Chasing 2,085

                                

Over 23,000 people have played Major League Baseball, give or take a few, depending on what year you start.  Of those 23,000 people, a mere 251 of them have reached the career milestone of 2,085 hits.  That's 0.01%.  There are currently four active players in Major League Baseball who have reached the vaunted milestone of 2,085 career hits.  It's no small feat.  A player needs to average a 140 hits a season for 15 years to reach the rarified air of 2,085 hits.  

140 hits a year may not appear to be all that impressive of a mark on first blush.  Yet last season, only 68 players reached the number.  Look deeper, and you'll find that only 14 players have reached the number in each of the last four seasons, those being; Bobby Witt, Bryan Reynolds, Francisco Lindor, Freddie Freeman, Jose Ramirez, Luis Arraez, Manny Machado, Matt Olson, Rafael Devers, Shohei Ohtani, Trea Turner, Vladimir Guerrero, and Yandy Diaz.  Again, 2,085 demands 140 hits for 15 seasons.  It's an incredible mark.

You may have heard of a few of these players below.  They all have something in common.  They're all Hall of Famers who came up short in their chase for 2,085 hits.  It's a long list, full of household names, but here are few of the legends it includes: Johnny Bench, Andruw Jones, Hank Greenberg, Jackie Robinson, Hack Wilson and Gil Hodges.

Of course, 2,085 hits doesn't assure a player a place in Cooperstown.  Some notable players to have reached the milestone and not receive a plaque include; Omar Vizquel, Al Oliver, Rusty Stuab, Bill Buckner, Buddy Bell, Torii Hunter, Mark Grace, Lou Whitaker, Paul Konerko, Bernie Williams, Willie McGee, Willie Randolph, Will Clark, Don Mattingly, and Tim Wallach.

Perhaps you have heard of a few of them.  

Below is a look at the active players who have reached the club, and the active hit leaders who are nearest to reaching it, with a breakdown of their prospects to join the club.

The 2,085 Hits Club

Freddie Freeman 2,431

Hits in 2025: 164
Average over the Last Four: 182

Will He get there: Yes, of course he's there already.  I don't think he ends up reaching 3,000, but he'll have a look at it, and even if he doesn't, there will be plenty of other stuff to put on his plaque in Cooperstown.

Age: 36

Jose Altuve 2,388

Age: 35

Hits in 2025: 156

Average over the Last Four: 153

Will He get there: Yes. If Altuve can stay on the field until age 40, he'll have a look at 3,000.  I'll be rooting against "Mr. Don't tear my jersey off because I'm cheating," but he'll make a run at it if he stays healthy.

Andrew McCutchen 2,266

Age: 39

Hits in 2025: 114

Average over the Last Four: 110

Will He get there: Already there.  At 39 and entering his 18th season, I think it's more likely McCtuchen retires with 2,266 hits than finds himself in a starting lineup on opening day.  Hopefully he finds his way to Cooperstown, he'd have my vote.

Paul Goldschmidt 2,190

Hits in 2025: 134
Average over the Last Four: 155

Age: 38

Will He get there: Already there.  Pauls's hit totals have dropped gradually each of the last four seasons, going 178, 159, 147, to 134 last season. Who knows how long he'll keep playing, but 3,000 won't be in the cards, but Cooperstown might be.

Active Players Chasing 2,085

Manny Machado 2,069
Age: 33

Hits in 2025: 169

Average over the Last Four: 161

Will He get there: Yes, likely early this season.  Machado may have an outside chance at 3,000 if he can keep being productive for another another six to seven years, but time may have other ideas.

Nolan Arenado 1,921

Age: 34
Hits in 2025: 95

Average over the Last Four: 141

Will He get there: Nolan should reach 2,085 in 2026 if he plays a full season.  A run at 3,000 isn't in his future, but 2,085 is nothing to feel bad about.

Carlos Santana 1,880

Hits in 2025: 91

Age: 39

Average over the Last Four: 109

Will He get there: I don't think he makes it.  Carlos is 39 years old and has somehow played for 7 teams in the last four years.  I'm not sure he'll play for any in 2026, but even if he does, I don't think there are another 205 hits left in his bat.  

Xander Bogaers 1,822

Age: 33
Hits in 2025: 129

Average over the Last Four: 146

Will He get there: Bogaerts should reach 2,085, but the dip in his numbers the last two seasons is cause for slight concern.  I think he gets there, but it'll be closer than I would have thought not too long ago.

Bryce Harper 1,801

Age: 33
Hits in 2025: 131

Average over the Last Four: 132

Will He get there: Harper, a two-time MVP, was right on his four year average with 131 hits in 2025.  He'll reach 2,085 at age 35 if he can maintain that pace.  He's safe bet to do so, and to reach the Hall of Fame after that.  He'd have to play into his 40's to reach 3,000 hits at his current pace, which seems very unlikely.

DJ LeMahieu 1,772

Age: 37
Hits in 2025: 34

Average over the Last Four: 80

Will He get there: No. The two time batting champion has averaged just 80 hits the last four years, and would need to play another three seasons to reach 2,085 at that clip.  I wouldn't bet on it.

Mookie Betts 1,767

Age: 33

Hits in 2025: 152

Average over the Last Four: 154

Will He get there: Yes.  At 33 Betts is already an MVP and 8x All-Star.  With three more full seasons, 2,085 hits seems like a certainty for Betts, and he could easily do it in under two.  3,000 seems like a bridge too far, so Betts will just have to settle for a plaque in Cooperstown.

Mike Trout 1,754

Age: 34

Hits in 2025: 106

Average over the Last Four: 84

Will He get there: Probably not.  Trout, who is 33, has averaged just 84 hits a season over the last four years.  Somehow that's an improvement, as he's only averaged 72 over the last 6 seasons.  If he can't stay on the field, 2,085 is going to prove too high a number for Trout to reach.  Should he fail to do so, he'll be an interesting case for Cooperstown.  He has Kirby Puckett type numbers, but without the World Series Rings.  The Hall of Fame is for stars that we see shining brightly every night for 15-20 years, not comets that streak brightly across them for just a few.  

Nick Castellanos 1,742

Age: 34

Hits in 2025: 137

Average over the Last Four: 150

Will He get there: It's going to be close.  Nick is going to need three more healthy, productive seasons, and father time starts to warm up in the bullpen for most guys when they reach around 34 or so years old.

Christian Yelich 1,741
Age: 34

Hits in 2025: 151

Average over the Last Four: 134

Will He get there: Yes. The 34 year old former MVP had a nice bounce back season in 2025 with 151 hits, 29 homers, and driving in 103 runs.  Yelich is going to be a guy somebody wants in their lineup down the road even if his numbers drop off some.  I think he'll be given the time and at-bats to reach 2,085 hits.

Salvador Perez 1,712

Age: 35

Hits in 2025: 141

Average over the Last Four: 138

Will He get there: Yes.  Perez is a 9x All-Star, has 5 Gold Gloves, and 5 Silver Sluggers and showing few signs of slowing down at 35.  If he has three more seasons in him, he should reach 2,085.  The World Series Champion would have my vote for Cooperstown even if he came up short.

Jose Ramirez 1,668

Age: 33

Hits in 2025: 168

Average over the Last Four: 170

Will He get there: Yes. A model of consistency, Ramirez doesn't appear to be slowing down. He'll hit 2,085 in 2028 at age 35 barring injury.

Francisco Lindor 1,664

Age: 32

Hits in 2025: 172

Average over the Last Four: 166

Will He get there: Yes. 

Lindor is the youngest player on this list.  He's averaged 166 hits a season the last four years and posted his highest season total since 2018 last year.  He should reach 2,085 in 2027 or 2028 if he can stay on the field.  If he can play, and produce, until he's 40 (no small task), he may flirt with 3,000 hits.

Starling Marte 1,639

Age: 37

Hits in 2025: 79

Average over the Last Four: 96

Will He get there: No. Marte's career appears to be winding down at age 37.  He hasn't logged a 100+ hits in a season since 2022, and hasn't played in more than 100 games since then either.

Marcell Ozuna 1,627

Age: 35

Hits in 2025: 113

Average over the Last Four: 137

Will He get there: No. The 35 year old Ozuna has a lot of work to do before to get to 2,085, and I just don't see another 450+ hits in his bat.

Giancarlo Stanton 1,619

Age: 36

Hits in 2025: 68

Average over the Last Four: 80

Will He get there: No. Stanton is 36 years old and only averaging 80 hits a season the last four years.  He may hang around for a few more years and be a scary out for pitchers as he tracks down 500 homers, but 2,085 hits isn't going to happen for him.

Justin Turner 1,606

Age: 41

Hits in 2025: 37

Average over the Last Four: 69

Will He get there: No. I'd call it a safe bet that this two-time All-Star isn't on a roster come opening day.

Marcus Semien 1,613

Age: 35

Hits in 2025: 108

Average over the Last Four: 153

Will He get there: No, but it'll be close.  Semien led the AL in hits in 2023 with 185.  But he's dropped off significantly since then.  Father time is undefeated, and works quickly once he shows up.

Jason Heyward 1,575

Age: 36

Hits in 2025: 15

Average over the Last Four: 45

Will He get there: No. I don't know if Heyward has already played his last game in the majors, but I do know that he isn't going to reach 2,085.  

Trea Turner 1,531

Age: 32 

Hits in 2025: 179

Average over the Last Four: 171

Will He get there: Yes.  Turner is still three full, productive seasons away from 2,085.  If he stays healthy, that shouldn't be an issue for him.  How much will he pass it by?  A lot.  Will he reach 3,000?  No.  Trea would need to average 188 hits a year over the next 8 seasons to reach 3,000 at age 40.  Not going to happen.

2025 Topps Shoebox Treasures #15 "Black & White" #/75

 

Card Review: 5.7

This is yet another of the endless variations of the excellent 2025 Topps Shoebox Treasures card, and like all the other variations, it's not as nice as the original.  This one is actually one of the worst.  I like it a little better than the "Sepia" variation, but not much.  At the end of the day, and this isn't unique to this set (which I actually like as a set quite a bit), I'm just left confused and asking "why?"  

Why does anyone need all these endless variations and inserts, and what becomes of them?  I opened two fat packs of 2026 Topps this year, and probably pulled cards from 9 different insert sets.  Are people actually collecting them as sets?  As for the variations, I'm the first to admit I'm a little weird when it comes to player collecting, but are there really that many of us out there?  In another 10 years is a 2021 Topps Garrett Hampson sparkle variation of his base card numbered out of 5 going to be more in demand than just his regular base card?  I doubt it.  It's all just trash, regardless of how clunky and impenetrable the top loader with a number on top you store it in is.  On the other hand, there will probably still be a few people building the 2021 set who need the Hampson.  My point is, who asked for this?  Just give me some gum to smack while I sort my pile of new cards sequentially by the number on the back.

Number of this card in my collection: 1

2026 Collecting Goals

I'm getting this in just before the end of the month, so I think it still counts as the "New Year" season, and falls in the acceptable window for these sort of post.

The card above is a picture of a 1953 Topps #244.  It depicts Willie Mays of the New York Giants.  I'm keeping things simple this year in 2026.  Obtaining that card is my goal.  It's topped my list of "Ten Most Wanted Cards" every year since 2019, and every year I've failed to make an effort to pick one up, instead going scatter shot for other various cards from 1954-59 Topps sets.  I believe I could snatch a well traveled copy of this card for under $900, which is probably more than double of what I spent all of last year on various vintage singles, but not grounds for a divorce if it's the only card I buy in 2026.  It's still a hefty price tag.  It would be almost triple the most I've ever paid for a card (a '53 Mantle well before covid exploded prices) and nearly four times what I paid for a '52 Mays about 10 years ago.  I don't care, I want this card, and it's the last one I need to complete the 1953 set, which I would regard as the single biggest personal collecting accomplishment of my life.

Will it happen?  Based on last years stated goals and what I actually did, probably not.  I earned a solid "F" grade for my 2025 collecting.  Here's a quick recap of my stated goals and how I did:

1. Acquire More Wallach cards: D

I added a 741 Wallach cards in 2025.  That's a 1,000 fewer than 2024, 800 fewer than 2023, 3,500 fewer than in 2022, and so on.  741 is objectively a lot of cards of one player to add to a collection a single year, it's just not up to the standards I've set for myself since starting this blog.

2. Post on Variants: F

I didn't post on the variants.  Maybe I will one day, I'd like to, but I didn't get around to in 2025 or any of the other years I've posted it as a goal.

3. Swag: F

I didn't make any blog related swag to send out to readers.  Still something I'd like to do, who knows when.

4. Continue to build Topps Sets: D

I bought the 2025 Topps factory set, so I didn't lose any ground in 2025.  I also made some decent strides with 1950's Topps sets, albeit, ones I don't consider myself to be actively building and with card budget funds that would have been better saved and directed towards a '53 Mays.

So for 2025, of course I want to add more Wallach, but this is the year I add the '53 Mays (unless it isn't).  As such my "Goals List for 2026" is brief:

2026 Collecting Goals

1. Finish the 1953 Topps set by adding the Willie Mays

...and if I happen to do that, then these would be my next priorities.

2. Add more Tim Wallach cards

This of course isn't something I'll ignore, I'm just not going to be going out of my way to scour Sportlots looking for lots of various cards to drop $50 or so on a few times a year.

3. Complete the 2026 Topps Base set.

Probably going to go the factory set route again this year.  I just can't justify the costs of doing this by buying packs, in the off chance I can even find packs.

More out of tradition than an actual goal, here my "most wanted" non-Wallach cards.

Ten Most Wanted Single Cards

1. 1953 Topps Willie Mays (last year's rank, #1)

Maybe this is the year.

2. 1962 Topps Bob Uecker (7)

Should I finish the '53 set, I'm not sure what I'll do next.  I don't think '62 would be my focus, but it'd get some consideration.  Regardless, I've long wanted a copy of this card.  But these "Rookie Parade" cards are just really tough to find at a price that I can live with.

3. 1963 Topps Pete Rose (2)

This card drops a spot from last year, I just have less tolerance for assholes at the moment, of which Pete Rose certainly was.  Dirtbag or not, I still want this card in much the same way I still want the G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier.  The difference is I don't really have anywhere in my house to put the USS Flag.  This card remains seared into my brain as the ultimate card to own from my early days of collecting back in the mid 1980's.

4. 1981 Topps Traded Tim Raines (not ranked)

This is one of those cards I often forget I don't own.  I probably have 30 copies of his actual rookie card in the 1981 set, but I don't own this one.  At some point a few years back, I made an effort to add every one of the little boxed Traded sets, I think I just assumed I'd add it that way, but that effort sort of wained out and I'm still short '81 and '82.  Raines is probably my second all-time favorite player and not owning this card is an enormous hole in my collection.  That said, it drives me crazy that it gets called a "rookie card."  It's his 2nd Topps card, not a rookie.  Ditto for the '82 Traded Ripken.

5. 1985 O-Pee-Chee Mario Liemiuex (5)

This card remains #5 on my list, but by way of attrition, has become my most wanted hockey card.  I've lost my desire for the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky and dropped it from the lofty perch it's held on this list for years.

6. 1961 Fleer Dolph Schayes Shoots (6)

Dolph is the father of Syracuse Orangemen great Danny Shayes, who was one of the first stars coached by the Legendary Jim Boeheim.  Dolph also also played a little basketball himself, winning an NBA Title for the Syracuse Nationals before they were tragically relocated to Philadelphia.  

7. 1962 Topps Mickey Mantle

Another high dollar card from a set I am allegedly not building.  My father's baseball card collection survived and wasn't thrown out by my grandmother.  Albeit, my much older cousins looted all the Cardinals long before I was born (not sure why kids in New York were Cardinals fans, but that's their problem).  While most of it survived long enough for me to see it, a large chunk of it was sold off around 1988 to finance a summer trip to Disney Land.  I remember my father taking my brother and I to our first card show, and watching in pain as he sold off card after card.  This Mantle, while not the "best" card he sold off, is the one that stung the most at the time.  I'd like to go ahead and finally get it back.

8. 2002-03 Upper Deck Henrik Zetterberg

My favorite NHL player of the last 30 years appears as though he is going to be a snub from the Hall of Fame.  Collector's didn't get the message as his RC still demands obscene prices, that's if you can even find one for sale.  It's literally the most expensive card on this list.

9. 1962 Topps Willie Mays

A third card from a set that I don't think I'm building.  I've just always liked this card.

10. 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente

This is one of those cards that would be on my short list for best looking Topps card ever printed.  Sooner or later I'll add it to my collection.

Thanks for reading.  Hope you have a great year.

2025 Year in Review

I realized, or came pretty close to realizing a life long ambition in 2025.  For the first time in my life I was a season ticket holder to a baseball team.  Not a major league team, but a AAA team, and as the guys on the field can tell you, that's pretty close.  That team being the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Colorado Rockies AAA affiliate.

AAA or not, it did not disappoint and exceeded all of my expectations.  I moved to Albuquerque at the end of 2024, and my house is less than a mile from the ball park, making it possible to walk to the games.  My seats were on the wall on the left field line near the foul poll.  These are actually "premium" seats, as they come with a large, elevated swivel chair and you have a bar top in front of you.  I love them.  Sure I could be behind home plate for the same price point, but I hate sitting behind a net, and most the baseball I played in my life, I watched from the view point of center field (sans one miserable year in high school when I was forced to play shortstop).  The Albuquerue Isotopes don't have bleacher seating in the outfield, so this was the next best thing.  

I also love being on the wall.  My seats I quickly discovered, made it wise to bring a glove.  They get a lot of action, and the balls tend to come in hot.  A lesson I learned early in the season while bare handing a line drive.  Didn't break anything, but I wore a bruise for a week.  A perk of sitting here, I end up with a bucket of balls in my garage by the end of the season. (I feel the need to note, I gave away a lot more balls than I took home, and only kept them if there were no kids in my section)

I used to come to one or two Isoptopes games a season when I lived about a three hour drive from Albuquerque.  As it was, I never bothered to learn the players other than guys I recognized from their time in the majors.  When you go to every game, you get to know everyone down to the middle relievers.  The Rockies, with their struggles, also had a lot of guys going up and down all season, so I learned a lot of different names.  That said, the every day left fielder, well 5 out of 6 days (they play 6 game series in the PCL) ended up becoming my new favorite player.  Sterlin Thompson.  He wasn't on the 40 man roster, so he never got called up and ended having a great season, leading the 'Topes in just about every offensive category.  More in importantly, he was cool enough to acknowledge me with a wave before the start of every game.  The Rockies added him to the 40 man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and I'll be rooting for him to make the team in Denver out of Spring Training.  I'll just have to get acquainted with a new left fielder if that happens.

Some other guys I took a liking to were Zac Veen, Sam Hilliard, Sean Bouchard, and Aaron Schunk.  All outfielders but for Schunk.  Veen is a bit of a hot dog, but a lot of fun to watch.  He'll likely be an opening day starter for the Rockies this year.  Hilliard become Albuquerque's personal "Crash Davis" breaking the cities all-time career home record this season (it includes all levels and affiliations in the town's history, Dukes, 'Topes, Dodgers, Marlins, Rockies et al).  Hilliard signed a contract to play in Korea next year, but really endeared himself to the city as just a great ambassador for baseball and carried himself with a lot of class as a ball player.  Bouchard was a once weekly left fielder who I saw a lot of, and Schunk was just a funny guy.  You may have read about him writing "call me if found" and his phone number on the back of his Topps 1/1 pro debut card.  My daughter took a liking to him for his walk up music, "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys, which sounds a lot like "Brass Schunky" through a stadium PA.

I've renewed my tickets for 2026, and am looking forward to Opening Day in a couple months.

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On the baseball card front, Wallach was included in not one, but two different Topps sets this year! At least sort of.  He wasn't actually included in the Topps Archives set, he was just one of the autograph inserts, but he was in the Shoe Box Legends set.  Still, no complaints, it was a welcome surprise, even if it did cause me to blow up my budget chasing "special" insert variations instead of a few hundred more copies of something like his '87 Topps base card.  

Thank to every one who read this blog and to everyone who sent cards this year.  The numbers were a little down in 2025, but I was busy.  I'm sure you understand.  That said, here's a look at where the collection stands heading into 2026 with the annual run down of the numbers.

Current Cards in Collection: 36,324    

Cards added in 2024: 741    

Collection grew by: 2.1%

Top 25 Most Abundant Cards in the Collection

1. 1982 Topps............................ 1,792  

2. 1984 Topps ........................... 1,287

3. 1987 Topps ........................... 1,236

4. 1988 Donruss ....................... 1,224

5. 1983 Fleer ............................ 1,073

6. 1989 Topps ........................... 1,041

7. 1988 Topps All-Star ............... 1,025

8. 1988 Topps .............................. 981

9. 1986 Topps All-Star ................. 820

10. 1990 Topps ............................ 783

11. 1990 Fleer .............................. 712

12. 1990 Donruss ......................... 637

13. 1989 Donruss ......................... 622

14. 1986 Topps ............................. 594

15. 1991 Upper Deck ..................... 583

16. 1989 Fleer ................................ 574

17. 1987 Donruss ........................... 556

18. 1985 Topps ............................... 536

19. 1982 Fleer ................................ 505

20. 1983 Topps .............................. 452

21. 1990 Upper Deck ..................... 444

22. 1991 Donruss MVP ................. 443

23. 1990 Score .............................. 435

24. 1988 Fleer ............................... 428

25. 1991 Donruss .......................... 421

For the first time since I started tracking this, back in 2015, there was no change in the order of the Top 25.  I don't know what the odds of that are, but they've got to be small.  

Top 10 Most Added Cards in 2024

1. 1988 Topps All-Star ........... 46

2. 1991 Upper Deck Checklist .... 36

3. 1982 Fleer ............................... 32

4. 1988 Donruss ..................... 30

5. 1992 Donruss ..................... 23

6.(tie) 1988 Topps .................. 22

6. (tie) 1993 Topps ................. 22

8. 1991 Leaf ........................... 20

9. (tie) 1987 Topps ................. 17

9. (tie) 1993 Donruss ............. 17

There were no huge additions this year, with 46 copies of the 1988 Topps All-Star card leading the way.  

Notable No Shows

1994 Topps, 1983 Fleer, 1985 Fleer

Unlike in previous years, the cards that popped out on this list in 2025 were not obscure inserts or novelty sets.  Three major issue base cards didn't show up in 2025, with not a single copy being added.  We'll see if this trend continues, but I doubt it.

Welcome Back

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These are cards that were added in 2025, after having gone a few years without adding a new copy.  The 1993 Memphis Chicks card leads the way, having added a new one for the first time since 2017.  1990 Donruss Learning Series (first since 2018) was right behind.  There was also a trio of cards that made there first appearance since 2020, those being 1987 Indiana BlueSox, 1990 Sportflics, and 1993 O-Pee-Chee.

Top 15 All-Time Most Sent Cards

1. 1988 Donruss ........................... 531

2. 1987 Topps ............................... 501

3. 1989 Topps ............................... 491

4. 1988 Topps All-Star ................. 465

5. 1990 Fleer ................................ 434

6. 1988 Topps ............................... 432

7. 1990 Donruss ........................... 385

8. 1990 Topps ............................... 384

9. 1991 Upper Deck ..................... 380

10. 1986 Topps All-Star ............... 351

11. 1987 Indiana Blue Sox ........... 332

12. 1986 Topps ............................. 313

13. 1991 Donruss MVP ................ 311

14. 1989 Donruss .......................... 304

15. 1991 Donruss .......................... 291

As always, thank you to anyone who has ever sent cards.  It's really sureal thing every time it happens and is always greatly appreciated.

For those of you still reading this far, I do have a bit more personal news from 2025.  My wife and I had a baby boy, "Rocky," named after my wife's father.  Here is, now at 6 months,

Hopefully he turns out to be a baseball fan.