the HOF...
July 19th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
@30 and @32 Bill - Chipper Jones is a great player and he will be in the HoF no doubt about it. I would say he gets in fairly quick also.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
@33, you said that Mitchell set out to embarrass and stick it to Clemens in no. 27. Than in no. 33 you say the report is written by a die hard Red Sox fan who is a partisan politician.
How do you know what Mitchell set out to do? Are you in his head?
You are also assuming cause and effect where none exists. Just because the man is a die hard Sox fan and political partisan doesn't proove that he is going to knowingly falsify a report and therefore lie, which is exactly what
you are accusing him of in a backhanded way.
Back to baseball...
Chipper Jones is first ballot worthy.
Irod would be in easily if the taint of steroids didn't exist.
I think all these "steroid users" eventually get in. The list is just
to long and includes so many of the top players of our generation. To leave them all out will look ridiculous to future generations.
Put them in and then note the "era", or in some opinions error on their placques.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
@ 28 Joe Baseball,
If you look at I-rod's #'s, I pointed this out with the help of Andy, that I-rod has a few seasons of GIDP>BB. And If you add up his CS + times thrown out on the bases + GIDP, it almost surpasses his BB total. I think only Lou Brock, or maybe Gwynn have a lower BB count of the 3,000 hit men. But in my opinion, Gwynn's OBP is above average from his godlike .338 avg (almost, if not every guy ahead of him played in the '30's or before), so his walks don't matter that much, a .380 OBP is descent with walks or not.
In Brock's case, I think his SBs don't completely take away from his low OBP, but they do oddset them and his GIDP was far far less than Pudge.
I-rod had 6 seasons of GIDP>BB and two more where he missed by 2.
Pudge also had his 20th straight ten or more GIDP season. Only Yaz has 20, but his longest streak was ten seasons. Pudge did it every year he played, and might get there this year, he is already half way (5).
But all that said, his dWAR is off the charts. I think unless the stigma of PEDs cloud his election, he's in the Hall 3,000 hits or not.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
@ 26 Iron Horse,
I at first was so gung ho about nailing Bonds, Clemens and even Lance Armstrong. Especially after reading GAME OF SHADOWS. That lead investigator has a personal vendetta against all these guys, and it made me side with the feds, it kinda felt like good vs bad.
But after the Michael Vic case, I was like, who really cares?
I am so angry now that literally millions are being spent on guys like Clemens and Bonds. Who really cares.
Vic was a criminal, and deserved everything he got. But Clemens. He is no threat to any of us.
In a world where there are some truly some bad people out there, causing serious risk and danger and harm to the rest of us, these government guys who have made it their life's mission to nail Clemens and/or Bonds should be ashamed of themselves.
What a waste of our money and time. I couldn't care less.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
@ 35
The same argument can be made for Jeter. I don't think he has ever led the league in any major category, except runs and hits once each early in his career. You would think he would have at least, batting lead off for some of the best offensives in the game he would have many more Runs scored titles. The hits, I can attribute that to playing in the Ichiro era.
July 19th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
@ 37 Iron Horse,
Agree with you there. We are finding out more and more guys used, and in the future I'm sure many more names will come out. I can envision a BALL FOUR or BRONX ZOO book being written in the future that implicates many players, most of who we thought were clean.
Even Jeter, I hate to say it, but he put on a ton of muscle very quickly. He was 160 LBS in 1994-95. By 1999, he was well over 200 LBS. He also played in a clubhouse and was tight with many guys who are suspected or already guilty of PED use. I think it would be overwhelming to be in the middle of a sport, where over 50% of players are using, and the very nature of the sport is beat the other guy. Anyone with out the mindset - get an edge, beat the other guy, win at any cost, be the best - just wouldn't make it.
I'm not saying that means anything against Jeter, I'm just saying it wouldn't surprise me or anger me.
And we now know that Mays, Mantle, and tons of other guys all used pep-pills and greenies.
Or look at Chuck Klein's first 6 years. He was playing in a shoe box, and that's the only reason he is in.
July 19th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Wow Duke, that's a lot of wisdom. Let me see if I see where you stand. You don't care about Bonds or Clemens lying to grand juries or to Congress. Jeter was using steroids because Glenallen Hill once played with the Yankees. Jeter is an accumulator and not a great player, and doesn't deserve to be in the HoF. Micheal Vic changed the way he spells his name. Mickey Mantle was a drug addict. That's great stuff Duke.
July 19th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
check out MLB 2011 information and updates
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July 19th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@11/ Djibouti - I agree so much with you - this allows us to track the progress of active players up the career leaderboards "at a glance".
Speaking of Jeter - he's zipping up the career Hits leaders pretty quickly now, and will probably be in the Top-20 by passing Craig Biggio (3060) by the end of the year.
July 20th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
It would be nice to see players who just reached a milestone (i.e. just recorded their 1000th hit still displayed. The way the table is displayed now, once they reach it, they are taken off the table.
Perhaps they could be highlighted and a note on when the milestone was reached (i.e. under 500 Doubles Scott Rolen milestone reached on 7/15/2011).
Also, if there were a way to project who was likely to reach a milestone this season and limit the display to those players. Clearly Matt Stairs is not going to get 134 more hits this season to reach 1,500.