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Derek Jeter (1974-), Legendary NY Yankee Shortstop (1995-2014) and the Sixth All-Time MLB Hits Leader


DonRocks

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Derek Jeter is 2nd only to Hank Aaron in total number of hits by a right-handed batter. That is one *incredible* statistic that few people know about - his lifetime batting average (with just a few games to go in his final season) is .309.

Just to give some additional perspective, he has over 700 more hits as a Yankee than Gehrig, Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio - anyone you can name, and he's done it in only 20 years which is long, but not *that* long.

 

Here's a very funny video from earlier today - it's only 32-seconds long, and you have to watch it.

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Here's Jeet saying goodbye and thanks at Yankee Stadium

This reminds me of a very special day: On September 30, 2001, Member #1 and I went to Cal Ripken, Jr's final game at Yankee Stadium (here - he mentions Derek Jeter at 9:58). I think it's safe to say Cal was Derek's prototype, and Derek was in some sense Cal's protégé. Derek was there for Cal's day, and if you look at the video above, Cal returned the favor.

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I remember the first time I saw Jeter play, in 1995 against the Cleveland Indians at the old Yankee stadium.  I was 12 at the time and left the game with a ball signed by a then unknown (to me) shortstop who would figure prominently in my sports fandom for the next 20 years.

I (and all other Yankees fans I'm sure) will miss seeing him on the field...candidly, he's tied up in every good Yankees memory I have and it will be very strange for me next season without him (and Mariano, and Jorge, and Andy...).

As an aside, next to the ball I still have the ticket stub from the game...field boxes along first base at Yankee stadium, face value: $14.00 :o

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Yankee fans, myself included, will really miss his presence.  Of course, it'll be offset by the return of A-Rod to save the team.

Actually two excellent players with all time credentials.  Their careers overlapped and for a long time connected on the same team.  One stood out as a remarkable testimonial to the best aspects of the game.  The other became a lying, cheating, egotistical A-Rod-hole.

Too bad for the Yankees and baseball that the jerk is returning next year.

Derek Jeter had a remarkable long career.  He deserves the accolades.

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I actually fail to see how this is a counterpoint to deserving the accolades.  I understand the component "of all time" vs. "modern yankee history" and if that's your point I get that.

He also really reaches in terms of his "list of 11" - how many of those are post 1994?  Oh right, 2 and Mussina and ARod are pretty laughable comparators.

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I actually fail to see how this is a counterpoint to deserving the accolades.  I understand the component "of all time" vs. "modern yankee history" and if that's your point I get that.

He also really reaches in terms of his "list of 11" - how many of those are post 1994?  Oh right, 2 and Mussina and ARod are pretty laughable comparators.

The point is that looking at his career as a whole he isn't even the best shortstop of his generation.  And nowhere near the best Yankee of all time.

But ultimately what is really behind that rant is not Jeter's accomplishments (as they say, you don't back in to the 6th highest hit total of all time), it's why does he get to be singled out in this way?  Why not other players who, by the numbers, are more deserving?  The answer is simply marketing: he was the most marketable face of the most marketable franchise in baseball for 20 years.  This is just another Olbermann dig at the ESPN-ization of stardom, and IMHO well-deserved.

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I actually fail to see how this is a counterpoint to deserving the accolades.  I understand the component "of all time" vs. "modern yankee history" and if that's your point I get that.

He also really reaches in terms of his "list of 11" - how many of those are post 1994?  Oh right, 2 and Mussina and ARod are pretty laughable comparators.

I think this was supposed to be taken partially tongue-in-cheek (at least that's the way I took it). People were saying the same stuff about Ripken. Most any player has gaping holes in their resume - the bottom line: Jeter is the #2 all-time hits leader for right-handed batters. That speaks for itself - he'll be first-ballot, but not unanimous (there are always some voters with agendas).

Mussina will be in the HOF, btw (hopefully in an Orioles cap). I've thought about this a lot - he has 117 more wins than losses, and I think that alone is enough to do it: There has never been a pitcher with 100 more wins than losses who didn't make the Hall (and that, by the way, should include Andy Pettite).

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That was entertaining.  I've seen both positive and negative commentary on Jeter.  The negative commentary is really not negative about Jeter, it merely questions his ultimate place in the pantheon of the all time greats.  Essentially it boils down to " is he or was he as good as the amazing volume of accolades he is getting".   Jeter was an excellent player.

One little element that touches on Jeter was discussed by a friend and I.  Jeter, along with Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and add Bernie Williams all came up directly through the Yankee farm system.   Jeter was the only high draft choice.  Pettitte and Posada were lower draft choices.  Rivera and Bernie Williams were lower ranked International Free Agents, but signed at young ages by the Yankees.

These days its rare to see any team develop a wealth of players that grow into stars, all completely home grown in the farm system.  They all became stars.  They were all Yanks.  They went on to win a number of World Series.

That is unmatched in modern baseball.  Maybe unmatched for decades.  Maybe the StL Cards have something like this.

But Jeter was part of a unique run of championships with a core group of players all home grown.  Very unusual and frankly the Yankees were lucky with those players.  So many developed into stars and had very long careers mostly devoid of serious injuries.

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Watched the whole game.  From his 1st inning hit to his 9th inning hit, it could hardly have been a better scripted game for him.  Well, except for his repeated fielding jitters"¦. those were 3 or 4 of the most terrible throws to first I've seen from him.  Great game to watch.  End of an era.  Glad he's only DH'ing a couple of the last away games.

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