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Could Astros second baseman Jose Altuve become the next player to reach 3,000 career hits? Altuve entered Tuesday's game against the Red Sox with 1,799 career hits, leaving him with quite a bit of heavy lifting to reach 3,000, something that only 33 players have done, including Craig Biggio of the Astros.
Even 1,201 hits shy of 3,000, Altuve may have the best chance to reach that milestone of any active player. Altuve ranks 10th among active players in hits, with two of those -- Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera -- already in the 3,000-hit club. That leaves seven players ahead of Altuve on the list who are still chasing 3,000 hits, but all are older than Altuve.
Altuve, who turned 32 earlier this month, would have to average 173 hits a year for the next seven seasons (2022-28), which would take him through his age-38 season. Altuve averaged 188 hits a year from 2012 – his first full year in the Major Leagues – to 2019. 2020 was the shortened season but in 2021 he had 167 hits in 146 games.
"I'm too far away from 3,000," Altuve said recently. "I feel like I need to accomplish many more things before that, like winning a lot of games, winning championships with the team. I'm not saying I don't care about that. Obviously, it would be a dream come true, but I feel like it's a long way. I don't like to think too much about the future."  The question about which player will be next to 3,000 arose when Cabrera – Altuve's close friend – became the 33rd member of the club last month.
"I'm happy every time I get to play against him and watch him do everything he's done in baseball," Altuve said. "He's the best Venezuelan-born baseball player ever with 500 homers, 3,000 hits. That's impressive. I'm proud to be his friend."
Of the seven players ahead of Altuve who are chasing 3,000, six are 35 years old or older. Robinson Canó has 2,632 hits but is 39 and just found a job with the Padres. Yadier Molina (2,131) is in his final season, and Joey Votto (2,036) is 38 and walks too much. No one else has more than 2,000 hits. Elvis Andrus is 33 years old and has 1,889 hits, but his production has dropped dramatically since he left the Rangers after the 2020 season.
"He has the best shot of all the guys right now," Astros manager Dusty Baker said about Altuve.
Altuve's 200-hit seasons may be behind him, but he's still an elite hitter.
"It's a longevity thing," said Biggio, who was 41 when he reached 3,000 in his final year in the Majors in 2007. "You've got to stay healthy. You've got to put up your numbers, you've got to keep doing what you do."
Biggio was on the injured list only once in his 20-year career. He played 162 games three times, 160 games twice and 150 games or more in six other seasons. Like Altuve, Biggio has speed and he hit at the top of the order, which helped him reach the milestone.
"Somebody asked me what the biggest thing is in getting it," Biggio said. "Honestly, everybody assumes you're going to get it. Anything can happen. You can break your leg before the game, something could happen on the field. You are just relieved you finally get there. I felt better that my teammates didn't have to talk about it anymore." 
LEON CENTER OF ATTENTION Pedro Leon, the Astros' No. 4 prospect as ranked by MLB Pipeline, enjoyed quite a series for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in Albuquerque last week. Leon went 8-for-22 in five games with three homers and 11 RBIs, and that included going 0-for-4 in Sunday's series finale. Both of Leon's homers Saturday were tape measure shots, though it's fair to point out the ball does travel quite far in Albuquerque's altitude. His second home run had an exit velocity of 110.7 mph, which was the hardest-hit home run from the Space Cowboys this season.  Still, Leon emerged from the series with a .261/.382/.555 slash line for the season, with a .937 OPS and seven homers and 26 RBIs. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Leon's season to date is where he's played in the field. He's started 16 games in center field, 10 in right field, two at designated hitter and only three at shortstop. Last year, if you remember, he started 48 games at shortstop, 13 in center and six at third base.
It's probably no surprise Leon, 23, is playing more center field this year as the Astros struggle to get consistent offense from the position with Jose Siri and Chas McCormick. Jake Meyers, who's rehabbing from labrum surgery, should return in the second half, but Leon may be putting himself in position to battle for the job in Houston in the near future.
"Any time you're asking a player to take on a new challenge, particularly one like shortstop, we need to have 100 percent buy-in from everybody involved," Astros general manager James Click said on the team's pregame show Sunday on KBME (790 AM) in Houston. "We felt like giving Pedro some time back at his natural position at center field – and mixing in the corner outfields, as well, because we don't know where our need will be at the Major League level – would do more for him in the short term. … We're never going to take the infield off the table, given how athletic and talented he is, but it is a constant conversation about what is best for the player and what is best for the team, and we want to balance those two to put everybody in position to succeed."
DUSTY QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"No, but I'm not sure they didn't have me pegged as a future manager, either. If they were pretty good players and made quite a bit of money, a lot of guys wouldn't have to do it. I wouldn't have to do it, either, if I hadn't gotten divorced. Divorce makes you do a lot of stuff." – Baker's comments, said with a smile, last week after being asked if he believed Nats skipper Dave Martinez had a managerial future when he was still a player.
TRIVIA
Who is the only player in Astros history to have more than 250 homers and 250 stolen bases?
A) Craig Biggio B) Cesar Cedeño C) Jeff Bagwell D) Jose Altuve
 THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY
May 17, 2009
Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez didn't play with the Astros for very long – only 93 games, to be exact – but he had one of the best moments of his career when he clubbed his 300th career homer while in a Houston uniform in a game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. In fact, Rodríguez was one of three Astros players to hit their 300th homer in 2009. Lance Berkman, who's second on the team's all-time home runs list, hit his 300th career home run on June 13 in Arizona. And outfielder Carlos Lee slugged No. 300 on Aug. 8 against the Brewers at Minute Maid Park. In recognition of their achievement, the Astros presented each player with a specially made, framed shadow box containing the lineup card, milestone home run ball, and bat from their historic nights.
TRIVIA ANSWER
A) Biggio
He stole 414 bases in his career, which ranks second in club history behind Cesar Cedeño (487), and hit 291 homers, which ranks third behind Jeff Bagwell (449) and Lance Berkman (326). The only other player to have at least 200 homers and steals in an Astros uniform is Bagwell, who swiped 202 bases.
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Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Can Altuve reach this rare milestone?
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