What Derek Jeter did on Saturday, July 9th, 2011 was immediately archived into baseball history and New York Yankees lore. It’s something that Derek Jeter haters in Boston, and internet geeks on Baseball Think Factory, Replacement Level Yankees, and anyone named Steven Goldman don’t understand: Derek Jeter is a living legend and his teammates, peers, opposing managers, coaches, true Yankees fans, and retired players are never suprised when Jeter does something like this.

Jeter was an absolute super hero yesterday. He admitted that the pressure and attention were getting to him and he wanted to put an end to it. The fact that he got his 3,000th hit with a HR (after only hitting 2 all year- in one game) and banged out 5 hits and stolen base in a tight Yankees win, showed that Jeter is and always has been at a different level of play than other modern baseball players.

There’s a reason why so many people are envious of Derek Jeter- the man continues to do the impossible and always comes through under adversity. As he has finally aged in the last season and a half ,all the wolves have come out to eat him alive, but yesterday he shut them all up. And no matter what happens in these next three years with the Yankees everyone will remember 7/9/2011 as Derek’s greatest game. He had already achieved legendary and immortal status, so what he did yesterday is beyond any words- it becomes mythical and timeless. Yes, he did something Babe Ruth didn’t do, folks. Believe the hype, because it’s true.

Derek Jeter just got hit after hit against some great pitching like he was in full control over this reality- like he was a god.

Hollywood would have rejected this script as being too unrealistic. The young man (Christian Lopez) that returned the ball showed class.

I am glad I hung around and continued to watch the Yankees all these decades (instead of sticking with the Yankees AND the Mets) so I had an emotional attachment and investment to truly appreciate what Derek did yesterday. Captain Clutch indeed!

There may be other players with better stats and less media coverage, but Derek Jeter- who everyone said was DONE and overrated- accomplished a truly one-of-a-kind feat yesterday. Wade Boggs may have hit a HR for # 3000, but he didn’t go 5-5, and Craig Biggio was thrown out trying to stretch a double on his 3,000 hit and was 5-6.

Jeter was Mr. Perfect.

Storybook ending of the Quest for 3,000, folks.

Proud to be a Yankees fan.

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