Jumping the gun on 2020?..

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by groundhog

What happened to Babe and Gehrig?

Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Yogi Berra
Mickey Mantle

If you asked me to name the most important player in Yankee history, I'd put those guys before I'd ever put Jeter. Great player, but these other guys are legends of the greatest baseball franchise.

Originally Posted by sycks22

I agree that he was a really good player, not great. 0 MVP, 1 GG (didn't deserve it). I do like how he respects baseball and never throws helmets and isn't a juicer

I think Jeter was on the fringe that exists between very good and great. It's very hard to argue against a guy with 3,300 hits and a .312 AVG. But when I see somebody saying he is the second greatest shortstop to ever play the game, I don't agree. I'm sorry. I've got a lot of respect for the man as a player, and especially for how he's carried himself (he is the polar opposite of ARod). But there have been some great, great shortstops, players in their prime who were better players above Jeter. Jeter is high on these lists because has been consistently very good/great. But was he ever the best player in baseball? No. Was he one of the top two or three players in baseball? No. Forget the best player in the game. Was Jeter ever clearly the best shortstop in baseball?

Here's a list of shortstops, in their prime, who I'd take ahead of Jeter (not including Wagner, who I think is universally considered the best to ever play the position):

Ernie Banks
Cal Ripken Jr.
Robin Yount
Troy Tulowitzki
Nomar Garciapara

There have been whispers about Nomar using, but until there's something credible, I'm putting him on this list.

[bigtrain]

I guess I am a rarity...a Yankee fan who doesn't love Derek Jeter. Nevertheless, I have to acknowledge that he is beginning his 20th season and if healthy is likely to pass several players on the all time hits list and finish at 6th just behind Tris Speaker. Also he will have about 350 hits more than any other player with only 20 years of playing time. I have to admit that the guy was a great player.