As New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter nears the end of his final season in Major League Baseball, he continues to move up the all-time hit list.
During Friday’s game against the Cleveland Indians, Jeter got a base hit in the bottom of the first inning, giving him 3,430 career hits. With that single, he moves into a tie for sixth with Honus Wagner on the career hit list.
[MLB.com]
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New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter continued his assault on the record books Monday night, using a three-hit performance against the Texas Rangers to move into seventh place on MLB‘s all-time hits list, per ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews.
Jeter had three hits and a walk in four plate appearances against Texas Rangers starter Yu Darvish, bringing the veteran shortstop’s career total to 3,420 hits, one ahead of Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski (3,419).
Jeter singled to left field in the first inning and doubled in the third to tie Yastrzemski, before breaking the tie with a seventh-inning single. He registered a fifth-inning walk between the second and third hits, and later made the game’s final out in the top of the ninth.
The Yankee captain is having a solid year in this, his 20th and final MLB season. He has a .278 batting average and .333 on-base percentage through 93 games, albeit with only two home runs, 27 RBI and 34 runs. His career batting average stands at .311 entering Tuesday’s game against the Rangers, meaning he’ll retire with a mark well above .300.
Jeter started the season in ninth place on the all-time hits list with 3,316 and has added an additional 104 to pass Paul Molitor (3,319) and Yastrzemski (3,419).
The next mark on Jeter’s hits list is Honus Wagner, who is currently in sixth place with 3,430, according to MLB.com. There is a bit of a discrepancy in the record-keeping, as Baseball-Reference.com lists Wagner with 3,420 career hits, which would put the two legendary shortstops on equal footing, at least for another day or two.
Either way, barring a serious injury within the next week or two, Jeter will eventually hold down the No. 6 spot.
All stats courtesy of MLB.com unless specifically noted otherwise.
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Derek Jeter continues to break career records, and at this age, it’s no surprise. Earlier in the season. he eclipsed Lou Gehrig’s doubles record of 534, and most recently he passed Carl Yastrzemski for seventh on the all-time hits list. The hit was a quintessential Jeter base hit through the right side gap on a well executed hit-and-run. With this latest accomplishment, fans have to wonder how high he will move up on the hit list.
Jeter is currently only 10 hits behind fellow shortstop Honus Wagner, who ranks sixth all time with 3,430 career hits. But the thought is prevalent amongst fans: how much more the 40-year-old shortstop could accomplish if he didn’t retire at the end of this season.
Jeter will pass Wagner in the immediate future, and he will likely also pass Cap Anson shortly after that, who, by some accounts, has 3,435 hits, while others have him listed at 3,011 hits. But despite the controversy, the Yankee legend will realistically finish either fifth or sixth all time. Although it will be close, he does have the potential to finish fifth all time by passing Tris Speaker, who has an outstanding 3,514 career hits.
Regardless, Jeter will go down as one of the greatest hitters of all time, but it’s enticing for fans to think about him finishing within the top three.
If Jeter were to play another two years, let’s say, then he would certainly achieve that, or at least come close. And it seems like he could continue on, at least physically, if he wanted to.
Jeter looks healthy after a season plagued with injuries. He is ranked fifth in the league for average from a shortstop with a .278 clip. Albeit, his average is down from what he has hit for his career, which is .311, but his current average is pretty impressive when you take all things into consideration.
At the moment, the Yankee captain has 104 hits on the season and could conceivably pick up around 180 to 185 total by the end of the year. In 2010, he had a similar year when he batted .270 and collected 179 hits total for the season. Most critics thought that season would be the demise of Jeter, but he proved them wrong with a bounce-back year in 2011 with a .297 batting average, then again in 2012 when he hit .316 and led the league in hits with 216.
Even in this subpar year by Jeter’s standards, he has proven he can still play. Pete Rose said a couple of years ago that Jeter wouldn’t be able to break his all-time hits record of 4,256. According to ESPN New York in 2012, Rose had this to say:
I don’t think he can get 200 more hits at 41, but let’s say he does. OK, now he’s 42. He’s gonna get 200 more hits then? At 42? Let me tell you, I’ve been there; the body locks up. Jeter’s a great hitter … but he’s gonna get 200 hits when he’s 42? I don’t think he will. And even if he does all that, he’s still 150 hits short.
We won’t get to find out what would happen with Jeter at 41, or 42, but it does make us think about Rose’s hypothetical. If Jeter were to play an extra two years, he might not catch Rose or Ty Cobb, but surely he’d pass (if he were able to stay healthy) Stan “The Man” Musial and possibly the great Hank Aaron, who have 3,630 and 3,771 hits, respectively.
If he were able to accomplish that feat, that would mean he’d rank third all time in hits, but it would just be icing on the cake in what has been a marvelous career. And for Jeter, he’s never been one to fret over individual stats, but rather his focus has always been on team accomplishments.
His All-Star Game performance showed shades of his youth, when he made a diving stab to almost rob Andrew McCutchen of a base hit, followed up by his leadoff double in the bottom of the inning. And if his All-Star Game performance was indicative of anything, it’s that the man can still play.
However, it’s understandable that Jeter wants to hang it up now, when he’s still on top. Yes, he may be fading a bit, but he’s still one of the better players in the game. Some players overstay their welcome, and in turn, they don’t get to retire in the fashion they want and with the team they began with.
For Jeter, who has lived a near-flawless legacy, now is the right time. But for fans, the thought of him staying longer seems tempting, knowing that he can accomplish even more than he already has.
Follow Evan on Twitter @Emoneyball22
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This is Derek Jeter‘s final season playing baseball, and he’s enjoying every second of it.
Friday’s game between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays was just another example.
In the third inning, teammate Ichiro Suzuki homered for the first time since last August. When he arrived back to the dugout, Jeter gave him a blank stare.
After a few seconds, the Yankees captain couldn’t hold back his excitement as the whole dugout joined in on the celebration.
Suzuki’s go-ahead three-run shot helped propel the Yankees to a 6-4 win.
[MLB, MLB Fan Cave]
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New York Yankees fans will want to clear their calendars on Sept. 7 as the team will celebrate the career of Derek Jeter.
The Yankees announced on their official website that they will be honoring their retiring captain before the final game of a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals. New York will also be giving every fan at Yankee Stadium a commemorative coin.
After last year’s Mariano Rivera bobblehead fiasco, the Yankees will certainly be hopeful that Jeter’s night goes off without a hitch.
This is the cherry on top of an already good week for the 40-year-old. First, he went 2-for-2 in his final All-Star Game, scoring the first run of the game for the American League. Jeter was removed during the top of the fourth inning, allowing him one more All-Star victory lap before heading to the dugout for the final time. The Target Field crowd gave him a standing ovation.
“It was a special moment and it was unscripted,” he said, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. “I was unaware of it.”
In addition to that, on Friday night, he’s poised to set the record for most games started at shortstop, surpassing Omar Vizquel, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
This is just another highlight to add to Jeter’s farewell campaign.
Although the team doesn’t wrap up its regular season on Sept. 7, it is the penultimate Sunday home game for the team, which still leaves Sept. 21 against the Toronto Blue Jays as a possible backup in case of a postponement.
The Yankees’ last game of the 2014 season will be at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 28 in what is a fitting bit of irony—Jeter’s last hurrah will be against New York’s most hated rivals. Jeter’s last home game will be on Sept. 25 against the Baltimore Orioles.
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Adam Wainwright clearly never took a lesson in integrity from the Derek Jeter school of baseball.
In interviews following his All-Star game start, Wainwright told reporters that he put his first-inning, 1-0 pitch to Jeter on a tee:
Jeter laced a double to right field, adding yet another memorable moment to his illustrious 20-year MLB career. But because of Wainwright, that moment is tainted.
Sure, Jeter deserved a hit or two in his 14th and final All-Star game appearance. But he deserved only what he could achieve on his own.
You don’t tally 3,408 career hits because opponents grant them to you.
And on the other side, if you can muster the disrespect for the game to groove a pitch, at least keep your mouth shut.
Zip it. Lock it. Throw away the key.
The only decision worse than grooving the pitch was saying he did it.
By admitting to intentionally throwing a meatball in Jeter’s wheelhouse, Wainwright publiclyundermined the swing. He publicly undermined the double. Worst of all, he publicly undermined the moment because he authored the moment.
The Twitterverse exploded as reporters tweeted out Wainwright’s quotes. Some, like NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty, did not condemn Wainwright:
Although, Kuty would end up changing his mind about the situation.
But there’s no justifiable stance in favor of Wainwright—Jeter’s deserving of reciprocation of integrity aside.
The All-Star game is fun—for the players and the fans. The result also determines home-field advantage for the World Series. As inane as that is, it’s also the truth.
Wainwright not only did Jeter a disservice; he also endangered his St. Louis Cardinals‘ chances of obtaining home-field advantage in the Fall Classic.
Jeter’s double catalyzed a three-run first inning.
St. Louis carried a 52-44 record into the All-Star break. That pits them one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central. They’re also 0.5 games out of the wild card.
The Cardinals have a legitimate shot at reaching the World Series, and if they get there, Wainwright could have diminished their chances of winning.
But the World Series is still three months away. Tonight was about Derek Jeter.
And Adam Wainwright undermined the moment because he conspired to create it.
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Derek Jeter will play in his final MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Target Field, so it’s only fitting that Jordan Brand has created a pair of cleats that reflect back on the New York Yankees shortstop’s previous All-Star experiences.
Jeter has been named to 14 American League All-Star teams in his 20-year career. He has taken advantage of every opportunity he has had to play in the games, as he is a career .440 hitter in the Midsummer Classic.
The custom Jordan cleats list all of the cities where Jeter has played the All-Star Game. The cleats also pay tribute to Jeter’s 2000 MLB All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award.
[Jordan]
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The MLB All-Star Game is used to highlight the best players in baseball near the halfway point of the regular season. Derek Jeter is not one of these players, but he still is worthy of his spot in the starting lineup for the American League.
In most cases, the positions on the All-Star team are for the players who have excelled throughout the first part of the season. Almost everyone in the starting lineup and certainly the reserves have put up big enough numbers to warrant their inclusion in the Midsummer Classic.
On the other hand, Jeter has struggled throughout most of this season in all phases of the game. The shortstop has put up a triple slash line of .272/.324/.322 with just two home runs and six stolen bases. His on-base plus slugging percentage of .647 is the lowest of his career, with the exception of last season when he played just 17 games.
According to ESPN.com, the New York Yankees star has contributed a WAR of just 0.5 this year, which ranks 13th among American League shortstops. This means that 12 of the other 14 teams in the AL have a player who has been more valuable this year, yet Jeter is the one representing the AL at Target Field.
Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight broke down the veteran’s season from a historical perspective, noting he is one of the worst All-Star starters of the past 40 years. Since 2000, only five players have been less productive before getting a starting nod at this prestigious event.
Interestingly, the worst player on the list is first-ballot Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. In reality, this is the best comparison for what Jeter is going through—a player who does not deserve the spot based on the season’s numbers but is nevertheless being rewarded of an extended career of achievement.
Before he retires at the end of the season, the 40-year-old legend is set to complete his 20th year in the major leagues, all with the Yankees. This feat alone deserves recognition in an age where so many players bounce around to different places in free agency.
Of course, Jeter has been quite good in that time, accumulating 3,408 hits, 14 All-Star appearances, five Gold Glove awards, one Rookie of the Year award and five World Series rings. Putting him into one extra All-Star Game is not the biggest crime, even if a player like Alexei Ramirez or Erick Aybar might be more deserving of a start.
However, the important thing to remember is that Jeter being in this game is not just for him; it is for everyone else involved. Fans might be tired of hearing about the fact that this will be his last appearance on this stage, but the players are certainly enjoying themselves.
National League starting pitcher Adam Wainwright discussed the honor it will be just to face Jeter in this matchup, saying, “I have been in the big leagues for nine years. I’ve never faced him. I’m very excited about it, just to say I faced the best. And he is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play his position, one of the greatest Yankees of all time,” via Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Yasiel Puig, who has become quite a star himself, also noted his excitement, via Bob Klapisch of The Record:
While the players turn into fans on the field, the actual fans will also be enjoying themselves. Whether you love Jeter or hate him, his appearance will certainly be more memorable than almost any other player on the field. Ripken’s final showing was undeserved, but he did create one of the top moments in All-Star Game history:
Additionally, there seems to be a universal respect for Jeter, which puts him in a class above others in the game. The latest Jordan commercial seems to capture this perfectly:
Even the biggest Red Sox/Orioles/Mets fans will be able to enjoy the moment that Jeter takes on the field on Tuesday night. Like everyone else, they will hope that something incredible happens.
The shortstop has created so many great plays over the past two decades. Although some of them might have been praised just a bit too much, they remain part of the history of baseball. If fate has anything to say about it, he will come through with one more big one.
By the numbers, Jeter should not even be in attendance at Target Field. However, we all know that the superstar deserves to be standing between second and third base on the big stage one last time.
Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.
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New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter hit a pair of singles in Thursday’s 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians, thus becoming the fourth player whose career began after 1914 with 1,000 multihit games, per Bill Chuck of gammonsdaily.com.
It was an otherwise ordinary night for the Yankee shortstop, who struck out in his other two at-bats and also drew a walk.
He then went hitless in five at-bats Friday against the Orioles before recording multihit game No. 1,001 on Saturday.
Now in his 20th and final major league season, Jeter ranks eighth on MLB‘s all-time list with 3,407 career hits. He’ll likely pass seventh-place Carl Yastrzemski (3,419) and sixth-place Honus Wagner (3,430) in the coming weeks but would need to play another season to catch Tris Speaker (3,515) in fifth.
As for the other players since 1914 with 1,000 multihit games, all-time hit king Pete Rose recorded an incredible 1,225, with the group rounded out by Hall Of Famers Stan Musial (1,059) and Hank Aaron (1,046).
Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits, Aaron ranks third on the all-time list with 3,771, and Musial sits in fourth with 3,630.
Second-place Ty Cobb (4,191) almost certainly recorded 1,000 multihit games, but he played a good portion of his career before 1914.
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It lifts. It cradles. It cools.
It’s Derek Jeter’s secret underwear brand, and it’s here to revolutionize the groin comfort game. Yes, this is real.
Mara Siegler of the New York Post reports that Jeter is now a partial owner of Frigo RevolutionWear, a company specializing in pricy, artisanal men’s underwear.
Known colloquially as “Tempur-Pedic banana hammocks,” Frigo underwear features a “soft lock adjustment system” with a “patented pouch” nicknamed the “Frigo Zone.” Take a moment and let that sentence digest.
According to Frigo CEO Mathias Ingvarsson, the underwear segregates the curds from the whey and allows for a more agreeable situation in the male southern hemisphere.
“It separates your genitals from the rest of your body … it lifts a little bit so [men] feel the comfort,” Ingvarsson says.
Siegler reports that sources say Jeter’s camp has been trying to keep his involvement in the company a quiet matter.
“His team is concerned he’ll turn into the next Jim Palmer,” said one of Siegler’s anonymous sources.
Sielger also says Jeter refuses to do any ads for the company. His problem? It would be too “embarrassing.”
I don’t see the embarrassment in Jeter modeling NASA-caliber underwear. It’s 2014. Athletes are hawking adult diapers and calf-sculpting moon boots. Prince Fielder is naked on the cover of our magazines.
If we can handle these things, we can deal with Jeter: underwear model edition. Pop, soft lock and drop it, Jeets. Let the men of the world know about the comfort and support they’ve been missing. It’s time to enter the Frigo Zone.
Highway to the Frigo Zone.
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