Derek Jeter and the 3,000 Hit Club: A Look at the Select Company He's Joining

With two hits last night in Cleveland, Derek Jeter, the New York Yankee's captain, finds himself just four hits away from joining the 3,000-hit club.

How exclusive a club is it? It's not quite as exclusive as the 500-homer club, which boasts 25 members or the 300-win club (24 hurlers), but I surmise that it's a little more exclusive than Sam's Club or the Hair Club for Men.

So how exclusive? Only 27 hitters in the history of Major League Baseball have earned their way here, and the list ranges from Pete Rose's 4,256 hits to the late, great Roberto Clemente's 3,000 even.

Twenty-four of the 27 club members are in Cooperstown, and one suspects Craig Biggio will soon be joining them. The other two who need a ticket to get in the Hall of Fame—Rose and Rafael Palmeiro—may never get in for other reasons.

Before we go on with the show, there are two things to note here.

1) Jeter, despite legions of detractors who seem to be crawling out of the woodwork of late, will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer upon eligibility. And while the 37-year-old's best days and years appear to be in his rear-view mirror, he has a shot at ending with 3,500 or more hits before hanging them up.

2) This slideshow examines the season in which each player—from fewest hits to most—cracked the 3,000-hit plateau.

We'll start with the Yankees captain, even though he's currently on the outside looking in.

On the final slide, I will present one man's educated, if unscientific, ranking of all 28 players.

Statistics were furnished by baseball-reference.com.

28. Derek Jeter (2,996)

Career Hit Total: 2,996

 

Team he will achieve it with: New York Yankees

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 2011 / currently at .257 

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 37

 

Career Batting Average: .312

One More Factoid: Jeter has twice been a runner-up but has never won a batting crown.

27. Roberto Clemente (3,000)

Career Hit Total: 3,000

 

Team he achieved it with: Pittsburgh Pirates

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1972 / .312

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 37

 

Career Batting Average: .317

 

One More Factoid: Clemente had an almost identical .318 career postseason batting average.

26. Al Kaline (3,007)

Career Hit Total: 3,007

Team he achieved it with: Detroit Tigers

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1974 / .262

 

Age (when reaching milestone):  39

 

Career Batting Average:  .297

 

One More Factoid: Kaline won his only batting title in 1955, at age 20!

25. Wade Boggs (3,010)

Career Hit Total:  3,010

 

Team he achieved it with:  Tampa Bay Rays

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1999 / .301

 

Age (when reaching milestone):  41

 

Career Batting Average:  .328

 

One More Factoid:  Boggs captured the AL batting crown in five of his first six seasons, but none since.

24. Rafael Palmeiro (3,020)

Career Hit Total: 3,020

 

Team he achieved it with: Baltimore Orioles

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 2005 / .266

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 40

 

Career Batting Average:  .288

 

One More Factoid: Palmeiro topped 100 RBI 10 times but never won a Triple Crown category for a full season.

23. Lou Brock (3,023)

Career Hit Total: 3,023

 

Team he achieved it with:  St. Louis Cardinals

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1979 / .304

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 40

 

Career Batting Average:  .293

 

One More Factoid: The swift Lou Brock (even his name sounds fast) led the NL in stolen bases eight times.

22. Rod Carew (3,053)

Career Hit Total: 3,053

 

Team he achieved it with: California Angels

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1985 / .280

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average:  .328

 

One More Factoid: In a 15-year stretch from 1969-83, Carew's lowest batting average was .307.

21. Rickey Henderson (3,055)

Career Hit Total: 3,055

 

Team he achieved it with: San Diego Padres

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 2001 / .227

 

Age (when reaching milestone):  42

 

Career Batting Average: .279

 

One More Factoid: Rickey Henderson (who often spoke in the third person) would be pleased to be reminded that Rickey Henderson stole 112 bases after his age-40 season.

20. Craig Biggio (3,060)

Career Hit Total: 3,060

 

Team he achieved it with:  Houston Astros

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 2007 / .251

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 41

 

Career Batting Average: .281

 

One More Factoid: Biggio led the NL in doubles three times and hit-by-pitches five times.

19. Dave Winfield (3,110)

Career Hit Total: 3,110

 

Team he achieved it with: Minnesota Twins

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1993 / .271

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 41

 

Career Batting Average:  .283

 

One More Factoid: The elegant Winfield made the All-Star team every year from 1977-88.

18. Tony Gwynn (3,141)

Career Hit Total:  3,141

 

Team he achieved it with: San Diego Padres

 

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1999 / .338

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .338

 

One More Factoid:  Tony Gwynn, while certainly not known for his speed the latter portion of his career, stole 56 bases in 1987.

17. Robin Yount (3.142)

Career Hit Total: 3,142

Team he achieved it with: Milwaukee Brewers

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1992 / .264

Age (when reaching milestone): 36

Career Batting Average: .285

One More Factoid: Rockin' Robin played in 107 games and batted .250 as an 18-year-old rookie in 1974.

16. Paul Waner (3,152)

Career Hit Total: 3,152

 

Team he achieved it with: Boston Braves

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1942 / .258

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .333

 

One More Factoid: "Big Poison" is listed as 5'8", 153 pounds; his kid brother Paul, known as "Little Poison" (5'9", 150) is also a Hall of Famer. Both were small but wielded venomous lumber.

15. George Brett (3,154)

Career Hit Total: 3,154

 

Team he achieved it with: Kansas City Royals

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1992 / .285

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average:  .305

 

One More Factoid: George Brett's 1980 season is among the best in MLB history. .390 / .454 / .664 / 1.118 with 24 homers and 118 RBI.

14. Cal Ripken, Jr. (3,184)

Career Hit Total:  3,184

 

Team he achieved it with: Baltimore Orioles

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 2000 / .256

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .276

 

One More Factoid: Ripken is known by most as a great offensive shortstop, but how about his "D"? He led AL shortstops in fielding percentage four times, and his career defensive WAR (17.6) is the 10th highest all-time for any position.

13. Nap Lajoie (3,242)

Career Hit Total: 3,242

 

Team he achieved it with: Cleveland Indians

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1914 / .258

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .338

 

One More Factoid: In 1901 (with the Philadelphia A's), Nap led the AL in runs, hits, doubles, homers, RBI, BA (.426), OBP, slugging and of course, OPS and OPS+. We're not sure if he got a raise for the next year but probably not (he didn't lead in triples after all).

Another amazing stat? He was credited with nine strikeouts that year in 582 plate appearances. Nine. That's a good series for Mark Reynolds.

12. Eddie Murray (3,255)

Career Hit Total: 3,255

 

Team he achieved it with: Cleveland Indians

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1995 / .323 (wow!)

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .287

 

One More Factoid: Unlike many power hitters, Murray did not fan too often. He only struck out more than 100 times once in his long career, 104 times as a rookie in 1977.

11. Willie Mays (3,283)

Career Hit Total: 3,283

 

Team he achieved it with: San Francisco Giants

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1970 / .291

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .302

 

One More Factoid: Willie won only one batting title (.345), as a 23-year-old in 1954.

10. Eddie Collins (3,315)

Career Hit Total: 3,315

 

Team he achieved it with: Chicago White Sox

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1925

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 38

 

Career Batting Average: .333

 

One More Factoid: Collins never garnered a batting crown, but he did have 15 top-10 finishes.

9. Paul Molitor (3,319)

Career Hit Total: 3,319

 

Team he achieved it with: Minnesota Twins

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1996 / .341

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .306

 

One More Factoid: The speedy, savvy Molitor swiped 504 bases in his career.

For a little guy who couldn't stay healthy early in his career, it is amazing that he stands as ninth in MLB history (in total hits.)

8. Carl Yastrzemski (3419)

Career Hit Total: 3,419

 

Team he achieved it with: Boston Red Sox

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1979 / .270

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 39

 

Career Batting Average: .285

 

One More Factoid: How's this for a strange stat? Yaz had three seasons with 40 or more homers; he did not top 30 homers in any other year.

7. Honus Wagner (3,420)

Career Hit Total: 3,420

 

Team he achieved it with: Pittsburgh Pirates

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1914 / .252

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 40

 

Career Batting Average: .328

 

One More Factoid: This all-time great won eight NL batting crowns between 1900-11.

6. Cap Anson (3,435)

Career Hit Total: 3,435

 

Team he achieved it with: Chicago Cubs

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1894 / .388 (nice)

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 42

 

Career Batting Average: .334

 

One More Factoid: From 1871-1883, Anson slugged a total of five homers. In 1884, he connected for 21. He never hit more than 12 again and only hit 97 in his 27-year career.

Where was Bud Selig when he needed him?

5. Tris Speaker (3,514)

Career Hit Total: 3,514

Team he achieved it with: Cleveland Indians

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1925 / .389 (not bad)

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 37

 

Career Batting Average: .345

 

One More Factoid: The Grey Eagle struck out only 283 times, while drawing 1,381 walks.

4. Stan Musial (3,630)

Career Hit Total: 3,630

 

Team he achieved it with: St. Louis Cardinals

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1958 / .337

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 37

 

Career Batting Average: .331

 

One More Factoid: Stan Musial won the NL MVP in three of his first five seasons; he finished second the next three years.

3. Hank Aaron (3,771)

Career Hit Total: 3,771

 

Team he achieved it with: Atlanta Braves

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1970 / .298

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 36

 

Career Batting Average: .305

 

One More Factoid: Except for his rookie year (1954) and his final season (1976) Aaron was an All-Star every year.

2. Ty Cobb (4,191)

Career Hit Total: 4,191

 

Team he achieved it with: Detroit Tigers

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1921 / .389

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 34

 

Career Batting Average: .366

 

One More Factoid: The Georgia Peach won 11 AL batting crowns in a 13-year stretch (1907-19).

1. Pete Rose (4,256)

Career Hit Total: 4,256

 

Team he achieved it with: Cincinnati Reds

Year of his 3,000th Hit / BA that year: 1978 / .302

 

Age (when reaching milestone): 37

 

Career Batting Average: .303

 

One More Factoid: Rose's career postseason batting average was .321.

Ranking the 27 (Soon-to-Be 28) Members of the 3,000-Hit Club

So, how does one go about ranking the 28 members (counting Derek Jeter) of the 3,000-hit club, when you have players at different positions and from different eras?

If you're smart, you don't; if you can't resist, you do, anyway. That's how.

I've seen a lot of baseball but can't truly say for sure how great any of these guys are/were, especially the likes of Wagner, Collins, Anson and Lajoie. I am sure they did (all) have some serious game.

So, if you like the list, it's mine. If you don't, it's just one man's opinion. Feel free to comment on any aspect of this presentation below:

1. Willie Mays                                          15. Rod Carew

2. Hank Aaron                                          16. Pete Rose

3. Ty Cobb                                               17. Robin Yount

4. Honus Wagner                                     18. Derek Jeter

5. Stan Musial                                          19. Tony Gwynn

6. Tris Speaker                                         20. Wade Boggs

7. Rickey Henderson                                21. Cap Anson

8. Nap Lajoie                                            22. Lou Brock

9. Roberto Clemente                                23. Eddie Murray

10. George Brett                                      24. Dave Winfield

11. Eddie Collins                                       25. Paul Molitor

12. Cal Ripken, Jr.                                     26. Craig Biggio

13. Al Kaline                                              27. Paul Waner

14. Carl Yastrzemski                                 28. Rafael Palmeiro