Derek Jeter's Retirement Announcement

I have zero memories of a Yankee team without Derek Jeter.  Over an 18 year span, Captain Clutch has been promoted from my favorite shortstop to my favorite Yankee to my favorite athlete of all time.  His departure from baseball leaves a hole that will never be filled.

Never again will an iconic Yankee throw his batting gloves to my 10 year-old self.  Excitement over defensive plays deep in hole, into the stands, and around home plate cannot be re-captured.  Passion for an Elementary School book report on Derek Jeter: The Life You Imagine is a distant memory.  The exuberance of an 11 year old watching his hero hit a walk-off homerun in the World Series is a thing of the past.

Last year, with the Yankees in the midst of a 9 game homerless streak, Derek Jeter returned from an extended stint on the disabled list.  His road back to the playing field was full of detours, but he was finally in the lineup.  He hit the first pitch he saw over the right field wall, breaking the homerless drought, and igniting the Yankees offense.

Derek Jeter will always be polarizing to stat-heads and intangible enthusiasts.  The sabermetric people will argue that Jeter’s defense is at best below average.  They will also say that Jeter does not hit for enough power to be a cream of the crop type player.  Traditionalists will praise Jeter for his leadership in the club house, clutch hits, and ability to make unforgettable plays such as "The Flip:"

Jeter’s legacy lays between the two extremes.  Any Yankee fan will tell you that Jeter made the plays he was supposed to make.  And although any teammate would want him at the plate in a clutch situation, Jeter didn’t always come through when the game was on the line.

The Mount Rushmore of quintessential Yankees includes Ruth, Dimaggio, Mantle, and Jeter.  Each Yankee played a long Hall-Of-Fame caliber career, won numerous championships, and captured iconic status as “The Yankee” of his time.  It takes exceptional play on the field as well as a charismatic personality off the field to join such a special group.

During an era when everything is public and athletes are held to a higher standard than ever before, Jeter has set the bar for how an athlete should carry himself.  Other than a small rift between Steinbrenner and Jeter during the 2000 season, Jeter has kept himself clean of controversy.  He has lived in New York City for nearly 20 years and has maintained a sterling reputation.

The steroid era puts a shadow over most players, but Jeter is one who most presume is innocent.  He is a ripple of light among waves of darkness.  Throughout MLB court hearings and government investigations, Jeter was the poster child for everything that was still right about baseball.

Critics will say that Jeter announced his retirement for attention.  Why announce it before the season?  He just wants ESPN to fawn over him for 162 games, right?  Or maybe he did it for the fans.  He did it for the fans who might want to see Jeter for one last time, or maybe even for the first time ever.  This announcement puts everyone on notice:  The most important baseball player of the last 50 years is retiring, so get your tickets now.