Jeter Fights Just to Stay Relevant On Team of All-Stars

The year is 1993. 6-foot-1 Greensboro Hornet’s shortstop committed a league record 56 errors in his first full year of pro ball.  There can’t be any chance that guy is a first ballot hall of famer.  And if he were, he would be considered overrated. But even people who hold the least interest in baseball are familiar with his name.

Derek Jeter has been described as over-hyped.  His lifelong critics have been described through Sports Illustrated polls, jealous construction workers jargon and amateur baseball player debates. Yet Jeter’s rival foes have the utmost respect for the Yankee slugger.

How can this be? Throughout the course of his career, Jeter has made a living smoking balls to the right side of the diamond.  He achieved the 3,000 hit plateau earlier this season, a feat no Yankee in history has ever attained.

Babe Ruth, Roger Maris and Joe DiMaggio are some popular names you may reminisce wearing pinstripes. The most overwhelming plot no critic grasps is Jeter’s pace. He achieved the 3,000 hit milestone before all-time hits leader Pete Rose achieved the same prominence.

Jeter is one of the most prevailing athletes in sports. He is a proven winner and  clutch performer to the greatest degree. The dude has a World Series ring for every finger on his right hand. He also holds a .309 lifetime batting average in the hefty sample size of 599 at bats during the postseason.

A lot of the criticism directed towards Jeter is directed towards his defense. He has won five gold gloves over the course of his career. He has consistently made the routine play.

At 37, Jeter now makes the routine play with limited range. However, in his prime, the shortstop made one of the most athletic plays on a consistent basis; an in the whole, backhanded jump throw to Tino Martinez.
Jeter felt some heat earlier in the year with the controversial $51 million contract. That, combined with the poor start to the 2011 season, did not sit well with critics. His average hovered close to .250 for the first half of the year. After returning from injury, though, he experienced a second half resurgence.

He exploded onto the scene, raising his season average to .297, good for second in the American League among shortstops. He held a .387 over the month of August, showing no signs of slowing down.

Over the years, Jeter has brought in infinite amounts of revenue for the Yankees organization.  Attendance, jersey sales and most importantly, the creation of lifelong fans have all been colossally impacted because of Jeter.  He deserves to make that lucrative trip to the bank.

Jeter has never been linked to steroids and played the game right. He holds uncanny intangibles, leading on and off the field for younger players. He created a charity that has helped kids stay away from alcohol and drug addiction.

The jealousy has been taken to another level, and it is not fair. Respect is due to the man who has gotten the job done at a superior level in the most pressure-filled city in the country. He has accomplished these feats in the city where fans will crush your poise with any sign of struggle.

The captain of the Yankees has achieved an extraordinary amount of consistency at the highest level of competition in the world. Jeter has been the epitome of durability and dependability, and this is why he is excellent.

He has continuously been in the right spot at the right time.  Being clutch is not a coincidence. It is what some like to call the “it” factor. Guys that possess this trait find themselves in the hall of fame.

Tim Shanahan can be reached at tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu.