Love or loathe any member of the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter got hit number 3000 in style.
Hit number 3000 was a game-levelling home run off Tampa Bay’s David Price in the bottom of the third inning in New York on Saturday afternoon.
The milestone couldn’t have come at a better time for Jeter and the Yankees, who remain one game behind the Red Sox after both teams won again today, with the Sox cruising to a 4-0 win over Baltimore.
With the Yankees not as dominant as expected over the previous decade, what mark will be left by the 12-time all-star?
With only one missed playoff appearance since breaking into the bigs in 1996, Jeter has an astounding seven world titles to his name, but his leadership is what makes him a Yankee immortal.
Shortstop is a tough position for anyone to play, let alone a man who has just passed his 37th birthday.
Yet Jeter manages to continually display the athletic prowess that ensures he is entertaining to watch.
In a decade that has been filled with big hitters such as Bonds, Pujols, McGuire, Rodriguez, and Ortiz, it is easy to see why Jeter is underrated.
He has never relied on his power hitting (with just 237 career home runs) to make a name, preferring to play small ball to get results.
With small ball not being as attractive for middle-of-the-road baseball fans, many would be forgiven for not knowing him by name.
This approach was seen throughout the day, where he went 5-5, driving in the winning run with a soft liner up the middle in the bottom of the 8th.
So what next for the man who has done what no other Yankee has ever done?
An eighth world title is no certainty with both the Yankees and their arch-rival Red Sox on pace to have 100-win seasons.
Could we be celebrating hit number 4000 in five or six years’ time? If he stays healthy and continues enjoying playing then he is a real chance.
While Pete Rose’s 4,256-hit mark is a long way off, only a fool would write of the best offensive player of this generation.
Whatever happens for the remainder of his career, he’ll be remembered for being the hard working and committed athlete that he is.
See Derek Jeter register hit number 3000 here.
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