By Mark Foley
Derek Jeter announced February 12 that the 2014 season would be his last.
Jeter will finish his career with the Yankees. New York drafted the all-time great shortstop with the sixth pick of the 1992 draft. He has played his entire career staying loyal to the Yankees organization, a feat that is rare these days.
During an interview with ESPN, Jeter said, “I feel the time is right. There are other things I want to do.”
Jeter announced his retirement in an unusual way. He didn’t announce the news through a press release, teammate, or interview. Instead, Jeter wrote a nine-paragraph Facebook post expressing his retirement choice and the fact of how lucky and appreciative he is.
Jeter only played in 17 games last season due to injuries.
He explained to reporters that his health was no factor in his decision to retire. He said he feels great physically but just believes it is time for his career to come to an end after this year.
“Physically, I feel great, and I look forward to playing a full season,” Jeter told the media. He also said that he feels as if he has worked harder this offseason than in any previous year.
Derek Jeter personally made the decision to retire a few months ago. His family and friends advised him to wait on making the decision public to make sure it was what he really wanted to do.
He did not want the decision to leak, so he kept it very private. According to ESPN, Jeter made sure to first tell the Steinbrenner family, which owns the Yankees.
Most people would agree that Jeter is the face of Major League Baseball. He is considered a humble person who works hard and has managed to stay away from any drama while being a big star in New York City—no easy task.
Many people will be sad to see him leave the game, and that will make his last season even more special.
However, Jeter played down the hype. He made it clear many times that he still has a full season to play and wants to focus on doing whatever he can for his team to win instead of worrying about all the retirement fuss.
“The thing that means the most to me is to be remembered as a Yankee,” Jeter said.
He is beloved in New York, and he truly will be remembered.
Jeter’s career has been memorable. In 1996, he was American League’s Rookie of the Year. Since then, he has earned five Gold Gloves, five Silver Slugger awards, and 13 All-Star appearances.
He also has won five World Series rings, and he was named the World Series most valuable player in 2000.
Last season, Jeter joined an elite group of 28 players ever to reach 3,000 hits.
Jeter has been a great influence on the game, and his retirement will make him truly missed.
But first, he has one final season. It should be a good one.