Melanie Sabol – Copy Editor
Derek Jeter’s story began in 1992 when the New York Yankees first drafted him straight out of high school. Jeter made his first major league debut in 1995 and was soon starting in 1996 as the Yankees starting shortstop. That very same year, Jeter won the Rookie of the Year Award and helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series.
Throughout Jeter’s time at the Yankees, he has won both the All-Star Game MVP and the World Series MVP Awards in 2000.
In 2009 Jeter became the all-time Yankee hit leader and also broke his 2,6575 th hit as a shortstop.
On July 9, 2011, Jeter had his 3,000th career hit home run off David Price on the Tampa Bay Rays; becoming the only Yankee in the 3,00 hit club.
Jeter then broke Mickey Mantle’s record for the most games played by playing his 2,402nd game for the Yankees at the end of the 2011 season.
Two years later in September, Jeter was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Things for the Captain did not get better after that.
Jeter signed a one-year contract with the Yanks on Nov. 1, 2013 for $12 million. This was the beginning of the end for Jeter.
Jeter is the only one left out of the Core Four. Andy Pettitte was the first to retire in core for in 2011, Jorge Posada was next to retire when he left in 2012, and most recently Mariano Rivera retired in 2013. With most of the Core Four gone, it was just now a waiting game until Jeter retired as well.
On his Feb. 12, 2014 decision, Jeter made his decision public on his Facebook that this 2014 season would be the last for him. After two decades as playing shortstop for the Yankees, the 39 year old will stop and take in the world.
Beginning with a simple thank you, Jeter goes on to say that, “I’ve experienced so many defining moments in my career. Winning the World Series as a rookie shortstop, being named the Yankees’ captain, closing the old and opening the new Yankee Stadium. Through it all, I’ve never stopped chasing the next one. I want to finally stop the chase and take in the world.”
Jeter is not leaving the Yankees empty handed. He will be leaving with five World Series rings, 13 All-Star Game selections, and the only Yankee to break the 3,000-hit barrier. Jeter is the near certain for the first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2020.
The 2014 season will be one for the books. Jeter has already planned “to soak in every moment of every day this year so I can remember it for the rest of my life.” Jeter goes onto say in his farewell letter that he has new dreams, aspiration, and that he is also looking for new challenges.
However there are the memories of Jeter that we will never forget. For any Yankee fan there is always one game with Jeter that comes to mind. For me, it was the game against the Red Sox that Jeter threw himself head first into the Yankee Stadium stands. It was a successful dive that Jeter grabbed a pop-up play that ultimately left him bloody and this will always be a symbol of the intense rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox.
Jeter ended his farewell statement by saying he wanted “to help the Yankees reach our goal of winning another championship.”
With baseball season fast approaching, we will see how the 2014 season plays out for the Yankees and for Jeter. Farewell, Captain.
