By JOSHUA NATOLI
Sports Editor
Getting old sucks.
I know, it sounds cliché, especially coming from a 22 year old, but it really sucks. The worst part is that you’re constantly reminded of your aging, I mean, the movie Mean Girls will be 10 years old come April, and you can look that up.
Nothing has reminded me more of the fact than the sports world over the past six or so months. First, it was the announcement of Tracy McGrady’s retirement, now, The Captain, Derek Jeter, will be hanging up his cleats after the 2014 MLB season.
Crazy, right?
Not only the face of his Yankees franchise, but arguably the entire league will be entering his 20th and last major league season. It was weird when I first stepped foot into the new Yankee Stadium in 2009, but watching a Yankee game without Jeter will be life-changing for me.
Here is a guy that was drafted the same year I was born. I’ve literally never seen a Yankee team without him. Talk about a childhood memory. The call for time while stepping into the batter’s box, the signature swing, and that backhand stab followed by the jump throw to first will be no more.
The end was near once Jorge Posada left the game. The first of the “Core Four” had left the building, and I knew Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera were next. After they set sail leaving DJ as the only remaining member, I knew his time was up.
I guess it’s for the best though.
When you’re pushing 40 ankles don’t heal like they used to. Missing all but 17 games last season I’m sure didn’t help Jeter’s motivation to stick it out past this coming season. We all knew it was coming at some point. The most media-avoiding, high-profile player ever even has to bite the bullet eventually. The best part is that he did it in the most Jeter way possible. No cameras. No media. Just him and his fans on Facebook. Classy.
This is the way Jeter has been his entire career. His personal life shrouded in secrecy. The only place you could really find him was on the diamond. There were even rumors that he would let the paparazzi shoot photos of him and whoever he was dating at the time once, in exchange that they wouldn’t bother him ever again.
Speaking of dating, look at his record: Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Minka Kelly. He’s arguably the best bachelor of all time.
And his highlight reel: the Mr. November home run in the 2001 World Series against the Diamondbacks, the bloody and bruised dive in the stands for a foul ball, the home run for his 3000th hit, the list goes on and on.
He is a bonafide legend, a god among men. Not only one of the best Yankees ever, but one of the best players ever, period. He has it all, the All-Star appearances, the Gold Gloves, the World Series rings, and he’s 20th all-time in overall WAR. (Wins Above Replacement)
Knowing baseball hall of fame voters, though, Jeter won’t be a unanimous first balloter. There’s always the one guy who finds a reason not to vote for a clear Hall of Famer. But, Jeter definitely deserves it.
Jeter leaves behind an untainted legacy, one of baseball’s good guys. Always clean, always classy. He gave you 100 percent every night. It’s going to be hard seeing him go.
You can’t stay young, forever, right? I’m currently learning that the hard way. I just know the end of Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan will be next. A vicious cycle the never ends.
Goodbye Captain.
Yeah, Jeets.
