RIP Derek Jeter

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Mike and Mike took a few moments out of their non-stop NFL coverage to devote a few minutes to Jeter. Greenie said that if this was a game that counted, the Orioles would have walked Jeter in that situation. I call BS on that. Jeter and his .255 stick and no power or speed is the guy they'd want in the box. The difference is that in a game that counted, A) They wouldn't have grooved him a pitch, or there would have been a pinch hitter.

Discussion then followed that Jeter should be a unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame. Having recovered from the shock of baseball talk on ESPN radio, I switched stations.

[Edgy MD]

In fairness to His Highness, the guy on deck was hitting .233.

Things are tough all over, man.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Discussion then followed that Jeter should be a unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame. Having recovered from the shock of baseball talk on ESPN radio, I switched stations.

If you hadda bet, would you bet on his unanimous selection? Breaking Seaver's % vote record?

[Ceetar]

Evan Meek's average fastball velocity this season was over 90. (91.74 in September)

The pitch he threw to Jeter? 86.8.

[HahnSolo]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Discussion then followed that Jeter should be a unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame. Having recovered from the shock of baseball talk on ESPN radio, I switched stations. If you hadda bet, would you bet on his unanimous selection? Breaking Seaver's % vote record?

Not unanimous. I'd bet on that. He could beat Seaver's percentage, though. I wouldn't take that action.
I look at his selection as similar to Cal Ripken's, who got I think 537 of 545 votes; Jeter will probably get all except the "I don't vote for first ballot guys" or 'I don't vote for steroid era guys" votes.

Be prepared for months of "Jeter should be the first unanimous HOF selection" articles in about four and a half years.

[Guest d'Kong76]

There's already 'clamor' for him to be Gretzky'd
into the Hall of Fame.

[metsmarathon]

so, why again should i care that a grown ass man spent a free night attending a big event in his home city, which honored a childhood sports idol of his?

is he somehow obligated to park his kiester on his couch and tune in to all mets road games on SNY to help boost their ratings? will staying home to watch the game make him a somehow better pitcher next year? i mean, GKR is good, but i don't think they're that good.

would it make him a better, stronger person of greater moral character to not be a yankee fan, sure. but that ship has sailed - the damage done.

[Edgy MD]

Because.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Can't figure out why you guys are upset. He was clearly rooting for the Orioles.


Plus, he's scouting batters for his return next season.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Mike and Mike took a few moments out of their non-stop NFL coverage to devote a few minutes to Jeter. Greenie said that if this was a game that counted, the Orioles would have walked Jeter in that situation. I call BS on that. Jeter and his .255 stick and no power or speed is the guy they'd want in the box. The difference is that in a game that counted, A) They wouldn't have grooved him a pitch, or there would have been a pinch hitter. Discussion then followed that Jeter should be a unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame. Having recovered from the shock of baseball talk on ESPN radio, I switched stations.

This is the part about baseball that guys on ESPN (not just Greeny & Golic but virtually everyone empaled there) don't get because they pay so little attention to it unless and until forced to.

As a contrast, even as big an MFY fan that Francesa is, the brief ten minutes I caught of him yesterday showed that he gets it. He compared Jeter to Pete Rose. Both a HoF-worthy players who anchored dynastic teams, but neither, he admitted, were the best player on those team most of the time (maybe in a given year they were but not overall) much less in all of baseball. But through a combination of personality, luck, looks, attitude, timing, flash, press adoration, or a host of other factors, they had a 'Star Power' that out-shone their equally talented (or sometimes more) teammates.
But since ESPN is built around equating star power with 'Best' it's only natural to them that Jeter is unanimously regarded as the best around and therefore should go into the HoF with the highest pct ever if not unanimously, or even simply by acclaim without bothering with the silly five-year rule that exists for mere mortals. They don't think Jeter's a mere mortal because it doesn't occur to them that the most famous guy ISN'T the best all-around player ever.

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: But through a combination of personality, luck, looks, attitude, timing, flash, press adoration, or a host of other factors, they had a 'Star Power' that out-shone their equally talented (or sometimes more) teammates.

There's no way Francessa got both those "r's" out.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: There's no way Francessa got both those "r's" out.

I was para-spelling what he said.



btw, there's a rumor that Harvey left YSII about an hour prior to the end of the game.

[Edgy MD]

And of course, the thing about the Rose angle is that Rose turned out to be an enormous phony.

But Rose was a man of brute passion, and Jeter one of careful sophistication, so it's far less likely that he'll be caught with his pants down, as ubiquitous as cameras are now.

Can you imagine how soiled Pete Rose's rep might have become had camera phones been around in his time?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Not sure who the FOX announcers are, but they are
explaining intangibility NOW!!!

[Guest d'Kong76]

FOX guy can't decide whether to swallow or spit!
OMG!!!

[MFS62]

Jeter left the game after 2 AB, due to "injury" (According to Yahoo sports).
So, if he doesn't play tomorrow, that will mean that all those people who paid mucho dinero for tickets for his last series only saw him play part of one game.
I'm sad, I tells 'ya, real sad.

snicker

Later

[MFS62]

"Jeter's Last" game will be on Turner Broadcasting today.
The promo for the game says its "the game everybody has been waiting for".
They're right.
And some of us have been waiting 20 years.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

So Jeter's career ends on an infield single and being pulled for a PR.
It was the 507th infield hit for him, some 14.2% of his total (a shade less than 1 in 7)

I wonder how that stacks up among those with similar number of hits?
Maybe if I get ambitious I might take a stab at researching guys, say with 2,500-plus, although I don't know if that kind of breakdown will exist for some of the old-timers.

[MFS62]

IIRC, in The Long Season, Brosnan wrote that Rogers Hornsby (his team's hitting coach) told them to "Hit down on the ball. It will scoot through the infield like a scared rabbit". Hornsby hit a lot of homers, but it sounds like if he followed what he taught, he may have had a lot of ground ball hits.

BTW - is this hit total official for Jeter? I heard a few weeks ago that the hit with which he set one of his records earlier this year (for shortstops? Moved into sixth place?) was later called an error by the official scorer.

But, at least this year is finally over. This must have been what it is like to finally pass a kidney stone.

Later

[dgwphotography]

MFS62 wrote: But, at least this year is finally over. This must have been what it is like to finally pass a kidney stone.

No. Passing a kidney stone is less painful.

[bmfc1]

I fear that we will see Jeter throw out the 1st pitch at a WS game. Or at least someone else will see it because I will change the channel.

[metirish]

bmfc1 wrote: I fear that we will see Jeter throw out the 1st pitch at a WS game. Or at least someone else will see it because I will change the channel.

ugh, I would not be surprised

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

metirish wrote: bmfc1 wrote: I fear that we will see Jeter throw out the 1st pitch at a WS game. Or at least someone else will see it because I will change the channel. ugh, I would not be surprised

And then he'll spend some time in the booth with the announcers giving him he--, I mean asking him questions about his experience in the postseason.

[bmfc1]

"Derek, after all the playoff games that you played in, what advice do you have for the players playing in their first post-season?"

[MFS62]

bmfc1 wrote: "Derek, after all the playoff games that you played in, what advice do you have for the players playing in their first post-season?"

Jeter: "Keep the uniform you wear in the game. Think how much you'll be able to sell it for some day. If you want to be a successful whore, let Brandon Steiner be your pimp."

Later

[Guest d'Kong76]

Angry fb friends are lashing out. Funny, we
don't 'get' it!

[Ceetar]

bmfc1 wrote: I fear that we will see Jeter throw out the 1st pitch at a WS game. Or at least someone else will see it because I will change the channel.

Unlikely. I'm sure he's already in St Jetersburg. I read somewhere that he sometimes flies home to Florida on off days. True New Yorker though.

[smg58]

Is anybody else appalled at the complete lack of class in getting a single then taking a curtain call? There was still most of the game to play! I suppose maybe if you had just clinched a betting title or something, but really, who does that shit?

[G-Fafif]

smg58 wrote: I suppose maybe if you had just clinched a betting title or something

Pete Rose's conduct would be the standard in this particular realm.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Hee-hee: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/derek-jeter-offers-obama-retirement-advice