#RE22222222222PECT

photo via Reddit

Post-Game 105 Thread: Jeters Never Prosper

Sad Jeter (0-for-4 tonight).

DODGERS 3, YANKEES 2

Deadlocked at 2 since the fourth inning, the Dodgers watched Zack Greinke (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR) match Andy Pettitte (7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3Ks, 1 HR) in a stalemate. Ronald Belisario and Kenley Jensen (who got the win) each pitched a scoreless inning to stretch the Dodger bullpen's streak to 9 1/3 innings of work without yielding a hit.

After Andre Ethier, 0-for-3 and in a 0-for-16 slump, singled to left with one out, Juan Uribe struck out. But tonight's hero was Mark Ellis, who waited for Ethier to steal second (on a 1-1 count; Ethier's fourth SB of the year), and then hit a walk-off single to center on a full count. Dodgers win.

And check out the Dodgers' recent record:

The Dodgers now are 10-1 since the All-Star break for the first time in franchise history, having won their last four. Their 19 wins in July are one short of the Los Angeles record, and they are 29-5 during a 34-game run for the first time since 1953.

But even more important than that:

The 15th sellout crowd of the season included a broad array of entertainers and sportsmen -- from Jay-Z and LL Cool J to Jack Nicholson, Mel Brooks, George Lopez and Ice Cube, as well as Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Keyshawn Johnson and Luc Robitaille. Even owner Magic Johnson, back from his European vacation, made it.

And that's what counts! Hey, I'll take it.

Okay, maybe not all that sad (or unprosperous) after all.

Game 105 Thread: July 30 vs. DEREK JETER (& the Yankees), 7p

Derek Jeter hit a home run on the first pitch of his first at-bat after sitting out 12 games due to injury.

Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.49) vs. Andy Pettitte (7-8, 4.39).

DEREK JETER (& the Yankees) are in town! DEREK JETER (& the Yankees) are in town! Although they're in fourth place in their division, DEREK JETER (& the Yankees) don't figure to roll over for the Dodgers. Newly (re)acquired Alfonso Soriano adds some punch, and there's always the estimable Mariano Rivera to contend with.

After an unsatisfying two-game split in New York last month, let's see if the red-hot Dodgers can win a series against DEREK JETER (& the Yankees). "A special ceremonial first pitch is planned," according to the Dodgers...wonder if they're going to ask DEREK JETER to do the honors?

Dodgers tickets

photo by Kathy Willens/AP

LCS Game Thread: Derek Jeter Memorial Edition

Derek Jeter (1974-2012).

1 p.m. PT: Tigers (Anibal Sanchez) @ Yankees (Hiroki Kuroda).
5 p.m. PT: Cardinals (Lance Lynn) @ Giants (Madison Bumgarner).

AP photo

Anyone Surprised?

That, or someone defaced the Yankmes' Facebook page, along with several other MLB teams.

Yankees' Woes Don't Stop with A-Rod

Found this pretty interesting. From Tom Verducci at SI.com:

I wrote back in January about how [Mark] Teixeira, coming off a .256 season, is so mechanically unsound that he is going to continue to decline. Teixeira collapses on his back side and swings up on the ball. I wrote then, "The style means Teixeira must catch the ball out in front of him and leaves him prone to lifting the ball rather than driving through it. As he ages, Teixeira becomes an even more extreme fly ball hitter and pull hitter, trends that mean he will continue to lose points off his batting average." [...]

His batting average on balls in play has dropped every year with the Yankees: .302, .268, .239. That's not unlucky. It's symptomatic of his hitting style. His fly ball rate has increased every year as a Yankee (37 in 2008, followed by 44, 46, 47). His infield pop-ups, which are no different than strikeouts, and were as low as 14 in 2008, have grown to 21, 30 and 27 as a Yankee.

Teixeira's swing simply is not built to make him a consistent clutch hitter. After coming to the Yankees with a .308 average with runners in scoring position in 2008, he hasn't come close to that kind of reliability with New York (.264, .273, .268) -- especially in the postseason environment.

Teixeira turns 32 years old next season. The Yankees already have age-related issues with Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. You can put Teixeira in that category, not because of health, but because his pull-happy, fly ball swing is the kind that doesn't age well, sort of like those of J.D. Drew and Adam Dunn.

According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, Teixeira is under contract until 2016 and is making $22.5 million annually. A-Rod is signed through 2017 and will make $29 million next year alone. Jeter is signed through 2013, averaging $16.5 a year, and has a 2014 player option. Something to think about as we lust after Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.

Congrats to All-Time Saves Leader Derek Jeter

AP photo

All-Star Game Thread, 5p

NL STARTING LINEUP

• Rickie Weeks (Brewers), 2B
• Carlos Beltran (Mets), DH
• Matt Kemp (Dodgers), CF
• Prince Fielder (Brewers), 1B
• Brian McCann (Braves), C
• Lance Berkman, (Cardinals), RF
• Matt Holliday (Cardinals), LF
• Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), SS
• Scott Rolen (Reds), 3B
• Roy Halladay (Phillies), SP

AL STARTING LINEUP

• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), CF
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), SS
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), 1B
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), RF
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), LF
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), 3B
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), DH
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), 2B
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), C
• not Derek Jeter (Yankees), SP

Kemp: Christian Petersen/Getty Images, Ethier: Paul Buck/EPA

A Collection of Derek Jeter 3,000-Hit Website Graphics

MLB.com:

SI.com:

ESPN.com:

FoxSports.com:

Yahoo! Sports:

Newsday:

Daily News:

New York Post:

SoSG:

CONGRATULATIONS TO DEREK JETER!!!

Oh yeah, he also got his 3,000th hit.

Guess that's cool too.

The Age-Old Issue of Old Age

Someone at SI.com has aging on the brain:

• The Captain and Denial (Joe Posnanski)
• 44 is a magic number in sports (Steve Rushin)
• Struggles of Jeter, Tejada more evidence of lack of aging stars (Tom Verducci)

We've Got Uribe; What The Hell, Why Not Jeter At Shortstop?

At least, that's what ESPN columnist / comedian Wallace Matthews irrationally speculates:

NEW YORK -- Negotiations between the Yankees and Derek Jeter are at a standstill until Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, "drink the reality potion," according to a source close to the negotiations.

According to the source, a baseball industry executive who has knowledge of both sides' position, the Yankees are not budging from the three-year, $45 million offer they made to Jeter earlier this month, nor has Jeter moved off his demand for a longer contract believed to be in the area of $23-$25 million per season. [...]

Other industry sources have mentioned the Los Angeles Dodgers as a possible Plan B for Jeter and Close, considering Jeter's warm relationship with Don Mattingly, who will succeed Joe Torre as manager for 2011, and his increasingly chilly relationship with the Yankees front office.

However, the Dodgers financial situation has changed due to the ongoing divorce battle between owner Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie. In March 2009, the Dodgers gave Manny Ramirez a two-year, $45 million contract, but placed him on waivers last August, where he was claimed by the Chicago White Sox.

The uncertain financial future of the Dodgers pending the divorce settlement makes a possible Jeter-to-L.A. scenario a long shot at best.

Said the source: "There just doesn't seem to be much out there for him besides the Yankees."

Don't fret, Derek! Juan Uribe didn't think he had a lot of options either, and look at that fat guy now!

Yankees Leave Field Victoriously After BP; Umps Award Them Win

What is it about Yankees vs. Rays that brings out the drama queens? The bad acting has happened again:

But Jorge Posada was just following Derek Jeter's lead:

Credit to Rays manager Joe Maddon for this quote:

"But we're in New York, we're also close to the theater district and more power to them."

Game 75 Thread: June 27 vs. Derek Jeter, 5p

Clayton Kershaw (7-4, 3.24) vs. Andy Pettitte (9-2, 2.48).

COMMENTS: Derek Sanderson Jeter (pronounced /ˈdʒiːtər/; born June 26, 1974) is an American professional baseball player. He is a Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop who has played his entire career for the New York Yankees. He has served as the Yankees' team captain since 2003. Jeter's presence in the Yankees' lineup, highlighted by his hitting prowess, played an instrumental role in the team's late 1990s dynasty. Jeter debuted in the Major Leagues in 1995, and the following year he won the Rookie of the Year Award and helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series. Jeter was also a member of championship-winning teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. In 2000, Jeter became the only player to win both the All-Star Game MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. He has been selected as an All-Star ten times, and he has won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards on four occasions. He is regarded as a consummate professional, by teammates and opponents alike, and has a reputation as a reliable contributor in the postseason. Jeter is considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He is the all-time hits leader among shortstops and his .317 career batting average through the 2009 season ranks as the fifth-highest among active players. He has been among the American League (AL) leaders in hits and runs scored for the past ten years. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig in 2009. Jeter was born at Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, in 1974. His father, Dr. Sanderson Charles Jeter, a substance abuse counselor, is African American; his mother, Dorothy, is Caucasian and of Irish/German descent. Charles and Dorothy met while serving in the United States Army in Germany. His father played shortstop at Fisk University in Tennessee. Derek has one sister, Sharlee, who is five years younger and was a softball star in high school. The family lived in North Arlington, New Jersey, before moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was four years old. As a child, Jeter and his sister would spend summers with their grandparents in New Jersey, who took them to Yankees games, making him a passionate fan of his future team. Jeter was inspired to play baseball by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. In high school, Jeter was a star baseball player at Kalamazoo Central High School, where he also played basketball, earning an All-State honorable mention. Years later in 2003, Jeter was inducted into the Kalamazoo Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Jeter had batting averages of .557 as a sophomore and .508 as a junior. As a senior, he batted .508; had 23 runs batted in, 21 walks, four home runs, and 12 stolen bases (in 12 attempts); and struck out only once. Jeter collected many awards at season's end, including the Kalamazoo Area B'nai B'rith Award for Scholar Athlete, the 1992 High School Player of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association, the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the Year award, and USA Today's High School Player of the Year. Jeter was discovered professionally by Hal Newhouser, who was working for the Houston Astros as a scout. Newhouser advocated his selection with the first pick of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft to Astros' management, convinced that Jeter would anchor a winning team. However, Jeter received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, and the speculation was that he would insist on a salary bonus of $1 million or more to sign. The Astros passed on Jeter in the draft, choosing Cal-State Fullerton outfielder Phil Nevin, who signed for $700,000. Newhouser felt so strongly about Jeter's potential that he quit his job after the Astros passed on him. Jeter was drafted by the New York Yankees with the sixth overall pick, and he chose to turn professional. In 2004, he said that he intends to attend college in the future. Jeter spent four years in the minor leagues, beginning in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League before advancing to the Class-A Greensboro Hornets in 1992. Jeter struggled in 1992, batting .202. In 1993, playing in Greensboro, Jeter collected various awards, including Most Outstanding Major League Prospect of the South Atlantic League. He was disappointed in himself for committing 56 errors in 1993, requiring an extra focus on his fielding. Despite this, Jeter was also voted the South Atlantic League's Best Defensive Shortstop, Most Exciting Player, and Best Infield Arm by Baseball America. In 1994, Jeter played for the Class-A Advanced Tampa Yankees, the Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees, and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, hitting .344 with five home runs, 68 runs batted in, and 50 stolen bases combined. He was honored with the Minor League Player of the Year Award by Baseball America, The Sporting News, USA Today, and Topps/NAPBL. He was also named the MVP of the Florida State League. The Yankees had projected Jeter as their starting shortstop for the 1995 season, but when he suffered a minor injury in the Arizona Fall League, the Yankees signed Tony Fernández to a two-year contract to play shortstop and kept Jeter in Triple-A. The Yankees reportedly offered Jeter the opportunity to work out with the replacement players in Spring Training prior to the 1995 season, but he declined to cross the picket line. On May 29, 1995, Jeter made his debut in the major leagues due to injuries to Fernández and Pat Kelly. Jeter batted .234 and committed two errors in 13 games before being demoted to Columbus. Despite the presence of Fernández on the roster, new Yankees manager Joe Torre announced that Jeter would be the starting shortstop in 1996. He started on Opening Day of the 1996 season as the starting shortstop (the first Yankee rookie since Tom Tresh in 1962 to do so) and hit his first major-league home run on that day. Jeter's home run was called by one of his Yankee predecessors at shortstop, broadcaster Phil Rizzuto. Jeter played his way to a successful rookie season, hitting for a .314 batting average, with 10 home runs, 104 runs scored, and 78 runs batted in. He subsequently earned Rookie of the Year honors. Jeter batted .361 in the playoffs, as the Yankees defeated the Atlanta Braves to win their first World Series championship since 1978. During the 1996 American League Championship Series, Jeter was involved in what has become a memorable moment in postseason history. During game one, with the Yankees trailing the Baltimore Orioles 4–3 in the 8th inning, Jeter hit a fly ball to right field. As right fielder Tony Tarasco moved to make a play on the ball near the fence, appearing to have a chance to catch the ball, 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall and caught the ball, pulling it back into the stands. Despite Tarasco's protest, the umpires convened and ruled the ball a home run. Replays conclusively showed that, had Maier not interfered, the ball would have fallen in front of the fence and potentially into Tarasco's glove for an out. The Yankees would go on to win in 11 innings and would eventually win the series, 4 games to 1. The ruling made for the first home run of Jeter's postseason career. In 1997, Jeter batted .291. However, the Yankees lost to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series. In 1998, Jeter batted .324, with a league-leading 127 runs, 19 home runs, and 84 runs batted in, for a team that won 114 games during the regular season and is widely considered to be one of the greatest of all time. In the playoffs, Jeter hit only .176 in the Division and League Championship Series, but he excelled in the World Series, batting .353, as the Yankees went on to beat the San Diego Padres in four games. In 1999, Jeter led the American League in hits (219) and was second in the league in batting average (.349) and runs scored (134). Jeter (who, for part of the year, batted third in the lineup) also drove in 102 runs, becoming only the second Yankee shortstop ever to do so (Lyn Lary had driven in 107 runs in 1931). His season totals in batting average, runs, hits, runs batted in, doubles (37), triples (9), home runs (24), slugging percentage (.552), and on-base percentage (.438) are all personal bests. Jeter batted .455 in the 1999 American League Division Series, .350 in the 1999 American League Championship Series, and .353 in the 1999 World Series, as the Yankees defeated the Braves to win another championship. During the 1999 season, Jeter had a confrontation with a teammate. Teammate Chad Curtis, an outspoken Christian, approached him about discussing his faith, but Jeter declined. When Curtis approached Jeter again, he became offended. Later in the season, a mid-game bench-clearing brawl with the Seattle Mariners occurred. After the brawl ended, Jeter was seen engaged in friendly chatter with his good friend (and future Yankee teammate) Alex Rodriguez, who then played for the Mariners. Upon returning to the dugout, Curtis chastized Jeter for being friendly with an opponent during a bench-clearing brawl, which violated an unwritten rule of baseball. After the game, Curtis approached Jeter in the clubhouse, with beat writers present. Jeter commented that this was not an appropriate time for a confrontation. Curtis later apologized. During the 1999–2000 offseason, the Yankees negotiated with Jeter, tentatively agreeing to a $118.5 million, seven-year contract. However, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner did not want to set a salary record, delaying until the acceptance of a $143 million, eight-year contract extension between the Detroit Tigers and Juan González. When that proposed deal fell through, Jeter's tentative deal fell through, and he agreed to a one-year deal for $10 million. Jeter batted .339, with 15 home runs, 73 runs batted in, 119 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases in 2000. He batted only .211 in the Division Series but rebounded to bat .318 against the Seattle Mariners in the Championship Series and .409, with two home runs, a triple, and two doubles in a five-game series against the New York Mets in the World Series, the first Subway Series since 1956. In 2000, Jeter became the first player ever to win the All-Star Game MVP award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. Jeter became the first Yankee since Yogi Berra, in 1959, to hit a home run in the All Star Game. Before the 2001 season, with one year remaining until he would become eligible for free agency, Jeter signed a $189 million, ten-year contract to remain with the Yankees, making him the second highest paid athlete, trailing only Rodriguez. Rodriguez signed his deal earlier than Jeter, setting a higher market for Jeter's negotiations. During the season, Jeter batted .311, with 21 home runs, 74 runs batted in, 110 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases. In the postseason, Jeter made a notable play in game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series against the Oakland Athletics. With Jeremy Giambi on first base, Oakland right fielder Terrence Long hit a double off Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina into the right-field corner. As Giambi rounded third base and headed for home, Yankees right fielder Shane Spencer retrieved the ball and made a wild throw intended for Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Instead, the errant throw missed cutoff man Tino Martinez and dribbled up the first-base line. Jeter came from shortstop to grab the ball and flipped it to Posada, who tagged Giambi on the leg just before he crossed home plate for the out. Facing elimination, the Yankees went on to win the game, as well as the series. The play was later voted #7 in Baseball Weekly's 10 Most Amazing Plays of all time. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the baseball season was put on hold. As a result, the start of the playoffs was delayed, and game 4 of the 2001 World Series was played on October 31. The game went into the tenth inning tied at 3–3. At midnight, the scoreboard in center field read "Attention Fans, Welcome to NOVEMBER BASEBALL." This was the first time that any non-exhibition MLB game had been played in the month of November. Moments after this message was displayed on the board, Jeter sent a 3–2 pitch from Byung-Hyun Kim over the right-field stands. A fan in the stands held up a sign with the words "Mr. November," a reference to Reggie Jackson's nickname, "Mr. October". Michael Kay, who called the walk-off home run, called Jeter by this name, referencing the sign. Despite the nickname, Jeter was 3 for 12 (.250) in November baseball that season, as the Yankees lost the World Series in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks (the home team won all seven games of the World Series). In 2002, Jeter batted .297, with 18 home runs, 75 runs batted in, 124 runs scored, and a career-best 32 stolen bases. He led the majors in stolen base percentage (91.4%), getting caught only three times. Jeter connects for a hit against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In 2003, Jeter dislocated his left shoulder on opening day when he collided with Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby at third base. Jeter, who had never played fewer than 148 games in the prior seven full seasons, was subsequently on the disabled list for six weeks, missing 36 games. Jeter returned to bat .324, losing the batting title to Bill Mueller, who batted .326. Steinbrenner named Jeter the 11th recognized captain in Yankees history on June 3, 2003, following eight seasons without a captain after the retirement of Don Mattingly in 1995. Dispute over the true count has been noted. The beginning of the 2004 season saw Jeter mired in a slump; on May 25, he was hitting only .189. This included a personal career record 0-for-32 skid in April. In June, however, Jeter broke out of his slump. He hit nearly .400 for the month and set a personal best with 9 home runs. He finished the season with a .292 average; 23 home runs, the 2nd most of his career; 78 runs batted in; 111 runs scored; and 44 doubles, a career best. During a July 1, 2004, game against the rival Boston Red Sox, Jeter made a play that furthered his reputation as a clutch player. In the top of the 12th inning, with the score tied at 3, the Red Sox had runners on second and third with 2 outs and right fielder Trot Nixon up at bat. Nixon hit a pop fly down the left field line. Jeter ran from his position at shortshop and made an over-the-shoulder catch. In dramatic fashion, he launched himself over the third-base side railing, landing three rows into the left-field seats, and lacerating his chin and bruising his face in the process. Jeter was later taken out of the game. This catch ended the inning, and later the Yankees went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th inning. The "Dive" was awarded Play Of The Year in the This Year In Baseball awards competition, as voted on by fans at MLB.com. In 2005, Jeter was second in the AL in both runs scored (122) and batting average on balls in play (.394), and was third in the league in both at bats (654) and hits (202). Jeter won his second-consecutive Gold Glove in 2005, as his low range factor rose to 4.76 and ranked 2nd among AL shortstops. In 2006, Jeter was second in the AL in both batting average (.343) and runs scored (118); was third in hits (214), stolen base success percentage (87.2), and batting average with runners in scoring position (.381); and was fifth in infield hits (26). He finished second in American League Most Valuable Player Award voting to Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins (320 points to 306 points). Jeter has finished in the top 10 in the MVP balloting 6 times in his 11 full seasons through 2006 (including also a third-place finish in 1998). In 2007, Jeter was third in the AL in hits (203), his sixth season and third-consecutive season with 200 hits, tying Lou Gehrig. He was also fourth in both at-bats (639) and plate appearances (714), sixth in times on base (276), and ninth in batting average (.322). In the field, he was involved in a career-high 104 double plays. In 2008, Jeter's slugging percentage was .410, his lowest since 1997. One possible cause was a prolonged slump that he suffered after being hit by a pitch on his wrist. Before the injury, Jeter was hitting .324 with a .774 on-base plus slugging (OPS). After the injury, his batting average dipped to as low as .269 by the end of the month. His offense took an upward turn after May as he hit .322 with a .824 OPS after June 1. Jeter was elected to his ninth All-Star game as the starting shortstop. Jeter tied Lou Gehrig for the most hits at Yankee Stadium (1,269) with a home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price on September 14, 2008. On September 16, he went on to break the record off of Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd. In 2009, Jeter was named #8 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball by a panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards. For the 2009 season, Yankees manager Joe Girardi switched Jeter and Johnny Damon in the batting order, with Damon moving to second and Jeter becoming the leadoff hitter, based on the rationale that Jeter has a higher on base percentage than Damon, but grounds into double plays more often. Jeter batted .334 (third in the AL), with a .406 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, 30 stolen bases (caught only 5 times), 107 runs scored (in the top 10 in MLB), and 212 hits (second in MLB). On August 16, 2009, against the Seattle Mariners, Jeter doubled down the right-field line for his 2,675th hit as a shortstop, breaking Luis Aparicio's previous record for the most hits by a shortstop in major league history. Jeter became the all-time hits leader as a member of the Yankees (2,722), passing Lou Gehrig on September 11, 2009. The hit was a single off Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman in the 3rd inning. In the 2009 postseason, Jeter batted .355, including .407 in the 2009 World Series, as he won his fifth World Series championship. He was named Sportsman of the Year for 2009 by Sports Illustrated magazine. Jeter also finished third in the AL MVP voting, behind the Minnesota's Joe Mauer and teammate Mark Teixeira. Jeter was the starting shortstop for the USA team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He hit .450 (9-for-20) for Team USA and scored five runs in six games. Only Ken Griffey, Jr. (.524) and Cuba's Yoandy Garlobo (.480) had a higher batting average with a minimum of 20 at bats. Jeter's play earned him recognition as the shortstop selection on the All-Tournament Team. Jeter was also the starting shortstop for Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. At the start of the tournament, he was named captain of Team USA by manager Davey Johnson. With Team USA, Jeter faced the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field in an exhibition game, the first time he played against the Yankees. Jeter is noted for his very consistent postseason performances: he has a career .309 postseason batting average, with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs. Except for 2008, the Yankees have been to the playoffs every year since Jeter joined the team. He has a Major League Baseball record 175 career postseason hits, at-bats (559), runs scored (99), and strikeouts (107). Despite winning four Gold Glove awards, Jeter's defense has been the subject of criticism from a number of sabermetricians, including Rob Neyer and the publication Baseball Prospectus. The book The Fielding Bible by John Dewan contains an essay by James in which he concludes that Jeter "was probably the most ineffective defensive player in the major leagues, at any position." A 2008 study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that, from 2002 through 2005, Jeter was the worst defensive shortstop in the Major Leagues. Jeter responded to this criticism by saying "I play in New York, man. Criticism is part of the game, you take criticism as a challenge." During the 2008 offseason, Jeter embarked on a rigorous training program to combat the effects of age, by focusing on lateral movement and first-step quickness. As a result, many baseball writers noted that Jeter had a strong defensive season in 2009, improving his mobility and reducing errors. Jeter maintains an apartment in Manhattan's Trump World Tower and homes in Marlboro, New Jersey, Greenwood Lake, New York, and the Davis Islands neighborhood of Tampa, Florida. Jeter's personal life has been a frequent topic in gossip columns and celebrity magazines since his rookie year in 1996. He had a well-publicized relationship with pop diva Mariah Carey from 1997 to 1998. Jeter also dated former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, singer Joy Enriquez and actress Jordana Brewster. He is rumored to have dated actresses Scarlett Johansson, Gabrielle Union, and Jessica Alba. Rumors also circulated that he was dating supermodel Tyra Banks after the two were spotted sitting next to each other at a New York Knicks game, but it turned out to be a coincidence; Jeter was attending the game with his father. Jeter also had an on-and-off relationship with television personality Vanessa Minillo from late 2003 until early 2006. From November 2006 to January 2007, Jeter was romantically involved with actress Jessica Biel. He has recently been connected to Friday Night Lights actress Minka Kelly. In December 2002, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner criticized Jeter for staying out until 3 a.m. at a birthday party during the 2002 season, saying that his star shortstop "wasn't totally focused" and that "it didn't sit well" with him. In May 2003, the two appeared in a VISA commercial together where they went club-hopping, mocking the incident in a fashion similar to how Steinbrenner and former Yankees manager Billy Martin had mocked their feud in a Miller Lite commercial during the 1970s. In 2008, Jeter settled a tax dispute with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. New York State alleged that Jeter should have paid state income tax from 2001 to 2003, as Jeter bought a Manhattan apartment in 2001; however, Jeter established his residence in Tampa, Florida, in 1994 and claimed that he was still a resident of Florida at the time, where there is no state income tax. Jeter is a close personal friend of Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and served as best man at Posada's wedding. Jeter began the Turn 2 Foundation, a charity organization, in 1996. The Foundation was established to help children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction, and to reward those who show high academic achievement. The organization's name derives from the baseball double play (where "turning two" refers to making two outs on one play) and indicates the goal of the Foundation to give youths a place to "turn to" instead of drugs and alcohol. During the 2009 season, Jeter and Mets star David Wright represented their foundations in a competition sponsored by Delta Air Lines; the player with the highest batting average received $100,000 for their foundation from Delta, while the runner-up's foundation received $50,000. Wright's group, the David Wright Foundation, focuses on multiple sclerosis. Jeter is also involved in Weplay, a website designed to encourage children to get involved in sports. Jeter has appeared in national ad campaigns for Nike, Gatorade, Fleet Bank, Discover Card, Florsheim, VISA (with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner), Skippy, Ford, and XM Satellite Radio. He endorses a cologne named Driven, designed in collaboration with and distributed by Avon. Jeter is one of only three athletes to have their own Jumpman shoe and has replaced Thierry Henry in the American market for Gillette Fusion commercials along with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer. In 2006, Jeter was the second-highest paid endorser in baseball, having earned $7 million in endorsements. Also, he was ranked as the most marketable player in baseball according to a 2005 Sports Business Survey. Derek Jeter was the cover athlete for 2K's MLB 2K5, MLB 2K6, and MLB 2K7. He was also the cover athlete for Acclaim Entertainment's All-Star Baseball series of video games. Jeter is currently the cover athlete for Gameloft's wireless phone baseball game, Derek Jeter Pro Baseball 2008. He has appeared on television in Seinfeld and as a host on Saturday Night Live. Jeter will be appearing in the upcoming comedy film The Other Guys, which is set to be released in August 2010. Jeter's likeness was seen briefly on The Simpsons during the eighth episode of season 19, titled "Funeral for a Fiend," in which he was parodied as a guest starring on Sesame Street. Jeter was the subject of a 2005 segment on the TV news magazine 60 Minutes. There is a wax figure of Jeter at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in New York.

thanks, Wikipedia!

PS (from Sax): Alex Cora and I will be representing the Sons tonight, field level third base side. Hope to see you there too; drop a line if you want to grab a beer!

Congrats, Sportsjeter of the Year

We tease Derek Jeter a lot here, but he comes off as a pretty classy guy in this interview with Tom Verducci.

Conjetulations

photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

World Series Game 6 Thread: Non-Jeters @ Jeters, 5p

Andy Pettitte (1-0, 6.00) vs. Pedro Martinez (0-1, 4.50).

The Secret of Their Success

Minka v. Kate

From "Kate Hudson Feels Minka Kelly Brushback" at the New York Post:

She made it past third base with Alex Rodriguez, but Kate Hudson isn't getting a warm reception at the plate from Minka Kelly, longtime squeeze of Yankee captain Derek Jeter. At home games in The Bronx, things between the two photogenic actresses are frostier than the new stadium's $9 beer, according to spies.

"There's been visible coldness between Minka and Kate," an insider told The Post's Lachlan Cartwright. "I don't know if it's a personal thing, or just an extension of the ongoing A-Rod-Jeter rivalry." Our source added, "People are choosing sides."

Hudson seems to have gotten an early thumbs-up from veteran Yankee wives Michelle Damon and Laura Posada, whose stamp of approval is crucial, a source said. Kevin Spence, who ranks player wives and girlfriends on WAGrankings.com, noted: "It would be the best reality show ever if they would allow a camera to follow them around. I think tensions and jealousy will grow in time.

Though on "Friday Night Lights," Minka has convincingly played a character who goes from virgin to whore and back again (sometimes in the same episode), the smart money's on Kate Hudson. After all, she's been in the trenches before when it comes to matters of the heart.

The Number One Reason to Play Little League

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