The Greatest Player I have ever seen

I was taken with the number six pick in the 1992 amateur MLB draft, I have been voted to the all-star team ten times in my fifteen year career, I have finished in the top ten in MVP voting six times despite never winning one, I have won 3 gold gloves, a Rookie of the Year award, a World Series MVP and have been referred to as the best playoff hitter of all time. Who am I?

The correct answer? Derek Jeter.

While the heading of this post may seem a bit over the top I stand by it and say that he truly is the best player that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing play the game of baseball. Yankee or not, Derek Jeter represents the epitome of a great player and may even be considered the face of the game today and for years to come. If you’re having a hard time believing me when I say that just look at his stats above. In addition to those stats you need to also consider his World Series rings and his ability to play under the everyday pressures of New York, and not just play but lead under those conditions. He has been the captain of the Bronx Bombers for as long as I can remember and at the age of 35 is currently batting a whopping 330 and could be in line to win his first MVP award. Which under the circumstances of how great he has been was the biggest surprise to me, and it makes me wonder whether the steroid era had something to do with that. The other surprise for me was that Mr. Jeter has never won a batting title. However keep in mind that in his twelve full seasons at the major league level he has never finished a season outside of the top ten in batting average, an even more impressive feat than winning one I would say. Oh, and one last thing, let us not forget that he holds the record for most playoff hits in a career. When did he do that? About four years ago.

So why all this talk about Jeter?

As of last night he tied Lou Gehrig for the all time lead in hits while playing for the Yankees with 2,721 hits and will most likely surpass that record when he takes the field against the Orioles tomorrow night. In an era where free agency and trades have dominated it only adds to the lure of Derek Jeter that he has spent all his time in a Yankee uniform. A model of consistency and the best hitting approach I have ever seen Derek Jeter will certainly have people call the new Yankees Stadium “the house that Jeter built”

Sportsmanship and the Fans Today

LeGarrette Blount was no doubt an NFL prospect when he signed his letter of intent to go to the University of Oregon. Does that mean he should get special privileges and not have to follow the NCAA rules and regulations? Or for that matter does that make him exempt from the general rules of sportsmanship applied to all competitive activity never mind at the collegiate level? Blount for those of you who do not know went up to an opposing player after losing last week’s game and sucker punched him in the face. In the same breath we can mention people like a Joba Chamberlain. Perhaps one of the best young pitchers in the game and undoubtedly a hard thrower with above average command especially when coming out of the bullpen, how does a guy who fits that description throw at at least one person a game or every other outing? Kevin Youkilis can attest to this as well as Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s not like he is throwing at guys who cannot hit and he is simply just missing his spot high, those two players bat clean-up for their respective teams. Do these facts become overlooked when he throws at a guy’s head?

Are these two players alone? Not by any means but these are the two most common examples that come to mind right now. It is the common rules of sportsmanship that get overlooked by league officials and commissioners everywhere today. To show a little Red Sox bias into the argument Josh Beckett threw over the head of Bobby Abreu and did not hit him, he was suspended for 5 games; however Joba Chamberlain hits Kevin Youkilis and Even Longoria in the head and gets nothing at all? Seems a bit puzzling to me, but back to my bigger point and issue, people in the old days were just as guilty as the players of today’s age, Ty Cobb used to spike short stops and second basemen when trying to break up a double play. However there were guys like Bob Gibson and others who knew how to be intimidating and sportsmanlike at the same time and these are the people we as fans need to focus on.

It appears as though us as fans have begun to root more for the bad boys and seem to enjoy a player stepping out of bounds and getting a little fired up. I had the pleasure of witnessing the Red Sox-Yankees brawl in which Pedro threw Don Zimmer. Was that a good thing to watch? Yes. Was it good baseball? Absolutely not. It is the same reason the Bruins are able to sell half of the tickets that they do, it has nothing to do with the purity of the game but instead has everything to do with the amount of fighting that takes place in the sport. People like PJ Stock and Milan Lucic have become idolized in this town because of their ability to take a punch way before their ability to split the defense or set up a one timer. Fans loved when Kevin Youkilis charged the mound against Rick Porcello earlier this season without realizing that his absence due to suspension lost them 4 of the next 5 games. As I type this it makes me wonder what type of fans there really are in the United States or the world for that matter? How many people actually love the game that they watch? And even if they do love the game is it because of someone who plays or is it for the purity of the game. I know that I love baseball because I could watch a pick-up game between seven year olds and that would be fine with me, but how many baseball fans can say that across the country? Or any sport for that matter, are you waiting for the next punch in the face after the game, the next brawl at center ice, the next fans vs. players brawl in Detroit or are you watching because you love the game and truly enjoy seeing that game played at the highest ability possible.

Patriots trade Richard Seymour

In a very surprising move the Patriots thought it best to trade former number six overall pick Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for a 2011 First round pick. While that pick has the potential to be the number one overall selection and all New Englanders have been programmed that in Belichick we trust, this trade left more than a few scratching their heads. Is the general thought in Foxboro that they can win a Super Bowl and attempt another perfect season with Mr. Seymour’s services? Or do they simply just want to get rid of the contract now and make sure they can lock up the big man Vince Wilfork.

Now don’t get me wrong I have all the faith in the world in Belichick and his staff but this move doesn’t make sense. You’re going to be rid of the contract at the end of the year anyway and despite the rather nice compensation, wouldn’t they rather win a Super Bowl this year and just be dominant again? Last Years defense was certainly nothing to write home about and after already losing Harrison, Bruschi, and Vrabel, three of the most vocal leaders in that locker room this move is still baffling. Will it work out in the Patriots favor however? I would have to say yes, because I ultimately think that Tom Cable couldn’t help a high school football team win games never mind a professional franchise in Oakland, if they are even on that level. Which would mean that the Patriots are looking at a top 5 selection and probably the next coming of Jerod Mayo, however will they be the Super Bowl champions on top of that, because that is what we want first and foremost