Jeter's Departure Worth the Hype

As a kid growing up, the name "Derek Jeter" was commonplace, even renowned, in the game of baseball. The New York Yankees shortstop has been in the league for all but two years of my life and, as hard as it is to believe, his career is coming to a close. The season has been an emotional one for both Yankee and baseball fans alike, yet tonight will be the climax of the year with Jeter taking the field at Yankee Stadium one last time. With every road trip the Yankees have made, Jeter has been presented gifts from each ball club and has received a warm reception from most, if not all, fan bases across the country. While the hype surrounding his retirement has been a season-long deal, many people are beginning to be bothered by it. How? How can you possibly be bothered by the celebration of one of the best ballplayers to ever set foot on a field?


When I was little, Derek Jeter was that player whose batting stance you emulated. Derek Jeter was that player that you tried to  be like when you'd field a ground ball by jumping off one foot and throwing across your body. Derek Jeter was that player that you loved to watch simply because he loved to play the game and he played the game the right way. We've seen the highlights and we've watched him grow from the scrawny Kalamazoo kid into the first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has been consistent for just about his entire career and deserves every bit of the attention he's getting.

Jeter's hard-nosed play happened every single day

It doesn't make sense to be annoyed by Jeter's retirement coverage. It goes to show that in this day in age we as a society feed off the negative news rather than celebrating the positive news. For some people, Sportscenter's not as fun when they're not discussing Johnny Manziel's latest antics or talking about which NFL player was charged with assault this week. People love the gossip, they love the rumors and speculation, they love the negativity.

Maybe it's because the MLB has taken a backseat to the NFL and NBA recently. Interest in baseball has gone down and continues to do so. It's heart-breaking to say the least. For years the game was unclean and cheaters were easier to come by than guys who were playing the game the right way. Records were being broken but not with integrity. For these very reasons, Jeter has earned this kind of exit.

Jeter has given all of us an athlete that we can invest in. He has given us a role model that is consistent both at the plate and in his demeanor. He has given us a little hope that not every professional athlete is worried only about money. Derek Jeter is as classy an athlete as any of us will ever get the chance to watch. He has handled himself with professionalism and poise in a uniform that draws more criticism and hate than any other professional uniform in American sports, and that can even include criticism from the home crowd. I have been to Yankee Stadium and Yankee fans are as ruthless as any fans I have ever seen. They don't care that you're wearing the navy blue pinstripes, they care that you do your job and post a W. If they don't approve of your performance, they'll let you know. They're as faithful as any, but their respect has to be earned. Jeter did just that and then some.

Playing in one of the biggest cities in the world, under a spotlight few have ever known, Jeter never once took a day off from being a professional. You never saw him in the news for drugs, he was never assaulting women, and his name was never even dreamed of being linked to steroids. In a big market, on such a big stage, most would crumble under the pressure. Jeter welcomed it and used it to fuel what has been a magnificent career. He's tallied over 3,000 hits and could put a World Series ring on half of his fingers. He has won games with his bat, and saved games with his glove. But more importantly, he was loyal to the Yankees while doing it.

Perhaps Jeter's most impressive highlight, bloody face and all

Jeter was present for the turn over in the front office after George Steinbrenner passed away and he was there to see his manager Joe Torre retire. In professional sports today, players try to run coaches out or even try to have a hand in hiring a new coach themselves. #2 never made such moves. He was all in for the Yankees, he welcomed Joe Girardi and continued to be a leader. He never questioned his coaches or the front office, he went out and did his job. If more athletes carried themselves like Jeter then the light that's shed on professional sports would be a little more positive.

It's because of Jeter's integrity and hard-working nature that he will be greatly missed by the game of baseball. If you're tired of hearing about him, then you don't appreciate the greatness that is Derek Jeter. Whether he's the greatest shortstop ever will be debated by most, but the impact he had on the game should never be called into question. We have celebrated his career because of the way he carried himself and because of the way he has continually shown everyone how to be a role model and do things the right way. Watching Derek Jeter walk off the field for the final time tonight will leave a hole not only in the Yankees' lineup, but in the game of baseball. Thank you, Derek Jeter, for the all the memories and hard work. Here's to you, #2.