[Unlike Lou Gerhig’s Disease, Jeter’s Disease is not fatal, and rumored to be treatable with Valtrex.]
Yankee fans soiled themselves tonight over Derek Jeter’s tying the career hits record of Bronx legend Lou Gehrig, a Bomber whose career was tragically cut short by terminal illness. Congrats, Captain! Special thanks to Yahoo! Sports commenter Clint W of Leawood, Kansas, who put Jeter’s accomplishment into perspective for me by noting: “Jeter now has 6 more hits than Bill Buckner.” The NY Times’ Tyler Kepner breathlessly reports the 53rd ranked hit king’s Historic Moment here:
As Jorge Posada circled the bases in the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, the fans naturally erupted in cheers. The hard part was telling their motivation. Were they saluting Posada for his three-run, go-ahead homer, or reacting with glee to another chance to see Derek Jeter hit?
Jeter greeted Posada at the mouth of the Yankees™ dugout with a pat on the head. Posada is Jeter™s best friend on the team, his partner in the Yankees™ lineup for most of the last 15 years. Posada™s pinch-hit blast had sent the Yankees on their way to a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, and brought Jeter to the edge of history.
He did not quite get there, drawing a walk against Grant Balfour with two outs. But Jeter tied Lou Gehrig™s franchise record for hits, going 3 for 4 against Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann. Jeter matched Gehrig at 2,721 hits, and he gets another chance on Friday against Baltimore.
œThe fans have been great this whole homestand, Jeter said on the field after the game. œI™ve been trying to do it for them. That™s why I bunted in the first inning, because I needed to get at least one hit.
I hate it when fans root for the players on their teams, especially the very good to great players.
I know Yanks fans, and I am one, are arrogant jerks, but really? Is this not a special moment for us Yankee rooters? Lou Gehrig’s career ended prematurely and tragically. No denying that. But Jeter’s accomplishment is still meaningful for a fan who has watched him from day one. Many Yanks fans, not all of them, have been rooting him on from the first hit. Seems like a normal response. Wouldn’t other fanbases react like this for their team’s all-time hits record holder?
Thanks for commenting, Nick. From the hit lists I saw, Babe Ruth is the pinstripe hit leader with 2873, #39 overall in MLB. But why shouldnt Jeter get to be the new Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth?
I guess it’s nice to see Yankee fans cheering on Jeter’s breaking a team record rather than the treatment Roger Maris got for challenging the Babe. But it’s an over-hyped, callow moment, imo. Wake me when he gets near Mel Ott.
I, for one, am in favor of anything that allows Michael Kay or Suzyn Waldmyn the opportunity to open their pie holes and overdo it. I live for crap like that.
At the same age Jeter is ahead of Rose in hits… by 80 if you were wondering. Also Jeter is a much better defensive player than Rose ever was and its not even close given the fact Jeter has been able to play his entire career at SS. He also kills Rose him on the base pads, hits for more power and when all is said and done he will break his hits record but anywho… yes its only a team record but this is not Arizona or Colorado, it NY and its the Yankees so yes it gets completely overhyped by the media, but not sure why the hate for the fans?
I giggled when I read that Jeter will break Rose’s hits record.
Yo, Rock, you drank the Michael Kay Kook-Aid, mandude. Jeter’s defense has been exposed as being undeniably horrible many times by many people. I’m not saying Rose’s was good, bad or better, just that Jeter’s isn’t very good.
For Pete’s sake, he’s been lampooned TWICE by The Onion!!!
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/51318
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/derek_jeter_makes_easy_play
I didn’t know it was Jeter’s destiny to break Pete Rose’s all-time hits record. Can we induct him into Cooperstown on his future accomplishments tonight or do we have to wait ? Breaking Gehrig’s record (#53 all time!) on hits is notable for the coincidence of Gehrig’s Yankee career, but it’s a trivia question. Busting 60 HRs non-juiced, even coming within 5 of Dimaggio’s 41 …. OK. But tying a guy who isn’t even in the top 50 hit totals of all time, who didn’t make it any higher up because of a tragic end, this you celebrate? Why the hate for Yankee fans? It’s more that Jeter’s hat tip only reminded me what a classically graceful and enduring figure Lou Gehrig is. In the middle of the Depression, he goes from a star ballplayer as guys are on souplines to someone the soupline people felt sorry for — and he wouldn’t allow that. He left the stage on an inspiring note, one that brought some uplift to miserable people. You guys are Yankee fans, we live in a Depression … does the 2009 squad inspire you? To be fair, it’s not their job. Jeter, Damon, Joba, A-Rod, they’re doing their real job of winning games. But celebrating putting Gehrig in the rear view mirror had a lack of class to it — unless you’re the average Yankee fan, and only know he played with Babe Ruth and got a disease named after him.
Sorry to get all Olbermann on you, but you asked.
if jeter shouldnt celebrate because of how gehrigs career ended than how can ripken celebrate consective games streak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gehrig streak stopped because of illness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gehrig’s unbroken games streak, however, was the best in the game, ever. Guys who played much longer than he did couldn’t touch it — until Ripken. 52 people have already surpassed Gehrig in hits. Passing Gehrig today? Who cares? When Jeter breaks Babe Ruth’s record, and he will, it’ll be a noteworthy day at Yankee Stadium as he’ll become the team leader — and for that team and its history, that’s an accomplishment. Today’s hype doesn’t make me think Jeter’s an historic player, it reminds me Gehrig is. Sorry if the Yankee marketing dept feels a bit off on this one, but it’s a giant yawn.
The Babe, while fabulous as a Yankee, did not play only for the Yankees. You may remember a little team called the Red Sox whom he played for prior. His hits are a total of his time with both teams. With the Yankees he only hit 2518. That would be why this is a team record and why Jeter now holds the record, all his hits were in pinstripes.
Barring injury and a continued desire to play Jeter may or may not break Roses record. Rose did play for 23 years which means Jeter would have to play another 10 years. However, Jeter won’t continue to play if he no longer has the ability. He won’t hurt his team like that so only time will tell.
But to disparage Jeters hat tip just shows who it is that has the true class. My God the nerve of Jeter to acknowledge his fans in gratitude for their support. What a horrible, horrible thing for a sports figure to show appreciation to his fans. Next time he should just stand there with an attitude of ‘that’s right you owe me this’; maybe then you would have something nice to say about him.
Well Kim, first, thanks for the clarification on Yankee hit counts.
If it was something spontaneous for Jeter — like a standing ovation for a walk-off HR or an amazing, game saving play — and not a promo’d and contrived “event,” I’d have no problem with it. You’re right, after all the hype, the ready and waiting Jumbotron graphics and all the rest, Jeter’s tipping his hat is the classy thing to do. Then again, the Yankee build-up and hype of this thing is why everyone but Yankee fans are rolling their eyes right now. I’m less concerned about the sanctity of Gehrig’s stats than the posing of Jeter as his equal, is all.
First off, how can you even begin to write an article without knowing all the facts? For you to say that Babe Ruth is the all-time Yankee hit leader simply shows that you did not research enough on the topic in which you’re talking about. Secondly, it seems you are only out to put put down a great all-around ballplayer. Derek Jeter is a throwback ballplayer. He shows great class and determiniation year in and year out to win ball games. Nobody even mentioned him in comparison to pete rose’s hit record. It is a tremendous acomplishment for him to break such a storied franchise’s(a team that has been around for atleast 100 years) hit record. Should it have went unnnoticed? Then you go on to say he is ONLY 53rd ranked all-time…cmon. I believe even that alone is a feat considering the number of players that have played in the league. This is a guy who will, without a doubt collect over 3,000 hits for his career, as well as be a first ballot hall-of-famer. Nobody denies he has a long ways to breaking, or even getting close, to the all tie hit record. However, for Yankee fans around New York, we will not let our homegrown player’s accomplishments go without notice. Especially, when it comes to breaking a man like gherrig’s record.
the Yankee fans’ disrespect for the Iron Horse extends to forgetting his name. Lemme just say that while I respect Ben’s views on the subject, I’d love to see Jeter inducted to the Hall Of Fame…preferably to a special wing reserved for shortstops that continue playing that position even when there’s someone far more qualifed standing just slightly to their right.
Yankee Boy: seriously, I didn’t know the Babe was no longer counted as a “real Yankee.” How’d he end up alongside David Wells so fast?
And how come for such a storied franchise, been around a 100 years, rekkid number of championships, logo by Tiffany’s — they own such a mediocre, 52nd place, hit count as a club record? Big deal. Again I say, wake me when he ties Mel Ott.
Ben
Ben Schwartz, you truly ARE an idiot.
jeter has a passion for the game something you cant teach ,as an all around player smarts,talent,desire,clutch player he cant be beat,ask someone like Joe Morgan hell tell ya maybe the best all around to ever play the game