Jeter's 3000th

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Now there's nothing I can't stand more than when people bring up other teams without any context whatsoever (See: Jimmy Rollins 2008 victory speech.)  This is METS Rant, not Yankees or Phillies Rant (although when the teams play each other I have some literary gems in store), but circumstances have made Jeter relevant in this blog.

Now I hate the Yankees.  I do.  I loathe them.  In 2 weeks, I'll put up my rationale for my disgust toward them.  However, as unpopular as this is with my Mets fans friends, I am a big Derek Jeter fan.  Here's my reasoning.

I was born in 1984, and because of my brother began watching the Mets at a fairly young age.  I have distinct memories of going to Shea Stadium in the early 90s and sitting up in the nosebleed section, hating the Pirates because of how good they were (my how things have changed).  Despite these memories, I definitely didn't understand baseball that well, I was more or less just trying to fit in with my brother.

In 1994 when the strike hit, I didn't understand why the players were striking, but I understood the overwhelming statements from the media.  Well, one statement really.  GREED.  I bought in that the players were greedy, and when baseball picked up again in 1995, I wasn't alone.  Attendance was way down, and I can even remember my father telling me he knew people that refused to acknowledge it as "baseball", but rather as "sport X."

Ken Burns likes to credit Cal Ripkin and his breaking of Gehrig's streak as the signature moment that baseball truly returned, but for me it was the home run race of 1998.  I was absolutely drawn in to McGwire and Sosa going back and forth.  I will never forget sitting on the floor in my bedroom, watching fox on a TV so old that it had the old school dial 2-13, with an option for UHF channels below.  To get fox 5 on that TV you had to put the dial halfway between 5 and 6, but I knew exactly how to set it so I wouldn't miss #62.  It was the magical kind of moment that is the inspiration behind being on your front lawn with a whiffle ball bat pretending that you just won the world series for your favorite team.

Looking back on it I think that's why I was so pissed off at all the steroid users when the cheating became public knowledge.  A-Rod, McGwire, Sosa, Palmero, Ortiz, Ramirez, Clemens, Bonds, and the rest took something that I held so special and let me know that it wasn't nearly as authentic as I thought it was.  As an adult, I understand why so many people juiced.  When Strawberry was asked about it he said that he didn't use steroids, but if he could've gotten his hand on them he probably would have.  Still, it's such a let down.

From there you look at all the bullshit things that baseball athletes have done.  Let's just look back at the past few years.  K-Rod assulting his father-in-law (see background.  literally, the background of this blog), Mark Grace recently got nailed for a DUI, Jim Leyritz killed someone because of a DUI, hell Ugueth Urbina was charged with attempted murder (while he was with the Phillies.  Just saying.)

And then there's Derek Jeter.  Came up in 1995 after the strike, and has essentially been the ambassador of Major League Baseball.  No stupid fights, no arrests, no steroids, just good hard baseball.  He's the one athlete you can consistently point to and say "See this guy?  This is how baseball is supposed to be played.  This is how baseball is supposed to be respected and represented."

How many times have you seen what people simply refer to as "the flip"?


(Go to 0:58)


This is representative of his career.  A smart, level headed, exceptional play for a smart, level headed, and exceptional player.

And the way the majority of Yankee fans have treated him is f*cking insane.

When did they forget that he's Derek f*cking Jeter??  It's INSANE.  Isn't there something refreshing about watching a natural decline of an athlete?  Jesus this is why athletes do roids in the first place!!!

So after months and months of the non stop bitch parade I was giddy that Jeter would get his 3,000th hit away from Yankee Stadium.  Not since Ripkin has a milestone been reached without any PED, and I don't know when the next one will actually happen.  After all of the shit the Yankee community has given this man there is no way they deserve to see it happen in New York.

And then he goes on the f*cking DL.

And the way the schedule works out, it looks like he'll probably get it against the Mets.

There is nothing fair about sports.  There sure as shit isn't anything fair about being a Mets fan.  I just hope our starting pitching can continue to be dominate into the NY series.

God I hate the Yankees.