Everyone knew Derek Jeter’s last game in Yankee Stadium would be special, but no one would believe just how special it would be.
On September 25th, the New York Yankees were facing off against AL East rivals the Baltimore Orioles. In the bottom of the 9th inning, the game is tied at 5. Derek Jeter steps up to the plate with a runner on second base in scoring position. On his first pitch, Orioles closer Evan Meek throws Jeter a high breaking ball. Jeter hits a single into right field, and pinch-runner Antoan Richardson slides home ahead of Nick Markakis’ throw. Yankees win 6-5 off of Jeter’s walk-off single.
This is the perfect way for Derek Jeter to end his last game in the Bronx. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t a walk-off grand slam, but it was Jeter. Derek Jeter was never the type of player to hit a bunch of home runs or have ridiculous stats. What made Derek Jeter great was his consistency. He has spent twenty years playing for the same team: the New York Yankees. In that time, he was named an All-Star 14 times. It is truly an impressive feat for any player to play for twenty years. What is even more impressive was that he managed to stay relevant on a team who demands nothing short of winning and has no qualms about getting rid of players who don’t stack up. In his twenty years as a Yankee, Jeter was always the guy who made the right play at the right time.
Fans of baseball under the age of thirty do not know a time in baseball without Derek Jeter. He will be remembered as a guy who was consistent and did things the right way. It is the end of an era and baseball fans, particularly Yankees fans, will sorely miss Derek Jeter. RE2PECT.