Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Say It Ain't So Derek, This Can't Be Goodbye


Our colleague and a member of the Greedy Pinstripes family Neil Dwyer posted an article, Oh Captain My Captain, and that article really touched me and really inspired me. Especially the line when Neil said "Derek Jeter, the cornerstone of my Yankee childhood, is now retiring. This truly is the last year of my, and many other Yankee fans, childhood. It's symbolic that I'm now moving on into adulthood as my childhood leaves me" and wow could that not be more true?

I was born in 1985 so I was ten years old, with a November birthday, when Derek came up and led us to a World Series and Derek is all I have ever known at the shortstop position for the Yankees. I have really regretted and hated watching the likes of Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte twice walk away but this one is really making me emotional. Derek Jeter, to me, is the Yankees. When your 10 years old you tend to pick one guy you like, not a team, and that guy was Derek Jeter for me. I emulated my swing by his, I played shortstop in Little League and all through High School and College, I used to count how old Derek would be when I "got to the majors" to know if I would get traded away or if I would displace Jeter as the every day shortstop in New York. I never wore #2 but that was only because the first person to pick a number always chose #2 first. 

I don't know baseball without Jeter and I am not sure I really want to know baseball without #2. I will still watch it, I will still report on it, and I will still own this site post Jeter but it just won't be the same. While everyone else is remembering the Mr. November home run, the flip against the Athletics in the playoffs, the DJ3K day, the 1996 Rookie of the Year Award, the five World Series, and all the other stuff I could go on about all day I am over here feeling emotional. I am feeling selfish. I don't watch Derek to go. I want Derek to play well into his 40's like Ty Cobb and Pete Rose did. I want Jeter to chase down Rose for the All Time hit's record. I want Jeter to have two or three more World Series. I want Derek Jeter.

Jeter mentions starting his own family, he doesn't need his own family because he has us. I know I am feeling selfish right now, and I feel like I will understand soon and this will pass, but if you ask me right now I don't care. Say it ain't so Derek.... say it ain't so. 


1 comment:

  1. Jeter the Captain of the Yankees, a very damn good SS the best the Yankees ever had. He helped the team win 5 WS rings, Voted in as an AS-SS 2 times and made the team 13 times, has over 3300 hits. Great player and I wanted him to retire 2 years ago...I have watched far too many Yankees stick around years to long, I didn't want to see it happen again. Remember Bernie, Posada? Heck I could name you a dozen of them but why...most of you have never seen them play in their great years, just the sad ending!
    Here is to Jeter having a very good year, being able to go out in style!

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