Card Collector Universe

There was a lot of hype around two New York Yankees recently. Both Yankees were in the news for different achievements just prior to the midsummer classic. Each one has been a career Bronx Bomber. One is a guaranteed future Hall of Famer. The other is well on his way to that status. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that I’m talking about Derek jeter and Robinson Cano.

Derek put hit number 3,000 over the left field fence in Yankee Stadium wrapping up a month of hype prior to that event. And Robinson Cano garnered his recent hype for a much different feat. Cano was the somewhat unlikely hero of the 2011 HR Derby. Cano’s highest single season homer total was 29, reached just last year. He was up against competition with much more accomplished single season performances…..and he beat them all.

But Cano is more of a contact, than a power, hitter. And in that respect, he’s much like his recently acclaimed teammate. Will Cano someday reach the milestone that Jeter recently passed? It’s certainly not out of the question.

Through Derek’s first six full MLB seasons, he connected for a hit 1,187 times. His single season high, during that span, was 219 in 1999.

Mr. Cano, through his first six full MLB seasons, swatted the ball 1,075 times. A difference of just 112 hits in total between these two Yankees during comparable time spans. (Cano’s single season high has been 204 hits in 2009.)

Cano is on-track to get near 200 hits again this year. If he can stay healthy, we may, just may, be looking at the next New York Yankee to reach the 3,000 hit plateau.

references: baseball-reference.com