Empire Writes Back
Fansided

New York Yankees: The 5 Greatest Yankees of All-Time

By Jesse Weinstein

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next

 3.  Derek Jeter 

Derek Jeter earns the #3 spot on this list given his statistical success, accolades, clutch factor, and impact on the media. He was a star for the duration of his career, and embodied every on-field and off-field characteristic of a true Yankee.

Here is another guy whose numbers and accolades could safely land him a spot on this list amongst other Yankees greats. Now some people will say that his numbers were not all that impressive, and that it was where he played that lead to his notoriety. To that, I say there is a legal principal called “res ipsa loquitor,” which is latin for “the thing speaks for itself.” So in Jeter’s defense, let’s let the numbers speak for themselves. Shall we?

More from Empire Writes Back

According to BaseballReference.com, he is the Yankees’ all time career leader in hits (3,465), doubles (544), games played (2,747), stolen bases (358), times on base (4,716), plate appearances (12, 602), and at bats (11,195). With those statistics, he is a 14-time all-star, five-time Golden Glove Award winner, five-time Silver Slugger Award winner, two-time Hank Aaron Award winner, and a Roberto Clemente Award winner. If that is not enough, and just for fun, he was the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits in baseball history, finished his career 6th all-time in career hits, and is the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop. So in the statistical case of the People vs. Derek Jeter, the numbers clearly speak for themselves. 

“If that is not enough, and just for fun, he was the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits in baseball history, finished his career 6th all-time in career hits, and is the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop.”

His post-season play was just as pivotal as his regular season performance. In fact, he was called “Mr. November” given his clutch play in the postseason. “Captain Clutch” was another nickname for the postseason beast, who has a World Series batting average of .321. This success was not always present in Jeter’s baseball career. In the minors and his 1995 pro debut, Jeter was marked for his errors and mediocre batting. Nonetheless, he overcame those challenges and became renowned as a future hall of famer within years. That adversity, in conjunction with his statistics, make a strong case for him.

He was also a star off the field. For the duration of his career, he was a symbol. He skyrocketed into fame, becoming, arguably, one of the most marketed athletes of the last two decades. Some of his many product endorsements include Nike, Gatorade, Ford and Visa, among many others. He was also known for the host of celebrities he dated during his career including, but not limited to, Mariah Carey, Tyra Banks, and Jessica Alba.

At the end of the day, Jeter was a consistent offensive and defensive force for the Yankees. He was loved by his teammates, respected by his opponents, and admired by America. He was the face of the Yankees for twenty years, exuding every bit of that glitz and glamour the Yankees stood for off the field. He deserves a spot on this list.

Sep 25, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) celebrates after a walk-off single in the ninth inning of the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Next: Number 2

Home/New York Yankees