You wouldn’t know it but New York Mets infielder Robinson Cano is on the verge of reaching multiple MLB milestones which could establish him as one of the all-time greats.
When the New York Mets acquired Robinson Cano as centerpiece-B in a blockbuster trade that also included centerpiece-A Edwin Diaz, they added a professional hitter with the smoothest glove in baseball. Not only that, to many’s surprises, they also added a veteran player on the verge of greatness.
Baseball, among other things, is a game of numbers and certain mile markers often determine a players greatness. Seldomly discussed, Cano is on the verge of achieving multiple milestones which in normal circumstances would establish him as an all-time great.
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First off, Cano is just one hit away from 2500 career hits, an accomplishment only completed by 100 other hitters in the entire history of baseball. While on the surface this may not seem like such a great accomplishment, consider that by season’s end Cano has a realistic chance of passing all-time great hitters like Manny Ramirez, Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Vladimir Guerrero, Tim Raines and more in this regard.
Not only that, among second basemen the accomplishment is only greater. Currently, Cano is ranked 12th all-time in career hits by second basemen. Just 18 more hits ties Cano with all-time great Joe Morgan, and if he stays healthy, by the end of the season he could pass Julio Franco (2586 H) and Nellie Fox (2663 H).
Secondly, Cano is steadily climbing the career doubles (list) needing just one more to pass all-time great Tony Gwynn who has 543 2B. After that, the list gets even more impressive, if that’s even possible.
If Robinson Cano can swat 30 more 2Bs this season – he averages 36 per season – he can climb the following list of all-time great players.
- Derek Jeter (544)
- Manny Ramirez (547)
- Alex Rodriguez (548)
- Chipper Jones (549)
- Eddie Murray (560)
- Carlos Beltran (565)
- Ivan Rodriguez (572)
So, there you have it Mets fans. Not only should you entertained by a competitive battle for the NL East this season, but you might also bear witness to greatness being established.