It started with Alex Rodriguez in 1994, and then Derek Jeter in 95, and a year later the Red Sox brought up Nomar 
Garciaparra. I remember arguing with my friends that ARod was 10 times the shortstop that Garciaparra and Jeter were. His power, his speed, his glove and, most importantly he wasn’t a Yankee or Red Sox player, made me quite the fan.
Cut to 2001 and Rodriguez is in Texas with a fat contract. Garciaparra has won a couple batting title before being shipped to the Cubs. Meanwhile Jeter was winning title after title in NY.
By 2004 Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter were teammates (and I still think it would have been better had Jeter moved to second base, and allowed Rodriguez to play SS, as he was far superior), and the Red Sox were fighting for a playoff berth — and they traded Nomar to the Cubs. The Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since Jesus was a baby and Buddha was skinny.
In 2009 Jeter had a fantastic season, Alex had another pretty typical Rodriguez year though he missed quite a few more games than usual, and Garciaparra became a soccer wife after injuries derailed what could have very well been a HOF career.
In 2013 Nomar and his wife were teaching at their soccer camp. Rodriguez and Jeter were both battling injuries. For the second time in Jeter’s career the Yankees didn’t make the post season.
As pitchers and catchers report this year, Nomar is still chilling with the soccer balls and Alex Rodriguez is suspended from the game for the entire season. Jeter? Well Derek has decided this is his last season as the Yankee Captain.
Twenty years ago we’d just barely seen the Rodriguez kid who was supposedly better than Griffey Jr. in Seattle, and the other two were still in the minors. 15 years ago they looked like the three greatest shortstops in the history of the game. 10 years ago it could still be argued though Jeter was the only one still manning the position. But now? Now it looks like we are going to end an era that could and should have been the greatest ever, but the guy without a batting title, without an MVP, and without the gaudy numbers will wave to the fans come October for the last time and go down as one of the greatest Yankees players of all time.
In other news:
Twins General Manager “Terrible” Terry Ryan was diagnosed with cancer early in the week. He had successful surgery to remove it and three days later he was home. So it looks like Ryan’s life emulates his approach to free agency: a lot of hype, a small procedure and then we are stuck with his ineptness even longer. At least now he can live to hopefully be fired and publicly shamed.
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Simply put,Jeter is the best shortstop ever. He played great natural defense and his arm strength was always on display. What makes Derek the best was the fact he didn’t for stats or MVPs,he played for world championships….and did whatever it took to make it happen. And that included okaying the trade that allowed a-Roid to finally get his ring that he selfishly threw his chances to get while at Seattle just to snag that deal in Texas. A champion is much more then pure stats. A champion WINS. Derek Jeter is a champion.
Over-simplified, and a smidge biased Michael.
Jeter was more fortunate of where he was than who he was. He was smart to take advantage of his location, but Jeter was the beneficiary of unlimited spending and playing on an all star team almost every day of his career.
His defense was mediocre to say the least. His arm was only average and his range limited. He was never even the best player on his team.
I am not taking away from his amazing accomplishments nor his drive to win or his ability to thrive on the poison that kills so many in NY.
Put him on any other team and he was/is Craig Biggio.