A die hard Yankees fan here, if Clemens gets in an asterik should follow after his name. He used steroids and any player caught juicing shoudln't get rewarded with a placque at Cooperstown not not not ever.
Jeter in the first ballot. Anything else is just wrong.
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I'm going to call this the first day of baseball season. January can be so long...
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Looking at the play from the third-base side, Giambi appears to be out. From the other side, he looks safe. So it's inconclusive and I don't think even a video review would have been able to determine it conclusively. The only certain thing is that as the call stands, the Jeter-haters notwithstanding, it's one of the greatest baseball plays ever.
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@Perfect Gentleman It looks like he tagged him on the knee. If you look at the first base side replay, you can see Giambi's leg move at the tag in response. Interesting, the announcer missed he call too, saying Jeter barehanded it when he clearly caught it in his glove.
This and the cathch where he jell into the stands are the plays I remember. Nice to have a little good new today.
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@Will Rothfuss
From the first-base side, it looks like he tagged him on the left knee, but it seems his right foot was already on the plate. Lots of "seems" and "looks like," which is why I said it could probably not have been determined conclusively. As much as New Yorkers wanted the Yanks to win the World Series, especially with the shock of 9/11 still very fresh, they faced a kind of karmic retribution when Mariano Rivera singlehandedly blew it against the Diamondbacks.
And on the subject of Soriano, he and Jeter were a great team, and what did the trade for A-Rod accomplish? They won one Series with him, and probably would have without him.
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Derek Jeter was admitted to the Hall of PEDs Users? What an honor!
As the play proves, Jeter possessed great baseball instincts. It's why he excelled both defensively and offensively. Heck, his last game, last at bat, he hit a walk-off single.
The HoF will be the crowning of an outstanding career.
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Really? Are you sure you have the story correct about why Soriano was traded to the Rangers for A-Rod? My understanding (and the understanding of any Yankees fan I know) was that because Aaron Boone hurt his knee during an off-season basketball game so the Yankees were in need of a 3rd baseman and A-Rod agreed to move to the hot corner. When did the narrative of this trade change?
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I’ve been a Red Sox fan since the mid 1970s. This gal is tipping her hat to Derek Jeter today. Congratulations, you deserve this.
I’ve never been a Yankees fan and can’t imagine I will ever be. However, like every team playing, individual players have the magic that captures our dreams and love for the game.
Derek Jeter played as if he understood how we, the fans, loved the game and it seemed as if never lost that fan love for the game.
All the things that make us long for opening day, especially right now when there is snow on the ground and we’re counting the days until pitchers and catchers report.
The smell of beer, popcorn, hotdogs, that first crack of the bat, did it, is it...? no not a home run that time it hit the foul pole, nothing like opening day at your favorite ball park.
It seemed to me not a lot of players can keep that spirit, that anticipation for the game going more than one season of their career. Big Papi did, and so did Derek Jeter. They were always fun to watch, not once did I ever feel they were doing it for anything but the love of the game.
I’m quite sure some people who have seen more games than I have can and might disagree with me and that’s fine. I’ve had to cut back on expenses and not been able to watch baseball since becoming disabled early in the 90’s. But I’ve never stopped loving it, being a fan and watching every clip I can find.
Some things you just never can stop loving, and for me that is baseball.
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yeah, but Giambi was safe.
@RKPT
That was my reaction to the view of Giambi running directly toward the camera.
No he wasn’t. You’re looking at the wrong leg. And the umps didn’t bail out a bad play either
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Nomar was better.
Keep saying that. You always believed it even though history has proven you dead wrong.
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I'm watching four hours of baseball highlights on Super Bowl Sunday, this one among them, just so I can say I spent the day constructively.
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Can we dispense with the foolishness about "the dive". He did not dive in to the stands to catch a ball... he tumbled into the stands after having snagged the ball. Nice play; plenty of courage - but had this been anyone outside of NYC the play (and player) would not be revered incorrectly for diving into the stands. As for the flip, again nice play - but Giambi slides we would never be having this conversation.
Clearly an anti Jeter fan and an anti NYer It’s not clear that if he slides he’s safe because, well, he didn’t. Lou Brick always went into home standing up. Most importantly, he didn’t. It was a spectacular play( the flip), something nobody else would come close to doing, and he wasn’t stumbling into the stands, he ran full speed at the fence and dove to avoid a crash that may have ended his career let alone drop the ball. Even a greater play in 2001 is throwing out Bautista going for a triple in WS game 7, a play no other shortstop could have made coming down with a relay and without hesitation throwing a strike to third, right in the bag. No shortstop played the outfield better, whether it was going for pop flies or taking relays and throwing to the right base, no wrong throws. Nobody. The closest I’ve seen is Visquel and Ray Ordonez who’s career was very short.
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The flip doesn't quite compare with Bill Wambsganss unassisted triple play in the 1920 World Series, but it's right up there. There have only been 15 unassisted triple plays in baseball history. I have not seen any stats on 'the flip,' or as Jeter called it "the wheel play.' He said it was routine and that the Yanks practiced it. Flip and 'the Dive' duly noted, no. 2 will be remembered as one of the few players in his generation to spend his entire career with one club, where he anchored the infield. He's certainly deserving to be in the Hall as player. We'll see about his results as GM.
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Adulation of Jeter is pretty much required. But the fact of the matter is that his batting stats overstate his skills. For almost all his career, Jeter batted ahead of a better hitter, most notably Alex Rodriguez. But also Alfonso Soriano at his peak. As a result, pitchers had to pitch to Jeter and he was infrequently walked. Opposing teams generally felt the need to put it over the plate for Jeter and live with his singles and doubles, rather than to walk him and put him on base ahead of the more dangerous ARod. If Jeter hit ahead of a banjo hitter, his stats would be a good deal less impressive. I apologize for the truth. But the truth is the truth.
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Unfortunately, you are so wrong because his best years were before ARod was on the team and often ARid was an easy out. If you look at his runs plus RBI-HRs, he is higher than almost anyone who was a HR hitter. He played in a park his was adapted to but was not in favorable park fir right handed hitters and for most of his career in a pitchers park. He was an extraordinary base runner and accumulated more hits than ANY right handed hitter other than Aaron. He had higher OPS than Ripken who played in a bandbox. He hit higher in post season games than regular season
The truth is the truth and your bias is not that.
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Derek Jeter was very lucky to play in the league prior to video review, that's all I'm saying. When I think of No. 2, I think of "overrated."
I just watched the flip play from three angles. If the play had occurred today the out call surely would have been reviewed. Posada caught the flip while standing in front of, and looking away from the plate. After catching the ball, he stabbed at the plate blindly with his left foot and tried to make a sweep tag of Giambi. His foot was down for a split second and it appears that it never touched the plate. As for the sweep tag, it appears to be was too late. Even Posada seemingly did not know whether Giambi was out--he waited for the umpire's call before dashing off the field.
If the play had occurred today, with enhanced film, a decisive and correct call would likely have been made. As it stands, it is an unknown. But the most thorough and authoritative account of the play comes from Bleacher Report, which calls the out call on Giambi "the blown call of the decade.
For sure, if Giambi had been called safe, the Flip would be remembered as "nice try, no cigar". All of this reminds us that baseball is a game of inches and, before play reviews, who won and who lost is sometimes unknown. So it is with the Flip.
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Easily the greatest play in the history of baseball. I have studied many amazing plays, including “The Catch” by Willie Mays. That Jeter knew where to be and when, and then actually made the play; no question in my mind, the greatest play. Thanks for perfection, Derrick.
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@michjas Keep looking. There was one angle that clearly showed Posada's glove hitting the back of Giambi's calf before it came down on the plate. And Giambi never argued. Also to overturn the call on the field the rules say there has to be clear, undisputed evidence to the contrary. The call would have survived review.
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@Stu Brown
Stu, you might be from Baltimore, but no way are you of Baltimore.
It was a great play, and a great career, but …
I think the throw would have gotten to Posada faster if Jeter had let it be. The ball missed the cutoff men, but was traveling on straight line to Posada. You might argue that Jeter rescued the ball from slowing to a stop before it reached Posada, but to me it looks like the throw had enough juice.
Apologies for the heresy, but I think Giambi is out either way.
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The ball was off line and Posada waits at the plated because he sees Jeter going for it. Great play by Posada who gets little credit.
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A great player, a fine gentleman, whatever team they play for, deserves the HOF and the accolades. I'm grateful to be old enough to have seen Mickey Mantle, Roberto Clemente, stars of that era and Jeter throughout his major league career. You know when you have seen greatness in whatever form it takes when you see it.
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The Flip was great, but I most remember The Dive. July 1, 2004 vs. the Red Sox (of course). A great player in a great tradition. Got me to stop hating The Yankees... don't love 'em, though... that's a bridge too far. I'm rooting for him to join Mo as a unanimous HOF selection.
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@Joe Marchese I agree with your statement about the Dive. In fact that was the first thing I thought of while reading the article. The Flip was on the biggest stage but I’ve always thought that head first dive, catch and bloody aftermath was easily the toughest and best play of his career.
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