The New York Yankees' captain and shortstop, Derek Jeter, is once again on the disabled list, this time with a quad injury. With only four at bats in one game during the 2013 season, are we getting a look at the beginning of the end for one of baseball's most remarkable players and an era of Yankee baseball?
Father-Time seems to be poking an elbow at the 39-year-old Jeter. Though he produced great numbers the last two seasons after many thought his baseball days were coming to an end, it looks as though the ankle injury Jeter suffered could have been a sign that his time is nearing.
Consequently, Jeter's injury comes at a time where other Yankee greats are seeing their careers come to an end. Mariano Rivera is still going strong. Though it doesn't seem like Rivera is playing for a championship, he feels he could give baseball one more despite suffering an unfortunate ACL injury last season that forced the best closer in baseball history to prolong his retirement. Rivera came back and hasn't stopped performing at a high level, Jeter, on the other hand, is looking more like the other Yankee great, Andy Pettitte.
Pettitte has had a few DL stints since returning to the Yankees on May 13, 2012. He missed the months of July and August and didn't pitch in the postseason. However, when healthy, Pettitte proved to be very effective in 2012, throwing 75.1 innings with a 2.87 ERA and a 5-4 record in 12 starts. So far in 2013, he had a brief DL stint that forced him to miss about two weeks of baseball. He isn't the same Pettitte, but what can you expect from a 41-year-old.
Unlike Jeter and Mariano, Pettitte left the Yankees to play with the Houston Astros. Management didn't pay too much attention to Pettitte in his free agent year after the lefty went 21-8 in 2003. Needless to say, the Yankees did not make a World Series appearance until Pettitte returned to the team after the organization had made horrible acquisitions to help fill the void he left in the starting rotation.
His career is clearly coming to a close and his numbers say it all. It's not fun to get hit and Pettitte has gotten pounded this season. He is 7-6 with a 4.39 ERA.
Like Rivera and Pettitte, Jeter will soon turn 40. He is signed through 2014. However, will that extra year be one too many? Jeter has put his body through a lot of punishment playing in almost 3,000 career games including the playoffs. Can anybody stop these guys from further abusing their bodies?
One thing is for sure. When Jeter leaves, it will be a rude awakening for the Yankees. Currently, in their Top 20 Prospects, they have a stack of outfielders and pitchers. It seems like the organization is not really developing a future shortstop. By Jeter retiring, he will allow the organization to grow and begin finding young talent to fill the position. Of course, the Yankees can always buy a player, but they haven't been too successful getting healthy ones who can stay in the lineup every day. Eduardo Nuñez has been given his opportunities, but the team doesn't appear to have a lot of trust on the 26-year-old.
Without a doubt, Jeter will be back, that's just his nature. He will want to play out his final season in the big leagues, that's for sure. Whatever the case is, there is an era of baseball that will be closing little by little. First it will be Rivera, probably followed by Pettitte. As Jeter's body continues to deteriorate from all the seasons of baseball and the injuries suffered, we are slowly watching one of baseball's best fading away into inevitable retirement.