Baltimore Orioles: Farewell to Derek Jeter and the Yanks

Jul 13, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) congratulates left fielder Brett Gardner (11) after he hit a home run during the first inning Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

As the Baltimore Orioles host the New York Yankees today in a doubleheader that is the first half of a four-game weekend series, the opportunity is now to fully establish an entire categorical separation from the New York Yankees.

It could well be argued that a current 10.5-game lead is plenty separation. Yes, I suppose … but I’m talking about something very definitive regarding head-to-head competition as well.

This year, the Orioles are 8-3 versus New York. In 2013 it was 9-10. In 2012 it was 9-9, or, counting also the playoffs it was 11-12 (but move a Nate McLouth fly ball one inch to the left and it would have been 12-11).

The Orioles have eight of their 17 remaining games against New York. It would be great to win five or six of them and finish this season either 13-6 or 14-5 against the Evil Empire. Even a die-hard Yankees fan could not in any way say that the Orioles backed into a championship. Well … yes … probably they still would, but, there is no help for that mental condition.

This series of course marks the final trip of Derek Jeter into Baltimore. That is amazing. I remember him playing in my town of Hagerstown as a visiting member of Greensboro in the South Atlantic League. Even then, one could see that the talent was very special.

Actually, I don’t entirely hate the NY Yankees, and a lot of that is because of Derek Jeter. He is an amazing ballplayer. And as I’ve often said to others over the years, I swear that Jeter is batting about .450 in the hundreds of at-bats that I’ve seen him play at the Yard or on TV.

Of course, a lot of those hits that I have witnessed were against the Orioles. His career batting average against the Birds is .299 over 284 total games. He has hit 68 doubles, nine triples, and 24 home runs against Baltimore. His on-base percentage is .368 against the O’s.

Actually, Jeter’s career average is .310 and OBP is .378, so the Orioles have done better against him that most. I was surprised to see this. Discounting inter-league play against NL teams (although he is .364 against the Mets is 88 games!), the AL team he has most worn out is the Angels – .333 over 167 games. He is also .331 against the Tigers and .327 versus the Rangers.

The single most distinctive mental picture I have of Derek Jeter – that many people have as #1 I’m sure – is the diving catch of a foul ball several rows deep into the stands a few years ago. You’ve got to love and respect that sort of competitive spirit.

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I could be a total Jeter fan except for one thing: the way he so often glances back at umpires on called strikes. The gaze appears to me to communicate, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m Derek Jeter. If I did not swing at that pitch and get a base hit, it is because it is a ball. Who do you think you are calling a strike against Derek Jeter? You’ll be telling your grandkids that you umpired while Derek Jeter was batting; heck, I don’t even know your name right now! So, don’t you dare do that again.”

So anyhow … he’s a great baseball player, among the greatest ever. Give him a nice cheer O’s fans and players. And then go out there and beat the crap out of that team and bury the Yankees with the rest of the AL East.

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