The Next Mr. 3000

[Lofunzo]

I'm kind of looking forward to Bonds getting 3000. Hopefully it will portray him as a pure hitter instead of a juiced home run hitter. Maybe he doesn't deserve it, but he doesn't get enough publicity for how good he is at getting on base. It's pretty amazing that a guy who will break the home run record soon and has been walked a ton in his career is going to get 3000 hits. He has over 1000 more walks than Hank Aaron. If he was pitched to I think he'd be close to breaking the hits record right about now rather than close to 3000.

I respect the hell out of Bonds for his ability to get on base but let's not go overboard here. Even if you skew the numbers so much so that:

1. Bonds never walked in his career
2. He used those 2,512 PA (that he walked) to hit at his career AVG

He would still be around 600 hits behind Rose. Rose also had over 1,500 walks in his career. Bonds has had and will continue to have a great career. Let's not taint that by saying "what if's" regarding him being the career hits leader.

[jfg]

Good point. Plus, he probably would have broke the home run record seasons ago, which probably would have tainted his legacy even more!

[raiderrob1616]

no current player will reach pete rose's record

[Snakes Gould]

As long as he stays in the NL, my money is on Cole Hamels.

woooooot

arod, jeter, pudge...i really hope griffey gets there/stays healthy.

[arod77]

no current player will reach pete rose's record

I wouldn't say that.

When Pete Rose turned 31 years old, he had 1,532 hits or 535 less hits than what Arod had when he turned 31. Arod is 4th in hits when turning 31 (within 20 hits of Roger Hornsby and Hank Aaron)

Arod averages about 190 hits a year. That will put him at 4150 hits at 41/42 years old and give him a chance to break the record at 42/43 years old. Pete played until he was 45 years old.

He is about 2000 hits from the record. There are 7 players that have got 2000 or more hits since turning 31, so it can be done.

Jeter has 100 more hits but is 13 months older. He can do it too. I'm not saying they will but they got a shot at it. Personally, I feel both of them will end up getting about 3800 - 3900 hits but if they really want the record, they will try and stick around to get it.

[Fantasy Sports Genie]

There is another noteworthy difference between ARod and Rose at comparable points in their career: it starts with a $ and ends with a whole lot of 0's. ARod certainly could play into his mid-40's, and continue to do so at a high level. But he also has plenty of reasons why he might not bother to. If he gets close enough, then the records may keep him pushing forward (as it has with Bonds the last few years, I'd say). But he could easily decide to call it quits well before his 40's, particularly if fans/the media keep badgering him.

[bigh0rt]

no current player will reach pete rose's record

Sure they will. All it'll take is a top level player to stick around several years too long the way Rose did, and the way Biggio recently did to reach 3,000.

[arod77]

no current player will reach pete rose's record

Sure they will. All it'll take is a top level player to stick around several years too long the way Rose did, and the way Biggio recently did to reach 3,000.

I think if T.Gwynn has stayed under 3 bills, he would have made a run at the record but all that weight took a pounding on those knees.