Yankees aiming for baseball milestones this season

[BamBam]

Seeing this ESPN article today, it was pointed out a few Yankees will be going for some baseball number milestones this season. And as baseball can sometimes be about numbers watching, here's the quick rundown:

Alex Rodriquez: 500 Homers (at 464)
Johnny Damon: 2000 Hits (at 1,958)
Mike Mussina: 250 Wins (at 239)
Andy Pettitte: 200 Wins (at 186)

Any other possible Yankees milestones we can look out for this year?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/previe...tim&id=2813469

[simmy886]

Good stuff. Also a bunch of other milestones around baseball this year (most notably Bonds and Biggo)...
Now let me try and find some more Yankee ones so I can post something actually worth reading

[destiNY]

It will be dissapointing if those players don't reach their milestones this year, very attainable for each.

[surge511]

How many more years will it take Jeter to reach 3000 hits? Probably around 5, right?

[mickey mantle]

Seeing this ESPN article today, it was pointed out a few Yankees will be going for some baseball number milestones this season. And as baseball can sometimes be about numbers watching, here's the quick rundown:

Alex Rodriquez: 500 Homers (at 464)
Johnny Damon: 2000 Hits (at 1,958)
Mike Mussina: 250 Wins (at 239)
Andy Pettitte: 200 Wins (at 186)

Any other possible Yankees milestones we can look out for this year?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/previe...tim&id=2813469

Those milestones all seem likely to happen this year, barring any injuries or other unfortunate incidents.

[Rich]

One more:

#27

[yankeesAZ]

One more:

#27

Yes, the ultimate milestone!

[Stupid Flanders]

a-rod is working on the record for consecutive years being played out of position because of pride

[Sam18]

a-rod is working on the record for consecutive years being played out of position because of pride

Ouch.

[Centerhero]

a-rod is working on the record for consecutive years being played out of position because of pride

A-rod was a better shortstop and his pride was mediocre then.

[Stupid Flanders]

A-rod was a better shortstop and his pride was mediocre then.

i'm sorry we were never talking about his pride

[mbn007]

Damon should get his by June. The others will not get their milestones before August or so.

[35Knucklecurve]

When you think about how young A-Rod is, compared to the others who've reached the 500 HR mark, barring any health issues, he could blow Aaron's record out of the water and leave a vapor trail.

For some reason, I was thinking Andy already had 200 wins. It's great that he'll be a Yankee when he gets it. If Moose reaches No. 250, he'll be the first MLB pitcher to do so without ever having a 20 wins season.

Didn't know Damon was so close to 2,000 hits! Thanks for the heads up.

[RIyankee]

Giambi is 50 HRs from 400.

I can dream.

Jason is also 2 triples away from 10!

Jeter is 17 HRs from 200. He'll reach 1,000 RBI and perhaps 300 SB in 2008.

Abreu will reach 1,000 runs this season. He's 29 SBs from 300 and should reach 400 doubles this season.

[TEPLimey]

Bubba Crosby is 6 home runs away from 10 and ability/performance away from becoming a good baseball player.

[RIyankee]

Bernie is only 13 HRs from.... OOOPS!!! Better not go there.

[Eldee5]

Here are all the upcoming hitting milestones for the Yanks:

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/milestones....&Submit=Submit

Here are all the upcoming pitching milestones for the Yanks:

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/milestones....&Submit=Submit

[Casey37]

When you think about how young A-Rod is, compared to the others who've reached the 500 HR mark, barring any health issues, he could blow Aaron's record out of the water and leave a vapor trail.

Absolutely correct. What pisses me off though, is that there's a very good chance he'll reach that milestone with another team, thanks to all the heat he's gotten from fans (and the press) here in NY. I'd laugh my butt off if he ever broke that record while playing against the Yankees at the Stadium.

[ymike673]

If the Yankees draw 4 million this season they will tie Toronto's record of 3 seasons of 4 million attendance. (1991-93).

[effdamets]

Giambi is 50 HRs from 400.

I can dream.

Jason is also 2 triples away from 10!

Jeter is 17 HRs from 200. He'll reach 1,000 RBI and perhaps 300 SB in 2008.

Abreu will reach 1,000 runs this season. He's 29 SBs from 300 and should reach 400 doubles this season.

This is hilarious! Jason couldn't amass a triple if he hit a ball to the wall in Yellowstone!

[iWant27]

Looking at A-Rods HR numbers in Texas , he might already have had 500 if he had stayed with Texas . Its amazing , 500 HRs at age 31 .

[effdamets]

Looking at A-Rods HR numbers in Texas , he might already have had 500 if he had stayed with Texas . Its amazing , 500 HRs at age 31 .

I'd love to see Alex get closer by 4 on opening day!

[yankeebot]

This is hilarious! Jason couldn't amass a triple if he hit a ball to the wall in Yellowstone!

I saw Jason hit a triple in ST game. I was sitting directly in front of third in the second row. It was hysterical until I realized that he might actually drop dead.

[RIYankee23]

a-rod is working on the record for consecutive years being played out of position because of pride

Jeter doesn't owe him anything.

Remember this is Derek's team. We've won before Arod was here and we'll win without him.

The question is, will he do enough to help us win with him this year?

BTW: The way he played at 3B last year, I don't think any position player should feel bad about not giving up their spot for him.

[TEPLimey]

Jeter doesn't owe him anything.

Remember this is Derek's team. We've won before Arod was here and we'll win without him.

Jeter owes the Yankees something. Jeter owes me, as a Yankee fan, something.

If ARod playing SS is best for the Yankees and gives them a better opportunity to win than the alternatives, then ARod should be playing SS, Jeter's ego be damned.

[yankeebot]

Impressive. A thread titled Yankees aiming for baseball milestones this season turned into Jeter vs Arod Part IIX

[Sam18]

I wish Jeter would sell the team.

[RIYankee23]

Jeter owes the Yankees something. Jeter owes me, as a Yankee fan, something.

If ARod playing SS is best for the Yankees and gives them a better opportunity to win than the alternatives, then ARod should be playing SS, Jeter's ego be damned.

Jeter gave the fans and the team an MVP season and a very good postseason. He also played a gold glove SS.

Arod had a subpar regular season and for the 2nd straight year he tanked in the playoffs.

He played a horrible third base. What's to make you think he'd be any better at any other position on the field?

[effdamets]

Impressive. A thread titled Yankees aiming for baseball milestones this season turned into Jeter vs Arod Part IIX

Did we figure anything else?

And I have to imagine the "clash" has been mentioned among these threads way more than 8 times (at least I think IIX is 8)....

[Sam18]

He played a horrible third base. What's to make you think he'd be any better at any other position on the field?

Exactly. Its not like anyone's actually ever seen A-rod play SS. Who knows how he handles it.

[TEPLimey]

Jeter gave the fans and the team an MVP season and a very good postseason. He also played a gold glove SS.

Arod had a subpar regular season and for the 2nd straight year he tanked in the playoffs.

He played a horrible third base. What's to make you think he'd be any better at any other position on the field?

1) GG means squat to me.

2) Where did I ever claim to the contrary? I said IF the Yankees would be a better team with ARod at SS and Jeter wherever else, then move ARod to SS regardless of how Jeter feels about it.

3) Allow the irrational hating on one of, if not the best, players in baseball to continue. If ARod opts out and Joe Crede is manning 3B next season there, I hope people are happy to watch our production from that corner plummet.

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

Exactly. Its not like anyone's actually ever seen A-rod play SS. Who knows how he handles it.

[Michael®]

So where do you stick Jeter if A-Rod moves back to shortstop?

Either way, you've got someone playing out of position. A-Rod played third base at a high level in '04 and '05 and digressed last season, so his lack of familiarity with the position is no excuse for his struggles.

[ymike673]

I believe if A-Rod played one game at SS and hit a HR he would be the all-time career HR leader at SS. I seem to remember reading this when A Rod decided to move to 3B.

[CommerceComet]

This is hilarious! Jason couldn't amass a triple if he hit a ball to the wall in Yellowstone!

Maybe if it really matters to him, Giambi could hit a ball into the stands and then stop at third and refuse to go any further.

[Maynerd]

All he'd need to do is a strong push bunt down the third base line. Even Jason could leg out a triple by the time the overshift got to the ball.

[simmy886]

Maybe Jeter is such a humble guy and such a team player that he knew if he switched positions, people would focus on that fact and oggle over the fact that he sacrificed himself for the team, but he didn't want to draw this attention to himself. And he was so selfless, that he allowed ARod this honor, this leverage to fall back on "I changed positions - 1 homer away from the record!!" to further promote ARod's own legacy.

(I don't actually believe this)

I think Jeter should have moved at the time because ARod was a far better fielder, and as the captain it would have looked like the appropriate thing to do, that he actually puts the team ahead of his ego as opposed to vice versa. Instead it looked like someone with a grudge about an old quote who didn't want ARod to have the honor of being the best SS in the league anymore and instead wanted his own ranking to go up. But now, with ARod's recent struggles and Jeter improving at SS in the past 3 years it is a moot point, a switch now wouldn't make sense.

[dont_ya_know24]

if you think a-rod had a "subpar season", what would you call andy phillps's season??
a-rod had a good season, not an a-rod season, but certainly not a subpar season...

[JavyVazquezIsSick]

One more:

#27

The only one I care about.

[Maynerd]

if you think a-rod had a "subpar season", what would you call andy phillps's season??
a-rod had a good season, not an a-rod season, but certainly not a subpar season...

It's like A-Rod got a Birdie, and we're complaining that he didn't get an Eagle. "Jeez, you got an Eagle the last time you played this hole."

As for Andy...........Quadruple Bogey.

[primetime714]

Jeter owes the Yankees something. Jeter owes me, as a Yankee fan, something.

If ARod playing SS is best for the Yankees and gives them a better opportunity to win than the alternatives, then ARod should be playing SS, Jeter's ego be damned.

Umm its not best for the team to have ARod playing SS. ARod is a better 3B than Jeter would be so if you move ARod to SS your defense at 3B is going to suffer. Although with the way ARod sh*t his pants last year at 3B I definitely don't think Jeter would be worse than that there.

Simply put the team has two gold glove SS one of them has to play 3B or one of them has to go and Jeter isn't going anywhere. ARod is better suited to play 3B than Jeter so it doesn't make any sense for the team to move ARod back to SS and move Jeter especially with ARod's Yankee future in doubt..

[primetime714]

Maybe Jeter is such a humble guy and such a team player that he knew if he switched positions, people would focus on that fact and oggle over the fact that he sacrificed himself for the team, but he didn't want to draw this attention to himself. And he was so selfless, that he allowed ARod this honor, this leverage to fall back on "I changed positions - 1 homer away from the record!!" to further promote ARod's own legacy.

(I don't actually believe this)

I think Jeter should have moved at the time because ARod was a far better fielder, and as the captain it would have looked like the appropriate thing to do, that he actually puts the team ahead of his ego as opposed to vice versa. Instead it looked like someone with a grudge about an old quote who didn't want ARod to have the honor of being the best SS in the league anymore and instead wanted his own ranking to go up. But now, with ARod's recent struggles and Jeter improving at SS in the past 3 years it is a moot point, a switch now wouldn't make sense.

Why should Jeter have switched positions it was clear that ARod would make a better 3B. Is defense at SS more important than at 3B? I don't think so.

Before last year ARod looked really good at 3B while Jeter continued to improve at SS. The Yankees clearly made the right decision here. ARod probably would've had all those errors at SS as well. He just could not stand the pressure and was getting frustrated at the plate and in the field.

[In Mo I Trust]

Why should Jeter have switched positions it was clear that ARod would make a better 3B. Is defense at SS more important than at 3B? I don't think so.

Yes it is much more important.

[TEPLimey]

Umm its not best for the team to have ARod playing SS. ARod is a better 3B than Jeter would be so if you move ARod to SS your defense at 3B is going to suffer. Although with the way ARod sh*t his pants last year at 3B I definitely don't think Jeter would be worse than that there.

RIF, dude. Reading is fundamental.

If you show me where I said that it was best for the team to have ARod playing SS, I will take back my comment. Until then, it stands.

[sweet_lou_14]

I wish Jeter would sell the team.

Post of the week.

[RIYankee23]

Jeter owes the Yankees something. Jeter owes me, as a Yankee fan, something.

If ARod playing SS is best for the Yankees and gives them a better opportunity to win than the alternatives, then ARod should be playing SS, Jeter's ego be damned.

It doesn't make the Yankees a better team. Like primetime said, where do you put Jeter? Arod had prior experience at third, Jeter does not.

Arod volunteered to make the switch anyways since he was desperate to get out of Texas.

Finally, there is no reason for a player of Arod's caliber to struggle as much as he did at third last year. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Arod is the most mentally soft superstar I have ever seen.

[CommerceComet]

Even Jason could leg out a triple by the time the overshift got to the ball.

Well, Willie Mays once scored from second on a bunt single down the third base line by Willie McCovey who almost always faced the same overshift. I'm not sure where the third baseman was on this play because you would have expected him to be closer to 3B to protect against a Mays' steal.

[MunsonNY15]

Good thread.

I was wondering about milestones the other day, but the ones I was wondering about were franchise ones. Anyone know who's on tap to reach Yankee milestones this year? It seemed last year Bernie was tying or passing someone with every hit or RBI.

Heidi

[Tabata Road]

Damon should get his by June. The others will not get their milestones before August or so.

If all goes well, Mussina could get 250 around the break.

[Maynerd]

I was wondering about milestones the other day, but the ones I was wondering about were franchise ones. Anyone know who's on tap to reach Yankee milestones this year? It seemed last year Bernie was tying or passing someone with every hit or RBI.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/te...s_bat_50.shtml