Derek Jeter: Why New York Yankees Captain Must Play in MLB All-Star Game
July 9, 2011 · Josh Martin · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Derek Jeter deserves all the praise in the world today.
The New York Yankees captain, who has spent the past decade serving as the de facto face of Major League Baseball, joined the exclusive 3,000-hit club in thunderous fashion, with a solo home run to left field at Yankee Stadium off of Tampa Bay Rays All-Star David Price.
That single swing was but the most memorable moment in a game in which Jeter went 5-for-5, finishing just a triple short of the cycle.
Unlike most stars who approach career milestones as if weighed down by their accomplishments, Jeter seemed to take his latest achievement in stride, soaking up the spotlight as he has always done, with plenty of grace, a helping of style and a hint of self-satisfaction, all the while remaining focused on the task of winning.
“Hitting a home run was the last thing I was thinking about. I was excited, but to be honest with you, I was pretty relieved…I’ve been lying to you guys for a long time saying I wasn’t nervous and there was no pressure. I mean, there was a lot of pressure to do it here.”
Not that he appeared to be phased at any particular point, which is what one might expect from someone with Jeter’s resume.
After all, Jeter has not only survived for 17 years playing under intense scrutiny in New York City, he’s thrived under the pressure, winning five World Series, five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers, while once being named the World Series MVP and 12 times being elected to the All-Star Game.
Which makes Jeter’s absence from this year’s festivities that much more curious. See, it’s not that Jeter wasn’t voted into the game—the fans made their voices heard when they stuffed the ballot boxes in his favor—but rather that he “chose” not to play.
I use the word “chose” carefully here because technically, Jeter has excused himself for health reasons, citing the need to recover from a calf injury that recently landed him on the disabled list.
Though, by the looks of the way Jeter played against the Rays, going so far as to snag his eighth stolen base of the season along with his home run, double and three singles, “Mr. November” appears to be just fine.
At least healthy enough to make a cameo appearance at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday.
Statistically speaking, Jeter definitely should not be there, at least not for the American League. Jeter’s numbers (.270 average, 3 home runs, 24 RBI) might make him a shoe-in for a National League squad desperate for quality infielders, but it does little to hep his case as even a Final Vote candidate.
But, then again, the All-Star Game isn’t about statistics, or rather it isn’t JUST about statistics. It’s about the fans. It’s about putting on a show for those who have stuck by the game of baseball through thick and thin, through strikes and streaks, steroids and stars.
In that sense, Derek Jeter should not only be elected to the All-Star Game; he should play in the darn thing! Jeter remains one of the game’s most popular and most recognizable players even as we watch his skills deteriorate before our very eyes.
At 37 years of age, Jeter is no longer the spry young shortstop on whom you could count for 10 to 20 homers, 70 RBI, 70 runs, a grip of stolen bases and a batting average sitting comfortably above the .300 mark, while playing spectacular defense up the middle.
Which, perhaps, is why we shouldn’t demand that players like Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera and Albert Pujols—all of whom have served as cornerstones of the game for years—all partake in the game, rain or shine, good season or bad, in sickness or in health.
Perhaps, we, as fans, should make room in our hearts and minds for the next generation of stars, the Ryan Braun’s, the Prince Fielder’s, the Jose Bautista’s and the Justin Verlander’s of the game, just as Jeter and players of his ilk have made room for them on this year’s All-Star Game rosters.
Perhaps 3,000 isn’t only a number attached to a career-defining accomplishment for Jeter, but also a signifier that he now belongs more to the history of the game than to the legions of fans who have followed his every step, his every swing, his every dig for the better part of two decades.
Either way, Jeter will be missed when the All-Star festivities commence without his active participation, though, it won’t likely be long before the game anoints another favorite son to take his place and, subsequently, onto whose shoulders those expectations of greatness will be heaped.
If such is the case, consider the 2011 MLB All-Star Game to be an audition of sorts, with the winners earning starring roles in the world of baseball for years to come.
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