Comments on: Jeter wants to stay at short, but should he?

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:20:18 +0000

wow thats cold – I would think Jeter has earned more respect than that.

By: Donna

Donna — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:56:40 +0000

Of course Jeter is not going to tell a reporter that he can see the day when he’s not playing shortstop. He admits to that, and that day will come sooner rather than later. But he DOES know that one day he will not be the Yankees’ shortstop, and there is evidence of that every time he steps up to the plate at Yankee Stadium. Anyone who’s been to games with Bob Sheppard announcing knows his routine:

“Now batting, the shortstop, number two, Derek Jeter. Number two.”

Derek had Bob record an announcement for him to be played at the Stadium, because, as he said, “as long as I am a Yankee, Bob Sheppard will announce me.” Next time you’re at the Stadium, listen to the recorded announcement. Listen to what’s missing:

“Now batting, number two, Derek Jeter. Number two.”

Obviously Derek himself took the position out, so it will be usable no matter what position he plays. Does that seem like someone in complete denial about some day moving off shortstop?

By: Rick B

Rick B — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:26:42 +0000

I have never been a fan of defensive metrics. You should write a report invalidating them or at the very least explain it mathematically in a post. I would very much like to take a look at something like that.

By: steve from Rockland

steve from Rockland — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:58:54 +0000

Re; Jeter’s defense. I have been an avid baseball fan for 52 years. Also, I have 30 credits above a Masters in math and have taught high school math for 37 years (including 16 years of teaching college statistics, and teaching AP calculus for the past 17 years). Without going into detail-both mathematically and baseball wise ALL THOSE SO CALLED DEFENSIVE STATISTICS ARE 100% INVALID ANYONE WHO THINKS RANGE FACTOR, ETC., ETC., MEANS ANYTHING AT ALL DOESN’T UNDERSTAND STATISTICS OR IS PURPOSELY MIS-APPLYING THEM (WHICH I THINK PEOPLE ARE DOING , SINCE CRITICIZING A PLAYER LIKE JETER GETS MUCH MORE ATTENTION THAN PRAISING HIM!)

By: Chris B

Chris B — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:12:51 +0000

Amen.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:31:04 +0000

I hope to see Jeter at short as long as possible. I am cherishing every moment he is a short & it will be a sad day when he is not at his natural position.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:42:18 +0000

The % for SS plate appearances in that chart doesn’t really change much from 35-40 yrs. old. (i.e. Moving forward from here..) DH grows at the expense of OF and some others, but SS remains relatively constant in that age frame.

By: Steve S

Steve S — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:44:24 +0000

I think he has a right to get snippy. You are asking the guy to comment on changing his position essentially two years from now and there isnt even a suggestion of who that replacement would be. I think Jeter has earned to the right to be snippy when the question implies you are so bad at the position you have been playing for 14 years that anyone else there would be an improvement.

By: AsianShuutoHeat

AsianShuutoHeat — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:35:37 +0000

Baseball IS a game of numbers, can we agree a bit with that statement?

BUT, at the same time baseball can not be governed by numbers. There are so many things that can happen in that split second when the lumber meets the leather across the plate.

You can’t just rate all things, things happen out of the ordinary. Sometimes coaches send up a pitcher that has a good lifetime career against a certain batter… only to fall flat on his face for that move.

You can rate someone’s performance, but you can’t rate someone’s fighting spirit…or whatever unquantifiable events that might happen in a baseball season. So to all the mathemagicians (notice I used magicians?), shut up with your numbers and how the Jeet is the “worst” in the whole league….

By: andrew

andrew — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:21:25 +0000

Often, the short stops age has an impact on his ability.