Jeter at 3000

Anyone who knows me knows I am an obnoxious Yankee fan.  Yes, they are the Evil Empire, emblematic of all that is wrong in baseball; how they contribute to the gross income disparity between big market and small market teams, how they collect All - Stars during free agency time like some people collect stamps, the high ticket prices and the even more ridiculously priced food stuffs at the concession stands.  Most of all what non Yankee fans hate is the sense of entitlement we devotees of the Pinstripers feel; for us it's the World Series or bust.  Any October that doesn't end with a trip down the Canyon of Hero's is considered a failure. While I don't agree with all the criticisms, even I have to admit that this last one is valid.  It is simply unrealistic to expect to win it all every year, and too many Yankee fans have bought into the hype.  Look, I'm a demanding fan, and lets face it, winning never gets boring, but some years are more special than others, and going a while without winning does make the eventual victory that much more sweet.

The Yankees have won seven World Series in my lifetime.  The two that stand out are 1978 and 1996. Why?  Because those were the two that they weren't supposed to win. '78 was the great comeback year, where they overcame a 14 1/2 game deficit in the division to the Red Sox and a 2-0 hole in the World Series against the Dodgers to win it all. In '96 they had been out of the Series for fifteen years, and hadn't won since that fateful '78 campaign; 18 years in the desert.  I know, you Cub fans have been waiting 103 years, but we Yankee fans have less patience than you all (Think of it this way, your sufferings have helped release many poor souls from purgatory). That '96 group were a bunch of upstarts, with a few solid veterans thrown in.   None of the experts picked them to beat the Atlanta Braves, the dominant team of the decade to that point.  Like the '78 squad they dropped the first two games and then won four strait to take the crown.  Both were sweet because they were both unexpected.  

That '96 campaign was the beginning of the modern Yankee dynasty that saw them win five pennants and four World Series between '96 and '01.  At the heart of that Dynasty was Derek Jeter; the Captain.  He embodied, and still does, all the class that the organization ties to project.  He has always been about putting the team first and the individual second.  He also helped fuel that World Series or bust attitude.  Even when they won I would look at him and see more relief than real joy.  If winning is what you're supposed to do then why celebrate?  No one gets a prize for doing what's expected of them.  He had the demeanor of a business man who just closed a deal, never showing the awe and appreciation of a grown man playing a kid's game and getting payed handsomely for it.  There was satisfaction, to be sure, but it seemed like there was very little joy.  I wondered if the unrealistic expectations and pressure to win kept him from really enjoying the moment.

Saturday Derek Jeter became the 28th player in the 142 year history of Major League Baseball to collect 3000 hits, and the first Yankee to do so.  3000 hits puts a player in the company of the likes of Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, and Willie Mays, just to name three.  Then you think of legends like Babe Ruth, Micky Mantle and Joe DiMaggio who didn't reach that mark.  It is an instant ticket into the Hall of Fame, as long as you didn't do steroids (Rafael Palmiero) or bet on baseball and lied about it (Pete Rose).  More than seeing him reach one of the big milestones in baseball, it was probably the first time I saw him truly happy on a baseball field.

I was driving back from Massachusetts where I was visiting my parents, more than a little jealous that two of my brothers copped tickets for the game, and heard the play by play on the radio.  It wasn't until I got home that I saw the replay of all his five hits.  What I saw was more than just relief or a business like glint in his eyes.  There was true happiness as well.  The big hit came on an un-Jeter like tape measure  home run.  As he rounded first base there was a hand clap and a big smile that reflected an enthusiastic little boy more than the cold professional we usually see.  After the game he admitted to feeling the pressure, something he never did in the past.  What we saw on Saturday was a more human DJ than before; prideful, in a good way, of his accomplishments, grateful to his parents and teammates and truly touched by the response of the fans.

Winning will still be the number one thing for both the Yankees and Derek Jeter.  He said that it would have been awkward dealing with the post game adulation had they lost.  But for once I was glad to see that he enjoyed the ride.  And any professional athlete should.  The time they have to play that little boy's game is short, and very few even get the opportunity.   So play the game to win, for sure, but remember to appreciate the gifts that the competition brings.

I'll have more to say about Derek Jeter and his career soon, especially concerning the things I heard on sports radio in the weeks leading up to the big day.