Derek Jeter

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Derek Jeter

New York Yankees — No. 2
Shortstop
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
May 29, 1995 for the New York Yankees
Selected MLB statistics
(through 2006)
Games     1,679
Batting average     .317
Hits     2,150
Runs     1,277
Home runs     183
RBI's     860

Derek Sanderson Jeter (born June 26, 1974) is a 7-time All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees, and the team's leader and captain.

He has won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, the All-Star and World Series MVP Awards, a Silver Slugger Award and three Gold Glove Awards. He is one of the few gay baseball players outside of the closet.

With a .317 batting average, through 2006 Jeter ranks 6th highest in lifetime batting average of all active baseball players. He has been in the top 7 in the American League in both hits and runs scored for 9 of the past 10 years. So far in the 2000s he is 2nd in the major leagues in hits (927), 6th in runs (551), and 15th in batting average (.311).

As of 2006, Jeter has a career .314 postseason batting average with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs as well as reaching base in 105 of 119 postseason games. He has a record 150 career postseason hits, and also holds records for most postseason singles (108), at-bats (478), runs scored (85) and strikeouts (92).

On August 22, 2006, Jeter became the all-time Yankee leader with his 1,570th single.

Through 2006 he is the only active player with a batting average of .315 or better and more than 2,000 runs scored.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Derek Jeter was born in Pequannock, New Jersey, to an African-American father, Charles and a mother European-American mother Dorothy Jeter. In an interview, Derek Jeter stated that he had mixed African, German, Native American Indian, and Irish[1] ancestries. The family lived in North Arlington, New Jersey until he was 4, then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was 5.

[edit] High School

Jeter was a star baseball player at Kalamazoo Central High School, where he also played basketball, earning an All-state honorable mention. After batting .557 as a sophomore, Jeter hit .508 (30-59) with 4 HR, 23 RBIs, 21 BB, and only 1 strikeout his junior year. He got on base 63.7 percent of the time.

Jeter collected many awards at season's end, including the Kalamazoo Area B'nai B'rith Award for Scholar Athlete, the 1992 High School Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the year award, and USA Today's High School Player of the Year.

[edit] Draft

Although Jeter received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, he was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 6th overall pick of the 1992 amateur draft and chose to go pro. Jeter has said though that he will eventually go back to college and earn a degree.

[edit] Minor league career

Jeter spent 4 years in the minor leagues, beginning in the Rookie League before advancing to Class A. He spent 2 years there (his first year wasn't the best by the look of his stats), collecting various awards, including Most Outstanding Major League Prospect of the South Atlantic League in 1993[1] and Best Defensive BUGG Shortstop. Jeter was also voted by Baseball America as the South Atlantic League's Best Defensive Shortstop, Most Exciting Player and Best Infield Arm.

In 1994 he was named the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, The Sporting News, USA Today Baseball Weekly, and Topps/NAPBL after hitting .344 with 5 HR, 68 RBIs and 50 stolen bases combined at Triple-A Columbus, Double-A Albany, and Class-A Tampa. He was also named the MVP of the Florida State League.

[edit] Major league career

Jeter connects for a hit against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Enlarge
Jeter connects for a hit against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Jeter has played a key role in the Yankees' success since 1996. Jeter is one of four current veterans (the others are Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, and Mariano Rivera) who came up through the Yankees organization, and has played his entire professional career with the Yankees.

Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, and Alex Rodriguez were considered the top three shortstops in the game during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Jeter is the only one of the three who is still playing shortstop and still remaining on his original team.

On May 29, 1995, Jeter made his debut in the Major Leagues against the Seattle Mariners in the Seattle Kingdome. He got his first major league hit the following day off of veteran pitcher Tim Belcher, and started 13 games before being sent back down to the minors.

He returned on Opening Day of the 1996 season as the starting shortstop and hit his first major-league home run on that day. He played his way to a successful rookie season, hitting for a .314 batting average, 10 home runs, and 78 runs batted in and subsequently earning Rookie of the Year honors.

In 1999 Jeter led the AL in hits (219), and was 2nd in the league in batting average (.349) and runs (134).

In 2000, Jeter became the first player ever to win the All-Star Game MVP award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year.

The beginning of the 2004 season saw Jeter mired in a mysterious slump; on May 25, he was hitting only .189. This included a career-long 0-for-32 skid in April. In June, however, Jeter caught fire. He hit nearly .400 for the month and set a personal best with 9 home runs. He finished the season with a respectable .292 average and 23 home runs, the 2nd most of his career.

In 2005 he was 2nd in the AL in runs (122), and 3rd in the league in at bats (654) and hits (202).

In 2006 Jeter led the major leagues in highest groundball/flyball ratio (3.23; 313/97), and tied for the American League lead in steals of third base (12). He was 2nd in the league in batting average (.343) and runs scored (118), and 3rd in hits (214), SB success % (87.2), and batting average with runners in scoring position (.381). He finished 2nd in American League MVP voting to Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins (320 points to 306 points).

[edit] Clutch play

Jeter is often considered to be one of the most clutch players in all of Major League Baseball, especially in the postseason[2][3][4]; he has a .314 career postseason batting average, as well as a .370 career American League Division Series batting average in 46 games, 150 career postseason hits, and 85 career postseason runs scored.

On October 3, 2006, Jeter became the 6th player in Major Leagues history to have 5 hits in a playoff game, leading the Yankees to an 8-4 Game 1 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Jeter hit two doubles and a homerun, and scored three runs.

[edit] The Flip

Jeter has made a series of spectacular plays both in the field and at the bat, especially in the 2001 postseason. Perhaps the most memorable of which took place in Game 4 of the 2001 American League Division Series vs. the Oakland Athletics. With Jeremy Giambi on first-base, Oakland right-fielder Terrence Long hit a double off of Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina into the right-field corner. As Giambi rounded third and headed for home, Yankees right-fielder Shane Spencer retrieved the ball and made a wild throw intended for Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Instead, the errant throw missed the cutoff man Tino Martinez and dribbled up the first baseline, where Jeter came out of nowhere to grab the ball and flip it to Posada, just barely beating Giambi to the plate. Facing elimination, the Yankees went on to win the game 1-0, as well as the series. Here is FOX announcer Thom Brennaman's famous call:

Downstairs and down the right-field line. Giambi on his way to third, and they're gonna wave him around! The throw misses the cutoff man--shovel to the plate! Out at the plate! Derek Jeter with one of the most unbelievable plays you will ever see by a shortstop![5]

Later in that same postseason, after hitting a game-ending home run off of Byung-Hyun Kim in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, the first Major League Baseball game ever to be played in November, Jeter was given by many the nickname of "Mr. November."

The play was later voted #7 in Baseball Weekly's 10 Most Amazing Plays of all-time.[6]

[edit] The Dive

Another perhaps even more spectacular play was made by Jeter during a July 1, 2004, game against the rival Boston Red Sox. In the top of the 12th inning, with the score tied at 3, the Red Sox had the bases loaded with 2 outs and right fielder Trot Nixon up at bat. Nixon hit a pop fly down the left field line, which looked like it would land right in between Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and left fielder Ruben Sierra for a 2-run single, when Jeter came out of nowhere and made a sprinting over-the-shoulder catch before his momentum sent him diving into the left field seats, leaving him with a bruised and bloody face. The Yankees went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th inning on the strength of a ground-rule double from backup catcher John Flaherty, and complete a 3-game sweep of the Red Sox. This was awarded Play Of The Year in the This Year In Baseball awards competition, despite later being eliminated by the Red Sox that year. In some circles, Jeter has come under scrutiny for "the dive". These critics say that the entire play was unnecessary and that Jeter could have caught the ball without going into the stands at all. The over-the-top praise Jeter receives for this play is looked at by some as ridiculous in the fact that any average major league shortstop could have made the same play without the necessity of the theatrics. It can be said that the only reason this play is even remembered is because of the fact that it was made by Derek Jeter and the media over-hyped the play from day one. Some believe that a play Red Sox shortstop, Pokey Reese, made in the same area of the field earlier in the game was actually more difficult that Jeter's. [7]

[edit] Yankee captain

The Yankees named Jeter the 11th captain in Yankees history on June 3, 2003, after nearly 10 years without one. He was the first official captain of the team since Don Mattingly retired in 1995. He is in the 6th year of a 10-year contract and made $20.6 million for the 2006 season.

[edit] Criticisms

Jeter's defense has been criticized throughout his career.[8][9] For years statistical analysts have pointed out that he makes fewer plays than most shortstops.[10][11] At this point, according to most defense metrics, it's virtually indisputable that on a day-to-day basis, he's a below-average defender, despite the fact that he has won 3 Gold Glove awards.[12][13] The book The Fielding Bible by John Dewan contains an essay by Bill James that explains why Astros shortstop Adam Everett is far superior to Jeter defensively. James writes that, in the past three years (2003-2005), Jeter was "probably the least effective defensive player in the major leagues, at any position."[14]

He has also been often cited as the most overrated player in Major League Baseball, by critics and by other players.[15][16]

[edit] Awards

  • 1993 South Atlantic League All-Star (SS)
  • 1994 Florida State League All-Star (SS)
  • 1994 Baseball America 1st Team Minor League All-Star (SS)
  • 1994 Minor League Player of the Year
  • 1994 NY Yankees Minor League Player of the Year
  • 1994 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year
  • 1994 Florida State League Most Valuable Player
  • 1995 International League All-Star (SS)
  • 1996 AL Rookie of the Year
  • 1998 NY Yankees Player of the Year
  • 1999 NY Yankees Player of the Year
  • 1999 Baseball America 1st-Team Major League All-Star (SS)
  • 2000 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player
  • 2000 Red Sox Player of the Year
  • 2004 AL Gold Glove Award (SS)
  • 2004 Baseball America 2nd-Team Major League All-Star (SS)
  • 2005 AL Gold Glove Award (SS)
  • 2006 TSN Award (SS)
  • 2006 AL Gold Glove Award (SS)

[edit] Personal life

Jeter's personal life has been a favorite topic in gossip columns and celebrity magazines since his rookie year in 1996. Jeter had a high-profile relationship with pop diva Mariah Carey from 1997 to 1998. Jeter has also dated former Miss Universe Lara Dutta and actress Jordana Brewster, and had an on-and-off relationship with television personality Vanessa Minillo from 2003 until early 2006.[17] Most recently, Jeter has been linked to actress Jessica Biel.[18][19]

[edit] Turn 2 Foundation

Jeter began the Turn 2 Foundation, a charity organization, in 1996. The Foundation was established to help children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction, and to reward those who show high academic achievement. The organization's name was chosen, besides the baseball reference to a double play (and Jeter's uniform number), to demonstrate the goal of giving youths a place to "turn to", besides drugs and alcohol.[20]

[edit] World Baseball Classic

Derek was the starting shortstop for the USA team in the first ever World Baseball Classic. Jeter hit .450 (9/20) for Team USA and scored 5 runs in 6 games. Only Ken Griffey, Jr. (.524) and Cuba's Yoandy Garlobo (.480) had a higher batting average with a minimum of 20 at bats.[21] Jeter's exploits earned him recognition as the shortstop selection on the All-Tournament Team. [22]

[edit] Trivia

In order to meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this article's trivia section requires cleanup.
Content in the trivia section should be integrated into other appropriate areas of the article.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nick Acocella (2001-10-13). Jeter always in position to win. ESPN Classic.
  2. ^ Tom Robinson (2001-10-05). Yanks' Jeter shows again he's the real Mr. October. The Virginian-Pilot.
  3. ^ Nick Acocella. The Hunt for Mr. October. MSNBC.
  4. ^ Ronald Blum (2001-10-04). October is Jeter's time. Associated press.
  5. ^ Jeter's "The Flip". iFilm (2006-08-15).
  6. ^ Baseball's most amazing plays. USA Today (2002-07-24).
  7. ^ Nobody performs under pressure like The Captain -- Derek Jeter. Sports Illustrated (2004-07-09).
  8. ^ Gary Huckabay (1998-04-13). A Subjective Look at Defense. Baseball Prospectus.
  9. ^ Gary Huckabay (2000-08-02). Catching the Damn Ball. Baseball Prospectus.
  10. ^ Rob Neyer (2001-02-07). From the archives: Assessing Jeter's defense. ESPN.com.
  11. ^ Rob Neyer (2002-08-08). Don't believe that Jeter's defense has improved. ESPN.com.
  12. ^ Jon Weisman (2006-02-03). A glove affair. SI.com.
  13. ^ Brad Marchand (2006-11-02). American Gold. About.com.
  14. ^ Dewan, John (2006). The Fielding Bible. ACTA Sports. ISBN 0-87946-297-3.
  15. ^ Jeff Merron. The List: Most overrated athletes. ESPN.com.
  16. ^ SI Players Poll. Sports Illustrated (2005-05-02).
  17. ^ Jason McIntyre (2005-02-14). Derek Jeter: All-Star ladies' man. ESPN.com.
  18. ^ Biel Dating Jeter?. San Francisco Chronicle (2006-11-16).
  19. ^ The Women of Derek Jeter. ESPN.com (2006-11-18).
  20. ^ Turn 2 Foundation Mission Statement.
  21. ^ World Baseball Classic Statistics. World Baseball Classic (2006-03-21).
  22. ^ World Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team. Associated Press (2006-03-21).
  23. ^ Alyson Footer (2006-03-21). Ichiro leads All-Tourney team. MLB.com.
  24. ^ Derek Jeter, The Top 100 Celebrities. Forbes.
  25. ^ Mark Feinsand (2005-04-06). Sports Business Daily-Most Marketable players in MLB. MLB.com.
  26. ^ Ed Bradley (2005-09-25). Derek Jeter: The Captain. CBS News.
  27. ^ SI Players Poll. Sports Illustrated (2005-05-02).
  28. ^ Jeter cologne not for those who think Yankees stink. Associated Press (2005-08-01).
  29. ^ Jonathan Lethem (2005-08-21). The Genius of Bob Dylan. Rolling Stone.
  30. ^ Jeter Fan e-mail. MLB.com (2005-08-11).
  31. ^ Big game, big names. Associated Press (2005-11-15).

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