OT - Derek Jeter announces he will retire after 2014 season

[CorduroyG]

Damn, its sad when Donnie, Paul and Bernie retired. Now all the core four. I wonder if he would have stayed a few more years had the ankle injury not happened.

i think he would have kept playing, he was still playing at a fairly high level. take this for what its worth, but my cousin's husband works in medical field, and he told me that he heard from a guy that knows a guy that worked on jeter's ankle that said his ankle was completely wrecked and he'd never be the same. he told me this soon after he injured it in the playoffs so im thinking he was right.

 

[jimsonjunction]

He's a first ballot hall of famer, no doubt. A classy guy.

I never understood the fascination with Yankees fans trying to push Jeter as even greater than he his, and expecting the rest of the baseball world should feel the same. Most baseball fans think he is great, but not the elite of the elite (in terms of all timers) Why the fascination with expecting the rest of the baseball world to feel like this is a great moment in sports history.

Jordan retiring, Gretzky trade, Tiger getting outed for pounding 168 p-stars and skanks. Those were monumental days in sports history as it touched all fans of those sports. (good or bad)

I think the fascination comes from the clutch factor. It's why people hold Jordan, Tiger, etc in such high regard...when the moment was biggest, they seemingly stepped up their game. Jeter has a bunch of memorable, clutch plays, and that's pretty rare in baseball. Plus, he's statistically one of the top 5 SS's of all time (probably top 3). He'll probably retire 6th on the all time hits list, which is ridiculous.

 

[Shawn91111]

He's a first ballot hall of famer, no doubt. A classy guy.

I never understood the fascination with Yankees fans trying to push Jeter as even greater than he his, and expecting the rest of the baseball world should feel the same. Most baseball fans think he is great, but not the elite of the elite (in terms of all timers) Why the fascination with expecting the rest of the baseball world to feel like this is a great moment in sports history.

Jordan retiring, Gretzky trade, Tiger getting outed for pounding 168 p-stars and skanks. Those were monumental days in sports history as it touched all fans of those sports. (good or bad)

Go look at the comment section of ESPN's story and pick out the people who aren't Yankee fans. Really not one negative thing said, that he is a class act and respected by all and it is a great loss as he's a dying breed in a sports world that's "all about me" and not about the team.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

This makes me feel old

If you think that's bad, wait until Boeheim retires.

Does Ennis play shortstop?

 

[LennX6]

This makes me feel old

You're good
When I was born Rizzuto was the SS :-/

 

[LennX6]

I think the fascination comes from the clutch factor. It's why people hold Jordan, Tiger, etc in such high regard...when the moment was biggest, they seemingly stepped up their game. Jeter has a bunch of memorable, clutch plays, and that's pretty rare in baseball. Plus, he's statistically one of the top 5 SS's of all time (probably top 3). He'll probably retire 6th on the all time hits list, which is ridiculous.

Seriously he gets overlooked as one of the greatest of all time. His clutchness, the teams he played on, hell, his stats, he really is. Everybody flips over Ripken, Jeter is leaps and bounds past him. Tell ya, without looking it up I can't even think of the 2 SS who may be better than him. Aparicio, no. We all thought Garciaparra, A-Rod would, but see how that turned out. Reese , Boudreau from the past not really. Honus Wagner is perhaps the only one I thought of as he was one of the 2 best players of his era.

 

[senorpalmer]

Kudos to him for not hanging around longer than he should. He's already probably past the point where he shouldn't play ss anymore. Im no yankee fan but I hope he can have a healthy season and not spend too much of it on the dl.

 

[LennX6]

i think he would have kept playing, he was still playing at a fairly high level. take this for what its worth, but my cousin's husband works in medical field, and he told me that he heard from a guy that knows a guy that worked on jeter's ankle that said his ankle was completely wrecked and he'd never be the same. he told me this soon after he injured it in the playoffs so im thinking he was right.

That's the thing about 40yrs old. Well 2 things.
First when you were young, if you hurt your leg, you remembered. You knew when it happened, how, what time etc
When your 40, injuries appear out of nowhere. Go to bed great, wake up your knee buckles.
Second is after 40, once you get hurt, get sick...you never really are the same as before it happens. It might be an incremental slip, but its there.
Most 40 yr olds wouldn't have come back from the first injury, and most 40yr olds not named Derek Jeter would have been asked to come back.