Derek Jeter, Baltimore Orioles: Are You Kidding Me?

Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) celebrates hitting a walk-off single against the Baltimore Orioles during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports

You could feel it coming. Call it “the script.”

For Derek Jeter to be a hero in his final game at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles would have to score three runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game. They did it.

Then the Yankees would need to get a runner to second base with one out for Jeter to drive him in. They did it.

Then Derek Jeter would have to get a hit to drive the runner in. He did it … on the first pitch … with his classic swing staying inside the pitch and driving it into right field.

Evan Meek should have walked him!  Haha!  Imagine the stadium if that happened!

The whole scenario made me think of this story …

I was adopted by my grandparents when they were in their mid-40s. So after having raised three daughters, my father was in his mid-50s with a second family – a boy who was crazy about baseball. He had to learn to like a game for which he had no previous interest.

Dad grew to have a genuine interest, but he also had a skeptical view that it was all scripted somewhere behind the scenes … that the World Series would be stretched out to seven games most likely – just to sell more tickets and make more money.

So, seeing the incredible script unfold to have Derek Jeter win the game in the bottom of the ninth … well, it made me think of dad, and of what he would have said.

Actually, Jeter had two previous RBIs in the game. It was his night. And I’ll agree with Rick Dempsey who said, “If there was ever a game I was OK with seeing the Orioles lose, it was this one and to Derek Jeter.”

While the game was progressing, and pondering about whether to write something at all about Derek Jeter, I was looking back at the game logs of his history against the Orioles. I was looking to see if I could find a couple of incredible Jeter performances to write about and reflect upon. And I could not … surprisingly. Unless I overlooked something, I think Jeter only ever had one four-hit game against the Orioles, and that was in 11 innings.

But here is what was impressive while doing that research: Derek Jeter’s consistency. And that is fitting, that is his heritage. Over and over, while looking at the Yankees / Orioles series, Jeter would register five, six, or seven hits per series.

It was a wonderful career by one who will always be remembered properly as among the very best.

Actually, the Orioles had four home runs and still lost the game. It was broken defense that lost the contest more than anything. Amazingly, Dave Robertson became the winning pitcher after giving up three runs in the ninth inning on the home runs by Adam Jones and Steve Pearce.

This game – the drama of it, and the storybook finish – like the final day of 2011 is another reason why I continue to love this sport as the best of them all.