Derek Jeter: A Yankee Till the End
November 18, 2010 · Devon Teeple · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
I previously wrote that Derek Jeter is as reliable as they come. That is correct despite some commenting that his lack or decline of defensive skills makes him a liability.
Both statements are inherently correct.
There is no sufficient replacement for the Captain at this point in time. And since he is close, precisely 74 hits away from an automatic Hall of Fame induction, I give the chance of Jeter re-signing with the New York Yankees at 100 percent.
Loyalty is rare in today’s game and you can count on one hand the number of homegrown talent that has been with their original club till the end.
I will not implement a numbers approach to this article, and will not try to convince any readers by sitting on one side of the fence or another. My point is, for the good of the game, Jeter is a Yankee and will always be a Yankee.
Whether you like it or not.
I can only comment on what I see as a fan. I cannot comment on knowing Jeter personally, yet as fans, enthusiasts, writers and analysts, we always assume that we are in the inner circle of this game.
Like many others I get caught in the thrill of our favorite player shattering records, going four-for-four, winning the Cy Young and finally climbing that mountain, winning the World Series. We let our hearts lead the way and not our mind.
As a young fan growing up, I was torn with the fact that Jesse Barfield could ever be traded, but as a 10-year-old you do not know any better.
Yet 22 years later I still allow myself to think that way; how could the Atlanta Braves ever breakup Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. Absolutely unimaginable!?
But when you compare this Jeter scenario to the one the Braves dealt with, they are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I understand now, that in the business that is baseball, Jeter will remain a Yankee till his career is finished.
It sounds as if I contradict myself. Jeter is in the latter years of his career just as the Braves trio was.
If Maddux can get traded, so can Jeter, right? The answer is no. This is where this new situation takes a different path, one with more strategic intentions.
New York is a different market than most. The Mecca, you might say. And Jeter is, in all meaning of the word, advertising; Gillette, Gatorade and GQ. Other players are more dominant, but not as marketable.
More of a brand than a player at this late stage in his career, Jeter ultimately fits in with the club he plays for.
The New York Yankees are the most marketable, profitable and valuable franchise in the game. Combine that with arguably the most advertised and publicized player the game has seen since Mickey Mantle, and you have never ending recipe for success.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective.
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