Derek Jeter will break Pete Rose's Hit Record

[springpin]

I think this is the critical year. If he stays healthy enough to get 200+ hits he will have over 3,500 and slightly more than Wagner. The Yankees are heading for some lean years, and Jeter may be about all the fans can cheer about. Then I hope he gets a three-year contract to get another 500 hits. At 4,000 hits, he gets a final two- year deal to collect the record. This is what I am hoping. But if he doesn't get 200 this year, I don't think he will do it, and the Yankee owners won't bankroll him to try.

[slidekellyslide]

Does he want it?

[CMIZ5290]

No way.....

[barrysloate]

Won't even make 4000. Should finish around 3700-3800.

[BigJJ]

Interesting Springpin, I think you're right. had not broken it down by contracts, and with consideration for the lean team, and the lower salaried Yankee team under Hal and Hank. This makes it more of a shot as hes not moving teams, and the Yanks' first priority is winning of course.

Dan, I think he wants it bad, and just doesnt want to talk about it. Jeter is a Fierce competitor, just super quiet about the desire. I think he's one thousand percent going for it.

[BigJJ]

Maybe when he breaks the record, a number on the forum, -might- stop ridiculously comparing Jeter to Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. I think some anti-Yankee bias is affecting objectivity.

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by BigJJ

Maybe when he breaks the record, a number on the forum, -might- stop ridiculously comparing Jeter to Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. I think some anti-Yankee bias is affecting objectivity.

I would rather hope he would consider that a compliment.

[CMIZ5290]

Interesting we're talking about Yankees. Wouldn't it be curious to think how many homeruns Mantle would have hit if not for nagging injuries and extra activities not related to the game?

[mcgwirecom]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

Interesting we're talking about Yankees. Wouldn't it be curious to think how many homeruns Mantle would have hit if not for nagging injuries and extra activities not related to the game?

Or how many homeruns would Ruth have if he actually was in shape!

[E93]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

Interesting we're talking about Yankees. Wouldn't it be curious to think how many homeruns Mantle would have hit if not for nagging injuries and extra activities not related to the game?

"I'd be rich and famous if I weren't unknown and poor."
Tom Russell

[Frozen in Time]

Originally Posted by CMIZ5290

Interesting we're talking about Yankees. Wouldn't it be curious to think how many homeruns Mantle would have hit if not for nagging injuries and extra activities not related to the game?

"If ifs and buts were candied nuts what a wonderful Christmas it would be"!!!

However, if we play that game then a few of the biggest factors with regard to Mantle not achieving his obvious potential, in my opinion, would be: 1) the penicillin injections (every day, every 3 hrs for 2 weeks) in an attempt to arrest a football-related injury that resulted in osteomyelitis (1946), 2) the early death of his father (1952 ) and 3) the knee injury in the '51 WS.

Before the injury to his left shin in an early season football practice session, Mickey or "Little Mickey" as he was known then weighed around 125 pounds soaking wet. After he left the hospital in the fall of 1946 he had lost over 30 pounds and his body was covered in boils - a combination of the prolonged infection and treatment. Photos from 1947 depict a remarkable transformation, Mickey was now well over 160 pounds - all of the new weight pure muscle. One potential consequence of this hypertrophy (perhaps induced by the unusual concentration and length of the penicillin treatments) might be that his ligament and tendon development simply did not match his muscular growth and could, in part, explain the unending series of injuries that defined his career.

The early death of his father also had a very profound effect on Mickey. Mickey loved, respected and feared his Dad. There is no question in my mind had his father lived and was around for Mickey through most of his playing days that many of the distractions and much of the bad behavior (drinking, womanizing and not taking care of himself) would have been greatly curtailed.

And finally, the knee injury in the 1951 WS - which was simply the start of a series of crippling injuries that robbed us from witnessing some of Mickey's greatest physical attributes.

So, I've fallen in the trap of "ifs and buts" in an attempt to offer some possible explanations for one player's (my childhood hero) shortcomings. Of course, all of us are ultimately responsible for our lives and for how we respond to each and every situation.

But I always wonder 'what could have been". What would the final numbers have been if that baby-faced Rookie with that magnificent body who went from the right-side of the plate to 1ST in 3.1 sec and from the left-side of the plate in 2.9 sec, who consistently hit the longest HRs ever recorded as easily left-handed as he did right-handed and who could beat out a drag bunt by several yards had not suffered all those injuries, had not been so distracted by women and alcohol and had taken better care of himself.

In my opinion, a healthy, focused and more mature Mantle might have been the greatest ballplayer ever. But then again, we are all who we are and therein lies the problem with the "if and but" game.