Baseball has two types of milestones. In 2004, Randy Johnson recorded his 4,000th strikeout. Less than three months later, Johnson got strikeout No. 4,137 to pass Steve Carlton for most ever by a left-hander.Which got more recognition? No. 4,000 -- because we like our round numbers.
But I always thought the latter was more impressive because to pass someone seems, to me, more significant.
That said, what do we make of Derek Jeter's breaking Lou Gehrig's record for career hits in a Yankees uniform?
In New York, it has been quite celebrated, to the point where the Daily News ran at least six stories in Monday's paper related to the impending Jeter achievement.
| Derek and Lou | ||
|---|---|---|
| How the hit totals of Derek Jeter and Lou Gehrig break down: | ||
| Cat. | Gehrig | Jeter |
| Hits | 2,721 | 2,723 |
| 1B | 1,531 | 2,005 |
| 2B | 534 | 437 |
| 3B | 163 | 58 |
| HR | 493 | 223 |
| R | 1,888 | 1,564 |
| RBI | 1,995 | 1,064 |
| Source: MLB.com | ||
Don't get me wrong, passing Lou Gehrig in almost anything means something (although, as Keith Olbermann pointed out, how many hits would Gehrig have had were it not for ALS?) And owning a Yankees career record is no small matter.
But Jeter was already considered an all-time Yankees great, so he didn't need this record to validate his status.
In fact, this mark means little more than exactly what it is: most hits. There is no way to consider Jeter the best hitter, or the best offensive player, in Yankees history.
Consider the all-time Yankees leaders in various categories, according to baseball-reference.com. Jeter is fifth in batting average but 14th in on-base percentage, 35th in slugging percentage and 24th in OPS.
His "adjusted OPS+" -- OPS weighted for his ballpark and era -- is 34th in team history. His "offensive winning percentage" -- what kind of record would a lineup of nine Derek Jeters have -- is 29th.
Jeter has far fewer doubles, triples and home runs than Gehrig had. And batting at the top of the order most of the time, Jeter has even scored fewer runs than Gehrig did.
Now, considering he has played shortstop his entire career, even if some of that play has been below average, Jeter's offense has been well above average.But putting him in the sphere of Yankees hitters, what Jeter has done is hit. Hit very well. Not for power. Not with a lot of walks in addition. But just plain hit.
More often than anyone else to wear pinstripes.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
9-11-2009 @ 9:44PM
Michael Sweig said...
Your a jerk. Give the guy credit. Your probably a Democrat as well!
Msweig...NV
Reply
9-12-2009 @ 10:31AM
one better said...
lets keep politics out of sports. As WE can see it takes a member of the NEW Minority (republicans & rednecks)to not have nothing better to talk about. NO room for that here. NOW back in your cabin and close the door, coz WE ARE ALL sure the stench is overwhelming. Thanks Derek. A class act. A man in his 30's making 20 mill a YR. and WE never hear one negative thing about him. Gentic's. Class.
9-12-2009 @ 12:38PM
tonytiger18 said...
Derek is a special player, and can be in any era!
Price is getting carried away with his underhanded compliment. It is desguised as a slight against his accomplishments.
All Yankee fans, teammates, and the players that he competed against appreciates this guy for what he is: someone that competes hard everyday, someone that respects the game, a team player that does all the little things that makes his team better, and never never NEVER embarasses the himself or the game by saying or acting in a dumb or selfish manner.
How he reacted after getting the hit shows his character. All he did was slap his hands together!! No pointing to the sky with two hands, no hyper fist pumping, no stupid facial expressions, no animated screaming.
Just a classy one time hand slap.
This guy should be a role model for all little leaguers on how to play the game right.
The numbers will define him when he retires.
But, right now we should enjoy this guy for there will be no Jeter type in the near future.
9-11-2009 @ 9:44PM
ChuckyBoy said...
one thing u forgot to mention, ED is Jeter passed Lou Gehrig's record in less games than Gehrig! He's still has plenty of time to pass all the other stats!
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 11:23PM
Jordan said...
Uh, yeah Jeter did it in less games because Gehrig drew TWICE as many walks as Jeter did. Who cares about number of games? Compare at bats (Mr. Price - great article, but to enhance the comparison, you should use at bats as well as BB in your table as well). Jeter got as many hits in almost 600 more at bats. It only makes Gehrig's stats all the more impressive (who, by the way, is incredibly underrated in the "who is the best player of all time" debates)...
9-12-2009 @ 12:02AM
Cvman said...
Right on ~ Ed is off base and he is not celebrating the moment...Jeter is about the team, he is about the Yankees, he is about being the Captain, and not about Derek. You never hear anything about him that's negative. You see his parents at the games...and sister. He behaves like he's suppose to. He has many games left in him, so other records will be broken. No doubt.
9-12-2009 @ 11:36AM
repelgravity said...
Yeah, except Gehrig never used steroids.
There should be a * next to Jeter's name.
9-11-2009 @ 10:00PM
arobinkoff said...
Derek jeter is a outstanding no amazing player. he deserves everything he has because he earned it. with all the low life scum bag players out there he is a true role model and a true athlete. congrats jeter
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 10:05PM
soupgal41 said...
Derek Jeter is the epitome of class, both on and off the field. He earned a place in Yankee history, and this is coming from a life long Mets fan. Not once has Jeter ever been suspected of cheating or using PEDs. It's so refreshing to see a player play for a TEAM, instead of individual records. And how wonderful to know that he earned this fair and square, without any "help."
Congratulations, Derek. You deserve it! :)
9-11-2009 @ 10:13PM
purist said...
Remember he is playing in a bush league park in a gorgeous setting...how many of his very cheap, 310 feet homers contributed to his total?? Many of his outs in a major league stadium count for home runs in Yankee Stadium.
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 11:07PM
nabpdcop said...
Wow, I guess DJ built the ball park so he and he alone can get all those hits. What a DUMB ASS comment. Please don not wirte on this blog anymore. Everything you say is DUMB. Play with yourself, if you even have one. You know what I mean...................lolololololololol
9-11-2009 @ 11:27PM
Bill3JoanA said...
Purist my ass. Every stat in 125 years or whatever it's been has been influenced in one fashion or another by the ball park. Soft infield, artificial turf, indoors, warm weather, altitude (Denver). You haven't a clue making a remark like that. Forest Gump would have been your teacher. My kid fell in love with Thurman Munson and although only 9 years old he like many a Yankee fan cried that day. But Had my guy been a little younger I would have been as proud of him emulating Jeter as he did Munson. Both class acts giving their all for team. That's what carries people away tonight.
9-12-2009 @ 10:23AM
big blue said...
Just imagine if he played in Fenway?? How many hits would he have off the Green Monster and how many HR's around that Pesky Pole....The article is about a Yankee playing in Yankee Stadium. But keep in mind they do play HALF of the games AWAY..Lets not forget the 4 rings too. Some or many teams havent won 4 rings in the last 100 yrs. (sux)...HAHA Thanks Derek
9-12-2009 @ 12:10PM
paulieg12345 said...
Hey stupid...Jeter's only been playing in this "bush league" park for less than a year and he only has 17 for this entire year (home and away)....So your logic is pretty dumb.
9-11-2009 @ 10:13PM
yacht33708 said...
Hey Ed??? Who the FU-K are you?? You probably wear panties and secretly want to cover tennis or bowling. You actually claim to know baseball? WAIT!!! I know!! You don't get any letters and thought that making a complete asshole of yourself, someone would respond. Well it WORKED... AND, here's the BONUS.... You are stll an asshole!! Really, who are you??
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 11:56PM
gmaadness said...
It takes an a$$hole to know another a$$hole.
9-11-2009 @ 10:20PM
jtshark8 said...
Congrats to Jeter I have been a sports fan for 44 years Jeter is one guy I wanted my son to wear his jersey for the role model that he is. Thanks for the memories.
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 10:49PM
s said...
the fact that you quoted the quizz master olberman tells me your a loser
Reply
9-11-2009 @ 11:15PM
George said...
It never ceases to amaze me how, when faced with an article that is less-than-flattering to someone they like, instead of rebutting the argument they disagree with, people have to stoop to the lowest of the lows: attacking the author of the piece. Ironically enough, one of the few people who *did* make a strong rebuttal backed up by a sound argument was a Mets fan.
Jeter, since 1996, has been the epitome of class and one of the precious few players who has never had the black cloud of PED's hanging over him. Sure, maybe his offensive numbers aren't among history's elite, but then again, the last few years have shown us that history's elite achieved many of their record-breaking numbers through through less-than-honorable means. Say what you will about Gehrig's career being cut short by ALS; the Yankees have been around since 1903 and the fact that Derek Jeter , 106 years later just broke the mark for most career hits by a Yankee, considering the players that have worn pinstripes through the ages, is nothing short of amazing.
I would love to get Ed Price's thinking on this: If Jeter were to somehow pass Pete Rose on the all-time hits list, what would you consider him? Because I'm PRETTY sure everyone in America, from casual fans to hardcore fans to MLB and the Hall of Fame, is going to consider him the greatest hitter of all time. And yet, according to Mr. Price's logic, because all Derek Jeter did was rack up base hits, not only is he NOT the greatest hitter of all time, he's not even the greatest Yankee hitter of all time. Interesting perspective, no?
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9-12-2009 @ 2:51AM
Jordan said...
Wrong. Pete Rose is not the greatest hitter of all time just because he has the most hits. Pete Rose also has the most at bats of all time as well. Coincidence? No.
Even if Derek Jeter has the most hits of all time, his name doesn't even come even within the top 10-15 hitters of all time, let alone number one. Maybe if he brings his career average up twenty points or so he could crack the top 15.