Surpassing the legendary Willie Mays in any category is
astounding, and Derek Jeter did
just that on September 14 at Yankee Stadium. The Yankee great passed Mays
for 10th most career hits all-time. Think about that for a second… Only nine
players in the history of baseball have
gotten more hits than DJ in their career. Needless to say, this is another huge
accomplishment that the Yankee shortstop has accumulated over the course of his
18-year career.
Now before we delve any further into Jeter’s career and
accomplishments, take into account that this perspective is coming from someone
who is a Giants and Red Sox fan. You would think that I would be the last person to give Jeter credit for his
accomplishments. Even though I am not particularly thrilled as a Giants fan to
see Mays drop in the record books, Jeter has earned every one of his 3,284 hits.
No explanation is necessary for the hatred lack of
affection that Red Sox fans like myself have for the so-called “Evil Empire.” The fact is, Jeter has five World Series
championship titles to his name and is in good position to make a run at number
six. The Red Sox, on the other hand, won their first World Series in 86 years
less than a decade ago (2004). Regardless, here is why I have nothing but the
utmost respect for the Yankee captain.
In an era riddled by steroids, Jeter’s name has never been
in the PED discussion. He has not been a prolific home run hitter but found a
way to get the job done at a high level without the use of performance-enhancing
drugs. Ironically, Jeter has won more championships than the trio of Barry
Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Jose Canseco combined.
Granted, the Steinbrenner ownernship has outspent every MLB team since
1999 and the 2011 Yankees payroll
on Opening Day was over five times greater than the Kansas City
Royals.
Jeter’s individual achievements in one of the largest
spotlights in all of sports are nothing short of sensational: 13-time All Star,
five-time Gold Glove Award winner, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and a
career average well above .300. He is indubitably one of the top
shortstops of all time and a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Perhaps my conviction on
Barry Bonds’ lack of Hall of Fame-worthiness has garnered Jeter more
respect with me. You can argue the length of a baseball season whether or not Bonds
and PED athletes deserve a spot in Cooperstown but one thing is certain: they tarnished
the game and nearly a decade of baseball.
Jeter is the bright spot that shows steroids are not
necessary to perform at a high level; talent can combine with a strong work
ethic to get more than just mediocre results. Take for example the increase in
no-hitters over the past couple years, something invariably connected to the
fact that hitters are not ‘roided up. What does that say? Pitchers have always
been good, but PEDs powered their 95 MPH fastballs over the fence much more
than they should have been. However, Jeter has been steady before, during, and
after the era, hitting .320 and above consistently throughout his career. Take
this season for example: at age 38, Jeter has posted a .323 average and is
nearing his eighth season of 200-plus hits.
Jeter’s on-the-field
heroics have been coupled with a model attitude off-the-field, as well. “The
Captain” is always one to preach the team concept, play through injuries, and
commend his teammates before himself. It is very difficult not to appreciate
his attitude, even as a fan of a rival team.
Not only that, but baseball has become more of a “business,”
leading to lessened loyalty between a player and his team. Back in the days of
Willie Mays and Yogi Berra, players consistently spent nearly their entire
career with one team. Even today, Albert Pujols had been considered such a
player…until he left St. Louis for the nice beaches and large paycheck in Los
Angeles. Yet Jeter has remained a Yankee (although that is at least in part due
to career salary earnings of $220 million—second most among
all MLB players since 1985).
To the chagrin of the rest of baseball, each and every time
that Derek Jeter has stepped in between the white lines, he has donned the Yankee
pinstripes. The one time in his career that Jeter’s contract
negotiations did becomes public, Jeter was “angry about it…the negotiations
were supposed to be private.”
He respects and has certainly done his part to maintain the
integrity of the game to its players and fans. As baseball’s darker hour begins
to drift away, baseball still needs players like Jeter at least as much as
players like Jeter need baseball.
The reality is that the kid who was drafted by New York as a
teenager has embodied everything that baseball is supposed to be. You will not
catch me rooting for the guy come the playoffs, but I can say without question
that I respect everything about the Yankee shortstop.
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