Quote:
Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit
There's got to be some reason 48,000 fans stay on their feet for an hour after the game is over. The guy is extraordinarily likable, I don't know why, why he always is the one put in the position to do something special, why more often than not he comes thru in those spots regardless of how his skills have diminished. The guy is just magical. I think a lot of it is how we/I seem to easily identify with him how easy it is to see/project ourselves in him. Somehow he makes you feel special, special just watching him play. A lot of improbable things had to happen last night to allow him to be put in that position to succeed. Asked after the game, "Derek what were you thinking your last time up?...Just don't cry". He might not have cried but I did. I also screamed, jumped up and down, gave my kids watching the game with me a high five and kissed my wife. I will miss him.
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+1 - For all those people who refuse to place an ounce of faith in fate/destiny, I highly advise them to replay the 9th inning of the Yankee game last night! "Magical" is indeed the perfect word to describe Jeter's career that extends far beyond "black & white" statistics such as WAR, OPS, etc., for so many of Jeter's amazing feats Bill James could not even dream of compiling via a mathematical calculation. Watching Jeter for 20 years is sheer proof that the full measurement of a great baseball player cannot always be seen in a box score or league leader's category. While Jeter has certainly amassed some formidable statistics of his own (e.g., a .310 lifetime average for a shortstop that includes nearly 3,500 hits), I firmly believe his "intangibles" far outweigh the significance of statistical achievements. Box scores don't measure a ballplayer taking an extra base when necessary, laying down a critical bunt, making a near-impossible "flip-play" to the catcher to keep a season alive, sacrificing his body to catch a foul ball by diving head-first into the stands, playing every inning of every game as if its his last, and NEVER uttering one derogatory word towards either his teammates or any peers throughout his remarkable 20-year career. How else can you explain the seemingly infinite adoration of this man who could stop traffic with his presence, and has brought so much joy to the countless number of fans who truly appreciate his unbridled love for our National Pastime. Is he naturally gifted like Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio and Mantle...no....absolutely not. But, I think even those four iconic Yankees would roll over in their graves to tip their caps to Derek Jeter for everything he has meant not only to the Yankee organization, but even more significantly, to the game of baseball.
Joe T.