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Jimmy Rollins
Now that 714 and 755 (home runs) aren't what they used to be, it's possible there's no bigger number left in baseball than 56. And Jimmy Rollins is closing in on the hallowed mark -- ready to start ticking again toward the great Joe DiMaggio.Rollins finished last season with a 36-game hitting streak, the ninth-longest in major league history. If he hits safely in 10 more games, he would break Wee Willie Keeler's National League record of 45. If he hits in 21 more straight games, he would break DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, the all-time record.
DiMaggio's record would still stand as a single-season record, no matter how many games Rollins hits in. But it's still 56. It's still Joe's number. And it's as sacred as any number in the modern sports universe.
Wee Willie Keeler (45-game hitting streak)
Wee Willie Keeler was a remarkable hitter with a simple approach: "Keep your eye clear, and hit 'em where they ain't." He hit over .300 16 times in 19 seasons, batted over .400 once and had a .341 career average. He entered the Hall in 1939.