16 MLB Career Milestones in Reach for 2011

The 2011 Major League Baseball season has witnessed two very special career milestones reached by two players who will likely be voted into Cooperstown five years after they retire.

All baseball fans celebrated Jim Thome clubbing his 600th home run, and all but a few dyed-in-the-wool Yankees haters applauded Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit.

With roughly a month—and 30 games—remaining on the regular-season docket, many players (including the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols, pictured) are within striking distance of career milestones, even if none may be quite of the magnitude reached by Jeter and Thome.

In fact, astute fans may find some of the feats much more impressive than others, and I'll leave the unofficial ranking to those fans. For each feat, I have identified the number of players in the history of MLB who have achieved it. It's all about the round numbers; these are not necessarily records.

Some of these numbers may shock you, others may annoy you, but for baseball fans, reading this should beat the tar out of watching more Hurricane Irene coverage.

So, stay warm, dry and informed, and click on.

2,000 Games Played: Paul Konerko

Paul Konerko, that quiet, slugging Chicago White Sox first sacker, played game No. 1,972 on Friday night.

Konerko, age 35, only needs to play in 28 of his team's remaining 33 games to attain this milestone.

While 226 players in MLB history have done so, that is not a huge number when you consider the thousands who have played.

2,000 Hits: Adrian Beltre and Juan Pierre

In some respects, it's hard to believe that Adrian Beltre (who played for the Dodgers as a 19-year-old) is only 32 and he's already collected 1,996 hits. He has been four short of this milestone since July 22. The Rangers third baseman has been sidelined with a strained hamstring. Who knows? If he gets, and remains, healthy, he may even get to 3,000 one day.

Juan Pierre, age 34, the White Sox's speedster, is presently at 1,985 and also well within range this year.

Beltre (pictured) and Pierre are looking to join 266 other players in this club. Just imagine how stoked Beltre will look when he makes it.

500 Doubles: Alex Rodriguez

In the history of the game, only 54 players have mashed 500 doubles; the last one to do it was Scott Rolen of the Cincinnati Reds.

Alex Rodriguez, 36, is seven doubles away, and his teammate, Derek Jeter, 36, needs 13 more to reach this mark.

Granted, the two members of the left side of the Yankees infield belong to more exclusive clubs, but this will still be a noteworthy accomplishment.

100 Triples: Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes

These two speedy NL East shortstops—both with the initials JR, of course—are stuck at 99 triples.

Both JRs are on the disabled list at present. Jimmy Rollins, 32, is having a good year statistically, and his Phillies are poised to do great things. Jose Reyes, only 28, is having his very best year for a mediocre Mets team, but has been sidelined since August 7.

There have been 160 players to have stroked 100 or more three-base hits, and one can expect Rollins and Reyes to hit quite a few more in their careers. We're just not sure exactly when and, after 2011, for which teams.

1,000 Runs: Michael Young and Orlando Cabrera

Michael Young scored twice Friday night to bring his career total to 984 runs scored. The Rangers third baseman, 34, is having a terrific season and should notch this milestone in 2011.

The Giants' Orlando Cabrera, 36, crossed the plate safely once last night to tie Young at 984. The middle infielder may get there this season, if he plays full-time and if his offense resembles the Rangers attack once in awhile. Not as likely.

Interestingly, Cabrera has played for eight teams since leaving the Montreal Expos in the middle of the 2004 season.

There have been 312 players who have achieved this milestone.

450 Homers: Chipper Jones, And...

While not nearly as celebrated as 500, 450 homers is a fairly exclusive club—one with only 33 members at present.

Three sluggers have a good chance of joining their ranks this season.

The Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones, 39, needs only one more longball to go into his trot again; the Orioles' Vladimir Guerrero, now 36, needs to knock four more balls out of the yard.

Good news for Vlad: he won't have to face Ben Revere and the Minnesota Twins again this year.

The great Albert Pujols, just 31, has to up his NL-leading pace just a bit to get to 450; he needs 11 more. Of course, he seems to have several good years to eventually top 600 or more.

And then, there's that Paul Konerko again, who needs seven dingers to reach 400, a club with only 47 players. Who knew?

1,500 RBI: Vladimir Guerrero

Vlad the Impaler will have to heat up like Vinnie Johnson (cross-sports simile) to make it to the 1,500-RBI club, where 51 other players reside.

Vlad has slowed down a bit, and needs 23 RBI in the Orioles' remaining 32 games to make it.

I wouldn't count out this future Hall of Famer (my supposition) from doing it, but it's a longshot.

1,900 Whiffs: Mike Cameron

Mike Cameron, 38, now playing outfield for the Florida Marlins, has had a fine career, but he also has fanned a staggering amount of times.

His next whiff will be No. 1,900. Talk about an exclusive club: only seven players in the history of this great game have done so. I realize that Mark Reynolds is still young, but...

Cameron, a tremendous outfielder in his prime, has slugged 276 homers—but that output, along with his 891 walks, should not have been dwarfed by 1,899-and-counting whiffs.

100 Hit-by-Pitches: Carlos Quentin

Three Chicago White Sox players are in hitting distance of their 100th career plunking; perhaps, opposing pitchers are really aiming for controversial skipper Ozzie Guillen.

First in the hit parade is outfielder Carlos Quentin, only 28, who leads the American League with 23 HBPs this season. At 97 for his career, he looks like a sure bet. Don't worry: he's big enough to take it, and come back for more.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski, 34, is presently on the DL, and also sitting at 97.

Juan Pierre, 35, much smaller than his teammates, is five errant throws away from this dubious mark.

Seventy players in MLB history have been hit 100 or more times. There are no stats on how many times they collectively charged the mound. Are there?

250 IBB: Albert Pujols and Vlad Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero is the active leader in intentional walks with 249, but has only received an intentional free pass twice this year.

Albert Pujols, who has scuffled just a little this year (okay, by his singular standards) and has more protection than ever before, has only been intentionally walked 12 times this year. That's still good for fourth place in the NL, but a far cry from his league-leading totals of 34, 44 and 38 the last three years.

Pujols is at 248, and even though Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman follow him in the Cards' potent heart of the order, expect Albert to receive at least two more IBBs this season.

This stat has not been kept forever, but only three players are in the 250 IBB club.

400 Stolen Bases: Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon, who seems to have been playing since the days of the Gashouse Gang, is only 37 and needs just three more steals to reach 400.

Damon, now with the Rays, has swiped 12 bags this year and is right on pace to get the three he needs.

Only 70 players in MLB history have stolen 400 or more.

200 Wins: Tim Wakefield

The 44-year-old knuckleball specialist has been stuck at 199 since the Clinton Administration, or so it seems.

Wake' tried again on Friday night, although his flutterballs were not fluttering, which spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e for the popular Red Sox hurler, who has actually only been stuck at 199 since July 29.

Only 110 pitchers made it to 200, and even those who hate Red Sox Nation have to be pulling for Wakefield to finally join them. Right?

2,500 Innings Pitched: Roy Halladay, And...

Doc Halladay, 34, the Phillies ace, needs just 13 innings to reach 2,500, and it is easy to imagine him reaching 3,500 or more in his Hall of Fame-destined career.

The Braves have two pitchers who should also attain 2,500 innings this season. Derek Lowe, 38, has just 14 more to go, while Tim Hudson, 36, needs 41 more innings.

There have been 238 pitchers who have made it 2,500; the list cuts roughly in half for the 3,000-innings club.

600 Saves: Mariano Rivera

The Sandman is still going strong at age 41, and enjoying a good season—if not one of his very best.

Mo needs eight more saves to reach 600, and nine more will tie him with the recently retired Trevor Hoffman, the career leader.

Rivera has 33 saves this year in 38 opportunities. This will be a close one for 2011, even if the ageless one shatters it next year.

2,500 Strikeouts: Javier Vazquez

That puzzling pitcher named Javier Vazquez (age 35, now with the Marlins) has racked up quite a few Ks in his good, but ultimately somewhat disappointing, career.

Javier needs just six more strikeouts to reach 2,500—only 29 pitchers in MLB history have done so.

Only 16 hurlers have topped 3,000 in their career; can Vazquez get there? The man rarely misses a start, even if his career record is 159-160 with a 4.28 ERA—compiled with quite a few teams...

100 Hit Batters: Kerry Wood, And...

Oh, the records and milestones Kerry Wood might have set if he stayed healthy.

The 34-year-old Cubbie will, however, achieve the 100-hit-batters plateau with his next errant (or purpose) pitch. He has plunked five so far this year, so he should be up for the task.

John Lackey, just 32, who somehow has a winning record this season, needs only two more to reach 100. He leads the AL with 16 this year.

And then there's the Yankees' A.J. Burnett, who led the AL with 19 HBPs last season. He only has seven this year, and did not plunk anyone Friday night while managing to yield nine hits and nine earned runs in five innings of work. He sprinkled in a fielding error and three wild pitches, but opposing hitters left with no bruises.

Only 82 pitchers in the history of the game have hit 100 or more batters.

And on that dubious note, it's time to conclude our look at 16 career milestones that may still be achieved this season.

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Matt Goldberg, a featured columnist for the Philadelphia Phillies and all-around baseball fanatic, is also a noted humor author and speaker. For more information, please visit www.tipofthegoldberg.com