Saying anything less than glowingly positive about Derek Jeter is close to a capital offense in the Big Apple. So you have to give Phil Allard of NYYFans.com credit for having some onions even if you don't agree with his opinion. Allard took a look at the Probablistic Model of Range for Shortstops published by Baseball Musings and noticed that Jeter ranks next to last, just above Christian Guzman. The model hopes to show a player's range by calculating the probability of a ball being turned into an out vs. the outs actually made by the player. Jeter has never scored well in this metric and Allard uses this year's rankings as a springboard to suggest that it's time to move Jeter from the position.
Derek Jeter is a hall of fame offensive player. He could end up over 3,500 hits in his career. He is a great and loyal Yankee. He's a smart player and an excellent hitter in the 2 hole. Yes. Yes. Yes.Allard's argument is sound but there's a better chance of a pig flying by my window than seeing Jeter at first base in Yankee Stadium this season.
But the point is the Yanks must entertain the idea of moving Jeter to another position. I suggest first base, but he could also handle the outfield or even 3B.
There are no infallable defensive statistics but every one that's given any credence shows Jeter as a below-average defender. Allard quotes Bill James in saying that even if you gave Jeter credit for everything we can't quantify he isn't a good defensive player. Despite that, Jeter and shortstop will go together as well as Chinese food and chocolate pudding for as long as he is physically capable of ranging into the hole, jumping and throwing to first base. That occasional highlight is used as evidence of his defensive prowess by Yankee fans and broadcasters often enough to trick people into thinking it means he's actually a great defensive shortstop.
I don't see what the big deal is about shifting from shortstop, to be honest. Robin Yount did it, Ernie Banks did it and the guy who played to Jeter's right for the last four years did it and all of them continued to be the excellent hitters that they were before changing spots. If those guys could all do it without their ego getting bruised I think Jeter should be able to do the same thing. Doing it without bruising the egos of the Yankee loyalists, however, is probably impossible.
The Yankee management, however, has proven that to everything there is an end. With everything else that's gone on it's probably not wise to add shifting an icon to the list. At some point soon, though, Jeter's move will go from a should to a must and everyone's just going to have to accept it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-08-2007 @ 9:19PM
Dan Daoust said...
Should Jeter switch positions? I don't know. A-Rod, what do you think?
(Let that sink in. I'm a funny dude.)
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11-08-2007 @ 9:22PM
Greg said...
There is no H is Cristian Guzman
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11-08-2007 @ 9:23PM
rob said...
Jeters range is fine. Try watching a baseball game once in awhile before writing about it.
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11-08-2007 @ 9:34PM
just wonderin' said...
Yada, Yada, Yada....here we go again......Derek Jeter is not the problem with the Yankees, some pitching and healthy players would help a hell of a lot. I commend them for getting into playoffs after the cascade of problems week after week. Yeah I know they have a high payroll, but this year with all the problems with players....they deserve a nod of thanks. Over all he's not a good ball player, he's a great one. I guess he could do like some many are doing and bulk up with some HGH...but Jeter seems, when it comes to baseball, is about playing the game fair. And playing it right.
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11-08-2007 @ 9:41PM
GreatR said...
Jeter is an average defensive shortstop who often does not get to balls. Those he gets to are handled well. Its misleading when you just watch the game because who can blame the great one when he didn't touch the ball..in New York they believe no one could. Shows the NY fans aren't knowlegeable but just see the game with their hearts. I think they should leave him at SS. It helps the real team. Bosox. Yeah Jeter the conman...Yeah Red Sox the real deal.
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11-08-2007 @ 10:14PM
LB said...
He is getting older and with age range will go. Father time stops for no one.
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11-08-2007 @ 10:38PM
tobrien28 said...
Why are Sox fans on this blog? Honestly don't you have something talking about how David Ortiz is God to comment on? (talk about a great hitter that can't field) Having said that Jeter won't be moved because it would be a PR disaster. Jeter has always had an ego and many of us N.Y.ers have encouraged him. He is an average fielder but seeing him anywhere else isn't going to happen for a while.
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11-09-2007 @ 2:17AM
http:memotosteinbrenner.blogspot.com said...
It isn't a bad idea, however he doesn't produce the power numbers for a corner infield position, Jeter is going on 33 and this last year to me he seems to have lost a step in his range( will he be playing shortstop till he's 39 with us??? )
If he does perhaps we can puruse a Troy Tutoliski (Colo. Rockies) type player
But more imprtantly we need a righty power bat to fill in the way Bernie williams used to do inbetween all those leftys
We can chase Torii Hunter or Andrue Jones? but do we really want to do that?
We can use stop gaps Andy Phillips who should be more featured this year with the raw power of Shelly Duncan
But to me we need to pursue that trade of Miguel Cabrera and see if we can Dontrelle Willis to boot
I know he "Miguel Cabrera" gets the moniker of being fat lazy and likes to party and eat too much, but Giardi likes him, and you're not getting any closer to Manny then that and Dontrelle Willis too he's 2 years removed from a 22 game winner Put these guys in a new winning athmospere who knows what they can do, they can revitalize? Guys like Miguel Cabrera dont come along every day! at worse he can DH play 1b or even RF if needed, and you know he can hit!
http://memotosteinbrenner.blogspot.com/2007/11/off-season-moves-and-what-to-do-with.html
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11-09-2007 @ 7:19AM
LEW said...
JETER IS THE BACKBONE OF THE YANKEES. A FINE SHORTSTOP AND HITTER. HE SHOULD STAY AT SHORT UNTIL HES NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE HIS FIELDING PROWESS.
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11-09-2007 @ 7:32AM
rob said...
GreatR- You really show your knowledge with that post. How does a guy hurt his team if hes average defensively and way above-average offensively?
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11-09-2007 @ 9:40PM
robert said...
In 3 words....leave him alone.
we understand if we do a survey right now probably jeter will not be on top fives but the kid knows his game better then others.he is my number 1 at short stop..and he will short stop for the yankees for the rest of his playing time here...let make space for cabrera(Marlings)he will going to be our third base.
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