Westcott: Jeter has to be considered among game’s best shortstops
From SABR member Rich Westcott at the Delaware County Daily Times on October 23, 2014:
The recent retirement of baseball star Derek Jeter and the extensive acclaim that followed have raised an intriguing question: Where does Jeter rank among the greatest shortstops of all time?
That is not an easy question to answer inasmuch as Jeter played a position that has been manned by some of baseball’s greatest players. Indeed, there are more shortstops in the Baseball Hall of Fame than players from any other infield position.
They include shortstops of long ago such as Honus Wagner, Luke Appling, Arky Vaughan, Pee Wee Reese, and Joe Sewell. Of more recent vintage is a group that includes Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith, Ernie Banks, Luis Aparicio , and Barry Larkin. The list also includes Negro Leaguers Pop Lloyd and Willie Wells. That’s a glittering collection of players from a gathering that numbers 24 Hall of Famers who played one of hardest positions on the diamond.
The New York Yankees enormously popular captain certainly fits into that group.
Read the full article here: http://www.delcotimes.com/opinion/20141023/retired-yankee-jeter-has-to-be-considered-among-best
Originally published: November 3, 2014. Last Updated: November 3, 2014.