Now batting for the Yankees, number two, Derek Jeter, number two.
2014 marks the final season those words, first uttered by Bob Sheppard in 1995, will be heard during a baseball game. As Jeter retires this season, so does the final lineage to the Yankees' dynasties of old.
“For those who say today’s game can’t produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter,” former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner once said.
Jeter, the first Yankees' player to reach 3,000 hits with the team, is the greatest shortstop of the modern era. His postseason accolades and winning spirit define the history of baseball. He is our version of Joe DiMaggio, a man who does all the talking with his bat. He played the field with grace and embodied the immortal qualities of a legend. Jeter was the greatest shortstop of the modern era; was being the key word.
I never want to doubt the skill set of the Captain, however it is a question worth asking. Jeter will turn 40 in June. Is is fair for fans to expect him to play like the legend of old?
Fans experienced the same questions when Mariano Rivera announced his retirement prior to last season. Would Rivera pitch like he used too? Was age going to be a factor? It turns out Rivera was still effective in 2013, posting 44 saves and a 2.11 ERA. Some, like Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, wanted Rivera to return in 2014.
Odds are Rivera wouldn't have been the same player. You could see cracks in the once perfect pitcher. He blew a lot of saves, more than any year since his first season as a closer in 1997. Rivera only struck out 54 batters, his lowest total in full season since 1998, when he had 36 strikeouts. Rivera stayed as long as he could in Major League Baseball. Thus the real question now begs to be asked; has Derek Jeter stayed past his prime?
DiMaggio retired when he thought he could no longer give to the game. His final season (1951) was a good one. He hit .263 with 12 home runs and 71 RBI in 116 games. However it wasn't enough for DiMaggio. Jeter, who comes from the DiMaggio-like mold, will not stay in baseball longer than he believes necessary. If Jeter thought he couldn't play well in 2014, then he wouldn't play in 2014. We only saw Jeter play 17 injury-plagued games in 2013, but they were horrible games by any standard. Jeter hit .190 with one home run and seven RBI. Jeter is hitting .137, producing seven hits in 51 at bats, during the 2014 Spring Training season. Six of his seven hits have been singles.
It's unfair for fans to expect Jeter to play like a 25-year old shortstop in his prime. The fact is that Jeter is a 40-year old shortstop coming off two severe injuries. To expect a legendary season from an aging Captain is cruel and unusual. Fans should appreciate the time they have left to watch Jeter play the game. But the Jeter we knew, the Jeter that inspired fans with great hits and clutch plays, may be gone forever. Everyone loses against Father Time eventually and Jeter has one more year to go before the final bell sounds. Enjoy him while you can.
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