Placido Polanco and Other Philadelphia Phillies Milestones To Watch in 2011

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco is approaching two noteworthy milestones in 2011, but he is not the only one. Let's take a look at some of the milestones that some Philadelphia Phillies are closing in on this upcoming baseball season (slideshow adapted from this original post on Second String Blog).

2,000 Hits: Placido Polanco

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 17: Placido Polanco #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies connects for a sacrifice fly to score Shane Victorino against the San Francisco Giants in Game Two of the NLCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 17, 2

Placido Polanco enters the 2011 season with 1,836 career hits, putting him 164 away from 2,000 career hits (518 have come in a Phillies uniform). As long as he stays healthy, there is a very good chance Polanco will get his 2,000th base hit this season. In each of his previous four seasons, Polanco has recorded over 164 hits in as many as 153 games. A total of 260 Major League Baseball players have recorded 2,000 hits in their careers, but Polanco would be the first current Phillies player to do so if he can get 164 hits this season.

1,000 Runs Scored: Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco

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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Jimmy Rollins #11 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates his run with Placido Polanco #27 off of a Chase Utley #26 double for a 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium on Septembe

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins will enter the 2011 season with 993 career runs scored, seven shy of 1,000. Rollins is currently fourth on the Phillies' franchise list for runs scored and is 121 runs away from tying Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn for third on the list (1,114 runs). Rollins’ career high for runs scored in a season came in 2007 with 139 runs scored. He has only had more than 120 runs in a season twice in his career (2006, 2007). He scored 48 runs last season in an injury-shortened 88-game season.

Polanco has a little more work to do but remains in position to have a shot at reaching the 1,000-run mark. Polanco has scored 902 career runs, but he has not scored more than 90 runs in a season since scoring a career-high 105 in 2007 with the Detroit Tigers. If he can stay healthy and Chase Utley and Ryan Howard can drive him home, then there is a chance Polanco could reach the 1,000-run mark in 2011.

1,000 Hits: Ryan Howard

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 23: Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats against the San Francisco Giants in Game Six of the NLCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 23, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello

Ryan Howard enters 2011 with 902 career hits, putting him 98 away from the 1,000-hit mark. Howard had 152 hits in 2010 and 172 in 2009. Thirty-two players have notched 1,000 hits while wearing a Phillies uniform, including current Phillies Rollins and Chase Utley.

1,000 Runs Batted In: Raul Ibanez

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 23: Raul Ibanez #29 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a single in the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants in Game Six of the NLCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 23, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pe

Raul Ibanez has 970 career RBI, and 30 RBI should come as no problem for him this season with this kind of lineup. The last time he had fewer than 54 RBI was in 2000 with the Seattle Mariners. In two seasons in Philadelphia, Ibanez has recorded 176 RBI.

1,000 Strikeouts: Cole Hamels

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SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 19: Cole Hamels #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants in Game Three of the NLCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at AT&T Park on October 19, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (

Cole Hamels enters 2011 with 897 career strikeouts, and after recording a career high of 211 strikeouts in 2010, there is good reason to believe Hamels will join the 1,000 strikeout club in 2011. Hamels is 10th in franchise history in strikeouts and closing in on former Phillies farm products Randy Wolf (971, ninth) and Brett Myers (986, eighth). No pitcher has recorded 2,000 strikeouts in a Phillies uniform other than Steve Carlton (3,031) so for the time being the focus will be passing Robin Roberts, second on the franchise list with 1,871 strikeouts.

300 Home Runs: Ryan Howard

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PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 25: First baseman Ryan Howard #6 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a first inning two-run home run during a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on September 25, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter

Howard also comes into the 2011 season with a shot at hitting his 300th career home run. With 253 round trippers already to his credit, the first baseman is third on the franchise home run list behind Mike Schmidt (548) and Del Ennis (259). It should not take too long for Howard to become second on the franchise home run list, as he is just six behind Ennis. Then the chase for Schmidt officially begins.

200 Home Runs: Chase Utley

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 08: Chase Utley #26 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a 2-RBI single in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the NLDS at Citizens Bank Park on October 8, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zele

Chase Utley hit just 16 home runs last season, a year after smacking 64 combined homers in 2008 and 2009, so his pace has slowed down for 200 home runs, but it remains a realistic mark in 2011. The second baseman is 23 home runs away from hitting his 200th career home run. Utley is 12th on the all-time Phillies list and can move into the top 10 with nine home runs to pass Johnny Callison.

100 Stolen Bases: Chase Utley

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PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 02: Chase Utley #26 of the Philadelphia Phillies steals second base as shortstop Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees drops the ball in the bottom of the third inning of Game Five of the 2009 MLB World Series at Citizens Bank Pa

Utley needs four stolen bases to record 100 career stolen bases. He has recorded double-digit stolen base totals for the past three seasons and in five of the past six seasons.

Franchise Saves Record, 112: Brad Lidge

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SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 21: Brad Lidge #54 and Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after defeating the San Francisco Giants 4-2 in Game Five of the NLCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at AT&T Park on October 21, 2010 in San Francisco, Ca

Brad Lidge will enter the 2011 season with 222 career saves (35th all-time, third among active closers), 99 of which came with Philadelphia, but he is 13 saves away from tying a Phillies franchise record. Jose Mesa holds the Phillies record for most saves, with 112 between two stints with the Phillies (2001-2003, 2007). Lidge will pass Mitch Williams (102 Phillies saves) and Steve Bedrosian (103 Phillies saves) if he can manage just five saves this year.

Lidge is currently fourth on the franchise all-time saves list.