Derek Jeter Yankees’ Hit Machine

It was a praise-Derek Jeter season in New York and pretty much around baseball in 2011. After taking some guff about his supposedly fading skills, the Yankees shortstop shut everyone up with the type of performance he coveted back in spring training.

The year was notable for Jeter reaching the 3,000 hits mark. For that he was feted loud and long the way only tabloids and egocentric New Yorkers can do it. In this case it was difficult to be too annoyed by the lead-up, build-up, fawning, and celebrating since 3,000 hits is a very worthwhile baseball achievement.

What intrigued me is how Jeter got there. He didn’t stumble into the total with a single every third game while battling to keep his average over .220 like some fading star. As he has throughout his career when the lights are brightest and the Yankees needed his bat, Jeter went out and got it done in style. I say this in simple admiration for a top-notch ballplayer who will deservedly be elected to the Hall of Fame, not because I am a Yankee fan. Those who know me would laugh in your face if anyone branded me a Yankee booster. Can’t help it. As a Bostonian I bleed Red Sox red.

But I am a statistics guy in the sense of how they fit into baseball history. I believe that 3,000 hits matters. I believe that 500 home runs matters. So at the beginning of the season I looked up Jeter’s hit total and then looked at the all-time hits list and then figured out that if Jeter had an average year that he not only would zoom past the 3,000-hit milestone he would pass maybe 15 guys in one season.

That just seemed outrageous. Has anyone ever passed so many other players on one of baseball’s most impressive statistical lists so quickly? I doubt it. Sure enough, Jeter did almost exactly what I foresaw. He began the season with 2,926 hits, just 74 shy of the 3,000 target. As he worked his way to 3,000, Jeter passed Al Simmons (2,927), Rogers Hornsby (2,930), Wee Willie Keeler (2,932), Jake Beckley (2,934), Barry Bonds (2,935), Frank Robinson (2,943), Sam Crawford (2,961) and Sam Rice (2,987). Now that’s an All-Star cast right there.

When Jeter homered off Tampa Bay pitcher David Price in the third inning of a July 9 game at Yankee Stadium, he collected his 3,000th hit, tying Roberto Clemente. In some ways the most surprising thing about Jeter’s quest in his 17th Major League season was that he became the first Yankee to 3,000 hits. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle never made it that far.

Yet after the fanfare dissipated and attention returned to the pennant races, Jeter didn’t slow down. He kept on hitting–and passing more players on the hits list. He passed Al Kaline (3,007), Wade Boggs (3,010), Rafael Palmeiro (3,020), Lou Brock (3,023), Rod Carew (3,053), Rickey Henderson (3,055), and Craig Biggio (3,060). At the end of the year Jeter had 3,088 hits, ranking him 20th all-time.

Jeter stroked 162 hits during the 2011 season and passed 16 players, most of them Hall of Famers, in one year. Amazing. Although he is 37 and will turn 38 during the 2012 season Jeter has no plans to retire soon. The question is how long he can keep playing at such a productive level. If he can do so again in 2012, he can make a similar leap on the hits list again. If Jeter can crack out 155 hits this coming season he can surpass seven more guys, Dave Winfield (3,110), Tony Gwynn (3,141), Robin Yount (3,142), Paul Waner (3,152), George Brett (3,154), Cal Ripken (3,184), and Nap Lajoie (3,242).

After passing 23 players in two seasons, Jeter would rank 13th on Major League Baseball’s all-time hits list. It is not beyond his reach, if he plays until he is 40, stays healthy, and is reasonably productive, for Jeter to end up in the top 10. Eddie Collins, with 3,315 hits, is 10th. Honus Wagner, another pretty fair shortstop, is seventh with 3,420 hits. Pete Rose, with 4,256 hits is first and out of the question.

All I can say is I didn’t stop watching when Jeter hit 3,000 and I am going to keep an eye on him as he climbs the list. The only way we are going to see anything like this again any time soon is if Alex Rodriguez regains his health and top form. Rodriguez has 2,775 hits going into 2012 and ranks 49th all-time. Let’s see, if he gets 160 hits in 2012…