In January last year ESPN asked its readers to rank the game's best leadoff hitters. Derek Jeter didn't make their list of players. He hit 2nd in 2008. Even though Jeter put up impressive OBP numbers earlier this decade, when he was the Yankees' everyday leadoff hitter, he has traditionally been viewed as the proto-typical #2 hitter throughout his career - until last year. Joe Girardi decided to switch Jeter and Johnny Damon in the lineup. Both players responded with excellent seasons. Now, Jeter is viewed as an excellent fit as the Yankees' leadoff man.How does Jeter rank against the players whom ESPN identified as the best leadoff men in the game just before the start of the 2009 season? Here are the players and their 2009 offensive slash stats:
Johnny Damon - .282/.365/.489
Ian Kinsler - .253/.327/.488
David DeJesus - .281/.347/.434
Stephen Drew - .261/.320/.428
Chone Figgins - .298/.395/.393
Rafael Furcal - .269/.335/.375
Nate McLouth - .256/.352/.436
Hanley Ramirez - .342/.410/.543
Jose Reyes - .279/.355/.395
Brian Roberts - .283/.356/.451
Jimmy Rollins - .250/.296/.423
Ichiro Suzuki - .352/.386/.465
Alfonso Soriano - .241/.303/.423
Grady Sizemore - .248/.343/.445
Curtis Granderson - .249/.327/.453
There are a lot of All-Stars in that list, many of whom didn't perform to All-Star standards in 2009.
How did The Captain do? .334/.406/.465. Of all the players on the list above, only Hanley Ramirez got on base at a better clip than Jeter, and a leadoff man's number-one job is to get on base. In addition, a lot is made of Jeter's declining power, but only Ichiro Suzuki, Hanley Ramirez, Ian Kinsler and Johnny Damon matched or out-slugged Derek Jeter in 2009.
2009 was one of Jeter's best seasons ever, but his career line wouldn't knock him down too much further on this list. His career stats are .317/.388/.459. Had Jeter "only" managed his Hall of Fame-quality career line then Chone Figgins would be one more player who out OBP'd him, while the list of players who slugged as well or better than the Captain wouldn't change at all.
Derek Jeter's intangibles are overrated. They are certainly important, but so much attention seems to get paid to how he plays the game that not enough attention is paid to what he does when he plays. Last season Jeter was one of the two or 3 best leadoff hitters in baseball, in addition to everything else he accomplished in 2009. This accomplishment isn't given its due, and Jeter's name seldom comes up on the list of players who fit the leadoff prototype, even though he has a high OBP, good power and excellent speed.
"Derek Jeter's intangibles are overrated."
ReplyDeleteHa, blasphemy!
But I agree, I feel that yankee fans tend to whip out those damn intangibles any time people attack jeter (why media and other fans feel the need to attack jeter, i have no idea) when instead, they could drop hard data on the table. Derek Jeter is a GREAT player, a first ballot hall of famer. I will not debate this with anyone. Not only that, I think Jeter is even better than people get him credit for. I really believe Jeter could hit in a power position in the lineup and hit 25 home runs (he's never hit that many, but he's broken 20 three times and hit 18 HR last year), so while Jeter isn't the ideal middle of the order 30+ HR guy I'd love to have in those spots, I wouldn't sweat having him bat 3rd - I really wouldn't. batting 3rd can be a big RBI spot and double plays ground balls aside, I like Derek Jeter in the big spot. I think he's that versatile, that talented - he'd just figure it out and hit more home runs.
~jamie
On a less potent offense Jeter would be a very good no. 3 hitter. He posts a consistently high OBP, so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to bat him 5th or 6th, but on a less high powered offense I believe he would be a solid 3 spot hitter.
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