Derek Jeter‘s farewell season is in full swing, and every game in each city the Yankees visit becomes a little more special for the fans.
Each game becomes a spectacle as fans pour in to see Jeter play one last time.
In the video above, Cal Ripken Jr. and Ernie Johnson discuss Jeter’s final season and how it compared to Ripken’s experiences.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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The 2014 season has reached its midway point, meaning Derek Jeter‘s farewell tour, age-40 season and goodbye to the game of baseball has reached the same juncture. When assessing Jeter’s play thus far, context is critical.
On the surface—looking only at the raw numbers and production from New York’s shortstop—Jeter is having his worst season in the big leagues. With an OPS+ of just 83, the former MVP candidate is hitting 17 percent below league average.
Defensively, the days of jump throws in the third base hole and instinctive genius across the diamond have disappeared, replaced by a shortstop with poor range and diminishing foot speed. While FanGraphs actually rates Jeter’s defense as a tick above average, the 20-year pro has made some rare mental mistakes in the field.
Yet for all the reasons that Jeter’s current talent level and production can be critiqued, two factors should override the numbers and offer perspective: age and health.
First and most important, Jeter is in the midst of his 40-year-old season. With his milestone birthday coming a few days ago, the future Cooperstown-bound star is in rare company among shortstops in baseball history.
As you can see by the following chart, Jeter’s production thus far in 2014 currently ranks fourth out of the five shortstops to garner at least 250 plate appearances in their respective age-40 seasons. With time to improve or decline further, Jeter could realistically surpass Honus Wagner in OPS+ at the same age or fall to the bottom of the list.
While the numbers can be instructive, think about the small amount of names on that chart. Jeter is just one of five shortstops ever to take the field this much at such an advanced age. That in itself is remarkable, a sentiment echoed by Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes, per Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today Sports.
“Do you know how difficult it is to play shortstop? It’s super hard,” Reyes said. “You have to be in on all the plays. And to be moving so much at 40? Wow, Jeter, many blessings. My respect to you.”
In Reyes’ tribute to Jeter, he referenced “moving so much,” a basic tenant of manning the shortstop position at the big league level. The fact that Jeter, after missing almost the entire 2013 season due to complications from leg injuries and surgery, has stayed healthy enough to play in 67 games is remarkable.
With diminishing skills and production, it’s easy to reference that Jeter’s impending retirement is the right call and that the Yankees will likely find a way to upgrade the position when the all-time great hitter departs, but those ideas cloud the reality of New York’s situation: If Jeter wasn’t playing right now, regardless of the numbers, the team would be in a worse spot.
As presently constituted, the Yankees don’t have a shortstop capable of outplaying Jeter. Sure, Brendan Ryan is a defensive wizard who could add to the team defense, but his career OPS of .619 is inept and too low to play on an everyday basis.
While the team is likely to be aggressive at the trade deadline, shopping for an upgrade at shortstop simply isn’t in the cards considering the needs for an impact starting pitcher and infielder with pop at second or third base.
Home runs, like the one hit in Toronto’s Rogers Centre earlier this week, are few and far between for a hitter currently posting a .327 slugging percentage, but there’s value to what Jeter has brought to the Yankees this year, especially when considering his age and the lack of viable replacements behind him on the depth chart.
John Harper of the New York Daily News recently wrote about Jeter’s importance to this particular Yankees team, highlighting what a breakout could mean for a mediocre offense.
Five years ago, he posted a 6.5 WAR and finished third in the AL MVP vote for the eventual World Series champions in New York, a magical run for the then-35-year-old shortstop. The blast from the past proved to be Jeter’s final special season, but the fact that he’s still going is something to behold.
If you had told general manager Brian Cashman that Jeter would still give the Yankees 100-plus games, around 1.0 WAR and be able to hold down the shortstop position five years later, it’s likely the longtime executive would have signed up for that deal on the spot.
With one half of his final season left to go, Jeter is a far cry from the player he once was, but the fact that he’s taking the field every day, providing some value and further cementing his status as a rare and special shortstop, is the most glaring takeaway from this farewell tour.
Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, FanGraphs and ESPN unless otherwise noted and valid entering play on June 27.
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The New York Yankees aren’t sitting back and waiting for the results of Mark Teixeira’s latest tests on his surgically repaired wrist. According to Jon Heyman of CBS, the Yankees have approached Kendrys Morales, who could sign as soon as Thursday evening.
Morales has been held hostage by the rules of baseball. As one of few free agents that was given a qualifying offer of $13.3 million by his former team, signing Morales would have cost his new team their first-round pick. Since the Yankees have already signed one of these players in Brian McCann, the Yankees would have to surrender their second-round pick, their highest, which would push them back from selecting 55th. Signing Morales before the draft would mean that the Yankees would not pick until 91.
However, initial reports on Teixeira’s chronic wrist problem are positive. Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal reports that Teixeira got good news from the doctor and could be back as soon as Tuesday. Reports have varied on which doctors Teixeira was seeing, but sources tell me that the answer was “all of the above.”
Teixeira saw not only Yankees team doctors and his surgeon, but he also called in at least one consulting surgeon for an opinion, thought to be Dr. Thomas Graham, the hand surgeon that worked on Bryce Harper’s thumb among others. Wrist problems like this normally do not recur after surgery, but the structures of the wrist are very fine. Even a small problem like scar tissue or inflammation can upset the entire anatomic structure, creating pain and weakness as Teixeira has dealt with.
The worry now is that Teixeira’s wrist is a chronic problem. Even with the positive reports and a possible quick return, there’s no guarantee that the wrist won’t act up again. Even with ace rehabber Mark Littlefield focused on Teixeira’s maintenance, this episode has Girardi and his staff worried about how much Teixeira will play, let alone hit.
Manager Joe Girardi told the press Monday that he was tired of playing a man down, intimating that he would like to see Teixeira on the DL. If Teixeira is able to play quickly, I’m sure Girardi would welcome him back, especially if he gets a good look at the Scranton roster that offers little in the way of quick fixes.
Morales would not be available until Thursday at the earliest, though it is much more likely that he will need a quick trip through the minor leagues. That is what Stephen Drew did after signing late and returning to the Boston Red Sox after being trapped by the same situation.
Signing Morales would lock up the DH slot and not offer much in the way of help for first base. Morales’ chronic ankle problems have limited his mobility greatly. It would also hurt the flexibility of a roster that is already inflexible and further tax a medical staff that is dealing with several players that require extensive maintenance and pregame routines.
There’s also the worry that Derek Jeter, now in his final season, will need the DH slot more if his ankle becomes problematic. Jeter has already been benched more than expected in order to keep him available during his victory lap, but that taxes the roster even more.
While the Yankees aren’t out of the AL East race by any means—they currently carry a 41 percent chance of making the postseason according to Clay Davenport—the addition of another solid bat has to be tempting for a team like the Yankees.
There’s one other piece of timing that needs to be mentioned, and that is the 90-day elimination period that is in place on Mark Teixeira’s insurance. The Yankees would have to wait that 90 days before they would be able to collect any money to alleviate the cost of Teixeira’s absence. The clock restarts if Teixeira plays even one game, so they will need to have some comfort level with his wrist before putting him in the lineup.
With the return of Teixeira and Carlos Beltran, who is currently trying to avoid surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow, the Yankees wouldn’t need Morales. That would leave several other teams, including the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and the inevitable “mystery team” that comes with a Scott Boras signing. A decision will likely be made shortly and the wait over for Morales just after the Houston Astros make their pick Thursday evening.
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Questions like this are enough to put a man in the dirt.
In his 46 years on the air, sports radio host Bruce Drennan has fielded his share of inane and misguided questions.
He’s dealt with the weird, the mad and the ineffable, but never has he tangled with a caller as criminally misinformed as a man who recently phoned into his televised Fox Sports radio show All Bets Are Off.
Drennan nearly imploded when “Scott” from Sandusky called in to ask if Derek Jeter would possibly sign with the Cleveland Indians in 2015. Joe Kinsey of Busted Coverage spotted video of the incident, and it’s likely some viewers were afraid Drennan would drop dead on live television.
The host asked Scott to repeat his question, in case by some wild chance he had heard him incorrectly. The caller obliged.
“I was wondering what you thought of the chances of Derek Jeter—the Derek Jeter—going to the Indians.”
Not just “Derek Jeter.” The Derek Jeter.
Drennan handled the situation the best he could, and by that, I mean he avoided seizing up and choking to death on his own tongue.
“I think you’re an idiot,” Drennan said and clicked off the call.
But what about the Derek Jeter, Mr. Drennan? A nation of savvy sports fans needs to know whether or not a 39-year-old lifetime New York Yankees legend with marble-engraved plans for retirement would possibly pull a 180 and sign a contract with the Indians in 2015.
What’s it looking like on that front, Bruce?
The answer is a resounding, “You go to hell. You go there, and you die,” from Drennan, who couldn’t even laugh at the question because it offended him so.
Things must be worse than we thought in Cleveland. The Indians make it to a wild-card series, and some fans hazard to believe they’re giving off sexy enough vibes to lure one of the best shortstops of all time to their club. Either that, or some Cleveland residents were getting a head start on April Fools’ jokes.
Mr. Kinsey (sarcastically) ponders if Jeter could be playing us all.
“Maybe Jeter would like to pretend he’s playing his last season and then laugh at everyone in the Yankees organization by signing a one-year deal with the Indians in 2015,” Kinsey writes. “That would be the ultimate heel move, right.”
Regardless, Jeter will not be headed to the Indians or the city of Cleveland any time soon.
Scratch that. Jeter could be headed to Cleveland, if only for a layover on his way to Malibu for vacation.
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It’s only fitting that the New York Yankees are one of the final two teams, along with Tuesday night’s opponents, the Houston Astros, to experience their first game of the 2014 season. That gives future Hall of Famer and Yankees legend Derek Jeter, who announced in February that he’s retiring at season’s end, a little extra time to take in his last Opening Day and the start of his final year in baseball.
Then again, after all he went through in 2013, Jeter might have prefer that 2014 start as soon as possible.
In the wake of suffering a fractured left ankle in October 2012 during the Yankees’ ALCS loss to the Detroit Tigers, Jeter played just 17 games and managed all of 73 plate appearances in a 2013 filled with fits, starts and frustrating setbacks in the recovery process. In so many ways, Jeter spent much of last year limping, serving as the embodiment of an injury-riddled Yankees club that missed the postseason for only the second time in his 19 seasons.
But will that be the case again in Jeter’s 20th and final campaign?
After almost an entire year off, Jeter has fully recovered. Of course, for both him and the Yankees to be successful, Jeter will need to show he can still swing the bat, if not to the extent he did when he led the majors with 216 hits, then at least enough so that he can make solid contact and get on base while hitting near the top of the Yankees’ revamped and rebuilt lineup.
Jeter showed he still has at least a little something left in his lumber this spring:
He’s also going to need to remain a competent defender at arguably the most important position, which in Jeter’s case means making the plays he gets to so the Yankees can once again rely on his steady, if limited, glove work. That’s far from a given, considering he’s coming off serious ankle surgery and various injuries to his legs that cropped up when he tried to return last year.
Again, though, here’s another example from the exhibition season that shows Jeter moving well:
Admittedly, if you’re looking for answers to how Jeter will fare based on his final spring training, well, his performance this March wasn’t great: He managed just seven hits in 51 at-bats, and only one of those went for extra bases (see video above).
Numbers aside, though, Jeter was more himself than he was at any point in 2013, as Erik Boland of Newsday writes:
Jeter’s spring training results were mixed. He never looked good at the plate, hitting .137 with a .214 OBP in 18 games. But numerous scouts said he moved well—relatively speaking for a 39-year-old coming off the injuries he battled—to his left and right and made all the plays you’d expect.
What’s more, as the Yankees ramp up for their first game of the year, manager Joe Girardi has plenty of confidence in his shortstop, especially compared to what he saw from Jeter a year ago, telling Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today:
It was hard to watch last year because, as much as he said he was ready to go, he really wasn’t. So I’m happy with where he’s at. I don’t make too much of spring training numbers because I’ve been on both sides of that.
As for Jeter himself? “I feel good,” he told Ortiz. “That’s the most important thing. Spring training’s a progression, both physically and being game-ready. I’m where I want to be right now.”
Jeter and the Yankees are going to need that to be more than just lip service. In order to help drive the team on a playoff push and avoid a second straight October-less campaign—which hasn’t happened since 1993-1994—Jeter will have to be of sound mind and body on the field for the first time in quite a while.
If that happens, then, the 39-year-old shortstop can get to work at making memories and knocking down milestones on his way out the door. Like improving his ranking in the career-hits category, which is sure to move up a spot or two. Currently, he’s 10th all-time with 3,316 knocks, and with a typical Jeter-ian season, he actually could encroach upon the top five, passing a few Hall of Famers along the way.
But individual achievements never have been Jeter’s bag. That’s why it will be interesting to see how he handles himself while being the subject of the same kind of farewell—gifts, ceremonies and general adoration—that he witnessed longtime teammates and good buddies Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte receive as they wrapped up their careers last year.
In the case of Rivera, the greatest closer of all time, there was plenty of celebration and fond recollection from teammates, opponents, fans, coaches and others throughout the sport and in every city.
Jeter, whether he likes it or not, is in for similar treatment. Jeter might not welcome all that attention, but without a doubt, he would welcome one element of Rivera’s farewell tour: the elite level of performance the Yankees great was able to maintain all the way to the end.
Even after a torn knee ligament required surgery and cost Rivera most of 2012, the future Hall of Famer returned to the diamond in 2013 and was his usual dominant self. As a 43-year-old, Rivera hurled 64.0 innings and posted a 2.11 ERA and 1.05 WHIP to go with 44 saves.
Certainly, Jeter would take that type of outcome from a personal-performance aspect. That would mean Jeter is once again one of the best shortstops in the sport, never mind one of the best players overall.
And yet, to be sure, Jeter wouldn’t want anything to do with such an incredible individual effort if it also meant his 2014 season concluded like Rivera’s 2013 did—without a trip to the postseason.
To that end, consider this: In baseball history, a player in his age-40 season like Jeter has reached 100 games and played at least 50 percent of them at the shortstop position only seven times, most recently Omar Vizquel in 2007 and Barry Larkin in 2004.
That same feat has only been accomplished by two other players, Honus Wagner and Luke Appling, whose careers came to a close in 1917 and 1950, respectively.
Now, take a gander at that last column on the right, the one that lists the teams’ win-loss records in seasons where a 40-year-old was the primary shortstop. You’ll notice that not a one was .500 or better. That’s what Jeter, who hits the big 4-0 in June, and the Yankees are up against.
And yet, it’s almost impossible to see a scenario in which the Yankees are at least a .500 club—let alone a playoff contender—in 2014 without Jeter playing 100 games at short, simply because they don’t have any worthy alternatives. Defensive wizard Brendan Ryan, currently on the disabled list with a pinched nerve in his back, is only capable of being a late-inning replacement and occasional starter when Jeter needs a day off field duty.
Is it even conceivable that the Yankees could make a playoff push if Jeter isn’t the guy out there on a regular basis? That might as well be a rhetorical question, since Jeter is going to have to prove he’s both healthy and productive enough to become the lone exception to the above should he and the Yankees want a shot at one last October send-off together.
Ultimately, for Jeter and the Yankees, that’s what 2014 is all about. Heck, that’s what the past two decades have been about, ever since a baby-faced 21-year-old showed his uncanny flair for the dramatic by, fittingly enough, smacking his first career home run—which proved to be the game-winner—on Opening Day in 1996.
Eighteen years and five World Series titles later, Jeter and the Yankees have one more chance to turn his final season into one last hurrah. For Jeter, at last, the wait is over, the end is only just beginning. It’s up to him and the Yankees to make it last as long as possible.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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As Derek Jeter‘s 20th and final major league season begins in Houston, the Yankees captain can be described as a leader, winner and offensive genius. For media members and fans, statistics and accolades tell the story of an all-time great shortstop.
For former teammates, there’s more to the story.
Last week, Tino Martinez and Dwight Gooden—former teammates and longtime friends of Jeter—were at the MLB Fan Cave in New York to promote a new partnership with Major League Baseball, Arm & Hammer and OxiClean.
Aside from business, the former New York baseball greats and World Series champions couldn’t wait to talk baseball, specifically the impending retirement and career of Jeter.
During individual conversations with Bleacher Report, both Gooden and Martinez raved about the leader the Yankee captain has been throughout his entire career.
Although Jeter wasn’t officially named captain until 2003, it was clear who the leader of the team was from the moment the rookie shortstop began his first full season in 1996.
“Derek carried himself like a veteran,” Gooden said. “Confident, but not cocky. What I always admired about Derek was how he never changed. When I came back to the Yankees in 2000, he was the same exact guy. Much more accomplished and with a big contract, but that work ethic never changed.”
Martinez—a teammate of Jeter’s throughout New York’s dynasty run from 1996-2001—extolled similar praises and acknowledged that vocal leadership wasn’t Jeter’s specialty, but it didn’t have to be in order to get the mandate across.
“He led by example,” Martinez said. “His whole career has been that way. Plays hard, plays to win. Expects the most from his teammates. When you’re in battle with a guy like that, it’s important not to let him down. From superstars to the 25th man on the roster, we all felt a responsibility to play hard and play to win because of Jeter. That’s rare.”
Over the years, Jeter’s demeanor on the field has been confused with his personality away from the diamond. Between the white lines, it’s all business. In the media, short, stoic answers profile as Jeter’s way of handling his duty and avoiding controversy in a headline-rich city like New York.
Away from the field and cameras, Jeter couldn’t be more different.
“He’s a comedian,” Gooden said.
Not just a guy who cracks jokes, but one who can have fun with everyone by playing practical jokes on unsuspecting teammates.
“Most people don’t see that side of Derek,” Gooden said while shaking his head. “He’s very loose and picks up on any little thing that he can use to get you. Looking back, he got me plenty of times!”
Martinez thinks it’s a shame that fans don’t realize there’s more to Jeter than baseball.
“Derek is a true professional on and off the field,” Martinez said. “Of course, that’s what people see and remember. But he’s much more fun than people might think. We’re great friends off the field and he’s really a fun guy.”
Of course, Jeter wouldn’t be headed for Cooperstown if it were just for leadership traits and an underrated sense of humor. At some point, every player is judged by their ability to play the game at a high level.
Heading into the 2014 season, Jeter owns sterling career numbers that rival or surpass any shortstop in the history of the sport. From 3,316 career hits to 1,876 runs scored to an .828 OPS, accolades and All-Star Game appearances would have commenced even if the intangibles weren’t present.
Yet for casual fans, reeling off career statistics—unless we’re dealing with home run totals and sluggers—can be an arduous task. Plus, the day-to-day greatness at shortstop in New York was overshadowed due to an offensive explosion around the sport.
From a performance standpoint, October (and November) will be how fans remember Jeter’s on-field ability and star power.
When asked about memorable on-field moments involving the soon-to-be 40-year-old shortstop, it’s no surprise that both Martinez and Gooden referenced postseason moments. For a team that reeled off four World Series titles in five seasons, it probably felt like the regular season was just a warm-up for the postseason.
“I’ll never, ever forget that home run in 1996 against the Orioles,” Gooden said as he searched for a thought. “Jeffrey Maier! That was the name of the kid that caught the ball, right?! Man, that home run really turned around that series and catapulted us to the World Series against Atlanta. Most people don’t remember, but that was off Armando Benitez. At that time, he was throwing really hard. Not many hitters had enough power to take him the other way.”
Four years later, Jeter—owner of a .465 career slugging percentage in the postseason—launched an even bigger home run on the biggest stage.
“First pitch of the game off Bobby Jones,” Martinez said, referencing Game 4 of the 2000 World Series.
“That hit basically won the World Series. Our dugout blew up, knowing how much momentum that just gave us. Meanwhile, the Mets were deflated. I knew there was no chance we would lose the series when that ball left Jeter’s bat.”
At the end of the 2014 season, the leadership, jokes and big-game ability will depart the Yankees dugout. When Jeter announced his plans to retire after the season, some were surprised at the timing of his decision.
Much like everything about his 19-year career, Jeter was able to keep a monumental decision quiet until he decided to make it public.
“He had been talking about it all offseason, but only to select people,” Martinez said. “I live close to him in Tampa. Every time I saw him he mentioned that it was possible, but it wasn’t until a few weeks before that he actually told me and a couple of close friends.”
Gooden wasn’t aware of Jeter’s thought process but thought the announcement was unique and perfect for his former teammate.
“It fits him and the way he’s done things for 20 years in baseball,” Gooden said. “You think you would have an idea of how Jeter would go out, but he kept everything close and did it in his own way. I think it’s great the way he announced it.”
Writers and analysts can opine on Jeter’s career, spanning from on-field success to off-the-field persona, but the thoughts and feelings of former teammates resonate much louder than any column an outsider could type or monologue a broadcaster could create.
Over the next 162 games, Jeter’s story will write its final chapter. Much like the rest of the book, it will be a unique blend of ability, leadership, privacy and memorable moments.
Dwight Gooden and Tino Martinez joined Church & Dwight to announce a multi-year, multi-category sponsorship agreement with Major League Baseball Properties making Arm & Hammer and OxiClean “The Official Laundry Detergent and Stain Remover of MLB.”
All quotes were obtained firsthand. Statistics are from Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
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With Derek Jeter‘s final Opening Day game—an April 1 matchup against the Houston Astros—quickly approaching, the New York Yankees captain is just four hits away from passing Hall of Famer Paul Molitor for eighth place on MLB‘s all-time leader board in that category.
Currently sitting at 3,316 hits for his career, the 39-year-old Jeter announced last month that his 20th major league season will be his last. The 13-time All-Star is already in elite company thanks to eight 200-plus-hit seasons, the last of which came in 2012 when he notched 216 base knocks. It was the second-highest total of his career.
A broken ankle, suffered in Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS, delayed Jeter’s return last year until July, and he was forced back onto the shelf after just one game due to a quad injury. He returned later in the month but made it through just four games before a calf issue sprung up. Renewed ankle discomfort in September ultimately ended his season after a mere 63 at-bats.
The Yankees are taking measures to lighten Jeter’s workload this spring in the hope that he can stay healthy and anchor a revamped lineup. Another 200-plus-hit season from Jeter in 2014 would push him past Molitor, Carl Yastrzemski, Honus Wagner and Tris Speaker—all of whom are enshrined in Cooperstown—into fifth place on the all-time hit leaderboard.
Either way, there’s no doubt Jeter will be joining those legends in the Hall of Fame come 2020, regardless of how many hits he collects during his final season.
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Entering the official start of spring training 2014, one thing is clear: the New York Yankees are Major League Baseball’s most talked about team.
The newest edition of spring training in Tampa Bay for the Yankees took on an entirely different feel when Derek Jeter announced his upcoming retirement back on February 12th. The face of the sport (no offense, Eric Sogard) will arguably be the story of the season as the most recent era in team history comes to a close. Let’s just hope the Jeter Farewell Tour comes with better gifts than the Mariano Rivera one did (really, Texas Rangers? Cowboy boots for a guy from Panama?)
However, the truly most important story lines for the Bombers in spring training are to see what they can expect to yield from their off-season spending spree and how a roster with a surprisingly high number of question marks despite the payroll comes together.
Can the trio of Jeter/Mark Teixeira/CC Sabathia bounce back from rough 2013? Can Jacoby Ellsbury stay healthy? What exactly can we expect from Masahiro Tanaka? Does David Robertson really have what it takes to replace Mariano Rivera? There’s only one place that has all these answers: Twitter.
To make the playoffs this year, the Yankees will most likely need to build on last year’s 85-win campaign. That total might sound easy to build off considering the winter’s price tag, but as Ken Davidoff of the New York Post tweets, maybe the Yankees weren’t actually that good.
A 79-win caliber team minus that team’s best player, one Robinson Cano? Sounds like a tough task to overcome for Joe Girardi. That’s why the quartet of Carlos Beltran, Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Tanaka could make or break the year for New York.
However, all four of those signees come with question marks (at this point, the question mark might as well be the team’s logo this year). We don’t know how Tanaka‘s stuff will translate. Ellsbury‘s games played per year have as been inconsistent as anyone in the league over the course of his career. Beltran is not exactly a spring chicken. McCann is probably the surest bet of the bunch, but even he is beginning 2014 on the wrong side of 30.
One of Ellsbury‘s former managers thinks that success will follow, as long as he stays on the field.
McCann is expected to be a staple in a Yankee lineup that could very well be formidable. Even if McCann has a “down year,” it would be almost impossible for his season to qualify as a positional downgrade from 2013, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch points out.
When Tanaka signed, there were two numbers that stood out: a 24-0 record last year in Japan, and a $155 million contract. Critics of the deal have theorized that Tanaka‘s performance won’t match the payday, but Sports on Earth’s Jonathan Bernhardt says even if he’s not great, it’ll be okay for New York.
“If it turns out that New York paid superstar money for a pitcher who is merely very good, fine; the Yankees are a license to print money, and young pitchers who are “merely very good” don’t grow on trees.”
One player who is no lock to make the Opening Day roster, but could make a difference is the enigma known as Michael Pineda. It’s been two full years since we last saw the right-hander in a Major League game, but ESPN’s Buster Olney says there is reason to be optimistic.
There’s been much talk about Jeter’s last year and what it means for the franchise in the long-term, but in the short-run, no one really knows what to expect from the captain.
Before his spring training debut on February 27th, Brian Cashman made it clear that on his list of concerns, Jeter is no where near the top, according to Newsday’s David Lennon.
In case you hadn’t heard, Rivera is no longer active. In his place is Robertson, a very good reliever in his own right, but someone who has little experience ending games in big spots. That won’t stop Robertson from thinking he can pitch at an elite level, according to ESPN’s Ian O’Connor.
There’s no doubt the Yankees have upgraded since the end of last season. However, they have some ground to make up in the division. The Red Sox are the reigning World Champions, the Rays have one of the best rotations in all of the league, and the Orioles made some moves late in the off-season to bolster their roster.
The most important Yankee might very well be Teixeira. The Yankees’ infield could potentially be a trainwreck, but if Teixeira can somehow re-create his first three years in the Bronx this year, that could theoretically change the entire lineup.
Jeter’s last year will be a season-long parade of honors and accolades, but a 39-year-old who might as well not have played in 2013 with a severe ankle injury is as big of a question mark as it comes. It would be very Jeter of Jeter to hit .320 this year, but somewhere in the .280 range is more realistic, if not maybe a best-case scenario for New York.
Sabathia made news in the off-season for his weight loss, but his season will ultimately come down to another type of loss: velocity. 2013 was arguably the worst season of Sabathia’s career, but he’ll still take the mound April 1st when the Yankees open their season in Houston. His development in spring training could be the most important thing for Girardi & Co. as the team tries to avoid a second straight postseason-less year.
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For many, the 2014 Major League Baseball season won’t be just another season. It will also be a time to bid farewell to one of the most beloved players baseball has ever known: Derek Jeter.
Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, however, won’t just be bidding farewell to a beloved player. In seeing the New York Yankees captain out the door, he’ll also be bidding farewell to a fellow shortstop and a man he’s “very proud” to call a friend.
That’s a sentiment “The Wizard” expressed while discussing a variety of Jeter topics with Bleacher Report on Tuesday in a phone interview meant to promote a campaign he’s working on with Budweiser. Regarding Jeter’s retirement announcement, Smith said he was surprised by the timing of it, but probably not as surprised as the rest of us.
“As we get older, that time comes for all of us,” said Smith. And he would know. Like Jeter is about to, Smith also played into his 40s, playing his last season in 1996 at the age of 41.
Of course, it’s no secret that there’s more than just age at work in Jeter’s situation. A fractured left ankle suffered in the 2012 playoffs kept him out of action until July in 2013. That and a host of other injuries limited him to just 17 games. He admitted in his retirement announcement that 2013 “was a tough one.”
Smith sympathizes: “When you get as injured as he has late in his career, it makes it a little bit tougher.”
With his immediate future somewhat uncertain, it’s no wonder many are taking the time to look back at Jeter’s best moments. When asked if he has any favorites of his own, Smith said it was good enough for him simply to watch Jeter over the years.
“Just watching the way that he went about his job every day,” said Smith. “He was very, very professional. He did his job every day. He was just one of those blue-collar guys who put his time in, and it paid off. He’s been a great asset to the game of baseball, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
Since he became a full-time player in 1996, 2013 was only the third season in which Jeter failed to play in at least 148 games. Along the way, he’s racked up a .312 career average, won five World Series and has been involved in hardly any controversies.
To that last point, that Jeter has been able to do so while spending his entire career in the Big Apple is an aspect of his legend that Smith doesn’t think should be taken lightly.
“New York is not an easy place to play,” said The Wizard. “But Derek is one of those special people who had what it took to play there. He kept his nose clean, always said the right thing and just has been very, very professional.”
And this, for Smith, demands a shoutout to two people in particular: “I think that we have to say that his parents probably get a lot of credit for that. He had a great upbringing and has just been nothing but class.”
Having thrived in New York for 19 years (and counting), Smith is of the mind that Jeter doesn’t have anything else to prove. In light of that, he’s in the same boat that pretty much all of us are in regarding Jeter’s upcoming farewell tour: He’s earned it.
“Very few players have the opportunity to take what is termed ‘a tour,’ ” said Smith, whose own farewell tour didn’t begin until after he announced his retirement midway through the 1996 season. “And with what he’s accomplished in New York, with the way he’s represented Major League Baseball, with his professionalism, his dignity, his pride and his honor, Jeter is certainly deserving of it.”
Five years after Jeter’s tour ends will come another, much higher validation of his career. It’s a given that he’s going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, just as recently retired teammate Mariano Rivera will be when his time comes.
And if you ask Smith, these two might finally do something no other Hall of Famer has done yet.
“I think he and Mariano probably would be the first two guys, if [ever] we were to have a chance to see someone making it as a unanimous choice for the Hall of Fame,” said Smith.
For now, Jeter already has a special place in history in Smith’s eyes. When asked to name his shortstop Mount Rushmore, Smith was quick to include him.
“Well, of course Cal would be on there. Derek would be on there. Omar Vizquel would be on there. The guy I got traded for actually would be one of those guys because he was a true five-tool player,” said Smith.
Also, naturally: “And of course, I’d put myself on there.”
If you’re scoring at home, that’s Cal Ripken Jr., Jeter, Vizquel, Garry Templeton and Smith himself. You’ll have to visualize The Wizard’s shortstop Mount Rushmore on your own, but statistically it looks like this:
Of the numbers up there, only Jeter’s aren’t set in stone yet. For what it’s worth, he is within range of Smith’s career WAR. One last great season in 2014 will put him right there with The Wizard among the greats to ever play shortstop in WAR’s eyes.
That’s a journey that Jeter will start on April 1 when he and the Yankees take on the Astros in Houston. Opening Day for the rest of Major League Baseball is the day before on March 31.
And if Smith and his beer-brewing buddies have their way, that day will be a national holiday. As in, for real this time.
As far as Smith and Budweiser are concerned, Opening Day has gone long enough without being declared an official national holiday. Smith says it might as well be considering that many Americans already treat it like one.
“There are 22 million Americans who at some point in time have played hooky from work and school. So that in and of itself makes it an unofficial holiday,” said Smith of Opening Day. He added that he’s not asking for much, as merely getting Opening Day proclaimed “as some type of day of observance would really fit the bill.”
Smith will be on the campaign trail for the next 30 days as he and Budweiser attempt to collect 100,000 signatures on a petition at Budweiser.com/OpeningDay. And while only fans 21 and older can sign it, the White House is required to respond if the signature quota is met within the 30-day window.
“Hopefully we can get that done by March 26,” said Smith of the 100,000 signatures, “and I’ll be able to take them right to the White House steps and give them to the president.”
As of this writing, the petition had over 9,000 signatures on it. If you’re of proper age and would like to see Opening Day declared an official national holiday, you know what to do.
Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. Quotes obtained firsthand.
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To understand the ratings here and why these specific players are risky, first you must understand risk. This is not a general term, but a very specific term of art most closely related to the insurance industry. While we all know Flo and the Geico gecko, few of us have learned how insurance works or why it’s so profitable. If you want to know why Matt Kemp, Derek Jeter and Joe Mauer—three of the biggest names in baseball with contracts to match—are risky, please let me explain before you blow up in the comments.
The Risk Ratings are based on a system that I have been developing for the last 14 years. I was lucky enough to be given access to the actuarial tables created by baseball back then from their actual injury data. Those “Red Books” stopped being published a while back, but the data continue to be developed. Much like you have a rating when you go to insure your house or car, players have the same type of rating.
If you drive a Corvette, your insurance base will be higher than if you drive a Camry. If you’re a teenager, your rates will be higher than that little old lady from Pasadena. The same is true for baseball players. Age, position, injury history and several other factors go into the ratings. They begin with an actuarial base and then are adjusted up or down by the various factors.
The ratings are then simplified into bands. While there is an underlying number from 0-110, I collect them into three bands—red for high risk, yellow for medium risk and green for low risk. It’s simple and while people often ask for more specific numerical ratings, I don’t feel that it adds significantly to the value of the Risk Ratings.
(Also, I’m admittedly paranoid about people trying to reverse engineer the system! It’s been tried.)
I’ll have the full ratings for you on Friday, in plenty of time for your fantasy drafts, but for now, here are 10 top players whose risk is such that you’ll need to really think about them before putting them at the heart of your team. Of course, the managers and general managers of these teams have real concerns as well.