{"id":28251,"date":"2020-01-20T19:54:48","date_gmt":"2020-01-21T00:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/?p=28251"},"modified":"2020-01-20T19:54:48","modified_gmt":"2020-01-21T00:54:48","slug":"derek-jeters-roadto-cooperstown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2020\/01\/20\/derek-jeters-roadto-cooperstown\/","title":{"rendered":"Derek Jeter’s Road to Cooperstown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Derek Jeter Early Career<\/span><\/h2>\n

Derek Jeter<\/a><\/strong> had mixed scouting reports coming out of High School. Legend has it that some scouts, while acknowledging his talents, believed the young shortstop from Kalamazoo, MI, to be too scrawny for Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees<\/a> decided to take a chance and drafted Derek Jeter as the 6th overall pick of the 1992 draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1994 Derek was awarded Minor League Player of the Year, following a fantastic season where he compiled a .344 AVG., with 50 SB according to a biography.com story<\/a><\/span> . He would rise quickly through the minors until getting his big chance when he got called up to the show. His first appearance with the Yankees was May 29th, in a regular-season game against the Seattle Mariners<\/a>. He played just 15 games the rest of that season but the Yanks had seen enough, Derek was their shortstop of the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rookie Success\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The following year was Derek\u2019s first full season in the Majors. He batted .310 and added 10 home runs. His bat, combined with solid defensive play, helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves<\/a>. This was the Yankee\u2019s first World Series Championship since 1978 and would prove to be the first of many for the Jeter\/Yankee tandem. To cap off a memorable season, Derek was awarded the American League Rookie of the Year honors. This early success rocketed Jeter into the spotlight, eventually making him one of the most prominent faces in Major League Baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dynasty\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Over the Jeter\u2019s 20 year career, He and the Yankees would experience many milestones together, including 13 ALDS and seven ALCS appearances, and winning five World Series championships. Derek would also appear in 14 All-Star Games. In 2000 he became the first player in history to be named the Most Valuable Player for both the All-Star Game and the World Series, in the same year. Many consider the true dynasty era to be from 1996-2000. During this time the Yanks compiled four World Series championships, solidifying themselves as a dynasty. Possibly the most successful in sports history. Derek and the Yankees would win one more title in 2009 for the organization’s 27th. The chase for 28 continues with the new crop of Yankee stars, like Aaron Judge<\/a><\/strong>,<\/strong> with the much anticipated 2020 season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Core Four<\/span><\/h2>\n

The dynasty was made possible by the \u201cCore Four\u201d, which included teammates Jorge Posada<\/a><\/strong>, Andy Pettitte<\/a>,<\/strong> and Mariano Rivera<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong> Although, Derek liked to use the phrase \u201cCore Five\u201d to include friend and teammate, Bernie Williams<\/a><\/strong>, according to his book \u2018Jeter Unfiltered\u2019 by Derek Jeter. Jeter states in his book \u201c[Bernie] paved the way for the rest of us to have that opportunity. Without him, the Core Four might not have been allowed to happen.\u201d Keeping this core group together played a large part in the team\u2019s prolonged success. <\/span><\/p>\n

These Men shared a special bond and friendship, and none stronger than that between Derek and best friend Jorge Posada. Alas, all good things must come to an end.\u00a0 Bernie would retire in 2006 a few years prior to the 2009 Championship season. Derek would go on to watch Mo retire in 2010, Jorge in 2011 and then finally Andy in 2013. Derek was the last man standing. A very fitting end to the Core Four (Five).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Captain<\/span><\/h2>\n

In 2003, George Steinbrenner<\/strong><\/a> named Derek Jeter the New York Yankees team Captain. Steinbrenner stated to the New York Times <\/span>“He represents all that is good about a leader, I’m a great believer in history, and I look at all the other leaders down through Yankee history, and Jeter is right there with them.” per a YES article<\/a> written By A.J. Herrmann.\u00a0<\/span>Derek was the first Captain since Don Mattingly<\/a><\/strong>. The title of Yankee Captain comes with tremendous honor and prestige, neither of which he took lightly. Derek lived up to the title of Captain every day, both on the field with his lead by example approach and off of it with his philanthropic work. He would remain Captain for the remainder of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n

3K Hit Club<\/span><\/h2>\n

Derek Jeter would prove to be a hit machine exceeding the 200 hit mark eight times in his career according to baseball-reference.com<\/a><\/span>. Only six other players can claim that feat, including Ichiro Suzuki<\/a><\/strong>, Pete Rose<\/a><\/strong>, Ty Cobb<\/a>,<\/strong> and Lou Gehrig<\/a><\/strong>. He accumulated 3,465 hits in his 20-year career. Number 3,000 came on a special five hit day in the Bronx, as seen in this MLB Youtube video, <\/span>against the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>, in the form of a line-drive home run to left field. <\/span><\/p>\n

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