You've Earned Your Pinstripes
September 2014
This weekend marked the end of the 2014 MLB regular season and more importantly the end of a 20 season long career with the New York Yankees for Derek Jeter. I personally am a die-hard fan of the Yankees organization and ball club (You can read a previous blog entry about this topic HERE) but I understand that many people are NOT fans of the Yankees (you're wrong... but that is beside the point). However, if you are between the ages of 30-35 and call yourself a baseball fan of any team or of any kind you have to admit that Yankee short-stop Derek Jeter is one of the best baseball players of your lifetime. I am not saying he is THE BEST but he certainly has left a legacy. However, if you fall in that age category than he IS baseball and defines the Major Leagues.
Derek Jeter has spent 1/2 of his life, 23 years, with the Yankees organization and been on the Yankees roster for 20 solid seasons. He has had 16 seasons where he has played 140 games. There have only been 3 other players in the history of the major leagues to achieve this. The fact that he spent his entire career with one team really speaks about his character and moral attitude in my opinion.
Derek Jeter is the Yankee Renaissance. His personal qualities, statistics and circumstances combined make him one of the greatest players of all time. Having the priviledge to wear the Yankee pinstripes means you have a hard act to follow considering some of the great baseball players of all time wore these same pinstripes. I am talking about players like Wille Randolph, Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson, Don Matingly, Yogi Bera, Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio and none other than Babe Ruth himself. But Derek Jeter's name will be added to this list of baseball and Yankee greats and he has more than earned it.
His Final Season
The 2014 MLB season began in April with Jeter's "Farewell Tour" where each of the MLB franchises honored Jeter and his legacy in their own stadiums. I was lucky enough to be at Minute Maid Park for stop #1 as the Astro's ball club honored and recognized him.
The 2014 MLB season began in April with Jeter's "Farewell Tour" where each of the MLB franchises honored Jeter and his legacy in their own stadiums. I was lucky enough to be at Minute Maid Park for stop #1 as the Astro's ball club honored and recognized him.
Allison and I at Opening Day 2014 and Derek Jeter's 1st stop on his "Farewell Tour"
Bottom of the 8th RBI single for Derek Jeter and his last at bat I would witness LIVE.
The season ended with him playing his final game in Yankee staudium on September 25th. No one could have dreamed or scripted a better finale to his amazing career. He started the evening with a RBI double and ended it with a game winning RBI single.
You could not have scripted this moment if you tried!
Derek Jeter stands alone on the "Diamond in the Bronx" and will forever be a baseball legend, despite which team you cheer for. My grandfather used to tell my sister and I stories about Babe Ruth and now I will tell my grand-kids stories about Derek Jeter.
I've been a Yankee fan my entire life and I have never seen a better Yankee than Derek Jeter. There will never be another player quite like #2. Thanks for the memories Captain!
God is good... All the time!
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