BLOGS

I know that despite the fact that baseball isn't as popular as it used to be, it's still a robust sport and an American tradition. And every so often you see something special in sports that you don't see every day. As a Yankees fan and a fan of baseball, I'm going to really miss Captain Derek Jeter. He was that special something in baseball.

I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that he's not going to be at Yankee Stadium at the position of shortstop opening day 2015. Today, I actually witnessed his last at bat on TV against the Red Sox. But he's earned his retirement. I can relate to him. Nope, I'm not a millionare. Nope, I still haven't been drafted by any sports team (but you never know what the future holds. Nope, I never won any World Series rings. However I can appreciate Jeter's path to being the best.

Jeter wasn't the strongest guy or the fastest runner in baseball. Jeter wasn't the flashiest player for the most part (except when he just happened to make these awesome plays that seemed to come out of thin air). Jeter didn't thump his chest and boast of his greatness. Jeter didn't bash baseball rivals, and he did his best to not speak ill of his teammates either. Jeter didn't embarrass himself and the Yankees by acting stupid in public.

Let's be honest about Jeter. He got overlooked by a lot of the baseball experts when he was first drafted. He didn't always have the highest baseball stats from season to season. There were guys around him who hit way more home runs than he did.

However Jeter worked hard to improve himself as a student of the game. He sought to make his teammates feel comfortable in the clubhouse and confident enough in their own abilities to play at their best. It didn't matter if you were a nervous and eager rookie who just got called up from the minors or a high paid veteran free agent. Jeter didn't care. He'd strive to make sure you were comfortable and ready to play.

Jeter's leadership style was that of leading by example. He tried to do whatever he could to help the Yankees win that was within the rules. If he was asked to make a humble sacrifice bunt so somebody else could get on base, he would do it without complaining. This leadership helped to subconsciously elevate the play of the entire team. I respect that a lot and try to do the same at my job, in my community and in my church. I try to do that in my writing and other projects. Thanks for the memories and wisdom shared, Captain Jeter.