Don't forget Pete you will need a player selfish and egotistical enough to bat himself leadoff when he is a player/manager that should have hung up the spikes a couple years earlier.

Ichiro will, in my eyes at least, probably break Rose's rather meaningless record before he retires.

Of course swinging at bad pitches so you can hit singles instead of just taking the walk is a questionable feat.

As for unbreakable records, I don't see anyone breaking Tippy's record of three pickoffs in the same inning.

How about consecutive press conferences lying about the
so-called progress of your team

LOL!! Yeah maybe we should add the Orioles front office ability to fool the yokels for 10+ years hahaha

Hey Jack - Just curious - how many O's games did you attend last year?

Pete:
How about Cy Youngs record of 749 complete games in his career? With the advent of todays closer, not to mention the setup man and middle relievers, I doubt anyone will approach anything close to 5 complete games a year!

Are you kidding, Pete? If Chris Tillman doesn't have 512 wins by the time he's 30 I'll eat my hat.

"How about Cy Youngs record of 749 complete games in his career?"

Prime Nine does not include the dead ball era in the lists.

The shenanigans Angelos and the Orioles have pulled off over the decade have been incredible. How can you sell people for a whole decade on a rebuilding plan? LOL I truly believe Angelos bought the Orioles with the direct intention of taking advantage of the honest blue collar fan base that loved the team with all they had.

Ty Cobb had stole home 90 some times in his career. Times have changed so no one will ever get close to that.

I agree, nobody is coming near Nolan Ryan's K's record, or Cy Young's wins total. One other record that deserves to be discussed is the home runs record. In the post steroid era. Will anyone be able to touch 73 home runs again? If so, the game will undoubtedly need to change from where it is today. Nobody in the AL hit 40 homers this year, and nobody touched 50 homers in the NL. The era of 50 home run seasons is closing (if not already closed), so does anyone expect anyone to hit 74 home runs anytime soon?

The most unbreakable record is easily Johnny Vandameer's record of two straight no-hitters. Tied, maybe, but it never will be broken. The second most unbreakable record is Dave Trembley's record of consecutive games with a horrible pitching change decision, which currently rests at every game he's managed.

Though the "top 5" figure to survive indefinitely, esp. Cy Young's win total, there is one that will NEVER happen:

VanderMeers' back to back no-hitters. To break it, you'd have to pitch 3 in a row. WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT HAPPENING?

Beat me by a minute Fritz. Well done.

Good take on this, Pete. Not sure how MLB overlooked this, but I would think Rickey's career mark of 1406 is more unbreakable than the season record. I believe Rose's record will be broken. Jeter is actually just about 10 hits off of Rose's pace right now and all he needs is health and longevity. There is also a decent Ichiro could have broken it had he played a full career in the MLB. DiMaggio's 56 game hit streak is generally considered unbreakable, but I'd have to classify that with what you said about Ripken's hit streak. Agree with Fritz about Vander Meer's no-hitters.

Nobody will ever get close to Cy Young's 511, we'll be lucky to see another 300 game winner. Nobody will come close to Cal's 2632, Ryan's K record is safe also. 5 world's series in a row? Not happening in this era of player movement.

Sorry, obviously I meant Ripken's consecutive game streak. His career best hit streak was nothing special.

How about former Oriole Harvey Haddix's 12 perfect innings in one game? Nobody throws that many innings or pitches in a game anymore.

WHat happened to Joe D's 56 game hitting streak?

WHat happened to Joe D's 56 game hitting streak?

What about Trembleys big mac eating record?

Does the Koji deal rank up there as worst contract of 2009?

"Unbreakable" and "forever" are pretty strong words. I would say Cy Young's wins record is the only one that qualifies, just because of how much the game has changed. It may be unlikely that someone breaks the others, but that's why they're called records. A lot of records people considered unbreakable 30-40 years ago (Gehrig, Cobb) are now in second place.

I can't disagree with Cal, Ryan, Cy Young records being unpassable. But I think winning 5 Series in a row is actually going to become MORE possible, as the leagues contract ("Bye-bye" to Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Florida, maybe even Cleveland) and two or three teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers)hoard more and more top players due to the insanity and inanity of the no-salary cap structure. Obviously, there are three rounds of playoffs to win now instead of just one, but when a team can spend 10 or 15 times more on talent, it'll pretty consistently have a shot to win.

Jeff V,

The Dead-ball era (1901-1918/9)is included--that's why Cy Young's 511 W's are on the list. The list is limited to the modern era of baseball, generally considered to be since 1900, although a few significant rules (eg, foul strike rule) were not standardized until even later.

Also Walter Johnson's 110 shutouts is right up there with Young's win mark. Nolan Ryan only had 61 shutouts and Randy Johnson is the active leader with 37.

Does the Koji deal rank up there as worst contract of 2009?

Posted by: Anonymous

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Are you kidding? When he was healthy he gave us solid innings and attention across the sea. He signed for just over $5 million a year for two years. That payout wouldn't even break the bank for the Pirates.

Uehara's contract comes nowhere near the atrocity that was Milton Bradley's contract... or Derek Lowe's $15 Million a year for 3 more years.

Are you paying attention to the league at all, or are you too focused on trolling the Baltimore baseball blogs?

Peter's list' of unbeatable records demonstrates how silly it is to compare players from different eras.

Speaking of records,

Pete, can you re-print the numerous lies (quotes) from Angelos that have been printed in the SUN over the past 12 years?

It could possibly be a record - for Baltimore sports anyway!

And while you're at it, can you re-print the AM lies about spending going into the 2010 season? I'm sure you have them in the SUN backlogs...

Thanks!

How about Joe Dimagio's 56 game hitting streak?

Most seasons having a starter named Daniel Cabrera will never be broken due to the incredible amount of organizational idiocy it would require. Washington couldn't even come close. I am looking forward to the DCab statue in the center of Eutaw Street (to be high and wide and out of the park).

None of the established pitching records will ever fall with only 5 inning pitchers in MLB. The only one that could be broken is saves.

Hi Pete!

I think Hawaiian shirts are awesome. Can you do a bunch of research and post a complete history of them here?

Also, I like pictures of pre-WW II fighter aircraft, kittens with different colored eyes, the actor Mark Ruffalo, Civil War oil paintings, and tile-mosaic interpretations of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. Maybe you could put some of those up on your blog. I also like this shave ice I just bought and I think everyone should see it. Maybe you can send a photographer to come and take a picture of it, but you better hurry cause it's gonna melt! It'd sure make my day and everyone around here would see how important me and my likes and dislikes are!

Here's hoping you will direct all your future blogs towards me!

XOXOXOXOX

Well, I didn't know Johnny Vander Meer threw 2 no-hitters in a row. That would definitely replace Pete Rose on my list.

It also made me think of Nolan Ryan's 7 career no-hitters. So I guess I would replace that with the Yankees 5 straight WS wins as that seems more likely than 7 no-hitters.

Walter Johnson's 110 shutouts may never be broken as well. Especially since 300 wins seems almost impossible now.

As for Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak? I believe it is way more likely to be broke as it requires a hitter to be really good for only 2 months rather than 20 years. Lots of chances for that record to be broken although those chances are pretty slim.

The sad fact is that the Yanks record of 5 consecutive WS is breakable, but the team most likely to break it is the Yankees :(.

I think in a discussion like this, you have to divide records into "impossible" and "unbreakable."

As you mentioned, Pete, there's no way anyone could possibly get 511 wins today, mostly because most pitchers won't even START that many games in their career. A lucky reliever would have a better shot.

To me, Ripken's is the "reachable" goal that's most likely to remain unbroken. Most teams are so obsessed these days with these days with resting players, protecting them, etc.

Though also unlikely, it's entirely possible a phenom pitcher comes along (Strasburg?) who can bring back the 300 K season. The question there would be career/success longevity.

As for Rickey...if a guy like Podsednik can steal 70, then it's doable. Reyes comes to mind as the most likely...he can get on base, has great speed and instincts and the Mets will definitely need him to steal this year.

Wow, I go away from this blog for a few days and I miss 400 posts. Ya'll have been awfully busy. What'd I miss? I can only imagine. Must have been a Merry Xmas all around...

Anyway. I think the pitching records are safe. Like Pete said, the game has changed. No one will ever pitch enough again to do what those guys did.

But, w/ the hitting. I think Pete Rose's record could be broken. Don't forget...if Ichiro played his whole career in MLB, he probably would break the record. Also, if Jeter decided to, and if he can keep up the production for another decade (and I realize what a big "if" that is) he might be able to do it. He's outpacing Rose at this point in his career. If he can stay healthy and productive, he might be able to do it. But, it's still a long shot at this point. We can reevaluate in 5 years.

As to DiMaggio's 56 game hit streak. As crazy as it will be, I think it can be broken. we saw Ryan Zimmerman get to 30 games this season. 56 is a whole lot more, but this record has more to do with luck than anything else. The fact is, it can be done in less than one season so it has nothing to do with longevity or health. It has nothing to do with the game changing in such a way as to be impossible. It is doable in the modern game, it will just take a ridiculous amount of luck. but it's not impossible...so eventually, you'd have to think that it could be broken when the right player comes along...at the right time in the right moment. It'll be cool to see.

And, as was said earlier, there's always that chance that the Yankees break their own 5 WS streak at some point down the line.

Sam Crawford's 309 triples is, I believe, in the 'impossible' category, because the game has changed. Most importantly, teams scout each other these days, where 100 years ago they stood 'straightaway' nearly all the time. The active leader is Johnny Damon with 95 (tied for 179th place all-time), and I definitely see him as more than a third of the way through his career. Yay Triples! Just about the most exciting 'regular' happening in baseball.

Everyone here is on crack. The most unbreakable record by far is Most Lopsided Game To Have a Save -- TEX > BAL, 30-3.

Hey Pete..How about Ryan's 7 no hitters?

As for unbreakable records, I don't see anyone breaking Tippy's record of three pickoffs in the same inning
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Even more memorable, didn't he walk them all on?

I don't see anyone ever hitting .400 again, or ever hitting in 56 straight. I know a few have hit in the high .300's so it doesn't seem impossible, but I just don't think it will ever happen.

Roy,

I expected someone to hit .400 this past decade with all the new expansion teams depleting the pitching talent, but it obviously didn't happen. Still, two players hit the .390 mark since 1980 so I think someone will eventually get .400.

They're not the sexiest records, but in 1904 Jack Chesbro made 51 starts, threw 45 complete games, and won 41. If the Dead Ball era is included, these records will never even be approached given that, nowadays, a "workhorse" starter makes 30-35 starts and pitches 200 innings. For the record, Chesbro went 41-12, with a 1.82 ERA, and pitched 455 innings (he also made 4 relief appearances). He was elected to the Hall in 1946. While I'm at it, the record for Innings pitched is 464, by Ed Walsh in 1908. Wonder what kind of contracts the Yankees would give these guys today?

man... people are just dying to take a swipe at PA and the O's any chance they get. Get over it already...

Anyhoo...

1. Nap Lajoie .426 BA in 1901 (or more recently Ted Williams .406 in 1941)
2. Hack Wilson 191 RBIs in 1930 (ManRam closest w/ 165)

How about Connie Mack's 50 consecutive years managing the same team?

the most unbreakable record of all time is the number of games that Frank Walker has sucked!!!

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How about Connie Mack's 50 consecutive years managing the same team?

Of course swinging at bad pitches so you can hit singles instead of just taking the walk is a questionable feat.

Pete,

I saw u on prime 9 too

U had a porn stache and a bowl hair cut

WTF ?

t is doable in the modern game, it will just take a ridiculous amount of luck. but it's not impossible...