With the new season upon us, it is time to take a look at some career and franchise milestones that may be within reach for some key players this season. As you probably already know, Jimmy Rollins has a chance to reallt etch his name in franchise history this season.
All-Time Hits, currently held by Mike Schmidt (2,234 hits)
Jimmy Rollins will open the 2013 season with a career total of 2,024 hits, all of which have come with the Phillies of course. That places Rollins fourth on the franchise's all-time list and 210 hits behind Mike Schmidt's franchise record (2,234 hits). Of course, Rollins has had just one season with over 200 hits. In 2007 Rollins had a career high 212 hits in his MVP season. If Rollins puts up that kind of number again and is able to tie or break the Phillies franchise hit record, then we should be in store for a great 2013. In all likelihood, this mark will have to wait for 2014. Rollins could have an outside chance of moving in to third on the franchise hits list though, needing 189 hits to tie Ed Delanaty for third.
- 2,234 – Mike Schmidt
- 2,217 – Richie Ashburn
- 2,213 – Ed Delahanty
- 2,024 – Jimmy Rollins
All-Time Doubles, currently held by Ed Delahanty (442 doubles)
Rollins could very well pass Delanhanty on another franchise list this season. Rollins will start the season with 421 career doubles, placing him second on the Phillies all-time list behind Delahanty. Rollins needs 21 doubles to tie the franchise record. Rollins has had at least 29 doubles in a season all but one year of his career. Rollins had 33 doubles last season.
- 442 – Ed Delahanty
- 421 – Jimmy Rollins
Chase Utley (273) is ninth on the franchise doubles list. He could become the eighth player to hit at least 300 doubles as a member of the Phillies with 27 doubles this season. If he stays healthey, that is a realistc number to reach for Utley.
Chasing Schmidt
Mike Schmidt's 548 career home runs remains a franchise record. Ryan Howard hit his 300th home run last September to become the second Phillies player to hit 300 home runs in a Phillies uniform. Howard is firmly in second place on the franchise list, having passed Del Ennis and his 259 home runs in 2011. Whether or not Howard reaches Schmidt's mark remains to be seen but he currently sits 248 home runs behind the Hall of Fame third baseman. Howard hit 14 home runs last season once he returned to the team from injury, and the Big Piece hit seven home runs in spring training this spring.
Utley (199 HR) is one home run away from his 200th career home run. Rollins (193 HR) is seven home runs away from joining the 200-home run club as well. Michael Young enters the season with 177 career home runs. Utley and Rollins should reach that 200 home run mark, and if Young can muscle together 23 home runs the Phillies will have an entire infield of 200-home run hitters. The Opening Day starting outfield for the Phillies will start the season with 47 combined home runs between Ben Revere, Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr.
Ryan Howard sits just 80 runs batted in from joining the 1,000 RBI club. Entering the season with 920 career RBI, Howard should have little problem joining Mike Schmidt (1,595 RBI), Ed Delahanty (1,286 RBI) and Del Ennis (1,124 RBI) among the all-time franchise leaders.
- 1,595 – Mike Schmidt
- 1,286 – Ed Delahanty
- 1,124 – Del Ennis
- 983 – Chuck Klein
- 957 – Sam Thompson
- 920 – Ryan Howard
Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels will start his 212th career game Monday night as the Phillies open the season in Atlanta. Hamels will then be eight starts away from tying Larry Christenson for seventh on the franchise's career start list (220). By the end of the season Hamels should easily move up to sixth on the franchise list, passing Curt Schilling's 226 career start for the Phillies along the way. There will be no way Hamels moves up any further than that this season, with Curt Simmons and his 262 Phillies starts sitting firmly fifth overall for the time being. Steve Carlton owns the franchise record with 499 starts for the Phillies.
Hamels could also join the 1,500 strikeout club this season. He begins the season with 1,307 career strikeouts, good for sixth on the franchise's all-time list. Hamels has struck out 200 batters two different seasons (211 in 2010 and 216 in 2012).
Hamels needs nine wins to pick up his 100th career win (starts 2013 season witha 91-60 career record).
Roy Halladay
Halladay needs just one win to pick up his 100th career win. If his first decision of the season is a win he will then own a career record of 200-100, which of course is 100 games over .500.
Jonathan Papelbon
Is 43 saves out of the question for Papelbon in 2013? He had 38 last season and his career high is 41 saves, so 43 might be a bit of a reach. However, if Papeplbon does record a career high 43 saves this season he will then have 300 career saves.
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