Adios El Capitan

[G-Fafif]

Jeter announces 2014 will be it for the Jeterest player who ever lived.

[G-Fafif]

His papal-style statement here.

[G-Fafif]

Whereas J. Wilpon gave Rivera the pitching rubber from his 500th save, I assume the official Mets gift to Jeter will be our guts he ripped out on repeated occasions.

[Ceetar]

He's given so much over the years, all that he asks for 2014 is that he get what he's given....Herpes.

[seawolf17]

They're going to fucking "honor" him in May, and I'm going to be sick to my stomach. EFF THAT GUY, METS.

[Frayed Knot]

Let the retirement tours, the written odes, and the calls for the repeal of the five-year HoF waiting list begin.

[smg58]

So last year was a big lovefest for Rivera, and this year will be an even bigger lovefest for Jeter. Whatever. I tune out the people who fawn over them anyway. And to be fair, both had great careers.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Feel bad for Stevie Jeets, news gets announced on his birthday.

[Edgy MD]

I realized that some of things that always came easily to me and were always fun had stared to become a struggele. The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward. --- Derek Jeter

So I guess we can officially put Tom Verducci's ridiculous "Sportsman of the Year" writeup in the bullshit file.

The first time Jeter found himself one win away from his fifth world championship was on Nov. 3, 2001, in Game 6 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The night went horribly wrong for the Yankees, to the point that manager Joe Torre, with his team losing 15--0, pulled Jeter, catcher Jorge Posada and first baseman Tino Martinez from the game in the fifth inning as an act of surrender. Jeter walked into the clubhouse to change out of his spikes and into a pair of more comfortable turf shoes. In the training room he saw Jay Witasick, a journeyman reliever for the Yankees who in 1 1/3 innings had given up nine runs, eight of them earned, a Series record for a reliever. As Jeter walked by, he heard Witasick say, "Well, at least I had fun." "Derek just jumped all over him," Posada says. "Derek couldn't believe what he was saying. He was really, really hot. That was the angriest I've ever seen him." Last week, sitting in an airport hangar in Long Beach, Calif., surrounded by a small army of people to shoot a commercial for Gillette, Jeter nodded when he was asked about the episode with Witasick. "I remember," Jeter said. Slowly, he began to get agitated again. "Fun? I can't relate to it. I really can't relate to it. I'll never forget that. At least you had fun? I'll never understand it. I don't want to understand it."

[G-Fafif]

He wore 2, an accident of Pinstripe history. In reality, he was always 1. 1 in our hearts. 1 above all others on the field. The 1 to whom we all looked for guidance, inspiration and superlative-defying performance in life's clutch. And as the 1, he delivered time and time again. The only opponent he didn't choose to conquer was time itself, preferring instead to leave the universe in balance. The universe, on the other hand, weeps for the 1 who gave it its purpose. The universe hosted Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter defined the universe. Come season's end, the universe loses its sense of purpose. And so do the rest of us.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

ouch. The Puma pounces.

Mike Puma ?@NYPost_Mets 2m Meanwhile, the other shortstop in town, Ruben Tejada, just announced that 2012 was his final season.

Another MFY legend to ruin another season. Great.

[Edgy MD]

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Last week, sitting in an airport hangar in Long Beach, Calif., surrounded by a small army of people to shoot a commercial for Gillette, Jeter nodded when he was asked about the episode with Witasick. "I remember," Jeter said. Slowly, he began to get agitated again. "Fun? I can't relate to it. I really can't relate to it. I'll never forget that. At least you had fun? I'll never understand it. I don't want to understand it."

"Doesn't he know it's about money? Greenbacks. Moola. The WS shares for winners is bigger. the endorsement deals. You know these guys," Jeter says, nodding to Gillette, "Wouldn't be here if I was a loser. I'm going to build another fuckpad in my house with this paycheck."

[metirish]

Thank fucking whoever that I don't watch AL baseball and I don't buy the NY rags anymore....hoping to avoid the tour......

[Guest d'Kong76]

Somewhere there is a bright-eyed Yankee blogger scheming to
start a campaign to change the five-year-HOF-wait rule so that
Captain Unanimous can be voted in in 2015.

[Edgy MD]

I might support that rule. No way he breaks Seaver's percentage record under such circumstances.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Getting out before he tests positive!

[Frayed Knot]

G-Fafif wrote: He wore 2, an accident of Pinstripe history. In reality, he was always 1. 1 in our hearts. 1 above all others on the field. The 1 to whom we all looked for guidance, inspiration and superlative-defying performance in life's clutch. And as the 1, he delivered time and time again. The only opponent he didn't choose to conquer was time itself, preferring instead to leave the universe in balance. The universe, on the other hand, weeps for the 1 who gave it its purpose. The universe hosted Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter defined the universe. Come season's end, the universe loses its sense of purpose. And so do the rest of us.

Please tell me that this is sarcasm, the Onion, National Lampoon come back to life, ANYTHING! ... because I don't want to live in a world where someone who gets paid to write for a living writes something like that for real.



And, let's face it, we all the reason behind the timing for all this: Jeter figured out a way where he never has to set foot on a field with Alex Rodriguez again.

[Frayed Knot]

Kong76 wrote: Somewhere there is a bright-eyed Yankee blogger scheming to start a campaign to change the five-year-HOF-wait rule so that Captain Unanimous can be voted in in 2015.

Beat ya to this one too (see 2:25 PM)

[Guest d'Kong76]

D'OH!!

[seawolf17]

GAH I HATE THIS WHOLE THING. I'm going to have to turn off the internet.

[Lefty Specialist]

So is it okay to root for a season-ending injury in game 2 of the season?

[Edgy MD]

You know, if your specialty is intangibles, do you ever really retire?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Exactly.

Wherever there's a veteran beatin' up a last-man-in-the-bullpen for a tongue-in-cheek comment, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys burn when they pee. I'll be in the way kids say "no comment" when their parents ask them questions and deserve an answer but they know the answers will get 'em in hot water, and when the people are eatin' the bullshit and cedin' the parkland for parkin' lots and payin' for the privilege, I'll be there, too.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: I might support that rule. No way he breaks Seaver's percentage record under such circumstances.

This is my only concern. Does he beat Toms record? If he does that'll bug me.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

He should get gift baskets from every team on his farewell tour.

[Lefty Specialist]

This farewell tour will make the Mariano sideshow look like an afterthought. Jeter may pull a gluteal muscle from all the ass-kissing that'll be going on.

[Fman99]

I read this and vomited as I fell backwards deep into the SS/3B hole and flung vomit out towards the living room from my back foot.

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Exactly. Wherever there's a veteran beatin' up a last-man-in-the-bullpen for a tongue-in-cheek comment, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys burn when they pee. I'll be in the way kids say "no comment" when their parents ask them questions and deserve an answer but they know the answers will get 'em in hot water, and when the people are eatin' the bullshit and cedin' the parkland for parkin' lots and payin' for the privilege, I'll be there, too.

Dammit! Where's the damn LIKE button?!

[Frayed Knot]

btw, Jeter's closest career comp? Craig Biggio
Somehow, however, I don't think Derek is going to have to sweat the first two, three really and who knows how many more, H-o-F votes.




Jeter currently sits 10th in all time hits, only 3 behind Paul Molitor for 9th. With 100+ this season he'll pass not only Molitor but also Yastrzemski, Wagner & Anson for 6th. Needs 199 to break into the top 5
Of course it wasn't long ago when some YLDBs were simply doing the 200 per/yr math and projecting him for 4,000 and possibly for passing both Cobb & Rose. Problem with that math is, as Shaq once said to a reporter wondering about why he wasn't playing the way he once did: "38 ain't 28 dude"
With a good season in 2014 (and a REALLY good one for age 40) he'll get to where he's only 500 short of 4,000 and about 750 short of catching Rose.