After another victory in Baltimore the New York Yankees saw themselves only one game away from the final Wild Card spot on Thursday. If they are going to be able to play their way into the playoffs they will have to do so without team captain and shortstop Derek Jeter; after starting the season on the disabled list the captain was placed back on it for the third time effectively ending a season in which he played 17 games, according to ESPN.
At this point in Jeter's career, the Yankee great is 39-years-old, one has to wonder if seasons like this one are to become the norm moving forward. In 2012 Jeter was able to play 159 games before an ugly injury broke his ankle during Game 1 of the ALCS. Perhaps after 19 seasons in the majors Jeter's body is breaking down for good.
"It seemed like every time he came back, he was fine and they he would play a couple of days and something would happen," manager Joe Girardi told ESPN. "It seemed to be the repeated days that seemed to get to him a little bit. And that was frustrating to him and it was frustrating to all of us because we wanted him out there. And I think that's why we decided to shut him down."
Known throughout the league as a player who performs best down the stretch and in the playoffs Jeter was especially disappointed that he wouldn't be able to contribute to the team as they try to catch the struggling Rays to earn the right to play in October, according to the New York Times.
Speaking at the press conference to announce the end of his season on Wednesday Jeter sounded like a man who just couldn't will his body to do what it had done with ease in the past.
"I wasn't moving the way I wanted to move, I wasn't hitting the way I wanted to hit. I wasn't doing anything; I wasn't throwing the way I wanted to throw," Jeter said. "If you can't play how you're capable of playing or what you're used to doing, then you're really not helping out. If I'm not able to play how I want to play, then I'm not benefiting the team."
When Jeter came up to the club in 1995 he was joined by three other promising rookies - Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada. Posada has retired, Rivera is basking in his farewell season and Pettitte has already retired once and may or may not return next year. Jeter addressed the possibility of retirement at the press conference, according to the New York Times.
"A lot of 'end' talk here, man - do you guys want this to be the end for me?" Jeter said. "Have I thought about it? No. I don't think you think about the end of anything. Our job is to be ready to play; it's always been that way."
Next year Jeter will be 40 and playing on a legs that appear to be failing him; defensive statistics have shown that Jeter already lacks the mobility of the best shortstops as exhaustively reported in this article from Grantland. Even if he is able to regain his form at the plate one has to ask if he has become a liability at the position and if the captain would be willing to switch positions. The former shortstop that has been playing third base for a few years looks like he'll be taking some forced time off next season so there is a place to put Jeter if the Yankees want to go that route.
"I think as long as his ankle strengthens itself back up again with time, we'll see the player we're used to seeing," Cashman told ESPN. "As has as this discussion topic that we're having today is about his season being over, I have not watched his last game. No one has."
If general manager Brian Cashman is to be believed we have not seen the last of Jeter and he will return in pinstripes next year. The question is, for how much longer?
