In honor of Derek Jeter reaching 3000 hits, we are talking a look at some Cape League alumni with the most hits in the Major Leagues.
By: Zac Vierra
1. Craig Biggio: 3060 hits
Biggo is the only man on our list with 3000 hits coming in at 20th all-time with 3060. Biggo played for the Y-D Red Sox in 1986 and just two years later, he was playing for the Houston Astros, the only team he would play for. Biggo went to Seton Hall University where he played with a pair of former Red Sox and Cape Leaguers, Mo Vaughn (Wareham 1987 & 1988) and John Valentin (Hyannis 1988). Biggo had a .281 career average and was a seven time all-star and was only the ninth player to get all 3000 hits with the same team.
2. Harold "Pie" Traynor: 2416 hits
Who could forget Pie Traynor whose stint in the Cape League came with Falmouth in 1919. The Framingham, MA native played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1920-1937 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1948. Harold was given the nickname Pie because as a young child, he would frequently ask for pie at a grocery store so the owner started calling the boy "Pie Face." The name was shortened to Pie and it stuck with him for the rest of his life. Traynor hit .320 in the majors and was an excellent contact hitter striking out only 248 times in 17 seasons.
3. Carlton Fisk: 2356 hits
Pudge played for Orleans in 1966 and was drafted by the Red Sox a year later. Fisk made his major league debut in 1969 and became a regular for Boston in 1972 when he was unanimously voted American League Rookie of the Year. He offered one of the most dramatic hits in Red Sox history with a walkoff home run in game 6 of the 1975 World Series, which is best described here (1 min mark):
Fisk Home Run Good Will Hunting. In 1980, Fisk signed with the Chicago White Sox where he would play until retiring in 1993. His number 27 was retired by the Red Sox and number 72 retired by the White Sox and Pudge was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000.
4. Todd Helton: 2323 hits
Helton has a great shot of jumping up to second on this list. He is the the only active player in our top 10 and is still going strong posting a .321 average with the Colorado Rockies this season. Helton played with Orleans in 1994 and went to the University of Tennessee where he received a scholarship to play both football and baseball. In the fall of '94 Helton started a few games at quarterback for the Volunteers but was sidelined by a knee injury and was replaced by a guy named Peyton Manning. After that, Helton stuck to baseball and has been pretty successful as a five time all-star along with four silver slugger awards for the Rockies.
5. Jeff Bagwell: 2314 hits
Oh what could have been. Bagwell was drafted by the Red Sox in 1989 and was traded away a year later to the Houston Astros for 36-year old relief pitcher Larry "the guy who got traded for Bagwell" Andersen. Andersen pitched 15 games for Boston while Bagwell went on to play 15 years with the Astros and hit .297 with 449 home runs and four all-star appearances. Bagwell played two years on the Cape with Chatham in 1987 and 1988.
6. Tino Martinez: 1925 hits
Martinez played 16 years with the Mariners, Yankees, Cardinals and Rays and played for a season with Falmouth in 1986. He won four championships during the Yankee dynasty and was named an all-star in 1995 and 1997. Martinez was on the 1988 US Olympic baseball team that won the gold medal in Seoul, South Korea along with the next man on our list....
7. Robin Ventura: 1885 hits
Known more for his glove than his bat, Ventura played for 16 seasons and had enough hits to make the seven spot although he was a career .267 hitter. Ventura played for Hyannis in 1987 and was a 3-time All-American at Oklahoma State University. The same year he played in the Cape, Ventura had a 58-game hitting streak while playing for the Cowboys which is still an NCAA Division I record.
8. Chuck Knoblauch: 1839 hits
Although he sometimes struggled at throwing the ball to first, Knoblauch was a solid hitter in 12 major league seasons batting .289 with the Twins, Yankees and Royals. He played for the Wareham Gatemen in 1988 and played his college ball at Texas A&M.
9. Nomar Garciaparra: 1747 hits
Nomah played for Orleans in 1993 and was named a Cape League all-star (above picture is Nomar hitting in the all-star game while Jason Varitek catches) and was inducted into the Cape League Hall of Fame in 2002. Nomar was a .313 carrer hitter but struggled to stay healthy in the big leagues, but when he was at his best, he was a sight to see. Garciaparra hit .357 in 1999 and .372 in 2000 and his toe-tapping, batting glove fixing, routine quickly became known by children throughout New England. Nomar played college ball at Georgia Tech along with Varitek who also played in the Cape League with Hyannis in 1991 and 1993.
10. Mark Loretta: 1713 hits
The last spot on our list belongs to another former Red Sox, who played for Falmouth in 1991 and 1992. Loretta hit .295 in 15 major league seasons with five different clubs. He was named an all-star in 2004 and 2006.
5 Names to Watch
These guys have a chance to one day make it on this list.
Evan Longoria: Chatham 2005
At age 25 Longoria has 508 hits in three and a half seasons with the Rays.
Mark Teixeira: Orleans 1999
He will make the list in a few seasons; he already has 1400 hits at age 31.
Chase Utley: Brewster 1998, Cotuit 1999
When healthy Utley is one of the best second basemen in the game and will add to his career total of 1139 hits.
Ryan Braun: Brewster 2004
Braun has hit .309 in four and a half seasons with 809 hits for the Brew Crew.
Kevin Youkilis: Bourne 2000
Had to throw a former Brave on here. The Youkah has 900 hits in eight seasons with the Sox.
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