Mr. 3000′s best 5
It’s pretty amazing that Derek Jeter is about to hit 3000 hits, all as a Yankee. How amazing? Well If you’re a casual baseball fan, or a fan of some other team, let me put it into perspective for ya.
There’s only 27 current members of the 3000 hit club. Derek Jeter will be 28, and he will be the FIRST Yankee to do that. There are 2 guys that have been Yankees that are in the 3000 hit club (Wade Boggs, and Ricky Henderson), but Boggs began his career in Boston, and Henderson quite frankly is an Oakland Athletic through and through.
So without further ado, allow me to introduce Jeter’s 5 best moments. Keep in mind this is a collection of Jeter’s five best moments, not necessarily his five best hits.
You should also note that I’m including Jeter’s best playoff moments/ hits despite the fact that Post season hits do not count towards his regular season hit record. That being said, allow me to start with his Defense.
5. THE TURN & THROW IN MID AIR.
Take a look at that image, ladies and gents. That’s not a fluke, or some play that he does once in a blue. There was once a time where he could’ve turned that play in mid air on a nightly basis.
Jeter was the first person that I ever saw play Shortstop that thought it was a good idea to leave his feet AND jump away from first base as he’s throwing. Go ahead and read that last sentence again. That’s agility 101, people.
4. THE FLIP THROW THAT TAGGED OUT GIAMBI
I could tell you how even to this day I remember every single second of that play like it was yesterday. I could tell you how no other position player, let alone a shortstop would ever have made that catch and throw. And I could tell you how the entire stadium was left gasping in shock at what just happened; but, I’d rather just show you.
3. JETER BREAKS THE RECORD FOR ALL TIME HITS AT THE OLD YANKEE STADIUM
It’s a record that no one can ever touch. Ever. Not any current players. Not any future players. The house that Babe Ruth built will forever have Derek Jeter’s signature on it.
2. THE DIVE.
This is what playing for the New York Yankees is all about. A night game in the summer. A game in which they were playing against the Boston Red Sox. A game that went 13 innings after it was all said and done.
And in the bottom of the 12th, Manny Ramirez pops a ball up that looks like it’s going to go foul. And then out of nowhere, you see Jeter running past A-Rod reaching out to make the catch and diving head first like an Olympic swimmer going into a pool.
He was bloodied, lumped up, and limping back on to the field. And he walked back to the dugout to get ready for the next half of the inning. Like nothing happened. He’s the captain for a reason, folks.
And the number 1 play….
1.Mr. November
Once again, I’d rather just show you.
