Thirty is the mark when a conscutive-games hitting streak really first bears noticing. Oh, 28 is a nice number -- "halfway to DiMaggio" and all that. But Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals is at the big three-oh now.
Zimmerman matched the great George Brett's 30-game streak in 1980 for the longest by a third baseman in the last three decades. In these the aughts, the only other 30-game streaks have been posted by stalwart Moises Alou in 2007, the unlikely Willy Taveras in 2006 and the finest hitter of his generation, Albert Pujols, in 2003. None of them reached 31, though three others did that and more -- Luis Castillo had a 35-game hit streak in 2002; Chase Utley also had a 35-game hit streak, but in 2006; and Jimmy Rollins had a 38-game hit streak spread over two seasons in 2005-06.
Will Zim? And how far does the kid go? Place your bets, make your predictions, presuppose your wild suppositions ... and -- bear with me, Ex-pos fans -- pay attention to those Nats!
Zimmerman matched the great George Brett's 30-game streak in 1980 for the longest by a third baseman in the last three decades. In these the aughts, the only other 30-game streaks have been posted by stalwart Moises Alou in 2007, the unlikely Willy Taveras in 2006 and the finest hitter of his generation, Albert Pujols, in 2003. None of them reached 31, though three others did that and more -- Luis Castillo had a 35-game hit streak in 2002; Chase Utley also had a 35-game hit streak, but in 2006; and Jimmy Rollins had a 38-game hit streak spread over two seasons in 2005-06.
Will Zim? And how far does the kid go? Place your bets, make your predictions, presuppose your wild suppositions ... and -- bear with me, Ex-pos fans -- pay attention to those Nats!
