"It was sort of an out of body experience. It was a
weird range of emotions. I was just trying not to cry.''
This was Derek Jeter, who has been and will be one of the
greatest baseball players to ever play for the legendary New York Yankees,
after his walk-off hit to right field in the 10th inning against the
Baltimore Orioles. Oh yeah, and it was his last game in Yankee Stadium. Way to
go out with a bang, right? Jeter played his last game yesterday against the
rival Boston Red Sox, recording his last hit out of 3464 in his career, an RBI
single, before being benched. His hat tip and wave received an accompanying
standing ovation from a roaring crowd, even from his rivals. Derek Jeter is a
man who started in the league in 1995, apprehensive whether they would keep him
up in the majors or send him back to the minors. He’s a man who is now first in
virtually every statistic category within the New York Yankee franchise. A man
who has recorded almost 3500 hits, 1923 runs, 2745 games played, and a batting
average of .309 in his 20 years in the MLB. A man that is now a legend in the
world of baseball, his Hall of Fame space already carved out.
A man reduced to tears as his teammates swarmed around him.
Derek Jeter could be compared to another iconic Yankee, one
by the name of Mickey Mantle. He surpassed Mantle’s all-time hits record in
2011. This was a nice addition to the 5 World Series rings, and countless
highlights (see: World Series-winning home run). Unlike most athletes of his
caliber, his off the field attitude warmed hearts just like his on the field
play did. Being the biggest star in the biggest city, the pressure was always
on. But he always handled everything with grace and dignity.
You're not replacing him,'' teammate Chase Headley says.
"You might as well just acknowledge that and not try to, because it's not
possible.”
“You just can’t.”
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