1996 Topps All-Star Rookie Short Stop Derek Jeter

When the 2020 Hall of Fame BBWAA Ballot was announced, I was quick to celebrate the unlikely but welcome addition of Larry Walker to the Cooperstown roster. I was quiet about the other guy. The guy who received more votes and a higher percentage of votes than any other position player in the history of the game. The guy who was in his first year of eligibility, and the question was never "will he get in?" but how many people will show up to his induction?

So, it was no surprise that Derek Jeter would be a Hall of Famer, and I didn't put up a post for him like I did for Walker. I was saving up for this post! Derek was a no brainer for the Hall of Fame, and as the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year, he was also the obvious choice to be the 1996 Topps Rookie All-Star Short Stop. He hit .314 his rookie season, with 41 extra base hits, scored 104 runs, and stole 14 bases. Didn't hurt that he was the starting SS of the first Yankee championship team of 90s, and the catalyst that launched a new chapter in the franchise's storied history.

Jeter wasn't fooling anyone in the minors, either. Prospect hunters figured out quickly that his contact rate, speed, defense and throwing arm were better than his peers. This had its pinnacle in 1994 when he torched 3 different levels of the minors from High A to AAA to the tune of a .344 batting average and 50 stolen bases. Another solid season spent at AAA Columbus in 1995 and there would be no reason to keep him down in the minors any longer.

Jeter was born in New Jersey and grew up in Michigan. He would attend Yankees games as a kid with his grandparents and idolized Dave Winfield and U of Michigan alum Short Stop Barry Larkin. In high school Jeter ran Cross Country in the fall, played Basketball in the winter, and Baseball in Spring and Summer. He hit over .500 in each of his final three High School seasons, striking out just once as a Senior. Astros scout and former Hall of Fame pitcher Hal Newhouser wanted Houston to pick Jeter first overall in 1992, but the front office was concerned that Jeter would prefer to go to college with his scholarship to the University of Michigan. But the Yankees were not concerned when they picked 6th Overall, and Jeter was happy to join the club as soon as possible.

Jeter would win 5 Gold Gloves over the course of his career. It might be up for debate in those individual years who was the best defensive shortstop, but in the aggregate, Jeter's defense was still worthy of that kind of recognition. Jeter's signature jump throw was his way of slowing or stopping his momentum long enough to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

The career stats are impressive enough on their own. Jeter had the counting stats like 3,465 hits, 544 doubles, a career .310 average over 20 seasons  . . . But beyond that, Jeter seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Beginning in his first full season with the Yankees, Jeter would play in 33 post season series. In the 1996 ALDS, his first playoff experience, Jeter hit .412, then followed that up in the ALCS by hitting .417 with 10 hits and a pair of doubles in the 5 games. His career playoff line reads like one of his very good seasons - 158 games with a slash line of .308/.374/.465 111 runs scored, 200 hits, 32 doubles, 5 triples, 20 homers and 61 RBI.

Jeter would win 5 World Series championships, and was the World Series MVP in 2000. He'd add an All-Star Game MVP, and finished in the top 10 in regular season MVP voting 8 times. Maybe he should have won in 2006 over Twins' First Baseman Justin Morneau, but you won't hear that argument on this blog!

You know a guy is iconic when he gets his own insert set. Jeter was very good, somehow overrated and underrated at the same time. He didn't walk on water, but to have so many memorable moments over the course of his career can't be luck or happenstance. Jeter is working on remaking the Miami Marlins, he may find like Jordan with the Bobcats and Ted Williams with the Senators/Rangers that greatness on the field of play doesn't always translate to success off it. Regardless of the Marlins' fate, Jeter can look back at a career full of iconic baseball immortality.

Let's hear your favorite Jeter memories!