Like Jeter and Manning, Kobe Leaves Us With Thrilling Finish

The great ones don't need to leave the sports world with an exclamation point in their final game. Their body of work speaks for itself and the one final memory isn't necessary to cement greatness. It is an added bonus. Some of the best have struggled with retirement, unsure of when to call it quits. Brett Favre and Michael Jordan come to mind. Others, like Barry Sanders, seem to leave us too soon. In the past few years, we have been blessed to watch three stars in three different sports retire at the right time, and give us one more memory to hold on to.

Kobe Bryant became the latest superstar to close out his career -- 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers that included five championships, an MVP award and back-to-back scoring titles. His 60-point game in the season finale was a vintage Kobe performance that included deep threes, fadeaway jumpers and enough bricks to build a house. But nevermind the bricks or the inefficiency because the point is this: Kobe gave us one more lasting memory. Sports are meant to be fun and Wednesday night at the Staples Center was fun with a extra side of amazing.

Earlier this year, Peyton Manning closed the book on an illustrious career, riding off into the sunset after a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers. Manning, who has gone through his fair share of injuries in recent years like Bryant, wasn't the Manning of 2008, but he was still something to marvel at.

In 2014, Derek Jeter finished his 20 year career with an opposite field walk-off single in the final game of the regular season. The hit was textbook Jeter and added to an already rich legacy in Yankee pinstripes. Sure, it wasn't 2001 Derek Jeter diving into the seats and going to the playoffs, but it was a final memory that we will never forget.

For me, I don't know the NBA without Kobe Bryant, I don't know the NFL without Peyton Manning and I did not know the MLB without Derek Jeter. Those three have been in the league since I was a young boy. I have binders at home with their trading cards, I have worn their jerseys and I have watched them play countless times. It never gets old watching the great ones.

But when Jeter hit the ball through the right side on September 26, 2014, I knew I would never see him swing a bat again. As Peyton held up the Lombardi trophy in February, it was clear that this was it. And as Kobe poured in basket after basket Wednesday night, I wanted the game to last forever. I wanted three overtimes and I never wanted to stop watching Kobe play. But the clock hit zero on the game and simultaneously hit zero on Kobe's career.

After 20 years for Jeter and Bryant, and 17 for Manning that's it. There is no more, but there are the memories and the final ones are memories I'll have forever.

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. 

MLB All-Star Break Swings and Misses

Another Midsummer Classic has come and gone for Major League Baseball and it is always hit or miss when it comes to the All-Star festivities. Minneapolis seemed to be a great host in a great ballpark, but there was plenty that went wrong. It is clear that there needs to be a change if the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are going to continue as must-see television. Here are a few of my thoughts on the happenings this weekend.

1. The Home Run Derby was awful
Normally, the Home Run Derby is the most fun part of the All-Star festivities, but this year it was a complete disaster. The weather, which is beyond anyone's control, caused the Derby to start an hour late. Once the competition finally began the league had tinkered with the format, which was regrettable to say the least. Rather than eight competitors, the event had ten with five players from each league. To combat the extra two players, MLB decided to give hitters only seven outs in the first round instead of the usual ten.

This hardly seemed to work as many players had low home run totals and the event still took hours. That brings me to my next point: the event is too long. The Home Run Derby lasted nearly as long as the entire All-Star Game. The new format may have been the cause of this, but whatever MLB decides to do, they need to limit the Derby to only eight players.

The new bracketed format worked against the MLB as Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Bautista each had to wait nearly two hours before they hit for the second time. Consequently, fans were hardly given the show they came to see and hurt the event. Low home run totals at a Home Run Derby is nothing to brag about and MLB will have to go back to the drawing board before Cincinnati in 2015.

2. Adam Wainwright did nothing wrong
There always has to be a story and sometimes the media has to dig pretty deep and blow something way out of proportion to make a story. This is exactly what has happened with Adam Wainwright's "pipe shot" to Derek Jeter when he led off the first inning. Before Jeter came to bat Wainwright performed one of the classiest gestures by stepping back off the mound and dropping his glove to join in the standing ovation for the soon-to-be retired Jeter. It was a beautiful moment.

To make it even more beautiful, Jeter sent a leadoff double down the line and would finish the game 2-2. Shortly after Wainwright exited the game he made a comment to reporters that he basically threw the ball right down the middle for Jeter to hit. So what? Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, but who cares if he did? It doesn't take away from the fact that it was a great night in honor of Jeter and it doesn't take away from Wainwright's classy move before the inning began.

In fact, here's why what Wainwright said is awesome: it shows that All-Star Game counting for World Series home-field advantage is the stupidest thing. That is a rule that has to go as soon as Bud Selig gets out of office. This is a fun exhibition game that is for the fans and for the players to have fun. It shouldn't count for home-field advantage and it's time to realize how silly that rule is. Props to Wainwright for a great moment and for shedding light on the fact that the game counting is dumb.

3. ESPN and FOX struggled
The coverage of the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game wasn't terrible, but there were silly mistakes and omissions in both telecasts. During ESPN's broadcast of the Derby they messed up graphics three different times. They listed Jose Bautista as a Yankees player, Troy Tulowitzki has an American League player and referred to the Marlins as the Florida Marlins. These are small things, but not mistakes you want happening with all eyes on your network. In addition, when MLB did their Stand Up To Cancer moment, Chris Berman and John Kruk's mics were still on and during what should have been a moving moment, the whole world could hear Berman say, "Should we stand up for this?" and then grunt while getting out of his chair.

The next night FOX did a decent job with the broadcast as Joe Buck always delivers. However, the night had some glaring omissions. Amid all the Jeter talk, FOX never once honored Tony Gwynn, Ralph Kiner or Don Zimmer who all passed away in the past year. The three legends of the game couldn't get a mention, but Jeter was the subject of talk all night. Not taking anything away from Jeter, but it certainly would have been a nice tribute if FOX would have honored the other three or at least mentioned them.

Lastly, CBS sent out a tweet that said it was Michael Jeter's last All-Star Game and Sports Illustrated tweeted that Mike Trout had won the MVP after going 3-2. That truly is an MVP-type game for Trout if that's the case.

All in all, it was a poor All-Star break and MLB has work to do to fix the Midsummer Classic. A change in commissioner could bring about new ideas and new life and that would certainly be welcomed. Improvements are needed across the board.

Armstrong Next in Long Line of Fallen Heroes

On Thursday morning when America turns on Oprah they will hear the sad and disappointing news come from Lance Armstrong's mouth that he used PEDs during his magical, yet now fraudulent, domination of seven straight Tour de France titles. Though the news is disappointing, is it really that surprising? Can we as fans really be surprised by this news? To me, Armstrong is the next superstar in a long line who have let us down. Heroes who we held on a pedestal constantly let us down with their actions off the field or their actions of cheating. It's a disturbing cycle in American sports today.

How does a man who has apparently been doping for years vehemently deny it to the media over and over again? Sure, Armstrong is still a hero and an inspiration, but he is also a fraud, a liar, a cheater and a snake. He flat out lied for years and he led us on a trail of glory only to run us into a dead end like so many others we idolized.

Who can we trust in today's sports world? The baseball Hall of Fame voting was marred by the discussions of steroids and players we once held up as heroes such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens were left out because of their PED use. Sosa and Mark McGwire took us on a journey during the summer of '98 that was unlike any other. Nothing was more fun than watching those two bash home runs unfathomable distances day after day, but now we look back on that summer in disgust and view it as one big lie.

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were two of the main Idiots on the loveable 2004 Boston Red Sox World Series team and they helped the team beat the Curse of the Bambino. The two terrorized opposing pitching staffs with clutch home runs, but like McGwire and Sosa, that all seems like a fraud now. It's another positive memory that has been made negative by the findings later on.

It's not just cheating that turns us away. Tiger Woods let us down perhaps more than any other athlete when his life came crashing down on Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago. While athletes are free to do what they want with their personal lives, we love those who hold themselves to a higher moral standard. We thought that was Tiger Woods. The clean-cut, well-spoken, family man who collected major championships like a 10-year-old collects baseball cards no longer was the model athlete. He was a man with a dark, hidden private life and he became tabloid fodder. Again, we suddenly couldn't look back on those clutch putts with the same joy we once did. There was something different.

Let us not overlook the wrongdoings and downfall of the Penn State football program and Joe Paterno as well. The model program in State College went down in shambles when the news broke of Jerry Sandusky's child abuse scandal. Paterno was the perfect coach, but even he could not escape the blame and the scandal led to his firing and his records have vanished. Are those glory years at Penn State still viewed the same? It would be hard to ignore the once covered up sins.

And we look at all these examples of athletes letting us down and it makes you wonder why we choose to attack a guy like LeBron James. On this very blog we have criticized the man, but in the grand scheme of things what has he done wrong? If anything, LeBron is a ray of hope. He has no off-the-court incidents and we would love to keep that way. The same can be said for guys like Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant and Aaron Rodgers. They are our heroes who have never let us down.

So when Armstrong admits to years of doping he will just be the next man in a long line of athletes who have disappointed us with their actions. Is he still a symbol of hope and inspiration? Sure he is, but something tells me we won't look back on those Tour de France titles the same way we once did. Something tells me we won't ever look at the Livestrong brand the same way. But most importantly, something tells me he won't be the last of our heroes to let us down.

Active MLB First Ballot Hall of Famers

It is a common understanding that Major League Baseball has the hardest Hall of Fame to be a member of and rarely do more than two or three players get in per year. Sometimes the Hall of Fame status is thrown around much too loosely. There are good players, there are great players, and then there are Hall of Fame players. It's an exclusive group, one that includes just 202 players and 289 members overall. Only once have there been three first-ballot nominees elected in the same year (1999), not including the first year in 1936. So it's rare that players be elected so soon after retirement. I recently read a blog post that listed Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia and Miguel Cabrera as first-ballot Hall of Famers. I scoffed at that simply because it's much too early to classify those players like that. Are they on the right track? Yes. But the road ahead is a long one. What a player does in the back half of his career will decide whether or not he is a Hall of Famer or not. Many have started out strong, only to fizzle out as their bodies grow older. The list of current first-ballot players is short in my mind. Here it is...


Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees
Current Season: 18th Year
Career Stats: .313 batting average, 3,222 hits, 1,828 runs, 346 steals, .382 OBP
Awards: '96 Rookie of the Year, 13-time All-Star, 5 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers, 5 World Series
Derek Jeter has defined winning throughout his career. Perhaps the most respected man in the game of baseball, Jeter eclipsed the 3,000 hit mark last season with a 5-5 day that was capped off with a home run. In my mind, the 3,000 hit plateau should put a player in automatically considering that only 28 men have ever achieved the feat. However, that's not all there is to Jeter. He holds the record for career postseason hits with 191 in 152 games. Obviously the fact that he has played with the Yankees has helped his cause, but that is a record that may never be broken, especially when you consider that he is still building upon it. His defense has produced five Gold Gloves and has given us some of the most memorable highlights in baseball. His unbelievable flip against the A's and his headfirst dive into the stands behind third base will be shown forever. His class, records and winning ensure that he will be in Cooperstown as soon as possible.

Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: .322 batting average, 2,544 hits, 441 stolen bases, 1,180 runs, .365 OBP, 100 assists
Awards: '01 MVP, '01 Rookie of the Year, 10-time All-Star, 10 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers
Ichiro may have the most impressive resume when you consider he is only in his 12th full season and he missed about three or four seasons in his prime. He captured the league by storm in his first season, winning the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards. He has led the league in batting average twice, hitting an absurd .372 back in 2004. He has stolen 40+ bases five times and led the league in 2001 with 56. His outstanding arm has generated 100 assists from the outfield and counting. While he has not played on very many winning teams and the Mariners made the playoffs just once in the time he was there. While Jeter has played in 152 postseason games, Ichiro has played in just 10. Now a Yankee, he will most likely finish his career in pinstripes. At 2,544 hits he needs just 456 hits until 3,000. His 162 game average is 222 so if he keeps pace he will need just two seasons after this to reach the milestone.

Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: .326 batting average, 2,193 hits, 1,353 runs, 469 home runs, 1,405 RBI
Awards: '01 RoY, 9-time All-Star, 3-time MVP ('05,'08,'09), 3 Gold Gloves, 6 Silver Sluggers, 2 WS
It's hard to believe Pujols is only in his 12th season because his numbers tell a much different story. He has a lifetime batting average of .326, is just 31 home runs away from 500, and could reach the 3,000 hit mark in about four years. If so, he would be only the fifth player to achieve both the milestones (Aaron, Mays, Murray, Palmeiro). Pujols is a three-time MVP, but perhaps more impressive is the fact that he has finished in the top ten of MVP voting every single year and finished top five in nine of those years. He hit at least .300 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first ten seasons and last year came up a point and RBI shy. He is now in the American League and playing on one of the most exciting teams, the Angels. As he heads into the last stretch of his career he will cement himself as one of the greatest players of all-time.

Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves
Current Season: 19th Season
Career Stats: .305 batting average, 2,693 hits, 1,600 runs, 1,609 RBI, 464 home runs, .405 OBP
Awards: '99 MVP, 8-time All-Star, 2 Silver Sluggers, 1995 World Series title
Chipper is probably the only player on this list that doesn't have the eye-popping statistic that ensures he will be enshrined. He will retire at the end of this season, his 19th in the league and with the Braves, and while he won't finish with either 500 home runs or 3,000 hits, he will be in an elite group of third basemen. Chipper has always been a hitter, batting over .300 ten times in his career and on his way to number eleven. He led the league in 2008 with an outstanding .364 average. He won the 1999 MVP award after batting .319 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI. He has a lifetime .305 batting average and has averaged over 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his career. If Chipper's numbers and lack of awards don't seem worthy of the Hall then consider this: while George Brett has more hits than Chipper, Jones has the same batting average as Brett and has more home runs, RBI, runs, and a better OBP.

Alex Rodriguez, SS/3B, New York Yankees
Current Season: 19th Year
Career Stats:.301 batting average, 2,872 hits, 1,878 runs, 1,937 RBI, 644 home runs, 314 stolen bases
Awards: 14-time All-Star, 3-time MVP ('03,'05,'07), 2 Gold Gloves, 10 Silver Sluggers, '09 WS title
There are two things that separate A-Rod from the rest of the players on this list: how great his numbers are and steroids. An admitted steroid user during his three seasons in Texas, Rodriguez does have a tainted career. However, I have included him on this list because he has still produced after the steroids. He was excellent before them and has been excellent after them. I think that guys like McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro will find it hard to be elected, but A-Rod admitted it and, as far as we know, has stopped. Because of that, I think he will be elected. He definitely has the numbers. He has led the league in home runs five times and could eclipse 700 by the time it's all said and done (he needs 56). He has led the league in batting average once and RBIs twice. He has over 300 steals on top of all the hitting and he has a chance to finish with a .300+ batting average, 700 home runs, 2,000 RBIs, and 3,000 hits. Those are numbers that few men will ever achieve.

Mariano Rivera, P, New York Yankees
Current Season: 18th Year
Career Stats: 76-58 Win-Loss, 2.21 ERA, 608 saves
Awards: 12-time All-Star, All-time saves leader, 5 World Series titles
Domination. Mariano Rivera has dominated competition for 18 years now and has been a part of five Yankees World Series championship teams. He is the all-time leader in saves with 608 and that is a number that will continue to grow once he comes back from an ACL tear. He has been the closer for the best dynasty in awhile and even at the age of 42 he still dominates with his devastating cutter and nearly ensures a Yanks win once he comes out of the bullpen. He is the best relief pitcher of all-time and, as the game changes, he has set the standard for closers. For that reason he will be elected into the Hall as soon as possible.

The Next Three (Questionables)
Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado Rockies
Current Season: 16th Year
Career Stats: .320 batting average, 2,420 hits, 1,360 runs, 1,345 RBI, 354 home runs, .419 OBP
Awards: 5-time All-Star, 3 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers
Helton has decent numbers, but they don't stack up to the players listed above. He is an above average fielder and can flat out hit the ball, but will voters hold the fact that he played in Coors Field against him? I don't think a player should be penalized for that, but it will definitely be a discussion among the voters. Helton lacks the accolades of other players in his era. Perhaps he will get in at some point, but not first ballot.

Paul Konerko, 1B, Chicago White Sox
Current Season:16th Year
Career Stats: .284 batting average, 2,142 hits, 1,088 runs, 1,314 RBI, 413 home runs
Awards: 6-time All-Star, 2005 World Series title
Konerko may not be a Hall of Famer at all, but he has been a steady player his entire career. He has been the face of the White Sox since Frank Thomas left and he was a key component of the 2005 World Series team. Konerko could play a few more years and potentially build on his numbers, which would make the discussion may be a little easier.

Carlos Beltran, CF, New York Mets
Current Season: 15th Year
Career Stats: .283 batting average, 2,025 hits, 1,247 runs, 1,233 RBI, 327 HRs, 303 stolen bases
Awards: '99 Rookie of the Year, 7-time All-Star, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 Silver Sluggers
Beltran has quietly put together a nice career and is having one of his best seasons for the Cardinals here in 2012. The 1999 Rookie of the Year for the Royals has three Gold Gloves to his name and surpassed the 2,000 hit mark this season. Were it not for injuries, we may be giving Beltran a closer look.

On the Right Track (Too Early to Tell)
Justin Verlander, P, Detroit Tigers
Current Season: 8th Year
Career Stats: 118-64 Win-Loss, 3.44 ERA, 1,367 SO
Awards: '06 Rookie of the Year, '11 Cy Young Award, '11 MVP, 5-time All-Star
It's a long road ahead, but Verlander averages 18 wins per season. At that pace, he will need to pitch nine more seasons like that to reach the 300 win mark. He has a Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and MVP trophy in his collection and has appeared in the World Series once as well. The 3,000 strikeout plateau is also one that could be attainable for Verlander. At the pace he is going he will need just eight more seasons to hit 3,000.

Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers
Current Season: 10th Year
Career Stats: .317 batting average, 1,736 hits, 923 runs, 1,075 RBI, 304 home runs, .394 OBP
Awards: 7-time All-Star, 3 Silver Sluggers, 2003 World Series title
Cabrera is well on his way to the 500 home run mark and could reach it in about six seasons. 3,000 hits is a little bit more of a stretch but he is on pace to reach it in about seven seasons. Having Prince Fielder behind him in the lineup will help him greatly. Combine the hitting stats with the All-Star appearances and the Silver Sluggers and you may have a Hall of Famer in the making.

C.C. Sabathia, P, Cleveland Indians
Current Season: 12th Year
Career Stats: 187-99 Win-Loss, 3.51 ERA, 2,150 SO
Awards: 2007 Cy Young Award, 6-time All-Star, 2009 World Series title
Sabathia is in his 12th season but 300 wins may be a reachable goal. He is on pace to reach it in 2018 which will mean he would have to keep his 17-game win average going until his is 37 years old. That's not going to be easy. I think 250 wins is going to become the new 300 and Sabathia should achieve that. 3,000 strikeouts should be easier for the big lefty. He is on pace to reach that by 2016. If he can add another Cy Young to his collection that would help his case tremendously.

There are obviously several more players who could be added to the last list and maybe a few more on the Questionables list. I really don't think there's anybody else who is a lock right now though. The team listed next to the player is the one I think they will go in as for the Hall of Fame as of now. If you have any comments or arguments feel free to post below!

Jeter and Thome Approach Milestones Amid Fanfare

Milestones in baseball are something to cheer about most of the time. When a player passes 500 home runs, 300 wins, 3,000 hits or 4,000 strikeouts we all stop and think about the magnitude of that particular achievement. It really is unbelievable. Lately though we haven't been so impressed or happy with MLB players passing milestones due to steroid use. Barry Bonds broke arguably the most glorified record in sports when he passed Hank Aaron's 755 home run mark, but as a nation we could only frown upon his feat because of his alleged steroid use. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were heroes in 1998 and they treated us to one of the most exciting summers ever yet they are villains now after their steroid use and embarrassing showings on Capitol Hill. The same can be said for several other hitters such as Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez and maybe even Alex Rodriguez. Thankfully the steroid era seems to be over and in 2011 two players who have remained clean and have always been fan favorites are chasing major milestones. Derek Jeter, the New York Yankee captain, is approaching 3,000 hits and Jim Thome, a rare home run hitter never linked to steroids, is coming up on 600 home runs.

For all kids who aspire to be a baseball player Derek Jeter is the prime example of how to play the game and how to behave off of it. Name the last time Jeter's name popped up in a police report that ESPN got a hold of....never. Name the last time Jeter ripped his team, teammates or organization publicly....never. He is the ultimate class act and he defines the Yankee way. He is currently 14 hits shy and would be the first Yankee to reach the hit milestone, an incredible accomplishment considering the hitters that have put on the pinstripes. Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio and Mantle were all short and when Jeter's playing days are over he must be considered one of the top three Yankee hitters of all time. That may sound absurd but the man knocks out hits and comes up in the clutch. We can cheer Jeter also because he a great man and he has always been a positive example on and off the field. His name has never come up in steroid talk nor does he have any legal blemishes. Every ball fan can stand and cheer when Jeter does reach 3,000.

The same can be said for Thome. He is a great example and he has been voted by his peers as one of the nicest guys in the game. When he does reach 600 home runs he will join Bonds, Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa in the club. Three of those players have used or allegedly used PEDs (Bonds, Rodriguez and Sosa) but Thome has never been linked to them despite playing the prime of his career in the Steroid Era. He has played for the Indians, Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers and Twins and been a clubhouse favorite at every stop. With the exception of Griffey's 500th and 600th home runs and Frank Thomas' 500th dinger, every home run milestone since 1998 has been tainted by steroids. That's seven players that reached the 500 mark and beyond with steroid use/suspicion. Thome's 500th homer was greeted with applause and his 600th should be an even happier occasion.

It's exciting to watch this unfold because for so long baseball fans have had to watch as a cheater rounded the bases in celebration and then lied when asked if steroids were of any help to reaching that milestone. Now don't get me wrong, I think all of those players were great and they definitely did have outstanding skills but when steroids aid a player's performance it makes that milestone less significant. 500 home runs has become a routine thing in baseball and that's sad. With Jeter and Thome, fans can cheer for both because both are clean and on top of that have always had a good reputation on and off the field. It's the perfect thing for the game of baseball as they exit the Steroid Era.

Jeter could reach 3,000 hits in the next two weeks and Thome could have 600 by the end of the month. It would be amazing if they both could do it on the same day somehow but that might be asking for too much. One thing is for sure and that's that both of these feats will be celebrated across the nation and that hasn't happened to two players since Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs reached 3,000 a day a part from each other.

Harmon Killebrew: A Twin For Life

Harmon Killebrew

This past Tuesday the world lost a baseball legend when former Twins Hall of Famer, Harmon Killebrew died of esophagal cancer at 74 years of age. 21 of his 22 MLB seasons were played in Minnesota and his name is basically synonomous with the Twins organization. That is something that, in the past, was common because players weren't traded or moving around in free agency as much. Nowadays that hardly the case. No small market team is lucky enough to keep a Hall of Fame-caliber player these days because they almost always leave for a bigger market and more money in free agency. In the past there are a handful of small-market teams who have had a player that spent his entire Hall of Fame career with them but that is a dying thing.

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the great franchises of all time and Stan Musial is the player that everybody thinks of when they think of the Cardinals. Musial spent all 22 of his MLB seasons in St. Louis and put up phenomenal numbers. For those older Cardinal fans he is the face of a proud franchise. For the younger generation of Redbird Nation the name that goes with the team is Albert Pujols. Pujols is in his 11th season and all have been in St. Louis. He has won the Rookie of the Year award, three MVPs, a World Series title and has compiled 415 home runs already. He is the perfect man to join Musial in the fan's mind but there have been talks of him departing St. Louis for more money. To make that talk even worse, many have speculated that he could join the rival Chicago Cubs and, during the Cardinals-Cubs series in Chicago, he was seen hugging Cubs' GM Jim Hendry. Not exactly what the Cardinals fans want to see.

Al Kaline has to be mentioned right along with Killebrew and Musial after he played 22 seasons, all in Detroit. He had 3,007 hits and 399 home runs in his Hall of Fame career and his number 6 is retired forever in Detroit. Kaline played at the same time as Killebrew and both men could hit the ball with the best of them. In Detroit, Kaline is a hero but there may never be another player like him for the Tigers. Those type of players are just hard to come by.

There are several other players like the three mentioned above. Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr., George Brett are three others who spent their entire careers in smaller markets. Today there is Pujols in St. Louis, Justin Verlander in Detroit, Todd Helton in Colorado and perhaps Joe Mauer in Minnesota. Derek Jeter and Chipper Jones have spent their entire careers in New York and Atlanta respectively but those are bigger markets who have had several great players. In the Yankees organization Jeter will go down as just another great player along with Dimaggio, Mantle and Ruth. Chipper will not so much be remembered for his individual achievements, but more for the team success he enjoyed in the 90's.

It is sad that money drives players so much these days that they don't show the same loyalty that they used to. A player playing in the same city for his whole career is the rarest thing in sports almost, especially if that city is in a smaller market such as Kansas City or Cleveland. Harmon Killebrew is a legend in Minneapolis and will forever be remembered as arguably the greatest Twins player of all-time.