Derek Jeter: A Career in Review

  Hell my sports fans!

       As we bid a farewell to yet another legendary Major League Baseball player, " Mr. November" says he will never be able to stay apart from baseball. Who is this legendary shortstop, who is bound for a Hall of Fame position in five years? The one and only Derek Jeter.

     Derek Jeter's career began to skyrocket, as hundreds of scouts would come from around the country to see the hard-hitting, spotless defender and shortstop from Kalamazoo Central High School. Hitting .557 in his sophomore year, Jeter aimed at becoming a baseball powerhouse. During his Junior and Senior year of high school, Jeter hit .508, with twelve stolen bases, in of course, twelve attempts.

     Fearful of Jeter asking for a salary bonus of at least one million dollars, the Houston Astros chose Phil Nevin with the first-overall draft pick of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. The New York Yankees had been intrigued with Jeter's style of play, and his versatility. Although, the New York Yankees were positioned with the sixth overall draft pick. Therefore, they assumed Jeter would fall to the second or third draft pick of the draft. However, Jeter's name was still in play as the Cincinnati Reds selected Chad Motola, an outfielder from the University of Central Florida with the fifth overall pick. Therefore, the New York Yankees selected Derek Jeter with the sixth overall pick in the draft, and signed him for 800,000 dollars.

      Derek Jeter's minor league career began awfully slowly, in his first game with the Gulf Coast Yankees, Jeter went 0-for-7 with five strikeouts. A season after being promoted to the Greensboro Hornets, Jeter finished the year hitting .295 with awards such as the Most Exciting Player award and the Best Defensive Shortstop award of the South Atlantic League.

      Derek Jeter made his MLB debut on May 29th, 1995 as a call-up for the New York Yankees. Nevertheless, since his call up in 1995, Derek Jeter has appeared in fourteen All-Star games, won five World Series championships, and was the World Series MVP in 2000. Sadly, Derek Jeter announced before the start of the 2014 MLB season, that he would be, " Hanging up his cleats" after his twentieth season in Major League Baseball. Although he may be leaving the New York Yankees roster, he may not be leaving the Yankees anytime soon, as he hinted he would like a job in the front office of the New York Yankees.

     We bid you are farewell Derek Jeter, you will forever stay in our hearts as " Mr. November."