SB Nation: The Indisputable Selfishness of Derek Jeter

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/9/2/6097443/derek-jeter-batting-order-team-player-joe-girardi-lou-gehrig

That put Girardi in a bind given Jeter's stature. If Jeter were the total team player he's portrayed as being, he'd not only have communicated to his manager that he'd be perfectly comfortable hitting anywhere in the lineup and playing only as often as he'd help the Yankees, he'd tell all of us, too. Short of doing this-of giving Girardi not only private permission, but public cover, it's probably, as Goldman points out, just not worth the hassle, particularly with only a month left in the season.

The cost to the Yankees has been substantial. Jeter is the third-best defensive shortstop on his own team this year, behind Stephen Drew and Brendan Ryan. He's garnered the third-most plate appearances on the team, yet among the 14 Yankees with at least 100 plate appearances, he's 13th in OPS+, behind only the since-jettisoned Alfonso Soriano.

Eh. He's earned it. If I were a Yankees fan and went to a game down the stretch in his final season and he wasn't playing, I'd be pissed.

Eh. He's earned it. If I were a Yankees fan and went to a game down the stretch in his final season and he wasn't playing, I'd be pissed.

If they were either a shoo in for the playoffs or safely out of the race I would agree with you.

Is his farewell tour worth them missing the playoffs?

Maybe for some fans it is.

If they were either a shoo in for the playoffs or safely out of the race I would agree with you.

Is his farewell tour worth them missing the playoffs?

Maybe for some fans it is.

Particularly Oriole fans....

If they were either a shoo in for the playoffs or safely out of the race I would agree with you.

Is his farewell tour worth them missing the playoffs?

Maybe for some fans it is.

Particularly Oriole fans....

As a lifelong Oriole fan since I was a 6 year-old boy in October of 1971, I certainly appreciate Derek Jeter's selfishness.

In fact, I hope that he changes his mind about retiring, and comes back again next year to do it all over again.

If they were either a shoo in for the playoffs or safely out of the race I would agree with you.

Is his farewell tour worth them missing the playoffs?

Maybe for some fans it is.

It's immaterial to the Yankees' playoff chances whether Jeter plays or doesn't, or where. I seriously doubt there is anyone in the organization who believes that benching Jeter would materially help the club. All it would do is deny Jeter a chance to try to make one final charge.

It's immaterial to the Yankees' playoff chances whether Jeter plays or doesn't, or where. I seriously doubt there is anyone in the organization who believes that benching Jeter would materially help the club. All it would do is deny Jeter a chance to try to make one final charge.

Now might be too late but if he was hitting lower in the order and not playing so often all season then it certainly could have been a difference maker if the Yankees fall a game or two short in the end.