April 10, 2015 Brooklyn, NY Can you imagine what it would be like to walk in someone’s shoes? Many people often use this analogy to express the work they have put in their accomplishments and the accolades they have attained. Now that you have a mindset of walking in someone else’s shoes, are you still interested in trying? Probably not. Imagine how Didi Gregorius, who will be Jeter’s replacement at shortstop, feels. We’re talking about replacing an icon, a legend, a brand, and most of all, the face of a one of the most prestigious franchises in sports, the New York Yankees.
Jeter was a star and will forever be a star because he was the man, the myth, and now the legend. For twenty years while Jeter was in the lineup, the Yankees were relevant and had hope. Jeter made the playoffs in 18 of his 20 seasons with the only two misses coming in the last two years of his career. No matter how dim Jeter’s star got at the end of his career, he was still brighter than the studs coming up now. His smile was the face of a franchise, and his professionalism captivated, but it was the matter in which he handled himself that will be etched in the hearts and minds of present and future baseball fans. With all the greats in the storied history of the Yankees, Jeter can go toe-to-toe with all of them. His numbers are not only eye popping to baseball historians but historic in Yankees history.
When you look at his resume and all of what he achieved, it is hard to stop and fathom how Jeter not only did it but, how easy he made it look in a city where sometimes the lights shine brighter than the stars. So as we look at some of Jeter’s numbers, and his being a five-time World Series champion, he is also regarded as a central figure of the Yankees’ success for his hitting, base running, fielding, and leadership. 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). His accolades include fourteen All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, five Silver Slugger Awards, two Hank Aaron Awards, and a Roberto Clemente Award. Jeter became the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits and finished his career sixth all-time in career hits and the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop. How does Didi Gregorius follow that? We’ll just have to wait and see.