Boggs, Gwynn In Tight Race To 3,000 Best Pure Hitters Of Last Two Decades Closing In On Major-League Milestone

Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn have posted such similar numbers through their careers, it’s only fitting they enter this season on the verge of achieving every hitter’s goal 3,000 hits.

Often considered the best pure hitters in their respective leagues since breaking in as rookies in 1982, the two are separated by a handful of hits - Boggs is at 2,800, Gwynn at 2,780.

Their other lifetime totals are just as close: Boggs has a .331 average with 109 home runs and 933 RBIs, while Gwynn has a .340 average with 107 home runs and 973 RBIs.

And beside their statistics is mutual respect.

Gwynn’s magic number is 220, exactly the career-high hit total he had last year while winning his eighth N.L. batting title.

While Gwynn is coming off a career year, Boggs is coming off his worst season since he hit a mere .259 in 1992.

The 39-year-old Boggs, back in a starting role with the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, needs an even 200 hits.

Either he or Gwynn will be the 22nd member of a club that counts only Paul Molitor on an active roster.

Boggs and Gwynn aren’t the only players approaching career milestones this season. Others include:

St. Louis’ Mark McGwire is 13 home runs shy of 400, - a total only 25 players have reached.

Baltimore’s Joe Carter needs only 22 to reach the same plateau.

San Francisco’s Barry Bonds is just 26 short of 400. Other players nearing the mark are Baltimore’s Cal Ripken Jr. (370) and Toronto’s Jose Canseco (351).

Ripken, of course, carries his consecutive-games streak into yet another season. It’s at 2,478 and counting.

Boston pitcher Dennis Eckersley has the chance to reach two milestones. With 389 career saves, Eckersley needs just 11 more to become the second pitcher to reach 400. He trails only Lee Smith - attempting a comeback with the Kansas City Royals - and his total of 478.

Both Eckersley, with 193 wins, and Atlanta’s four-time Cy Young award winner Greg Maddux, with 184 wins, have a chance to join Toronto’s Roger Clemens (213) as the only active pitchers with 200 or more career victories.

Clemens needs another 118 strikeouts to reach 3,000, a total achieved by only 10 others.