Quote:
Originally Posted by NYY #23
With 3 new entries in the 3000 hit club how many total do you have now?
The Giants are just dominating the NL lately it seems. Based on a comment you made about their young roster it looks like things will be tough for the Yankees over the next few years. If it wasn't for Buck Leonard we'd really be in trouble.
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There are currently eight players with more than 3000 career hits. Four are active, and four have retired:
Code:
NAME YEARS HITS
Mike Dickey 1920-1935 3413
Oscar Eckhardt 1920-present 3399
Joe Bazeley 1920-1936 3321
Bob Fothergill 1922-present 3137
Judy Johnson 1921-present 3127
Jigger Statz 1920-1937 3043
Henry Harris 1920-present 3015
Wilton Schmitt 1920-1936 3014
Eckhardt, who is starting to slow down some at age 36, will probably still pass Dickey and become the all-time hits leader, perhaps by the end of the season. The Ox has a .274 average this year, with 110 hits in 127 games, and the White Sox have 17 games left to play.
Ken Rich retired in 1936 with 2987 career hits.
Rick Mann, a 39-year-old third baseman who spent most of his career with the A's and is now an Oriole, has 2978.
Mule Suttles, who is still raking at age 37, stands at 2974, and will almost certainly become the first player in history with at least 500 home runs and at least 3000 hits.
Lou Gehrig, with 2818 hits to his credit, could join him as early as next season.
The Giants were lousy for a long time, and when a team keeps finishing with crummy records, it has the chance to draft good players.
Bob Feller, with 19 wins at age 19, is the best example of the Giants' skillful use of the draft, but other young stars like pitcher
Valentyn Santos (13-7, age 24), and slick-fielding catcher
Mickey Owen (.257, age 22) are also playing key roles in the Giants' success.
The Yankees, however, are far from a collection of broken-down geezers. At 36,
Al Simmons is clearly not the monster he once was, and as good as
George Earnshaw (16-10, 3.58) has been, he's still 38 years old. However, Leonard is 30 years old, and is in his prime. The team's most talented pitcher,
Brian Whaley, is the same age, and #2 starter
Bill Dietrich is 28.
Shortstop
Jesus Lopez, whom the Yanks acquired in the Bill Swift trade, is 27. Outfielder
Joe Marty (.318-15-75) is only 25, and
Rudy York (.297-5-55), who can catch and play first base, is the same age. York's power has yet to develop, but the potential is there.
If the Yankees can acquire a couple of good, young pitchers, they could position themselves to make a run at a few more division titles.