Current Yankees approaching Yankee batting records

Records can sometimes be a little silly--after all, many of them are simply counting statistics. Some players will be highly ranked on these lists simply because they've been around for awhile. In rate statistics like batting average, on-base percentage, and the like, some younger players will likely be ranked higher than they will end up since their end-of-career regression has not yet kicked in.

Regardless, for fans of the history of the game, it's difficult to ignore the numbers because they're so fun to track. Watching Derek Jeter slowly climb up the Yankees all-time hit list was certainly a highlight for numerous fans. So where do current Yankees rank on some of these lists?

Games played

Mr. Jeter figures to stay atop this list for quite a long time. Alex Rodriguez's injuries have actually led to Robinson Cano passing him as the Yankees' active leader behind Jeter at 1,277 to A-Rod's presently-frozen 1,249. If Cano stays healthy this year, he'll likely move up from 26th to 23rd at approximately 1,375 games played, passing Tommy Henrich (1,284), Bob Meusel (1,294), and Gil McDougald (1,336). Even if he gets up there though, he'll need a little more than two and a half healthy seasons to pass Mattingly and make the top ten.

Hits

Did you know Derek Jeter was the Yankees' all-time hit leader? Because I simply had no idea! Robinson Cano is 20th on this list at 1,526. Unless he gets injured, he's almost assured of the requisite 63 hits needed to pass Frankie Crosetti (1,541), Thurman Munson (1,558), Bob Meusel (1,565), Wally Pipp (1,577), and Phil Rizzuto (1,588). That would put Cano in the top 15, but he would need a career-high in hits (205) to pass Jorge Posada for 14th (1,664). He notched 200-hit seasons in both 2009 and 2010, so that would not be unprecedented. If he gets as many at bats as he did last year, he would need a .362 average from now on. Shoot for that, Bob. (I can dream, right?)

Total Bases

Yeah, this top ten is not going to change this season. Jeter has a ways to go before he approaches Ruth and Gehrig's marks, and both Alex Rodriguez (2,515, 14th) & Robinson Cano (2,503, 16th) would need a couple seasons to pass Posada.

Doubles

Gehrig and Jeter near the top of this list should not surprise, but let this serve as your reminder that Bernie and Donnie hit a crapton of doubles. Sheesh. What's scarier is that Cano's double pace is actually even better--he's hit doubles in 6.4% of all plate appearances. Even if he only had as many career PA as Mattingly (7,722), he would be on pace for 495 doubles. If he had as many as Gehrig (9,663), he would be on pace for 619 doubles. Obviously Cano's pace will decline as he ages, but if he does get the long contract extension he seeks, we could see the all-time Yankees doubles record fall, even if Jeter passes Gehrig not long after his return.

Home Runs

A-Rod and Jeter will need quite the comebacks to even pass any of the men in front of them at any point in the rest of their careers, let alone this year. Jeter might pass his buddy Posada late next season, but he just doesn't hit many homers anymore. Robinson Cano is currently tied with Tino Martinez for 16th at 192, and with 18 more homers, would move into 12th place, past Bill Dickey (202), Roger Maris (203), Dave Winfield (205), and Jason Giambi (209). That would give him 33 on the season, so it's certainly possible, but a 45-homer season to tie Donnie Baseball for 11th at 222 seems unlikely.

Stolen Bases

First, a moment to appreciate the ridiculousness that Henderson held the Yankees' record for over 20 years despite only playing 596 games with the Yankees. He stole a base once every two games, including 80 in '85, 87 in '86, and a Yankee record 93 in '88. The Yankees' current biggest basestealing threat, Brett Gardner, ranks 13th in a tie with Tony Lazzeri and Bernie Williams at 147. However, don't expect that to last for long; just seven more steals and Gardner will not only be in the top ten, but ninth all-time. If he picks up his stolen base pace to his 2010-11 form (average of 48), he could jump to sixth.

Runs scored

Provided that Jeter returns healthy, he should be able to score 21 runs to pass Gehrig for second place by season's end. Since Jeter's scored so many runs throughout his career, it is a little surprising not to see him on top of this list yet, but then again, Mr. Ruth did score himself plenty of times to make up for his speed. Alex Rodriguez is 18th at 889 runs (11 behind Jorge Posada), and Robinson Cano is 24th at 749 runs. Expect Cano to jump to 21st by season's end though, since he is fewer than 50 runs behind Graig Nettles (750), Bob Meusel (764), and Hank Bauer (792). If he gets some offensive help, he has an outside chance at passing Wally Pipp (820) to make the top 20, too.

Runs scored

Provided that Jeter returns healthy, he should be able to score 21 runs to pass Gehrig for second place by season's end. Since Jeter's scored so many runs throughout his career, it is a little surprising not to see him on top of this list yet, but then again, Mr. Ruth did score himself plenty of times to make up for his speed. Alex Rodriguez is 18th at 889 runs (11 behind Jorge Posada), and Robinson Cano is 24th at 749 runs. Expect Cano to jump to 21st by season's end though, since he is fewer than 50 runs behind Graig Nettles (750), Bob Meusel (764), and Hank Bauer (792). If he gets some offensive help, he has an outside chance at passing Wally Pipp (820) to make the top 20, too.

RBI

No, I'm not a fan of RBI, but I figured I might as well check it. Jeter needs a handful to pass Bernie for sixth, but other than that, there's not much to report. A-Rod is 140 away from the top ten at 960 (13th), and Robinson Cano doesn't figure to go much higher than 18th by season's end. He's presently 20th at 755; fifty more RBI (matching 2012's total) would put him ahead of Roy White (758) and Tommy Henrich (795) but still behind Dave Winfield (818).

On-base percentage

It's awfully difficult to crack the Yankees' top ten in OBP, as a sky-high .395 is required to even approach Rickey. Alex Rodriguez is 13th at .387, and Derek Jeter is 18th at .382.

Slugging percentage

Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson actually just missed the cut at .505 and .504, good for 11th and 12th place. Robinson Cano is right on their heels at .503, in 14th place behind them and Mike Stanley. Tex hasn't slugged over .500 since his awesome first season in New York (.565) and Granderson has only done so once in New York (2011, .552). Meanwhile, Cano has slugged over .500 four years in a row, so he has a strong chance to pass Tex, Grandy, and Stanley, but it will take a big season to crack the top ten.