Derek Jeter is a great hall of fame baseball player – and, by all accounts, a great hall of fame human being as well. He is among the greatest and (deservedly) most popular New York Yankees of all time.
However, much though it pains me to say this, he also has been one of the reasons that, in this last year of his career, the Yankees will not be a playoff team.
Going into the 2014 season, Jeter had a lifetime batting average of .312, an on-base percentage of .381 and a slugging average of .447. But this year, with less than a month to go, his batting average is just .250, and his on-base percentage and slugging average are both on life support at .298.
And there\’s more. Through 19 years in the majors, Jeter averaged 13 home runs and 66 runs batted in per season. This year, he has 3 home runs and 40 runs batted in. Even his walk total – an average of 55 per year until now – is down to just 34.
With terrible offensive numbers like those, Jeter – when he played at all – should have been at the bottom part of the batting order; maybe 7th, 8th or even 9th. But, unless I am mistaken, he has batted second or, for a few games, leadoff, all year.
Why would Yankee Manager Joe Girardi put him there?
I assume it has been that – out of love for Jeter, admiration for what a great career he has had and for what a stellar human being he is – Girardi left him at the top of the batting order so he would not suffer an embarrassing “demotion” – especially since there have been farewell celebrations in his honor at every ballpark around the league.
But, sad to say, well-meaning gestures like this rarely work out the way they are intended.
No matter what position in the batting order, Jeter\’s numbers are still just as terrible, and just as visible for everyone to see. All this accomplished was to have a poor hitter batting where a good hitter is supposed to be – which damaged the Yankees\’ chances in every game and therefore contributed to their poor season.
How I wish Jeter had sat down with Girardi, told him he insisted on being moved down the order, and refused to take “no” for an answer — just like another mega-great Yankee – fella named Lou Gehrig – did, when he couldn\’t play well enough anymore (due to the onset of ALS, which killed him at the age of just 38).
Gehrig\’s insistence on being taken out of the lineup ended his consecutive-games-played streak of 2,130 games – the longest in baseball history until it was broken many years later by the great Cal Ripken Jr.
Please understand that I am second to no one in my respect for and appreciation of Derek Jeter. Heck, he even played with my grandson once, 6- 7 years ago, at the Starbuck\’s on 75th and 1st on Manhattan\’s Upper East Side. I\’m just saying it is a sad way for him to go out.
Trust me when I tell you I wish it were otherwise.
