WHY JETER HAS AN EDGE

We've all seen the commercial and no, I'm not plugging a product here. The clever play on words used by the un-named car company to describe Derek Jeter was not only a great marketing strategy, but the absolute truth. Derek Sanderson Jeter, the Captain of the New York Yankees, has an edge that perhaps no player has before. Some may argue with that, and not without good reason. But Derek's "edge" is the life force behind the New York Yankees.

I don't want to discuss batting average. I don't want to discuss assists. There's absolutely no need to discuss base running, errors, fielding percentages, or any of that stuff. It's no secret that Derek's age is increasing and that he's maybe not at 100%, one hundred percent of the time.

What has never changed, but maybe only has gotten more intense, is his dedication to the New York Yankees and the game of baseball. He is a legend in his own right, and some argue that the only other player in the history of baseball that's in Derek's league is the Great Bambino himself. Derek knows what people say about him and his playing, and he's heard it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly. What maintains intact though is his confidence, his ego, and his "team before personal accomplishments" mentality. This is the stuff that legends are made of.

If Jeter is the heart of the team, it's safe to say that the rest of the team relies on him to keep going. When the world gave up on him with his .270 average last year, we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue did not. We believed, we supported him and it goes further because you also saw, and see, nothing but support from his teammates toward Derek as well. He, in return, supports his teammates and when things gets tough, he seems to pick up the pace and keep the other players going. He must be a general manager's dream come true, knowing that much of the team's moral support, drive and determination comes from following Derek's lead. Surely being raised by such supportive parents led to the development of Jeter's character, and no doubt being schooled by Joe Torre's managing style helped developed his skills on the field and off the field.

Jeter's razor-sharp edge has raised the bar for many Yankee players and will for years to come. Young kids now playing in Little League and one day playing shortstop (or any other position that matter) that follow Derek's lead will be in a good position for achieving the goals and making their dreams come true. It's Derek Jeter's razor-sharp edge that will cut the fabric for baseball for generations to come.

--Christy Lee, BYB Staff Writer



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