The Face of Baseball

Many say the face of baseball is Babe Ruth for his legendary significance towards the game in the early 1900s. Many say the face of baseball is Barry Bonds for being the all-time Homeruns leader and the icon of the steroid scandal. Many say the face of baseball is Alex Rodriguez for his controversy on and off the field.

The face of baseball needs to have it all. He needs to bring attention to the sport. He needs to be skilled. He needs to be dedicated. He needs to play with pride. He needs to make smart decisions. He needs to be reliable. He needs to handle the media attention well.

That person is Derek Jeter.

Jeter has been playing since he was a kid. Even when he was in high school did he show enthusiasm towards the game. He won the Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 1992, a very prestigious award for such a young athlete.

Jeter has always been known as a clutch player, but it all began in the 1996 ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles. Jeter hit the ball to deep right field. Orioles’ outfielder Tony Tarasco tried to catch the ball, but 12-year old Jeffery Maier caught it over the fence instead.

Jeter won the AL ROY award in 1996 with his .314 batting average and 78 RBI. In 2000, Jeter became the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP and the World Series MVP in the same season.

In 2001, his “flip play” became one of the most incredible plays of all-time. A’s player Jeremy Giambi was rounding 3rd base to try and score the game-tying run in the 7th inning. Shane Spencer’s throw missed the cut-off man, when Derek Jeter came out of nowhere, flipped the ball with his backhand to Jorge Posada, to tag Giambi at the plate.

Jeter has never been afraid to dive for a play. July 1, 2004 was one such example. In a critical extra-inning game against the Red Sox, a ball was hit into shallow left field, down the line. There were runners in scoring position and they would have scored had the ball dropped, but Jeter ran all the way from his position, to the line to make the catch. He dove into the stands to make the catch, risking injury, but saving the game for the Yankees.

Derek’s postseason numbers have always been outstanding. He hit .309 with 17 homeruns and an OPS of .846 in his playoff career.

Off the field, Jeter has been seen dating numerous celebrities. He dated Mariah Carey, Jordana Brewster, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Adriana Lima, and Minka Kelly for some notables. He and his girlfriends have been all over tabloids for years.

Also off the field, Jeter started his own charity in 1996, called the “Turn 2 Foundation.” His charity tries to help teenagers stay away from drug and alcohol problems.

Jeter’s face has been displayed everywhere, whether it be Nike commercials, Gatorade ads, Gillette Fusion commercials, video game covers, or other advertisements. Derek Jeter is the billboard for baseball.

The face of baseball is not Albert Pujols. Although he is the greatest active player in the game, he does not bring enough attention to the sport or himself.

Derek Jeter is baseball’s icon. He is dedicated to the sport, plays with pride, is clutch, handles the media attention extremely well, and brings attention to the sport. He simply is the face of baseball.