D.J.

Derek Jeter is the best player in baseball. Yeah, you heard that right, but I'll say it again: Derek Jeter is the best player in baseball. Now, before you think me insane, I know A-Rod, Joe Mauer, and Albert Pujols are currently active major leaguers. That being said, I'll take Jeter.

Before I get to the meat of my argument, I suppose I should say that I'm neither a Yankees lover or hater. I do admire their excellence, and while I certainly recognize the part their financial superiority plays in the maintenance of that success, it's nothing any other team wouldn't do if they could. Now, onto the protein.

I came to this conclusion last week when the Yankees won their fifth world series in the Jeter era. Of course, I know that the Yankees can buy pretty much any player they want, and that Jeter is fortunate to play in New York instead of say, Kansas City. However, those are ifs, buts, and maybes. He does play in New York. Deal with it. Besides, Jeter would have been great anywhere. Upon coming out of Central High in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a Yankees scout was asked if he thought Jeter would go pro right away or to the University of Michigan. The scout replied: "The only place he's going for sure is to the Hall of Fame." I hope the Yankees gave that guy a raise.

It's also worth noting that while the Yankees have had a ton of great players go through their organization since Jeter's rookie year in 1996, there have been only four constants on their five championship teams (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009). They are catcher Jorge Posada, pitchers Andy Pettite and Mariano Rivera, and Jeter. All those other guys---as great as they may have been--- were just passing through. Of those four "core" guys, I think it's hard to argue that any of them are more valuable than Jeter. Posada has been a terrific catcher, but he is superior to Jeter neither in the field or at the plate. Pettite hasn't even always been the Yankees best starting pitcher (see Clemens, Cone, or Sabathia). And Rivera? Well, the only argument I have against Rivera is that he doesn't play everyday. He's the greatest relief pitcher ever and it isn't even close. It's like comparing Jerry Rice to any other wide receiver. What's the point? But since Mo doesn't play everyday, I'm going with the Yankee Captain.

For many years now it's been clear that Jeter is the inarguable leader of the most dominant franchise in all of sports. For one, he's durable. In the last 14 years he's only played fewer than 148 games in a season once (119 in 2003). He is renowned for playing with injuries, but never using them as an excuse. Hell, he doesn't even acknowledge them. And who plays harder? He grinds out every at bat, runs hard to first base on routine ground balls and pop ups, and never takes a play off in the field.

While there has been serious criticism of Jeter's play at shortstop in recent years, this season he proved the naysayers wrong. Those baseball nerds who sit around and create metrics that evaluate a player's defensive performance, have stated that Jeter has been better this year than in any of his three gold glove seasons. Of course, these metrics aren't the only way to judge his performance at shortstop. How about that play against the Red Sox a few years ago (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgPPR5SkUdE)ago when Jeter---at full speed-- chased a foul ball into the stands, face planted into the seats and came up looking like he had gone 12 rounds with Manny Pacquiao? Or maybe you remember "The Flip" against Oakland in the 2001 Playoffs (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq_kcKHBCcA), where on a base hit to right field, Jeter ran in between home plate and first base to corral an errant cut off through and performed a backhand "flip" to Posada to nail Jeremy Giambi on a bang-bang play. He goes all out, all the time and is seemingly always in the right place at the right time.

He's also a model of consistency with the bat. His numbers may not be that sexy in the steroid era, but upon a closer look his production is pretty extraordinary. From his first full season in 1996 to now, Jeter has hit less than .300 only three times. And what did he hit in those three years? Well, .291 (1997), .297 (2002) and .292 (2004). Pretty good "off" years I'd say. He's finished in the top ten in batting average nine times, including second twice in 1999 and 2006. His lowest on base percentage was a far better than league average .352 in 2002. While he certainly isn't considered a power hitter, he has made it to double figures in home runs in every one of his full seasons with a career high of 24 in 1999. In 12 of 14 seasons he has scored 100 runs or more, and never less than 87 (2003). However, there is one statistical category where Jeter's numbers are truly eye popping. That would be his extraordinary accumulation of base hits. In 14 full seasons he has 2735 base knocks. He has breached 200 hits seven times and landed between 190-199 three other times. Of his peers, only Ichiro Suzuki hits safely with more regularity. Because Jeter doesn't hit 40 homers or knock in 120 runs, his stats have a tendency to sneak up on you. But take a look at his career numbers: 1574 runs, 2747 hits (total), 438 doubles, 224 home runs, 1068 runs batted in, 305 stolen bases, a .317 career batting average, .388 on base percentage, and a .459 slugging percentage. How many middle infielders in the history of the game are even close? And he's not done yet. Not by a damn sight.

There were some baseball analysts who argued that Jeter was beginning to show signs of decline after a sub-par (for him anyway) 2008 season. They said he had become a liability on defense and was not the same hitter anymore either. Some even went as far to say that he had been "overrated." So, how did Jeter respond? Well, aside from having his best season on defense in many a year ---if not ever---all he did was hit .334 with a .406 OBP, 18 home runs, 30 stolen bases, 107 runs, and a whopping 212 hits. It's a foregone conclusion that he will be in the top 5 in MVP voting for 2009. But did you know that it will be the seventh time in his career that he has finished in the top ten? It's confounding to me that we live in a world where middle infielders Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox, and Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies (fine payers both) have MVP trophies and Jeter does not. I'm still sore over Jeter coming in second to the Twins' Justin Morneau in 2006. Morneau wasn't even the best player on his team that year, Joe Mauer was.

It's not as if Jeter only performs well in the regular season either. In 138 playoff games, Jeter has hit .313 with a .383 OBP, 20 home runs, 99 runs, and 175 hits. And who can ever remember him costing his team a game in the post season whether with the bat or with the glove? All he did in the 2009 world series was hit .407 with a .429 OBP, .519 SLG, and collect 11 hits in 6 games. Ho-hum, business as usual. And maybe that's why we don't appreciate Jeter as much as we should. He makes excellence seem so...ordinary.

It's worth mentioning that he's a pretty great teammate as well. Has anyone who's ever played with him had a negative thing to say about him (and no A-Rod doesn't count)? I think I know why. Prior to the 2002 season, the Yankees were in hot pursuit of Oakland A's slugging first baseman Jason Giambi. The incumbent Yankees first baseman, Tino Martinez was coming off a down year and the Yankees were looking to upgrade the position. Several Yankees reached out to Giambi in an effort to convince him to sign a free agent pact with the Bronx Bombers. Jeter was not one of them. When asked why, Jeter replied that he had nothing against Giambi but "Tino's my friend." That's class boys and girls. Here's another anecdote: Before the 2009 world series Jeter was asked to assess his stellar career, Jeter replied without a hint of false modesty, "I've had four great seasons." I suppose now he would say he's had five.

Now I'm sure that anyone who may read this could still wonder how I could choose Jeter over A-Rod, Mauer or Pujols. First off, A-Rod's a juicer and a jerk. I have no interest in putting a cheater ahead of Jeter. As far as the jerk part goes, did you know that A-Rod has not one, not two, but three paintings in his home that depict him as a centaur? And that one of them hangs over his bed (insert stud joke here)? Besides, did anyone believe his tearful steroid confession earlier this year? Oh, please. As for Mauer, he hasn't done it for long enough yet. I stress the word "yet." He's one hell of a player. That leaves me with my thorniest argument to make. The case of Jeter over Pujols. There is no doubt that Pujols is the most dominant offensive force in the game and a good first baseman to boot. Here's my problem with Pujols, and let me preface this by saying I know this may not be fair but, I simply don't trust anyone who puts up Super Nintendo numbers during the steroid era. I'm not accusing Pujols of anything and I would be more than happy to have my suspicions disproved, but like you, I've been burnt too many times before (see Bonds, Ramirez, A-Rod, Clemens, McGwire, etc...).

There's a method I employ when I'm watching a close boxing match. When at the end of the bout, if I'm not sure who I would pick as the winner of the fight, I ask myself: "of the two combatants, who would I rather be?" Well, at the end of this debate over who's the best player in baseball, I ask you "who would you rather be than Derek Jeter?" Take your time building an argument, you'll need it.

Sumo-Pop
November 8, 2009

Full disclosure:

In 1999 My buddy Barry and I went to a Tigers-Yankees game in Detroit. We arrived there early and were standing near the visiting player's entrance when Derek Jeter came out to take the field. He ran past us and we called out "Hey Derek (as if we were on a first name basis--embarrassing), can you sign a ball?" Derek slowed his roll, u-turned and signed two balls, one for each of us. It was only his second season, but it was clear he already "got it." Yes, I still have the ball and no, I'm not telling you where I keep it.