Seven Milestones to Watch for in 2017

With all due to respect to the six teams that played on Sunday…happy Opening Day, gang!

With a new season comes a lot of new questions. Questions like…how will Chris Sale do after changing Sox? Is Mike Trout the greatest player alive ever? And most importantly, will the Chicago Cubs end their most recent World Series drought?

Out of that uncertainty blooms a myriad of things that might (and might not) happen, so with that…here are seven milestones to watch for in 2017.

ADRIAN BELTRE

Is Adrian Beltre having the quietest Hall of Fame career ever? Seriously…do you even remember the one year the current Texas Rangers third baseman played in Boston? That said, dude enters 2017 only 58 hits shy of joining Wade Boggs and George Brett as the only members of the 3000 hit club that played most of their games at the hot corner.

In addition to those 58 hits, Beltre is a mere nine doubles and five home runs away from joining Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Stan Musial and Carl Yastrzemski as the only players in history with at least 3000 hits, 600 doubles and 450 homers.

Not too shabby.

ALBERT PUJOLS

While Albert Pujols probably won’t join Beltre in the 3000 Club this year (he’s 175 hits shy and hasn’t reached that tally since the 2010 campaign), he will most definitely make history of his own. The three-time MVP is nine home runs away from 600 home runs.

2000 HITS

While Adrian Beltre will most certainly get to 3000 hits this season, six of his fellow former All-Stars are approaching 2000 with Matt Holliday entering 2017 with 1995 base knocks. The others closing in on two grand? Jose Reyes (1972 hits), Adrian Gonzalez (1954), Victor Martinez (1936), Nick Markakis (1889) and Brandon Phillips (1863).

Good luck, boys.

CHICAGO CUBS

The aforementioned defending World Champions are attempting to become the first team to win 100 games in back-to-back seasons since the 2004-05 St. Louis Cardinals. Furthermore, they’re also looking to be the first repeat champions since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.

FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ

Not a lot of people pay attention to save totals, but milestones are milestones, right? Francisco Rodriguez enters his 16^th season 20 saves away from joining Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman and Lee Smith as the only pitchers with at least 450 career saves. The Detroit Tigers closer has averaged 42 saves over the last three seasons, so getting half that shouldn’t be out of the question.

DAVID WRIGHT

A lot of people will tell you Mr. Met is the dude that runs around Citi Field with a gigantic baseball for a head. New York Mets fans will argue and insist it is David Wright…and they’re not wrong. The longtime Mets third baseman is 11 home runs from breaking Darryl Strawberry’s franchise best 252, but (and it’s a big one)…Wright hasn’t hit more than eight longballs in a season since 2013.

Lousy injuries.

DEREK JETER

Just when you thought you were rid of Derek Jeter…he’s baaaaack! When the New York Yankees welcome Houston Astros to Yankee Stadium on Mother’s Day, the Bombers will also be playing host to Derek Jeter Night. The team will both retire his Number 2 jersey and dedicate a plaque in Monument Park to their iconic shortstop.