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Derek Jeter

 
Who2 Biography: Derek Jeter, Baseball Player
 
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Derek Jeter
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  • Born: 26 June 1974
  • Birthplace: Pequannock, New Jersey
  • Best Known As: Hunky NY Yankee shortstop

Derek Jeter played 15 games with the New York Yankees in 1995; the next year he established himself as the team's regular shortstop and quickly became an all star. The Yankees won the World Series four times in Jeter's first five full years on the job. He was named the team's captain in 2003, becoming the first Yankee captain since Don Mattingly's retirement in 1995. Jeter's good looks have helped make him a favorite with younger fans, and in the early 2000s he was often compared with fellow shortstop prodigies Nomar Garciaparra and Alex Rodriguez. Such was Jeter's reputation that when Rodriguez joined the Yankees in 2004, Rodriguez moved to third base to allow Jeter to remain at shortstop.

Jeter bats right-handed, throws right-handed, and wears uniform number 2... Jeter's father is African-American and his mother is Caucasian; his heritage is reportedly a mix of African, Irish, Indian, and German... With Jeter at shortstop, the Yankees won the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

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Black Biography: Derek Jeter
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baseball player

Personal Information

Born on June 26, 1974 in Pequannok, NJ; son of Charles and Dorothy Jeter.
Education: University of Michigan.

Career

New York Yankees, 1995-.

Life's Work

With outstanding performances in his first six years as a professional--including being named Most Valuable Player in baseball's 2000 World Series--the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter took little time vaulting himself to the ranks of baseball's superstars. A season-by-season improvement at the plate, outstanding fielding at shortstop and clutch hitting in post-season and World Series play has helped Jeter become one of the most recognized names in modern baseball.

Derek Jeter was born on June 26, 1974 in Pequannok, New Jersey to Charles and Dorothy Jeter. The Jeter family later moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Jeter's passion for baseball developed at an early age. In an interview with Mike Jerchower of acclaim.com, Jeter said his memory playing baseball goes back quite a way. "As long as I can remember," Jeter said. "Maybe five, six. Pony League, Little League...tee ball." Following an impressive high school career at Kalamazoo Central, Jeter was selected by the Yankees in the first round (sixth pick overall) in the June of 1996 free-agent draft. He wasted no time establishing himself as one of the best young players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year honors in his inaugural season. Jeter batted .314 with 183 hits, 78 RBI and 10 home runs. The right-handed hitter also had dexterity in the infield, finishing his rookie year with a .969 fielding percentage. His hitting and fielding accomplishments aside, Jeter completed a rare feat in his first season with the Yankees: he became the first rookie in 34 years to start as shortstop.

Rookie Sensation

In that same rookie year, Jeter was part of a lineup that swept the Atlanta Braves in the World Series, en route to what would become the beginnings of a modern baseball dynasty. In the 1996 World Series, Jeter had five hits and five runs scored. One season later in 1997, Jeter would prove that his rookie year was no aberration. And while the Yankees failed to make it to the World Series, Jeter would continue his progression toward the inner circles of the game's best players. He batted .291 with 10 home runs and 70 RBI. He cranked 190 runs and had 116 runs scored Again, it was his play at shortstop that was augmenting his solid play at the plate. He finished the year with a .975 fielding percentage with 245 put-outs and assisting in 88 successful double plays.

It was during the 1998 season that Jeter's became a household name. Jeter finished the season with a then career-high .324 batting average. He hit 19 homers, had 84 RBI, 203 hits, and scored a league-high 127 runs. His aggressive play at shortstop yielded a career-high .986 fielding percentage. The Yankees won the World Series that year with a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres. In those games, Jeter batted .353 with six hits, four runs scored, and one RBI.

His numbers from 1998 not only earned him sports notoriety, but helped pad his bank account as well. Unable to come to an agreement on a new contract, for 1999, Jeter, his agent, and owner George Steinbrenner turned to arbitration, a third-party settling process used when contract negotiations stall. As he does at the plate and in the field, Jeter came out a winner, scoring a one-year, $5 million deal. According to Jet, that figure gave Jeter the highest salary in history for any player with three to four years of service time. It was quite a contrast for Jeter, who was paid $750,000 in 1998. After putting up impressive numbers that year, the team offered him $3.2 million. The three-man arbitration panel rejected that offer, boosting Jeter's contract by $1.8 million dollars. The story, which also quoted the New York Times, stated that owner George Steinbrenner explained he had no hard feelings toward his All-Star. "I consider Derek part of the family," Steinbrenner told the Times. "Derek did what he had to do...I have no bad feelings. I'm just a lot poorer."

All the hype and attention did not go to his head. Rather, Jeter remained focused at the plate and in the field. Those practices were never more evident than in the 1999 season. The shortstop closed out the final season of the 20th century in grand fashion, breaking most of his personal records. He had career-highs in home runs (24), runs scored (134), triples (nine), and RBIs (102). Jeter's .349 batting average--another career-high--was second-best in American League batting, only 8 points shy of the league leader. His continued success did not go unnoticed. Jeter was announced to his second All-Star roster.

New York's Son

Jeter's productivity has earned him high praise from coaches and respect from his peers. An article written by Michael Silver, which appears on the web site, geocities.com, points to Jeter's success in previous years, and his impressive effort in the 1999 season has put him in some elite company. "I though A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners) was way ahead of Jeter, that he was always going to be a better all-around player. But now Jeter has come on and caught him," said then Milwaukee Brewers manager Phil Garner told Silver.

Silver also draws contrasts to the stereotype of Yankees greats from the past. Where former players who achieved greatness may have been loud and boisterous, Jeter exuded a quiet calm and confidence. Silver wrote, "While most New York's sports superstars have modeled themselves on fun-loving cocksure Babe Ruth, Jeter springs from the Lou Gehrig branch of the family tree. Shy and protective of his image, Jeter is accessible to fans and the press, but keeps a small circle of close friends. Celebrity has embraced him more than he has embraced it." In the article, Alex Rodriguez agreed. "I call him a movie star because he runs the town," Rodriguez said.

The Yankees dominated the league in 1999, closing the year with a 98-64 record heading into the playoffs. They made quick work of American League contenders, going 11-1 in the post-season, en route to their second straight Championship Series appearance. This time, the Yankees were facing the Atlanta Braves. And like their 1996 matchup, the Yankees came out winners, sweeping the Braves in the four-game series. Jeter's off-season weightlifting regimen paid off and he batted .353 with six hits, four runs scored, and one RBI.

In 2000 the Yankees made their third straight World Series appearance in what was dubbed The Subway Series. For the first time since 1989, two teams from the same geographic area squared off for the championship. As the Yankees faced the New York Mets, loyalty in the state was put to the test early and often. Jeter added some highlights of his own when he lead off Game Four by hitting a home run off Bobby Jones's first pitch of the game. In the next at-bat, Jeter tripled and scored, giving the Yankees a three-run lead. The Yankees would win Game Five to earn its fourth World Series title in five years and its 26th of all time.

Jeter played 2000 in a superstar fashion. He finished with a .339 batting average, 15 home runs, 73 RBI, 119 runs scored and 201 hits. What was even more impressive was Jeter's staggering success in the post-season, especially in the big games, where he extended his World Series hitting streak to 14 games. Detroit Free Press writer John Lowe pointed to Jeter as the surging team's obvious leader. "Of all the Yankees, Jeter was going to be the most interesting to watch in Game 4," Lowe wrote. "He is clearly the Yankees most valuable player, their team leader and most talented star. Jeter is the player most closely associated with the club's recent dominance, because the Yankees have won the World Series in three of his four previous seasons."

Jeter's rise to baseball superstardom has been fast and furious, based on his statistics alone. However, his presence in the community, on the field, and in the clubhouse has solidified him amongst baseball's best. In previous years, Jeter has proven that he can essentially hit on command, field with the best of them of them, and step up in clutch moments. In professional team sports, that type of exemplary ability and seemingly never-ending skill generally places players in leadership positions amongst their teammates and peers. In a geocities.com article, Bob Klapisch painted an in-the-future picture of Jeter's progression. Klapisch sees Jeter as blasting 400-foot homers out of Yankee stadium, hitting over .330 consistently and added beef and brawn to the shortstop's frame. "These are more than just make-believe images: this evolution is taking place today, every day, little by little," Klapisch wrote. "In fact, Yankee people believe Jeter will soon become their best all-around athlete--if he's not already--and will eventually earn the title as the American League's most dominant offensive player." In the same article, Yankee teammate Paul O'Neill agreed. "I think Derek is going to become the best player I've ever been on the same team with," said O'Neill, who has played with such Yankee greats at Don Mattingly and Roger Clemens. "It's amazing how much he's improved and how many things he can do as a hitter now, whatever the situation calls for--whether it's a base hit, or moving the runner over or hitting a home run. He's incredible."

Gave Back to His Community

While his teammates applaud his efforts on the field, the respective communities where is from and where he works can certainly praise his hard work off the field. Following his 1996 rookie year, Jeter, along with his father, started the Turn 2 Foundation, an agency geared to steer high-risk kids away from drugs, encourage healthy lifestyles, and encourage academic achievements. The expression "turn two" is baseball lingo for a double play. The group has raised more than $500,000 since 1996. That money has gone to existing substance abuse programs. Turn 2 operates in two cities: Kalamazoo, Jeter's hometown, and New York City, where he lives on the upper east side.

The non-profit corporation also issues scholarships and grants to promote higher education. In western Michigan, Turn 2 supported programs with Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Derek Jeter Scholarship Fund, Kalamazoo Area Academic Achievement Program and others. In New York, the organization has supported various baseball clinics, the Outreach Project, the Peers influence Peers Partnership, Inc., Phoenix House, programs for hearing-impaired students and many others. In a brief article in Sports Illustrated for Kids, Jeter said the principle behind starting a helpful foundation is simple. "I want to show kids there is another way to go," he said.

Awards

Rookie of the Year, 1996; led the league in runs scored with 127, 1998; led the league in hits with 219, 1999; All-Star team, 1998 and 1999.

Further Reading

Periodicals

  • Detroit Free Press, October 26, pg. 1D and 6D.
  • Jet, March 8, 1999, pg. 46.
  • Sports Illustrated for Kids, January 1, 1999, pg. 18.
Other
  • Additional information was found on-line at www.acclaim.com,
  • www.baseball-reference.com/j/jeterde01.shtml, www.geocities.com/derekjeteronline/biography.

— John Horn

 
Wikipedia: Derek Jeter
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Derek Jeter

New York Yankees — No. 2
Shortstop
Born: June 26, 1974 (1974-06-26) (age 35)
Pequannock, New Jersey
Bats: Right Throws: Right 
MLB debut
May 29, 1995 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
(through June 27, 2009)
Batting average     .316
Hits     2623
Runs     1514
Home runs     215
Runs batted in     1032
On-base plus slugging     .844
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Derek Sanderson Jeter (pronounced /ˈdʒiːtər/; born June 26, 1974) is an American Major League Baseball player. Jeter is a ten-time All-Star shortstop, and currently the captain of the New York Yankees.

Jeter has spent his entire career with the Yankees, beginning in 1995 when he was 20 years old. In 2009, he passed Mickey Mantle for most career at-bats with the team. Mantle held the coveted Yankee record since 1968. He also passed Babe Ruth for most career doubles on June 23, 2009 against the Atlanta Braves. Jeter has won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, a Silver Slugger Award, and three Gold Glove Awards. In 2000, he became the only player to win both the All-Star Game MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in the same year. His .316 career batting average through the 2008 season ranks him with the 5th-highest lifetime batting average of all active baseball players. He has been in the top seven in the American League in hits for eight of the past ten years and runs scored seven of the past ten years. During the 2000s, he ranks second in the major leagues in hits (1,504), fourth in runs (857), most hits in Yankee Stadium and tied for seventh in batting average (.316) (stats accurate as of July 28, 2007). On June 2, 2009, Jeter became the 74th player to reach 2,600 hits. In the same game he scored his 1,500th run, joining Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle as the only Yankees to reach that milestone.[1]

Contents

Early life

Jeter was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, at Chilton Hospital, to an African-American father, Dr. Sanderson Charles Jeter; his mother Dorothy is of Irish/German descent. The family lived in North Arlington, New Jersey, before moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan, when he was 5. He also has a sister named Sharlee. As a child his grandmother made him a passionate fan of his future team, the New York Yankees[2] His father played shortstop at Fisk University in Tennessee.[3]

High school

Jeter was inspired to play baseball by Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.[4] 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. After batting .557 as a sophomore, Jeter hit .508 (30-59) with 7 HR, 23 RBI 21 BB, and 1 strikeout his junior year. His on base percentage was .637.

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.

In December 2003, Jeter was inducted into the Kalamazoo Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Draft

Jeter received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Michigan, he attended the university for one semester and then he was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 6th overall pick of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft and chose to go pro. Jeter has said, however, that he will eventually go to college.[2]

Minor league career

Jeter spent four years in the minor leagues, beginning in the Rookie League before advancing to Single-A. He spent 2 years there, collecting various awards, including Most Outstanding Major League Prospect of the South Atlantic League in 1993.[5]

In 1994 he was honored with the Minor League Player of the Year Award by Baseball America, The Sporting News, USA Today, and Topps/NAPBL after hitting .344 with five home runs, 68 RBIs and 50 stolen bases combined at Triple-A Columbus, Double-A Albany, and Class-A Tampa. He was also named the MVP of the Florida State League.

Major League career

Early years (1995–1998)

On May 29, 1995, Jeter made his debut in the major leagues against the Seattle Mariners in the Kingdome. He got his first major league hit the following day off veteran pitcher Tim Belcher, and started 13 games before being sent back down to the minors.

He returned 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 played his way to a successful rookie season, hitting for a .314 batting average, 10 home runs, and 78 runs batted in and subsequently earning Rookie of the Year honors.[6]

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 eventually the series, 4 games to 1. The ruling made for the first home run of Jeter's postseason career.[7]

Mr. November (1999–2003)

Jeter making a play against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

In the year 1999 Jeter led the AL in hits (219), and was 2nd in the league in batting average (.349) and runs (134). Jeter (who batted 3rd in the lineup part of the year) also drove in 102 runs, becoming only the 2nd Yankee shortstop ever to do so (Lyn Lary had driven in 107 runs in 1931).[6]

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 (Alfonso Soriano then hit one in 2002).[6]

Jeter has made a series of notable plays both in the field, especially in the 2001 postseason. Perhaps the most memorable took place in Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series vs. 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 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 out of nowhere to grab the ball and flip 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.

Fox announcer Thom Brennaman's call of the play is as follows:

"That is fair, down the right field line. Giambi on his way to third, and they're gonna wave him around! The throw misses the cutoff man—shovel to the plate! Out at the plate! Derek Jeter with one of the most unbelievable plays you will ever see by a shortstop![8]

The play was later voted #7 in Baseball Weekly's 10 Most Amazing Plays of all time.[9]

After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the baseball season was put on hold. Because of this, the playoffs started later, 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.[10]

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." Michael Kay, who called the walkoff home run, called Jeter by this name, referencing the sign. Jeter would be only the third person in New York City sports history to get similar nickname, following the "Mr. October" nickname given to Reggie Jackson of the Yankees during the 1977 World Series and "Mr. June" given to Mark Messier of the Rangers for captaining them to the Stanley Cup in 1994, as that happened in the month of June.

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; all seven games were won by the home team and the National League had home field advantage.

Yankee captain (2003–present)

In 2003, Jeter started the season by dislocating his left shoulder on opening day at the SkyDome in Toronto. With Jeter on first base and Jason Giambi at bat, Toronto used an extreme shift that left third base uncovered. Giambi hit a soft grounder to the pitcher, Roy Halladay, who threw to first baseman Carlos Delgado for an out. Jeter, seeing Toronto out of position, rounded second and ran to third. Toronto catcher Ken Huckaby ran up the line to cover third and fielded Delgado's throw. Jeter dived headfirst into the bag, while Huckaby attempted to catch the baseball and block Jeter from reaching third. In doing so, Huckaby fell onto Jeter, his shin guard driving into his shoulder.[11]

Jeter's shoulder popped out the front of the socket, and Yankee trainers and Blue Jay doctors tried to pop it back. After unsuccessfully attempting to reset his shoulder in the socket, Jeter was taken to the Yankees' clubhouse, where his shoulder was put back in place. 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.[12]

Jeter waiting on deck in the 2008 season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1, 2008

The New York Yankees named Jeter the 11th recognized captain in Yankees history on June 3, 2003, after 8 years without one (Dispute over the true count was noted in a lengthy article in the New York Times on March 25, 2007, by Vincent M. Mallozzi).[13] Jeter became the first official captain of the team since Don Mattingly retired in 1995. His contract, which has a total value of $189,000,000 is the 3rd largest contract in baseball history, behind two contracts of Alex Rodriguez.

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 and 23 home runs, the 2nd most of his career, as well as 44 doubles.[6]

During a July 1, 2004, game against the rival Boston Red Sox, Jeter made a play which has helped perpetuate 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.[14] The "Dive" was awarded Play Of The Year in the This Year In Baseball awards competition, as voted on by fans at MLB.com. The play is also currently seen during the introduction of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.

The question surrounding this play is whether the ball would have landed in fair territory. If the ball was fair and not caught, Nixon would have driven in two runs to put the Red Sox up 5-3. If the ball had landed foul, it simply would have been a strike. Either way, the play ended the inning, and helped the Yankees win. The third base umpire, Fieldin Culbreth, called it a fair ball.

Jeter connects for a hit against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

In 2005 he was 2nd in the AL in runs (122) and batting average on balls in play (.394),[15] and 3rd in the league in at bats (654) and hits (202). Jeter won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2005, as his notoriously low range factor rose to 4.76 and ranked 2nd among AL shortstops.

In 2006, Jeter was 2nd in the American league in batting average (.343) and runs scored (118), 3rd in hits (214), SB success % (87.2), and batting average with runners in scoring position (.381), and 5th in infield hits (26).[16] He finished 2nd in American League MVP 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 3rd place finish in 1998).

As of August 25, 2007, Derek was named the Face of the Yankees by staff and fan voters on ESPN.com. One day before the Yankees completed what was thought of as an improbable comeback by winning a playoff spot on September 26, Jeter reached 200 hits for the 6th season, and the third consecutive, tying former Yankee great Lou Gehrig.

In 2007, Jeter was 3rd in the AL in hits (203), 4th in at bats (639) and plate appearances (714), 6th in times on base (276), 7th in hit by pitch (14), and 9th in batting average (.322).[6] In the field, he was involved in a career-high 104 double plays, but his 4.02 range factor was the lowest of all AL shortstops, and his .765 zone rating was his career low and the lowest among all major league shortstops that year.

2008 was a sub-par offensive year for Jeter. His slugging percentage was .410, his lowest since 1997. Some theorized that one possible cause for the slump was a May 20 game that saw Jeter get hit by a pitch on his wrist.[17] Before the injury, Jeter was hitting .324 with a .774 OPS. After the injury, his batting average dipped 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, batting in the 2-hole and going 1-for-3.

Derek tied the "Iron Horse" 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 he was named # 8 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.[18]

Postseason

As of 2006, Jeter has a career .314 postseason batting average with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs as well as reaching base in 105 of 119 postseason games. The Yankees have been to the playoffs every year since Jeter joined the team except for 2008. He has a Major League Baseball record 150 career postseason hits, and also holds records for most postseason singles (108), at-bats (478), runs scored (85) and strikeouts (92).[6]

Defensive criticisms

Jeter as shortstop in 2007

Despite winning three 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.[19][20][21][22] 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."[20] A 2008 study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that from 2002-2005 Jeter was the worst defensive shortstop in the Major Leagues.[23] 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."

Career earnings

Jeter has played a role for the Yankees since 1996. Jeter is one of three current veterans (the others are Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera) who came up through the Yankees organization, and has played his entire professional career with the Yankees. As the Yankees shortstop, he is currently the longest-serving position player on the team. As of his current contract, Derek earns $22 million a year in salary, and is the second highest paid endorser in baseball having earned $7 million in endorsements in 2006.[24] Also, he was ranked as the most marketable player in baseball according to an 2005 Sports Business Survey.[25]

As of 2008 season[26]

Year League Team Salary
2008 American League New York Yankees US$ 21,600,000
2007 American League New York Yankees US$ 21,600,000
2006 American League New York Yankees US$ 20,600,000
2005 American League New York Yankees US$ 19,600,000
2004 American League New York Yankees US$ 18,600,000
2003 American League New York Yankees US$ 15,600,000
2002 American League New York Yankees US$ 14,600,000
2001 American League New York Yankees US$ 12,600,000
2000 American League New York Yankees US$ 10,000,000
1999 American League New York Yankees US$ 5,000,000
1998 American League New York Yankees US$ 750,000
1997 American League New York Yankees US$ 540,000
1996 American League New York Yankees US$ 120,000

Total career earnings: US$ 161,210,000

Awards

Jeter warming up before a game against the Colorado Rockies on June 19, 2007
  • 10-time AL All-Star (1998-2002, 2004, 2006-2009)
  • 4-time NY Yankees Player of the Year (1998-2000, 2006)
  • 3-time AL Gold Glove Award (SS) (2004-06)
  • 2-time Baseball America 1st-Team Major League All-Star (SS) (1999, 2004)
  • 3-time AL Silver Slugger (SS) (2006-08)
  • South Atlantic League All-Star (SS) (1993)
  • Florida State League All-Star (SS) (1994)
  • Baseball America 1st Team Minor League All-Star (SS) (1994)
  • Minor League Player of the Year (1994)
  • NY Yankees Minor League Player of the Year (1994)
  • Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year (1994)
  • Florida State League Most Valuable Player (1994)
  • International League All-Star (SS) (1995)
  • AL Rookie of the Year (1996)
  • Babe Ruth Award (2000)
  • All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2000)
  • World Series Most Valuable Player (2000)
  • TSN Award (SS) (2006)
  • Hank Aaron Award (2006)
  • This Year In Baseball Awards Top Hitter (2006)

Personal life

Derek Jeter is from a family of four. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida, but also maintains an apartment in Manhattan's Trump World Tower and a mansion in Marlboro, New Jersey and a mansion on Greenwood Lake, NY. Jeter's personal life has been a favorite topic in gossip columns and celebrity magazines since his rookie year in 1996. Jeter had a well publicized relationship with pop diva Mariah Carey from 1997 to 1998.[27] Jeter also dated former Miss Universe Lara Dutta and actress Jordana Brewster. He is rumored to have dated actresses Scarlett Johansson,[27] Gabrielle Union, and Jessica Alba.[28] 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's actual "date" to that game was his father. He has also dated Brazilian Supermodel Adriana Lima; with whom he did a commercial. Jeter also had an on-and-off relationship with television personality Vanessa Minillo from late 2003 until early 2006.[29] From November 2006 to January 2007, Jeter was romantically involved with actress Jessica Biel.[30][31][32] Derek Jeter has recently been connected to Friday Night Lights actress, Minka Kelly.

World Baseball Classic

Derek was the starting shortstop for the USA team in the first ever World Baseball Classic. Jeter hit .450 (9-for-20) for Team USA and scored 5 runs in 6 games. Only Ken Griffey, Jr. (.524) and Cuba's Yoandy Garlobo (.480) had a higher batting average with a minimum of 20 at bats.[33] Jeter's play earned him recognition as the shortstop selection on the All-Tournament Team.[34] He actually faced the Yankees at Stienbrenner Field in an exhibition game while playing for Team USA. Also, there seemed to be criticism as to how Johnson was handling both him and Jimmy Rollins, of the Philadelphia Phillies who were both shortstops on the team. Either one of them was left on the bench, or the one not playing SS was inserted as the DH.

Derek was also the starting shortstop for Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. At the start of the tournament, Derek was named captain of Team USA by manager Davey Johnson.[35]

Milestones

  • Recorded his 2,000th career hit with an infield single on May 26, 2006 off Kansas City Royals pitcher Scott Elarton, becoming the eighth Yankee to reach the milestone.[36]
  • Holds the record for most singles all-time by a Yankee.[37]
  • It took 10 years for Jeter to hit his first and only grand slam, and at one point had the most at bats of any active player to not have hit a grand slam. It was hit on June 18, 2005 against the Chicago Cubs.[38]
  • On June 4, 2008, Jeter passed Mickey Mantle for 3rd place on the Yankees all time hit list.[39]
  • Hit 400th double at Yankee Stadium on June 27, 2008.[40]
  • Hit 200th home run at Rogers Centre on July 12, 2008.[41]
  • On September 9, 2008, Jeter passed Babe Ruth for 2nd place on the Yankees all time hit list.[42]
  • On September 14, 2008, Jeter tied Lou Gehrig for most hits at Yankee Stadium[43]
  • On September 16, 2008, Jeter moved past Lou Gehrig for most hits at Yankee Stadium with 1,270 in the 1st inning, and 1,271 in the 5th inning.
  • On June 2, 2009, Jeter became the 74th player to reach 2,600 hits.
  • On June 23, 2009, Jeter moved past Babe Ruth for most career doubles.

Appearances outside of baseball

Turn 2 Foundation

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 was chosen, besides the baseball reference to a double play (and Jeter's uniform number), to demonstrate the goal of giving youths a place to "turn to", besides drugs and alcohol.[44]

During the 2009 season, Jeter and Mets star David Wright will represent their foundations in a competition sponsored by Delta Airlines; the player with the highest batting average will receive $100,000 for their foundation from Delta; the runner-up's foundation will receive $50,000.[45]

Endorsements

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.[46] Jeter is one of the only three athletes to have their own Jumpman shoe, and has appeared on Gillette Fusion commercials along with Tiger Woods, Thierry Henry and Roger Federer.

Other appearances

Derek Jeter was the cover athlete for 2K's MLB 2K5, MLB 2K6, and MLB 2K7. Jeter 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 person twice, on Seinfeld and Saturday Night Live. He has also can be seen briefly on The Simpsons season 19 episode 8 titled "Funeral for a Fiend." He is parodied as guest starring on Sesame Street. Jeter was the subject of a 2005 segment on the TV news magazine 60 Minutes.[47]

Wax figure

There is a wax figure of Jeter at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in New York.[48]

Career statistics

Year Age Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS+ TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP VORP
1995 21 NYY AL 15 48 5 12 4 1 0 7 0 0 3 11 .250 .294 .375 74 18 0 0 0 0 0 0.9
1996 22 NYY AL 157 582 104 183 25 6 10 78 14 7 48 102 .314 .370 .430 101 250 6 9 1 9 13 44.0
1997 23 NYY AL 159 654 116 190 31 7 10 70 23 12 74 125 .291 .370 .405 103 265 8 2 0 10 14 44.1
1998 24 NYY AL 149 626 127 203 25 8 19 84 30 6 57 119 .324 .384 .481 127 301 3 3 1 5 13 71.1
1999 25 NYY AL 158 627 134 219 37 9 24 102 19 8 91 116 .349 .438 .552 153 346 3 6 5 12 12 108.5
2000 26 NYY AL 148 593 119 201 31 4 15 73 22 4 68 99 .339 .416 .481 128 285 3 3 4 12 14 72.7
2001 27 NYY AL 150 614 110 191 35 3 21 74 27 3 56 99 .311 .377 .480 123 295 5 1 3 10 13 63.9
2002 28 NYY AL 157 644 124 191 26 0 18 75 32 3 73 114 .297 .373 .421 111 271 3 3 2 7 14 51.8
2003 29 NYY AL 119 482 87 156 25 3 10 52 11 5 43 88 .324 .393 .450 125 217 3 1 2 13 10 47.9
2004 30 NYY AL 154 643 111 188 44 1 23 78 23 4 46 99 .292 .352 .471 114 303 16 2 1 14 19 52.8
2005 31 NYY AL 159 654 122 202 25 5 19 70 14 5 77 117 .309 .389 .450 125 294 7 3 3 11 15 59.6
2006 32 NYY AL 154 623 118 214 39 3 14 97 34 5 69 102 .343 .417 .483 132 301 7 4 4 12 13 80.5
2007 33 NYY AL 156 639 102 206 39 4 12 73 15 8 56 100 .322 .388 .452 121 289 3 2 3 14 21 53.3
2008 34 NYY AL 150 557 88 179 25 3 11 69 11 5 52 85 .300 .363 .408 102 243 5 4 0 8 24 34.3
2009 35 NYY AL 66 276 41 83 14 0 9 30 15 1 16 22 .301 .409 .412 .821 124 1 0 1 2 8 34.3
Totals: 2021 8178 1481 2577 417 57 211 1017 283 76 829 1398 .315 .386 .457 120 3741 75 43 29 140 198 785.4

Roll over stat abbreviations for definitions. Stats through September 10, 2008.[49]

See also

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Derek Jeter

References

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  2. ^ a b "Kalamazoo Kid". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/michigan/essay/. Retrieved on 2007-03-20. 
  3. ^ Jeter, Derek (2004-02-09). "Kalamazoo Kid". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/michigan/essay/. Retrieved on 2009-07-07. 
  4. ^ Mink, Ryan (2006). "Turn 2 Foundation celebrates 10th anniversary". mlb.com. http://www.mlb.com/players/jeter_derek/news/article.jsp?story=06302006_news. Retrieved on 2008-09-11. 
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  28. ^ ArmchairGM.com, last retrieved September 19, 2007
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  31. ^ "The Women of Derek Jeter". ESPN.com. 2006-11-18. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jeter/women&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab5pos1. 
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  35. ^ Rivals (2009-03-03). "Rivals Suit Up for Team USA; Jeter Faces Yankees". Rivals. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/rivals-suit-up-for-team-usa-jeter-faces-yankees/. 
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  40. ^ Hoch, Bryan (2008). "Giese, Yanks drop Game 1 of twin bill". mlb.com. http://www.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080627&content_id=3012989&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy. Retrieved on 2008-09-11. 
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