Oriolesfan44

BALTIMORE -- For quite some time, Miguel Tejada has made history every time he's taken the field. Baltimore's shortstop reached a round number milestone Tuesday, when he played in his 1,100th consecutive game. That already ranks as the seventh-longest streak in baseball history, and he could move up two spots by the end of May.
Tejada has played in every game since June of the 2000 season, and he's rarely had a close call that endangered his everyday status. He's also maintained his high level of play, a feat that many of his peers make sure to mention. The 30-year-old plays every day for an old-fashioned reason -- he gives his team its best chance to win.

"The first day that I started it, I didn't believe I could play in so many games," said Tejada, a former Most Valuable Player and a four-time All-Star to boot. "But like I've said, I like to play every day, and every day I thank God for not being in pain and not being hurt. I'm just happy to see my career going one day at a time."

Tejada will pass Hall-of-Famer Joe Sewell's streak on Saturday, and health permitting, he'll pass Billy Williams -- another inducted member at Cooperstown -- on May 13. He should also pass 10-time All-Star Steve Garvey later in the year, which would leave just Everett Scott, Lou Gehrig and record-holder Cal Ripken Jr. in his way.

Barring an injury, Scott would fall next season, but Gehrig and Ripken are still a long way away. Tejada would actually have to play until the 2016 season to set the record, but he said he doesn't do it for that purpose.

"I'm not doing it because I want to catch Cal," he said Tuesday. "I'm just doing it because I'm healthy, I want to play and I think I can play every day. One day, it's going to stop, but God's going to decide it. I'm not going to decide it, because if I'm never hurt, I'm going to be in the lineup every day if the manager decides to put me in there."

Tejada may not follow the stats, but he does revere the players that came before him. He treasures his place in baseball history and said it means a lot to him to be mentioned in the company of immortals.

"For me, that's really amazing. I'm really happy with myself and I'm really happy to be in that situation," he said of passing Sewell and Williams. "I know it's not easy, and there are a lot of sick days and a lot of headaches, like today. A lot of colds, but they give me the opportunity to be strong and be in the field. I'm happy to be there."

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Cal Ripken HOF 2007