156 hits this season, meaning he has to duplicate this season for the next four to get to 3000 (he is at 2388). The stories of the foot injury are on the plus side to him doing it within this contract, but health and defense will be an issue going forward. (a) Do you think he will get there? (b) How do you manage it? Packed infield, and he is at best only an occasional left fielder. (c) It's probably a given, but how much is the publicity and history worth if he is 50-75 hits off at the end of the contract? What about an additional year, and do you try to offer it earlier rather than later, since he can always retire if he gets to the milestone...
I would take the under, just because there’s a lot of downside between age related decline and injury risk. But it’s going to be close. I think if he has 2800 going into the last year of his contract, he will be allowed to hang around until he gets those last 200 hits even if it means he’s deployed as a part time DH.
Yep if he gets close they will keep him until he gets there, ala Biggio. If he has major injury problems the next several years he won’t be close enough to add more years. No way should they extend him early. If he can keep his power numbers up, he will become the full-time DH when Alvarez’s contract is up.
Altuve is a poor defender at any position. Going forward I believe he will have to play primarily as a DH or bench bat. If a games outcome has been decided he may get a couple of innings in the field in garbage time, but that is the most play he is likely to get. In my opinion Altuve will retire at the end of the 2027 season. His salary in the last two years of his contract drops severely and there is little to incentivize his continued play in the 28 or 29 seasons.
If he gets within 100 hits when his contract runs out (Likely) Crane will give him an extra yr to get his 3000. Like Drayton did with Biggio fans coming to the Dike to see Altuve get his 3000th hit is worth a lot of money.
Sure feels like averaging 153 hits per season for 4 more seasons is a really tall ask for Altuve over his age 36-39 seasons. I think if he gets to 3000, it will be because he has a big bounceback season next year to get within 350, then another decent year in 2027 to get to 2800 hits. From there he can cruise and as long as he stays anywhere close to playable he will get 3000 even if he needs to play 2 more seasons as a cheap part time DH. But even if he doesn’t get to 3000, he’s extremely likely to be one of only 5 2B in history with at least 2800 hits.
I wanted to be in the post season mostly so Altuve can break the home run record. That is the number I desperately want him to break.
262 hits (2650-2388) is not happening next year. That number would match Ichiro's record. 412 hits (2800-2388) is not happening in the next two years. A "bounceback year" would be 175-190 hits next year.
I’m all for the 3K hits chase. But Altuve is only 45 HR away from the 300 club. He’s only 111 RBI’s from 1,000. There are a whole lotta of Uber impressive stats compiled that scream elite among elite. When it’s all said, Altuve is going to be talked about as the best pound for pound baseball player of all time. I know that term is more for boxing; but it is very appropriate for Altuve.
Of the guys in the modern-ish era, off the top of my head: Morgan ... Alomar Altuve Biggio Cano Carew Sandberg
