The Most Holy and Unbreakable Records in Baseball

Baseball is a game that prides itself on tradition and statistics. Some of the holiest records in sports are numbers that originated in baseball. Guys like Ruth, Aaron, Williams and Ryan have separated themselves by rewriting the records books. However, you'd be surprised at who has some of the most unbreakable records in baseball. Everyone once thought that Babe Ruth's career home run record would never be challenged and it's been passed twice since! And Alex Rodriguez will most certainly break it if he can stay healthy and productive. There are lots of records from before the modern era that will never be challenged, so I've focused on more known records from recent play. So without further ado, let's take a look at some of baseball's most storied and unattainable records.

Most Career No-Hitters

Nolan Ryan: New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers - 7 no-hitters

With all the no-hitters this season in baseball, you'd think that this record would be under attack. Ryan, has pretty much every pitching record you could imagine, but the improbability of a no-hitter is what makes this record so unreachable. Only 1 active pitcher has more than 1 no-hitter (Mark Buehrle) and he has 2. Number 2 on the list is Sandy Koufax who had 4, but no pitcher since has had more than 2. Ryan even through his 7^th and final no-hitter when he was 44! Most pitchers these days will be long retired by then. Barring some sore of miracle, we can be sure no one will ever come close to this record.

Career Record for Hits

Pete Rose: Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos - 4,256 hits

Think what you will about Pete Rose the person, but the guy was a hell of a hitter. It explains why only he and Ty Cobb are the only members of the 4,000 hit club and why no one else will likely come within a sniff of it. Alex Rodriguez would have to average 200 hits a season for the next 8 years to break this record and he's only had 3 of those in his illustrious career. Derek Jeter is the active leader, but he isn't even to 3,000 yet and is slowing down rapidly and 36 to boot. Rose had nearly 1500 more hits after he turned 36! Too bad Ichiro played for so long in the Japanese league. He'd of had a shot.

Single Season Record for Stolen Bases (modern era)

Rickey Henderson: Oakland Athletics - 130 stolen bases (1982)

Rickey Henderson was put on this earth to do two things. Get on base and steal bases. A menace on the base paths his entire career, his coming out party was in 1982 when he set the modern record for stolen bases. Only Vince Coleman, Lou Brock and Maury Wills are modern players to have broken the 100 steals barrier and no active player has even come close to the century mark. Jose Reyes blew everyone's mind when he stole 78 bases in 2007, but with teams relying less on the steal than ever, it's improbable that anyone will come close to Rickey's record, let alone 100 steals ever again.

Career Record for Strikeouts

Nolan Ryan: New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers - 5,714 strikeouts

I told you Nolan would be on this list more than once. He's a full 800+ strikeouts ahead of second place Randy Johnson who retired last year at the age of 45. Johnson would more than likely had to average 200 strikeouts a year until he was 50 to get close to Ryan's 'K' record. It's funny to think that Jamie Moyer is the active leader, more than 3000 strikeouts behind. And that he's 47! CC Sabathia at 29 is the only pitcher under 30 to have more than 1,500 strikeouts and he is just a shade of 1,700 a full 4,000 strikeouts behind! Perhaps Stephen Strasburg might get there some day?

Most Consecutive Games with a Base Hit

Joe DiMaggio: New York Yankees - 56 games (1941)

56 is perhaps the most iconic number is baseball. In 1941 DiMaggio went on a tear and reached base safely in 56 consecutive games breaking the record set by Wee Willie Keeler way back in 1887-86. Since then, only Pete Rose in 1978 has come within shouting distance by hitting in more than 40 games consecutively (44). It's not so much the number that is unattainable; it's how a player in this day and age would have to get there. The pressure that would come with this chase is unfathomable and is evidence enough as to why only 5 players have gone more than 30 games with a hit in the last 20 years. Joltin' Joe can be sure that the media today will keep his record safe!

All data collected from www.baseball-reference.com