2012 Yankee Milestone Watch

660 Home Runs for A-Rod by the end of 2012? (Photo via MLB.com)

Despite a disappointing end, the 2011 season did see its share of memorable moments and milestones, notably Derek Jeter getting his 3,000th career hit and Mariano Rivera recording 600 saves (I was at the game when Rivera set the Saves record, by the way).  So, what milestones are on tap this season? Well,  let’s take a look…

• When Derek Jeter (barring injury, of course) takes the field on Opening Day (or steps up to bat I suppose since the opener is on the road), it will mark the 16^th time he will have done so. That will move him ahead of Bill Dickey for most Opening Day starts by a Yankees position player. Since joining the big club full time in 1996, the Captain has started on Opening day in all but one year (2001).
• The Captain also needs 22 hits to move ahead of Hall of Famer, and his idol, Dave Winfield for 19^th place on the all-time hit list and 8 more doubles would give Jeter 500 for his career.  Furthermore, 74 more games played on the season (not necessarily starts) would give Derek 2500 games played for his career and 6 more base on balls would give The Captain 1,000 walks for his career.
• While Alex Rodriguez figures to be the next player to get to 3,000 hits, he is still 225 hits away from reaching it and so, it seems unlikely he’ll reach the milestone in 2012 even if he manages to stay completely healthy and plays in 135+ games. In any case, Alex hasn’t had a 200+ hit season since 2001 and has only done so two other times in his career: 1996, the year he won the American League Batting Title, and 1998. However, depending on the number of hits he finishes with in 2012  that should put Alex in good position to reach the milestone next season.
•   In the meantime, however, Alex does have a few milestones attainable in 2012. A-Rod ‘s first home run of the season will tie him with his former Seattle Mariners teammate Ken Griffey Jr. for 5^th place on the all-time Home Run list and an additional 30 would move tie him with Willie Mays for 4^th place. The latter milestone is definitely do-able if A-Rod can manage to stay at least relatively healthy. Nonetheless, if Alex can manage to either tie or moves ahead of Mays on the all-time list this season, the next guys all have 700+ home runs and all but one of them are in the Hall of Fame. Not bad company if you ask me.
• Additionally, 16 more home runs would give Alex 300 as a Yankee. He will also share two milestones with the guy that plays opposite him. A-Rod needs 5 doubles to reach 500 and 98 games on the season would also give Alex 2500 games played for his career.
• A-Rod is also 11 RBI’s away from moving ahead (10 to tie) of Willie Mays on MLB’s all-time RBI list and 97 RBI’s would give Alex 1,000 as a Yankee and 60 hits would give Alex 1300 as a Yankee. 85 runs scored would give Alex 900 as a Yankee, and would tie him with Jorge Posada for 17^th place on the all-time Yankee list
• Alex  needs 6 more hits to move ahead of Griffey for 48th place on the all-time hit list.
• Lastly, A-Rod’s next Grand Slam will tie him with Lou Gehrig for the most all-time. Alex’s most recent grand slam came on April 23, 2011 in a 15-3 rout of the Orioles. In case you’re wondering, A-Rod’s first career Grand Slam came on April 19, 1996 off Clint Sodowsky of the Detroit Tigers while A-Rod was member of the Mariners.  A-Rod’s first Yankee Grand Slam came on April 26, 2005 against the LA Angels of Anaheim of the United States of America on Planet Earth. All told, Alex has 12 Grand Slams as a Yankee.
• Curtis Granderson is 30 hits away from 1,000 for his career and 34 games on the year would also give him 1,000 for his career.
• The Grandy Man is also 15 RBI’s away from 500 and is 33 Home Runs away from 200. The latter could also be do-able if Granderson can at least come close to his 2011 home run totals. Additionally, 32 Doubles on the season would give Granderson 200 for his career.
• Robinson Cano needs to play in 47 more games to reach 1100 for his career and 14 doubles on the year would give Robbie 300 for his career.
• 8 games played on the season would give Russell Martin 800 for his career.
• Nick Swisher is 15 home runs away from 200 for his career and 19 dingers would give Swisher 100 home runs as a Yankee.  Swisher could also reach 600 games played as a Yankee if he appears in exactly 150 games for the 4^th straight season.
• Raul Ibanez is 23 doubles away from 400 for his career.
• Andruw Jones is 13 hits away from 1900 for his career.
• CC Sabathia could make an outside bid for 200 wins this season. However, he is 24 wins away from that milestone and it would seemingly take a very special season for him to get there  (see: Justin Verlander in 2011) this season. Thus, it seems doubtful he’ll reach that milestone in 2012 as he’s only one 20 games just once so far in his career. More than likely, figure that one to happen in 2013.  In a much easier milestone, CC needs 83 strikeouts to reach 2100 for his career and needs 76 strikeouts for 700 as a Yankee.
• When (if?) Andy Pettitte takes the mound for the first time in 2012, it will be his 480^th career start and if he starts in exactly 21 games this season, he will have reached 500 starts for his career.
• Rafael Soriano is 16 appearances away from 400 and is 42 strikeouts away from 500.
• Freddy Garcia is 14 strikeouts away from 1500 for his career.
• Mariano Rivera is 58 games away from his 1100^th career appearance. 17 Games Finished (not saves) on the year would give Mo 900 for his career.
• If he can do it again, 2012 would be the 10^th straight season that Mo has compiled a season of 30 or more saves.
• Boone Logan is 21 appearances away from 300.
• With 41 games played on the season (not necessarily starts), Brett Gardner will have played in his 400^th career game. Gardy is also 40 hits away from 400 for his career.
• Mark Teixeira is 8 walks away from 700 for his career and 33 hits away from 1500.
• David Robertson is 30 strikeouts away from 300 for his career.
• Finally, Yankee Skipper Joe Girardi is 38 wins away from his 500^th as a manager and is 16 wins away from his 400^th win as Yankees manager.