With Jeter the next future Hall of Famer with a milestone in sight, the NY press has again turned its attention to his place among the all time greats.
Percota currently predicts that Jeter will finish with 3339 hits, which would put him 8th all time. I'll take the over.
On pace for 180 hits this season, I think Jeter will look for a deal that will take him to his 42nd birthday, just like the deal Arod received (more on this tomorrow).
if he continues a 180 hit pace for half that new deal, and a 150 pace for the final 3 season, he'll tack on another 990 hits to his total at the end of 2010. That would total 3917. And I think Jeter has at least one more 200 hit season in him.
Baring a major injury/retirement or the Yankees falling out of contention (unlikely), I still have Jeter penciled in to be the 3rd in history to record 4000 hits.