[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Let's remember the game Jeter had his 3000th hit. He went 5-5 and the 3000th hit was a Homerun. Then to break the tie in the 8th inning he had a single which scored the winning run from thirdbase. He has been clutch most of his career and sometimes you just need a single. Toughest base to get on in baseball is first.

https://youtu.be/IhXSgy5CbSI

I completely agree that Jeter has come up huge, in the biggest moments. His post season play enhances his Hall candidacy immensely. He hit .310 in the regular season, and, iirc, .308 lifetime in the playoffs. He had essentially the same performance level against decidedly tougher competition. Every team in the playoffs is good. Jeter clearly elevated his play in the playoffs to meet the level of opposition.

Would I have had Jeter on the Brewers? In a New York minute. I'd have loved to have him on my team. His influence on his teammates goes beyond mere stats. Jeter did things that don't show up in the box score. He was a complete professional. He came to play every day, and played his heart out. He led by example. Never beat his chest, never stood there watching one of his home runs sail over the wall. Jeter is a bit of a throwback, imho; he'd have been the first guy in the dugout to quietly pull a player aside, and tell them, "you need to do better." He thrived in the biggest sports media market in the world.

I don't understand why some people make a discussion of this kind so personal. When the names of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, et all are invoked, if we're talking about Jeter, an accurate picture should be painted, shouldn't it? There's nothing wrong with being labeled a second tier Hall of Famer. There are relatively few guys that have ever achieved the level of play that Ruth, Williams, Walter Johnson, Stan Musial, Ty Cobb, Tom Seaver et all reached. Being in the Hall is an incredible honor. But it's vitally important that history gets depicted accurately.