Baseball's top 10 'records' ... without the home runs

[Joey Slugs]

Taken from Jason Stark's article on ESPN.com (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2433030)
(Poll: What is the record LEAST likely to be broken?)

Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak - 56

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
65 years (1941)

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
44 games, by Pete Rose in 1978

.400 batting average

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
Since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
.394, by Tony Gwynn in 1994

Pete Rose's career hit total - 4,256

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
20 years (1986)

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
Paul Molitor got to 3,319 (937 away) before retiring in 1998.

30 wins

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
Since Denny McLain won 31 in 1968 (38 years ago).

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
27, by Steve Carlton in 1972 and Bob Welch in 1990.

Cal Ripken's iron man streak - 2,632

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
Since Ripken pulled the plug on Sept. 20, 1998.

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
969 (thru May 29), by Miguel Tejada (just 10½ years to go), or 1,761* (5½ years away) if you count Hideki Matsui's multi-continent streak that just ended (the last 518 as a Yankee).

Orel Hershiser's scoreless innings streak - 59

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
18 years

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
41, by Orioles reliever Gregg Olson over two seasons (1989-90), or 39 1/3 in a single season, by Greg Maddux (2000).

Hack Wilson's single-season RBI record - 191

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
76 years

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
184, by Lou Gehrig in 1931, the year after Wilson did it.

CLOSEST IN THE LAST HALF-CENTURY:
165, by Manny Ramirez in 1999

Bob Gibson's ERA in 1968 - 1.12

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
38 years

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
1.53, by Dwight Gooden in 1985.

Rickey Henderson's single-season SB record - 130

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
24 years (1982)

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
110, by Vince Coleman in 1985.

Nolan Ryan's single-season strikeout record - 383

HOW LONG IT'S STOOD:
33 years (1973)

CLOSEST CALL SINCE:
372, by Randy Johnson in 2001

[FakeLaser]

That's really tough. Albert Pujols will probably break them all though.

[The Icon of Elisim]

Didn't someone throw two consecutive no hitters? If that counts as a record then I'd say Ripken's record will take the longest to break

[loopydate]

Hershiser's 59 scoreless innings. That's more than six complete game shutouts in a row!

-EDIT-

I originally typed "almost seven," then changed my mind and thought that "more than six" was more impressive. But I forgot to change the "seven" to a "six" and wound up looking like a mathematical retard. My second grade (or whatever year it is you learn the multiplication tables) teacher must be so proud.

[Joey Slugs]

I went with the 1.12 ERA. The stronger the hitters get, the higher the average ERA in the league.

1.12 is just too fucking impressive.

[DaveWadding]

Hershiser's 59 scoreless innings. That's more than seven complete game shutouts in a row!

9x7=63

;)

[loopydate]

Note to self: Once you change your mind about the wording of a post, proofread it to make sure that it is still true.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Outside of hitting .400 they are all pretty ridiculous, I really can't see anyone ever winning 30 games ever again though.

[BCWWF]

A lot of those will be hard to break, I mean 130 steals, the 56 game streak and the 59 scoreless innings will be really hard to break, but Cal Ripkins seems untouchable to me. I mean it spans over such a long period of time, and the concept of not randomly taking a meaningless game off in all that time is mind boggling. I can't see that ever happening, murphy's law would have to hit sometime.

[MVP]

I also went with Ripken's record cause today players are put on the DL for just about anything, and a lot of players get days off almost each week.

[The Miz]

They were back then too, Ripken was just an exception. Just like today we have guys like Tejada and Pierre who are going to play 162 unless they break a leg or something

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Rose's hit record simply because I don't see anyone ever achieving his longevity. He had 14,000 career at bats. To put that in perspective, Craig Biggio is 39 and is playing in his 19th major league season. He just got his 10000th AB two days ago.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Yeah I don't think it'll happen anytime soon, but I can see Ripkens record being broken at some point.

Oh yeah, not to be an asshole but the record isn't .400, it is a lot higher than that. Hugh Duffy hit .440 in 1894 haha

[The Miz]

I think he meant just hitting .400 in general, not the all-time single season BA record

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Ah, for some reason I was thinking every other option other than that one was some type of record held by someone. Now I realize 30 wins is actaully not the record for most wins in one season and now that I think about it I don't know if 130 steals is the record or not either.

[Joey Slugs]

Ah, for some reason I was thinking every other option other than that one was some type of record held by someone. Now I realize 30 wins is actaully not the record for most wins in one season and now that I think about it I don't know if 130 steals is the record or not either.

Ricky Henderson's 130 Stolen Bases is the standing MLB record

[RP]

Ryan Freel will break the stolen base record in 2 years.

[BCWWF]

Then Darren Spahn will break it again the next year

[YOUR Hero]

The games played streak. It takes more than a great season to break it, unlike the other catergories.

[Boomer]

The games played streak. It takes more than a great season to break it, unlike the other catergories.

Well I voted for Pete Rose for the same reason. But I can understand thinking Ripken's accomplishment was huge.

[Adder]

Career hits.
Like Boomer and Hero's thinking.

With hits however, you actually have to do something, the games played has that 'cheat factor', whereas you could play an inning or two and come out.

[BCWWF]

I believe you have to play at least five innings

[Gertner]

Orel's shut out streak is the least likely IMO

[The Miz]

I believe you have to play at least five innings

lol what? You don't even have to play 1. A half-inning of defense is a game. Ripken often pinch-hit or went to third/short in the 9th to keep it alive.

[The Miz]

I'd be impressed if Ripken started and played 9 innings in 2,100 games or however many it was. But in reality he had several "off-days" but he cheaply entered the game just to keep it going. I can't appreciate a guy who values himself over the team, which Ripken clearly did in the latter stages when he was played when he shouldn't have been.

[FakeLaser]

I was gonna go with 30 wins but it's the kind of thing that can happen on a fluke. I went with Rose's record because it requires both longevity and consistancy that I doubt we'll see again. Consecutive games played is pretty rough too, but Matsui was fairly close, and Miguel Tejada is going pretty strong.

I believe someone like Ichiro could hit .400. Bonds probably could have pulled it off a couple years back but he only cares about the long ball. Still, the guy hit friggin .370. Imagine if he tried to hit to the opposite field every now and then.

The 56 hit streak is pretty tough but I feel like someone could get lucky and pull it off. Someone like Rivera or another lights out closer type of guy could put up 56 scoreless innings, though for a closer that's more than half a season giving up no runs. Ehhh, I kind of doubt it now that I think about it. The 1.12 ERA probably won't be touched either. Clemens was lights out last year and he still posted a 1.87. 1.12 ERA is like allowing 40 runs all year long or something ridiculous. No way that's gonna be touched.

191 RBI's is pretty tough, even with stacked offenses like the Yankees, Red Sox or Indians. 130 SB... nobody runs that much anymore. I bet if someone like Podsednik or Crawford ran 170 times a season or so they could beat it, but why take so many risks? That's runing basically every time you get on base.

383 K's is possible I think. Johnson was within 11 K's, thats about one start for him going by his career K/9. Some other uber pitcher could come along and break it possibly.

In the end, above all the others, I'll stick with Pete Rose.

[YOUR Hero]

I would say Pete Rose's record may be a tougher record than the consecutive games played. Neither will be easy to break.

[Joey Slugs]

I believe you have to play at least five innings

* MLB's rule 10.24(c), defining consecutive game streaks, is as follows: "A consecutive game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays one half inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching base or being put out. A pinch running appearance only shall not extend the streak. If a player is ejected from a game by an umpire before he can comply with the requirements of this rule, his streak shall continue." This peculiar rule means that a pinch-runner can come into a game, steal a base, get caught stealing, and even score a run, but still will not be credited with a game played if he does not stay in the game afterward. Similarly, a player can take the field and contribute to the game in many ways--field a ball in play, make a putout, make an assist, commit an error--but is not credited with a game played if he does not play an entire half inning.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Yeah 5 inning rule only goes for starting pitchers to get the win.

[ct2k]

Can't really see a starting pitcher getting 30 wins in a season. 30 vulture wins would be possible but i dunno...meh, i'm thinking Hershiser's innings now :\

[FakeLaser]

Isn't Brandon Webb at 28 consecutive or something like that?

[FakeLaser]

Yeah, 28.

[RoXer]

Yeah, was just about to say that, but I dont wanna jinx it.

[RoXer]

Well done Joey

[The Miz]

lol the run scored on a GIDP with a guy on third. Cheap way to end it

[The Miz]

Ryan Howard just homered. Nevermind

[RoXer]

Yeah, Howard hit one over the wall in left right after.

[The Miz]

Left right? So center then?

[RoXer]

Thats what I said, obviously.


Rollins scores again. 3-3