| p>For years, we've all heard that overused | | | | was in 1978 when Pete Rose hit safely in 44 |
| cliché, "records were made to be broken." | | | | straight games --- nearly 30 years ago. Since |
| I want to dispel this by citing a handful of records | | | | then, I think the closest anybody came to the |
| that will never be broken. And, just so I don't | | | | record was a 33 game hit streak a few years |
| sound like a mindless windbag, I'm even going to | | | | back, and I'm not going digging for who that was |
| cite my reasons, backing them up with facts to | | | | because I don't care. Joltin' Joe DiMaggio's record |
| substantiate my feelings. Most of the records in | | | | is safe for the ages. |
| pro baseball are usually divided into the three | | | | Now let's turn to pitching. There are four records |
| primary facets of the game, namely hitting, | | | | here that won't be broken --- ever! How's that |
| fielding, and pitching. | | | | for attitude? The interesting thing here is that one |
| Although certain fielding records out there are | | | | pitcher holds two of these unbreakable records. |
| probably not going to be broken, I'm only focusing | | | | One of the other pitchers is still in the game, but |
| on hitting and pitching records, and one base | | | | in the twilight of his career. So here we go. |
| running record. It's not that I feel that fielding isn't | | | | This first record is 96 years old and will never be |
| a critical part of the game; I'm simply prioritizing | | | | broken. This pitcher is the man that the most |
| my take on unbreakable records for this article. | | | | coveted annual award for a pitcher's performance |
| I've narrowed this down to a total of eight | | | | is named after --- Denton True Young, but we |
| records --- 3 hitting, 4 pitching, and 1 base running | | | | knew him as "Cy". He threw his first pitch in 1890; |
| record. Here's the list: | | | | only twenty-five years after the Civil War had |
| The 3 Hitting Records include ---o most career | | | | ended. His career ended in 1911, three years |
| home runs by a switch hittero most career hitso | | | | before the outbreak of World War I. Imagine that. |
| longest hitting streak | | | | This is probably the single most long standing |
| The 4 Pitching Records include ---o most career | | | | record in all of pro baseball history. |
| pitching victorieso most career Cy Young | | | | His career stats are impressive. He won 511 |
| Awardso most career strikeoutso most career | | | | games in 22 seasons, an average of 23.2 wins |
| no-hitters | | | | every year that he pitched. Most pitchers today |
| The Base Running Record ---o most career stolen | | | | don't win 20 games. Not only did he win 511 |
| bases | | | | games, he lost 316, the second most losses for a |
| Let's talk about hitting first, specifically home runs. | | | | pitcher in history. He lost more games than most |
| We are about to witness one of the greatest | | | | pitchers win in their entire careers. He pitched |
| feats in baseball history this year. As most of you | | | | 7,354 2/3 innings, which equates to slightly over |
| know who follow the game, Barry Bonds has 751 | | | | 817 games, and had a career E.R.A. (Earned Run |
| homers at the All Star break, and is only 5 home | | | | Average) of less than 1.00 (.99), meaning that he |
| runs shy of breaking Hank Aaron's record. And | | | | allowed only 1 run for every nine innings that he |
| no, I refuse to discuss the steroids issue here. | | | | pitched. This might also be an unbreakable record, |
| That will be another article down the road. | | | | given how much he pitched. By the way, he won |
| When Babe Ruth ended his career during the 1935 | | | | over 30 games per season five times in his |
| season, he left the game with 714 home runs to | | | | career. |
| his credit. It took 39 years for Hank Aaron to | | | | The second unbreakable record comes out of |
| finally break that record. Aaron played two more | | | | respect for the first one --- most Cy Young |
| seasons, retiring in 1976 with a total of 755 | | | | awards in a pitcher's career. This record is held by |
| career dingers. Now, 31 years later, Bonds is | | | | Roger Clemens, who is still playing, and in my |
| about to accomplish the same feat, rewriting the | | | | opinion is the greatest pitcher of modern times, |
| record books again. He currently has 17 home | | | | or at least my lifetime. I was born in 1950, in case |
| runs so far and is projected to hit another 17, | | | | you're curious so I've been fortunate enough to |
| which would give him a total of 768 for his career | | | | see a lot of the great pitchers in baseball. Clemens |
| at the end of this season. | | | | is the proud owner of six Cy Young awards. The |
| Here's more speculation for you. If he plays next | | | | closest to him is three, held by Jim Palmer |
| year, 800 home runs is on the horizon. It's highly | | | | (retired) and Pedro Martinez (currently in rehab |
| speculative, as he most likely will play as a | | | | from Rotator Cuff surgery). Martinez is entering |
| Designated Hitter in the American League next | | | | the latter years of his career, and with this |
| season. But he'll only need 32 homers next | | | | surgery, I doubt he'll challenge Clemens' record. |
| season. After all, he's turning 43 soon, and he can | | | | The only pitcher in the game today who may |
| no longer play full time in the field like he used to. | | | | challenge this record is Johan Santana of the |
| But it's not beyond the realm of possibility. As it | | | | Minnesota Twins. He has won the award twice, |
| stands right now, the only player in the game | | | | and many sports writers feel he will win his third |
| who could eclipse Bonds' record is most likely Alex | | | | this year if he stays healthy. He has had minor |
| Rodriguez of the Yankees, who is sitting on 494 | | | | injury problems, and to make matters worse, he |
| homers at the All Star break. | | | | throws left-handed. Because the pitching |
| The all time home run record may be in jeopardy | | | | mechanics of most left hander's provokes more |
| one more time after Bonds breaks the record, | | | | injuries, this could be an issue for Santana down |
| but I'm 50/50 on that juncture. The one home | | | | the road as he gets older. But for now, I'm |
| run record that I feel will never be broken is held | | | | promoting this as the second unbreakable record |
| by Mickey Mantle. He has a total of only 536 | | | | for pitchers. |
| home runs in his career. So what makes this | | | | Ironically, the next two records that will never be |
| record unbeatable after the stats I just quoted | | | | broken, are held by the man who was Clemens' |
| above? Mantle hit from both sides of the plate --- | | | | idol growing up, namely Nolan Ryan. I'll always |
| he was a "switch hitter." | | | | remember Nolan Ryan for two pitching records |
| The only active switch hitter in the game today | | | | that you'll never see broken. The first is most |
| that is close to Mantle is Chipper Jones of the | | | | career no-hitters; Ryan has seven (six in the AL, |
| Atlanta Braves, and he's currently sitting on 372 | | | | one in the NL). The closest to his mark is four |
| total career homers. That's 164 home runs less | | | | held by former Dodger great Sandy Koufax. |
| than Mantle, and Jones is 35 years old. He is | | | | There is no pitcher today that will come close to |
| currently in his fourteenth year in the pros, and | | | | this. Even the best pitcher is lucky to throw one |
| has become very injury prone in the last few | | | | no-hitter in their career, and other than Clemens, I |
| seasons. He is projected to hit 32 home runs for | | | | don't think there's a pitcher in the game today |
| the year, which would put his total at 389 since | | | | that can hold a candle to Nolan Ryan where this |
| he has 15 so far for this season. | | | | record (and the next record I'm going to discuss) |
| That still leaves him 147 homers shy of Mantle. If | | | | is concerned. |
| he averages 32 home runs a year, it will take him | | | | The other record Ryan holds that is absolutely |
| four full seasons and 97 games into a fifth season | | | | untouchable is his 5,714 career strikeouts in 5,386 |
| to break the record. I just don't see it happening | | | | innings. That's a little over 1 strikeout per inning. |
| based on the injury issue, and he's already been | | | | Other notable career stats include his lifetime .99 |
| on the 15 Day Disabled list twice this year. So as | | | | E.R.A. (like Cy Young), his 324 total career wins, |
| far as I'm concerned, this record of Mantle's will | | | | and a fast ball once clocked at 103 mph. He was |
| not be broken. | | | | the first right-hander since Bob Feller to throw |
| The next hitting record that I don't see being | | | | over 300 strikeouts, and he threw his seventh |
| broken is Pete Rose's career hits total. And this is | | | | and final no-hitter on May 1st, 1991 when he was |
| actually two records in one. He retired with 4,256 | | | | 44 years old. |
| total career hits, and got 200 or more hits in 10 | | | | The only two pitchers today that are remotely |
| consecutive seasons. Most of today's players are | | | | close are Randy Johnson of the Arizona |
| thankful to get to the coveted 3,000 career hits | | | | Diamondbacks with 4,616 strikeouts and Roger |
| total, which is one of the criteria that the voters | | | | Clemens of the New York Yankees with 4,633. |
| use to elect hitters to the Hall of Fame. | | | | And I doubt these guys will be playing much |
| Very few players get 200 hits in a season | | | | longer. Johnson is once again on the disabled list |
| anymore. And yet Pete Rose has been denied | | | | with back problems and had back surgery this |
| entry into the Hall of Fame because of his guilt | | | | past off season, and Clemens will probably make |
| with gambling on the game. Don't get me started | | | | this his last year, retiring for the Hall of Fame in |
| on that subject; it's the topic of another article. | | | | Yankee pinstripes. |
| Not only was he the most prolific hitter of all time, | | | | The only other record that I feel may never be |
| he was also a switch hitter. In addition, Rose | | | | broken is for stolen bases held by Rickey |
| collected over 1,000 hits after turning 38 years | | | | Henderson of 1,406 in his career. Furthermore, in |
| old, and he played five different positions on the | | | | 1982 when he was with the Oakland Athletics, he |
| field during his illustrious career. | | | | stole 130 bases for the season --- a modern day |
| The last hitting record that I feel will never be | | | | record, second only to Hugh Nicol of the Cincinnati |
| broken is Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak of | | | | Red Stockings of The American Association. He |
| 1941. The closest anybody came to this record | | | | stole 138 bases in1887, 95 years earlier. |