Derek Jeter (June 9, 2011)
It is hard to imagine that, given the long and illustrious history of the New York Yankees, that no one had gotten their 3000th base hit in their uniform. That is, until The Captain did so.
Throughout his career, Jeter was a player that showed a great deal of class and dignity on the diamond. He was the perfect Yankee, the type of player that George Steinbrenner constantly sought to have on the roster, even through the Bronx Zoo years. It was understandable when he was selected to be the 15th captain in team history, a tribute to what he meant to the team.
Naturally, Jeter made his milestone hit memorable. Facing off against Rays starter David Price in the third inning, he pulled a 3-2 curve into the seats in left, becoming the second player in baseball history to reach the milestone with a home run. Like Wade Boggs, the only other player to reach the milestone with a homer, Jeter was not considered a real power threat, with that home run being his third homer of the season.
It was a fitting cap to a great career. Jeter was a 14 time All Star, finishing in the top ten of the MVP vote eight times. He seemed to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, especially on defense, helping him win five Gold Glove awards. Offensively, he had eight seasons with over 200 hits, leading the league twice. Although he never won a batting title, Jeter hit over .300 12 times.
Jeter commanded respect throughout his career, a stellar player who exemplified class on the field. With his excellent batting skills, it was seemingly inevitable that he would join this fraternity.