nearly untouchable records...which will be the first to fall?

[mid50sbaseball]

At work anytime something really significant happens we get into a discussion about some of the records that currently stand and have for a long time and wonder if any of them will ever be broken. Which of these do you think has the best chance of some day falling? Which do you think has the best chance of standing for all time?

Note: I have only included records that were achieved post 1900 (i.e. Nolan Ryan's single season K record. A number of people have struck out more than that but all of them were in the 1880's) including any records that were achieved only partially in that time period (i.e. Cy Young's career wins 1890-1911).

I look at this list and there are so many where I just say to myself "nope...that'll never ever happen again" but you never know...

Pitching
Career Wins - 511 (Cy Young)
Career Strikeouts - 5714 (Nolan Ryan)
Single Game Strikeouts - 20 (Multiple)
Single Season Strikeouts - 383 (Nolan Ryan)
Career No-Hitters - 7 (Nolan Ryan)
Single Season ERA - 0.96 (Dutch Leonard)
Career ERA - 1.82 (Ed Walsh)
Career Saves - 652 (Mariano Rivera)
Single Season Saves - 62 (Francisco Rodriguez)

Hitting
Career Batting Average - .366 (Ty Cobb)
Single Season Batting Average - .426 (Nap Lajoie)
Career Hits - 4256 (Pete Rose)
Single Season Hits - 262 (Ichiro Suzuki)
Career Homeruns - 762* (Barry Bonds) <- yeah I put the asterisk!
Single Season Homeruns - 73* (Barry Bonds) <- yeah I put it there too!
Career RBI - 2297 (Hank Aaron)
Single Season RBI - 191 (Hack Wilson)
Career Stolen Bases - 1406 (Rickey Henderson)
Single Season Stolen Bases - 130 (Rickey Henderson)

[Peter_Spaeth]

Single game strikeouts I think. Just takes one phenomenal game.

[PM770]

I could see 62 saves falling as well.

[quinnsryche]

Single game strikeouts is the only one I could see being topped. The rest are records from a different era and the game isn't managed the same way that any of the others would be reached. Guys don't play as long or stay healthy enough to reach most of the career records (or single season records for that matter).

[Peter_Spaeth]

I suppose someone could break Bonds' 232 walks in a season but it is way the heck out there (one not mentioned).

[ATP]

Single season saves and single game strikeout records are my guess for best chance to be broken. Career wins by Cy Young is w/o a doubt the least likely for anyone to even get close to achieving.

[the 'stache]

My pick would be single season saves. 62 seems high, but I could see that being broken.

As for Ryan's seven no hitters, there are guys pitching right now that have been really close to a lot of no hitters. Clayton Kershaw, for example, has had some terrible luck. He's only had one no hitter, he's had five other starts of at least seven innings where he allowed only one hit. He's just a ridiculously good pitcher--a 2.09 ERA over the past six seasons. The thing working against him, and other modern pitchers, is the modern game, itself. With the high rate of arm injuries, pitchers aren't allowed to get complete games, even when they're dominating. Teams are too worried about pitch counts now. But Kershaw has the stuff, and the command, where I predict he gets at least two more no hitters before his career is done. Since the start of the 2015 season, he's struck out 13 or more seven times--in 41 starts!

The frightening thing about Kershaw is that he's getting better.

[clydepepper]

Ryan also had a record-tying (Feller) 12 one-hitters , Dave Stieb could have had multiple perfect games and if a frog had a tail, he wouldn't hit his butt every time he landed.

Originally Posted by the 'stache

My pick would be single season saves. 62 seems high, but I could see that being broken.

As for Ryan's seven no hitters, there are guys pitching right now that have been really close to a lot of no hitters. Clayton Kershaw, for example, has had some terrible luck. He's only had one no hitter, he's had five other starts of at least seven innings where he allowed only one hit. He's just a ridiculously good pitcher--a 2.09 ERA over the past six seasons. The thing working against him, and other modern pitchers, is the modern game, itself. With the high rate of arm injuries, pitchers aren't allowed to get complete games, even when they're dominating. Teams are too worried about pitch counts now. But Kershaw has the stuff, and the command, where I predict he gets at least two more no hitters before his career is done. Since the start of the 2015 season, he's struck out 13 or more seven times--in 41 starts!

The frightening thing about Kershaw is that he's getting better.

[clydepepper]

I'm in awe again when I think about that stat I just quoted. Seven No-Hitters and 12 one-hitters

That means, over his entire 27-year career, Ryan would pitch a complete game allowing no more than one hit just under every 41 games he started!!


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[packs]

I could see single season stolen bases being broken. If Billy Hamilton could hit he would have a shot at it. I think one day we will see another player who combines speed and average like Henderson did.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

I could see single season stolen bases being broken. If Billy Hamilton could hit he would have a shot at it. I think one day we will see another player who combines speed and average like Henderson did.

Yeah it would take that plus freedom to run at will which Henderson had, but not entirely out of the question.

[mid50sbaseball]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

Ryan also had a record-tying (Feller) 12 one-hitters , Dave Stieb could have had multiple perfect games and if a frog had a tail, he wouldn't hit his butt every time he landed.

I've somehow managed to go through 35 years on this earth and have never heard that...got a good laugh out of me, hahaha.

[scooter729]

In his opening press conference when he was hired as Red Sox manager about 15 years ago, Jimy Williams used that quote about a frog's booty (or some version thereof). The Boston media already thought Jimy was strange, but once he threw that out there, it was the beginning of the end for Jimy in Boston!

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by scooter729

In his opening press conference when he was hired as Red Sox manager about 15 years ago, Jimy Williams used that quote about a frog's booty (or some version thereof). The Boston media already thought Jimy was strange, but once he threw that out there, it was the beginning of the end for Jimy in Boston!

Well, I'm stayin'!



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