I admire Jeter and how he has kept his nose clean and has been the heart of the Yankees throughout the last part of the past century and the first years of the current century.
Getting 3,000 hits is a testament to longevity, avoiding injury, and being consistent in getting base hits.
With all this, I am asking myself why I don't give a rat's ass?
Maybe it's the media ramming it down my throat.
Maybe it's the 'churning' of the record. By the time most players achieve 3,000 hits they are in the twilight of their career.
Maybe it's my non-obsession with even numbers. Jeter will be the 27th player to get 3,000 hits, but he is already the 27th player to have 2,997. I wouldn't think any less of him if he were to not reach 3,000 hits.
Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, and Frank Robinson came up a little short of 3,000 hits. Most players even nearing 3,000 hits are in the Hall of Fame.
Only two players that have 3,000 hits are NOT in the Hall. Pete Rose and Raffy Palmeiro.
The current players behind Jeter in hits are:
Ivan Rodriguez- 2842 hits
Omar Vizquel- 2831 hits
Alex Rodriguez- 2762 hits
Johnny Damon- 2662 hits
Chipper Jones- 2562 hits
Vladimir Guerrero- 2511 hits
Each can make their own case for the Hall of Fame. But, I won't be on pins and needles waiting for any of these players to reach 3,000 hits.
Maybe we should start 'Career Fantasy Baseball' to make records like these more exciting. The categories can still be the same, but when drafting, we draft with the thought of whether these players can maintain careers over long periods of time, while we rack up points for milestones like 3,000 hits.
The drawback being that it would take years and years before winners collect their money
