The New York Yankees have arguably the most history of any American professional sports team with 27 World Series Championships and dozens of Hall of Fame Players.
From murderer’s row to Mr. October the Yankees featured talented lineups filled with stars. Recently, Mr. November, Derek Jeter has topped all other Yankees in some select categories.
Jeter, the only Yankees player ever to join the 3,000 hit club in MLB, also passed Mickey Mantle for first place in
Photo/Keith Allison Wikimedia
games played. A feat that, while much less relevant than if Jeter had the career WAR record (which he has no shot of obtaining, as Babe Ruth holds a tremendous lead) it stands as a testament to The Captain’s legacy and what he has meant to the Yankee Franchise.
The Yankee record books are scattered with Jeter’s name. He is in the top 10 of over a dozen categories and is also first in at-bats, plate appearances, hits and stolen bases.
Before this past offseason, Jeter signed a four year deal (although the fourth year can be bought out) to keep him in a Yankees uniform. In the midst of his 17th season, if he plays through the duration of his contract he will have 20 years in the big leagues; all with the Yankees unless he approved a trade. But that’s unlikely and could start a riot in the Bronx.
Many Yankee records are out of reach, especially since Jeter is not a power hitter, however, he will have a chance to break some more records in the future.
Currently, Jeter is 205 runs scored behind Ruth for the all time Yankee lead. Throughout his career, Jeter has averaged over 100 per season so he should pass Ruth sometime in 2013.
Jeter is also close to breaking the Yankee record for doubles, as he currently sits just 46 behind Lou Gehrig. He could break that record by the end of next season.
Down the road, the Captain will have a shot to break the franchise record for total bases. He is currently over 800 behind Ruth and would likely need a full three seasons to make a run at the mark.
In a number of categories, Jeter will finish in the top 5 behind some combination of Ruth, Mantle, Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. While Jeter’s best days may be behind him, the Yankee Captain will continue moving up the Yankee record books as his illustrious career begins to wind down.
Used with permission of the author.
Brett is the editor and a contributor for www.BravesFTW.com. He has covered MLB and the Braves for numerous websites and is a regular contributor to Sports Climax. Follow Brett on Twitter.
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