For some reason there is a lot of talk about how Mets fans should treat Derek Jeter’s 3000th hit on the off chance it happens at Citi Field. (I’ll be there Saturday, I doubt Jeter will) I’ll boo. I boo when opposing players get hits. They’re the enemy. I’m not a gentlemanly opposing player in the same ‘fraternity’ of baseball players. It’s more important to me to see my pitcher’s WHIP be slightly lower than it is to see Jeter get a hit.
Let’s get real here, this isn’t some historic achievement. He’s not setting a record, he’s not even climbing into the top 10. He’s looking to become the 28th player to reach 3000 hits, and just because he’s the first to do so as a Yankee doesn’t mean anything outside of the Yankees. He’s not some all-time legend. He’s not Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig, or the best player on his team. There is nothing inherently more special about Derek Jeter, or the Yankees. He’s one player of 750 and the Yankees are one team of 30.
Jeter doesn’t transcend the sport in any way. Not at his position, not as a hitter, not as a fielder, and not even as a clutch hitter (which is simply a matter of being there a lot, he doesn’t boast better numbers in clutch situations). His claim to fame is longevity and being a good player on a lot of good Yankee teams. I hate the Yankees, therefore Jeter collecting a personal, or franchise, milestone means nothing to me. Absolutely nothing.
