10 MLB Records That Will Never Be Broken

[cj's dad]

Remember, this is just my opinion:

#1 - Cy Young - 511 wins
#2 - Cy Young - 316 losses
#3 - Cy Young - 20+ wins - 16 consecutive years
#4 - Jack Chesbro - 48 complete games - NYY - 1904
#5 - Ty Cobb - .300+ B.A. - 23 consecutive years
#6 - Cal Ripken - 2632 consecutive games started
#7 - Pete Rose - 4256 base hits
#8 - Nolan Ryan - 5714 strikeouts
#9 - Joe DiMaggio - 56 game hitting streak
#10 - Johnny Van Der Meer - 2 consecutive no-hitters

[The Judge]

If you 'had" to pick one from the list that was to be broken what one would it be? I would go #9 Joe's hitting streak. I think it would be possibel to tie #10 Johnny's 2 game consecutive no-hitter but not break it.

[DanG]

“Never” is the catch phrase here.

In our lifetimes; you’re probably right. With pitching however; somebody will come up with some new pitch (underhand no stress delivery or whatever) and pitching records will fall…eventually.

One record that I think may be very tough is Barry Bonds increasing his head size 19 hat sizes from his rookie season. That may be difficult without a full transplant. :eek:
http://squirrelqueen.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/big-head-barry-bonds-clear.jpg

[cj]

If you 'had" to pick one from the list that was to be broken what one would it be? I would go #9 Joe's hitting streak. I think it would be possibel to tie #10 Johnny's 2 game consecutive no-hitter but not break it.

Of these, I think 9 and 10 are the most likely to fall. #1 will never be approached, and neither will numbers 2, 3 or 4. I could see 5 if someone chooses to play that long.

Why not include Bonds' HR record? That is highly unlikely to be matched without artificial enhancement.

[rrbauer]

Dennis only listed non-asterisk records. :lol:

The problem today is that after five or six years there is no incentive to keep playing (working?) because these guys have the rest of their life funded (unless they're horseplayers, of course).

[OTM Al]

Hey Dennis. Interesting list, so here's my thoughts:

First, #s 1-4 are all deadball era records. Therefore, to me they shouldn't be considered. Record for wins should be considered as Walter Johnson with 363 for instance. Pretty tough to beat even that, but had Clemens not gone to the Astros, he might have gotten it.

Just to be technical, Ripkin's record was games played, not started. Of course if you look at Lou Gehrig's monument that has just been moved to the new stadium, it said much the same about him, so this is possible.

I think Rose's record could be broken. Derek Jeter actually has a shot if he would move from short and wants to play that long. I believe he's ahead of Rose's pace at the moment.

The last 2 are statistical anomalies. Thus, I think DiMaggio may be caught some day and Van Der Meer may be tied

Almost forgot about Cobb. This is also possible. Consider a player like Ichiro had he played his whole career in the US. He's got 8 straight here and while I know the Japanese stats don't count, got to figure he has quite a few more there

[Marshall Bennett]

Remember, this is just my opinion:

#1 - Cy Young - 511 wins
#2 - Cy Young - 316 losses
#3 - Cy Young - 20+ wins - 16 consecutive years
#4 - Jack Chesbro - 48 complete games - NYY - 1904
#5 - Ty Cobb - .300+ B.A. - 23 consecutive years
#6 - Cal Ripken - 2632 consecutive games started
#7 - Pete Rose - 4256 base hits
#8 - Nolan Ryan - 5714 strikeouts
#9 - Joe DiMaggio - 56 game hitting streak
#10 - Johnny Van Der Meer - 2 consecutive no-hitters
1 - 4 , #8 will stand , modern day pitchers simply do not compile enough innings . #10 will eventually fall . As for hitting , #6 is safe , others are not although #5 seems safe . Depending on the future of baseball , all it would take is one superstar to erase a few of these . MB

[oddsmaven]

In 1923, Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke, pitched a no-hitter and in his next start gave up only one hit, a controversial infield single...so it almost happened another time & I agree with others who could see the Vander Meer record being matched by a hurler getting in a groove for two games.

If Ichiro Susuki had started in the US, he would've been a strong candidate to top Rose on career hits...it probably calls for a lead-off hitter to amass the # of at bats to do it...Rose had over 14,000 at bats and only one other player has gotten over 12,000 so he earned himself quite an advantage...if Jeter averaged 200 hits/year the next 8 seasons through age 42, he'd still fall a bit short, so it doesn't look like anyone on the horizen will break it, but some future prolific lead-off, high average hitter will likely catch him IMO.

Nolan Ryan's mark looks more impressive than Rose's to me as he just seemed like a freak...especially still doing it in later years where it often looked like he would match Vander Meer as well, as he threatened to pitch no-hitters as an old guy numerous times.

[OTM Al]

If I remember right, I think David Wells went into the 7th no hit, and maybe even perfect, the game following his perfect game, but I may not be remembering it right.

[toetoe]

Al,

How can you omit Hack Wilson's bat-ins in whatever year that was --- 190 ?

:eek: and :eek: .

[RaceBookJoe]

Al,

How can you omit Hack Wilson's bat-ins in whatever year that was --- 190 ?

:eek: and :eek: .

I believe that Hack's record could fall, but would be hard since pitchers would probably pitch around whover might be approaching the record. SOme of the other records wont fall because players make so much money now, that thye dont have to have 20 year careers like back in the old days. rbj

[oddsmaven]

Dave Stieb was another who threatened #10 on list.

In consecutive starts in 1988, Stieb pitched 8 2/3's no-hit ball, losing both no-hitters with one out to go :bang: :bang: ...to prove he was regularly snakebit in these matters, the following year he went 8/2/3's of "perfect game" ball only to see that one slip away with the last batter as well. :bang: :(

[Marshall Bennett]

Why not include Bonds' HR record? That is highly unlikely to be matched without artificial enhancement.
You're probably right . Look how long Maris's record stood @ 61 . Bob Gibson's 1.12 era for modern day pitchers is another one . They lowered the mound the following year .

[OTM Al]

Given the way stadiums are being built these days, I can imagine Hack's record getting beat. Get some perfect storm of a 1000 run team, there won't be the option to pitch around a guy and that's where it would happen.

[BetHorses!]

Of these, I think 9 and 10 are the most likely to fall.


In order for #10 to actually fall, someone would have to pitch 3 consecutive no no's. Now how will that ever happen?

[Marshall Bennett]

In order for #10 to actually fall, someone would have to pitch 3 consecutive no no's. Now how will that ever happen?
I missed that myself , was thinking 2 , nice call .

[cj]

In order for #10 to actually fall, someone would have to pitch 3 consecutive no no's. Now how will that ever happen?

It is still more than likely than 1 through 4. :)

[cj]

Just to be technical, Ripkin's record was games played, not started. Of course if you look at Lou Gehrig's monument that has just been moved to the new stadium, it said much the same about him, so this is possible.



There is a chance I'm wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure Cal did actually start every one of the games in his streak. He didn't do any of the "streak keeper" things that were done with Gehrig, like leading off and being removed from the game after batting.

[o_crunk]

There are a lot of single season pitching records that will never be touched again.

Most complete games: Bob Feller, 36, 1946
Most innings pitched: Mickey Lolich, 376, 1971
Most wins (tie): Jim Bagby, 31, 1920; Lefty Grove, 31, 1931; Denny McLain, 31, 1968

I'd put Pete Rose's hit record in play as being possible to fall. Position players stay in good shape now, play longer at a higher level.

[OTM Al]

There is a chance I'm wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure Cal did actually start every one of the games in his streak. He didn't do any of the "streak keeper" things that were done with Gehrig, like leading off and being removed from the game after batting.

I just checked and it looks like you are right, though he did have a couple games in there when he came out after an inning or two. Here it is in all its glory. Look in the column "innings" CG = Complete Game and something like GS-7 indicates he started and came out in the 7th. Had he just pinch hit you would see something like 7-7 or 6-GF if he had remained in

http://s3.amazonaws.com/p-i/ripkeca01_streak.html

[cj's dad]

Just to be technical, Ripkin's record was games played, not started. .

I know that Al, but I believe I am correct in stating that CR started every game of the streak.

[cj's dad]

Hey Dennis. Interesting list, so here's my thoughts:

First, #s 1-4 are all deadball era records. Therefore, to me they shouldn't be considered. Record for wins should be considered as Walter Johnson with 363 for instance. Pretty tough to beat even that, but had Clemens not gone to the Astros, he might have gotten it.



Al, what exactly does the "dead ball" era have to do with a pitcher starting nearly 900 games (Young) and another (Chesbro) with 48 complete games ?
I understand the effect on hitters but not pitchers.

One other comment- with the retirement of Mike Mussina will there be another 300 game winner?

[rrbauer]

Al, what exactly does the "dead ball" era have to do with a pitcher starting nearly 900 games (Young) and another (Chesbro) with 48 complete games ?
I understand the effect on hitters but not pitchers.

One other comment- with the retirement of Mike Mussina will there be another 300 game winner?

How many games has Maddux won? Glavine?

[OTM Al]

Dennis, I was wrong about some of Ripkins games not being starts, they all were, though there were a couple times when he went only 1 or 2 innings. Must have been thinking about post streak pinch hitting I saw him do.

In the deadball era, pitching was entirely different. You could pitch to contact because the hitter couldn't hit it out of the park. The pitchers rarely had to throw hard at all, just soft stuff and let that misshapen ball dance all over the place. You only had to put effort in when men were in scoring position. Therefore there was much less arm strain (especially since the splitter was unheard of) so a guy could pitch every other day, kind of like how a knuckle ball pitcher can these days.

There will be another 300 game winner without any doubt in my mind. He's probably pitching right now.