Jeter's 3K

Call him Mr. 3000.

Granted he's not the first player to reach the 3,000 hit milestone - there in fact were 27 other players to do it before him - but Derek Jeter did just become the fist Yankee player to join the prestigious 3K club.  Down in the Bronx, anything that happens outside of a pinstriped uniform doesn't really count, so as far as they are concerned, their Captain is the first to accomplish this feat.

Jeter's quest for 3,000 came in the middle of the most frustrating season of his career.  He has put up career low numbers thus far in every statistical category and has struggled just to hit the ball out of the infield.  Weak ground balls have become a more common result as his skills continue to fade while his career winds down faster than he thinks it is.

Yet on a Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, Jeter was able to turn back the clock to finally reach the elusive milestone in a game that could not have been scripted any better.  Jeter entered the game two hits shy of the 3K mark.  He would later admit that the pressure of pursuing the historical mark had been affecting him, pressure which only increased that weekend as he realized he only had two more games to attempt to meet his goal in front of his home fans.  Jeter emphatically meet the challenge en route to a 5 for 5 performance to barge triumphantly passed the barrier keeping him out of the elite club.  Hit number 3,000 was a rocket that cleared the wall for his 3rd Home Run of the season.  Not only did Jeter get to that 3K mark, he did it in style.

Jeter was able to accomplish this rare milestone by remaining remarkably consistent over his storied career.  He's appeared in at least 148 games in all but one of his seasons since he became a regular in the Yankee lineup back in 1996.  He's had 10 seasons already in which he's tallied at least 190 hits, which only 4 other players in history have accomplished.  3 of those guys are Hall of Famers, and Ichiro, the only other active player on the list, is as sure a bet as Jeter is to join them someday.

Jeter has racked up awards throughout his career at a pace only outdone by his collection of actresses and models.  As a flag carrying member of Red Sox Nation it's much easier for me to point out his flaws rather than praise his accomplishments.  At least a few of those 5 World Series rings were purchased with the Steinbrenner's money.  His popularity got him voted into several All-Star appearances that were based more on reputation than production (with this year being the most glaring example).  His collection of Gold Glove awards is a joke.  He's far overpaid and overrated by New Yorkers that seem to think he's the greatest player that ever lived.  It's easy to hate Derek Jeter as the poster boy for the pinstriped enemy.  Yet he's made it impossible not to respect him.  Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Jeter is one of the classiest players in the game.  He plays the game hard every night and has piled up a list of accomplishments that most anyone would be envious of.  The latest of those accomplishments is joining the 3K hit club.  He deserves all the applause and praise that comes with achieving that milestone.  He's earned it - one hit at a time.