Derek Jeter, the crosstown rival player we Mets fans loved to hate. He was the embodiment of perfect and one heck of a ballplayer. From the clutch hits to the jump-throw across the diamond to saying exactly what you are supposed to say after a valiant losing effort. For 19 years Jeter did it all.
Many will argue how good Jeter actually was and to all those people I would like to politely say “shut up.” Jeter was a 14 time All-Star, 5 time Gold Glove, 5 time Silver Slugger, 5 time World Champion, the American League Rookie of the Year in 1996, and the World Series MVP in 2000. He finished his career on Sunday with 3,465 hits and a lifetime batting average of .310.
Sure Jeter was an overrated fielder, but whenever the game was on the line, you knew Jeter was going to shine. His instinctual manner on the baseball field was matched by no one. Diving head first into the stands to make a game saving catch, knowing the outcome was not going to be favorable for his body, is everything Jeter was about. Winning no matter what the cost may be. His iconic flip in Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series against the Oakland Athletics to save the game still does not make sense. How did a shortstop know to sprint from his position to the first base line and flip the ball perfectly to cut down the tying run at home? Only Jeter.
He was the epitome of consistency. For most of his career you could pencil No. 2 into the lineup every game. Jeter played 145 or more games in 16 out of his 19 full seasons in the Major Leagues. If only the Mets could find someone like that.
Hating the New York Yankees is something most baseball fans enjoy doing because it is so easy. The way they spend money, Alex Rodriguez, the “Yankee way”, their fans, Roger Clemens, the list goes on and on. Jeter was always different than any of that. He was a hero in the baseball world. One of the most well-mannered and classy individuals to ever have ‘New York’ emblazoned across the front of their jersey. The way he played the game and handled the media, while frolicking around with a new super model every week, was something else. It is almost unimaginable that someone can be as successful as he was in the New York market for 10, let alone 20 years.
He deserved all the praise, gifts and commercials this year and anyone who wants to complain about that just has not being paying attention. We all witnessed a player grow from a starry-eyed 20-year-old to one of the best to ever play the shortstop position, a living legend. It was fun to watch and as a baseball fan it is sad to see him go.
With Jeter retiring, the Yankees’ dominance of New York should soon follow suit. Now the time has come for the New York Mets to take center stage and take this town over. No more ‘Core 4,’ no more living legends. The Mets are young, talented and ready to rock the baseball world. it’s our time, now.
So for one last time we tip our caps to Derek Jeter, the Captain. Not our captain, but a darn good one at that.
