Is it fair to call Derek Jeter “Mr. October” yet? I mean…dude does have more anythings than anyone else ever has during the postseason.
And Saturday night, the hits just kept on coming for the New York Yankees captain.
Literally.
With a second-inning single off Detroit Tigers starter Doug Fister, Jeter became the first player in baseball history to record 200 career postseason hits. Sure, Jeter has played almost an entire season’s worth of postseason games (158 to be exact), but, still, any way you slice it…200 base knocks in the playoffs is pretty impressive.
Behind the shortstop on the all-time postseason list, former teammate Bernie Williams (with 128 hits) and slugger Manny Ramirez (117). The next closest active player is Albert Pujols who, in 74 postseason games for the St. Louis Cardinals, collected 88 playoff hits.
If you want to have some fun playing with numbers, Jeter has 3504 combined regular and postseason hits. At the same age (38 years, three months and 17 days), baseball’s all-time hit king Pete Rose had 3344 (3289 regular season, 55 post). And, yes, I realize combining the two totals is pretty much irrelevant. But, it is worthy of a little cyber ink…if that is such a thing.
You see, the “Hit King” has been very vocal of late, dismissing Jeter’s climb up the all-time hits ladder and eventually approaching his hits record.
“I don’t think he will break the record,” Rose said in a recent interview. “He still needs 950 hits, right? He had a great year this year, but you think he can do that again? At 39? A shortstop? Let’s say he does it again. Let’s say he gets 200 more hits next year. And let’s say he gets 200 more hits when he’s 40, though I don’t think he can. Okay, can he get 200 more hits when he’s 41? You think he can?”
“I don’t think he can get 200 more hits at 41, but let’s say he does. Okay, now he’s 42. He’s gonna get 200 more hits then? At 42? Let me tell you, I’ve been there, the body locks up,” Rose continued. “Jeter’s a great hitter. I’d say he hits like I did. But he’s gonna get 200 hits when he’s 42? I don’t think he will. And even if he does all that, he’s STILL 150 hits short.”
I’ve got to agree with Rose on this one…I don’t think Jeter gets to 4256. But, then again, no one is dropping good money at a Las Vegas store to hear what I think.
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