Amy on ‘Derek Jeter Day: ‘Hats off to The Captain’

For all things that are right in our world, today belongs to the man who wears number 2, Derek Jeter.

Today is Derek Jeter Day at Yankee Stadium.

In many layers Derek Jeter is relevant to all of us.  For Yankee fans it's obvious.  For fans who despise the pinstripes it's how he has represented the game of baseball.  For those who just plain hate sports, it's how Jeter conducts himself off the field.  He has always set a positive example for kids, and yes, for adults too.

Before today's game there will be a ceremony honoring the "Bomber's" captain who will hang up his cleats for the last time at the end of this season.  Hard to believe it's been eleven years since Jeter was appointed captain.

For the remainder of the Yankees' 2014 schedule the team will wear a patch depicting Derek's final season on the left sleeve of their uniform.

There were rumors that Jeter's uniform number 2 would be retired today.  The Yankees' front office said that won't happen this afternoon.  You can bet the farm that next year his number will be retired with a monument, I said monument not a plaque, that will sit in Monument Park.

While we're on the subject of number two, New Jersey's own  Mike Trout of the L.A. Angels of Anaheim, formerly the California Angels, and formerly The Anaheim Angels.  Weren't they onced called The Los Angeles Anaheim California Angels of L.A?  Back to Mr. Trout.  To this day, Mike idolizes Jeter.  When Trout played baseball at Millville High School he wore a 2 on his uniform.  You can add The Rockie's Troy Tulowitzki and Boston's Xander Bogaerts to the mix of current players who wear the number 2 in Derek's honor.

A couple of things you may know about "Jete."  That's what his teammates call him.

Derek Sanderson Jeter has his own charitable foundation called the Turn 2 Foundation.  So far Turn 2 has raised over 16 million dollars to help out troubled kids.

On September 11, 2009 Derek passed Lou Gehrig as the Yankees' all time hit leader.

Jeter will finish his career at number six on MLB's all time hit list.

Here's a few more quick stats...

- Most games played as a Yankee

- A lifetime batting average over .300

- He has collected over 1000 RBI's and more than 200 home runs

- Mr. Clutch, especially in the post season, is a five time world champion (World Series MVP in 2000)

- He won five gold gloves and an All-Star 13 times

Here are some tidbits you may not know about the Pequannock, N.J. native.

- During his first year in the minor leagues he was so homesick he ran up the phone bill to $300 a month talking to his family..

- When Derek was 12, he got Dave Winfield's autograph in the Tiger Stadium parking lot.

- Jeter is the only player to go 5 for 5 on the day he reached 3000 hits.  By the way, his 3000th hit was a home run!

- Former teammates have claimed that Jeter never watches baseball other than studying his own games.

- Finally, in Derek Jeter's junior high yearbook students were asked to predict what they would be doing in 10 years.  He wrote that he would be playing shortstop for the Yankees.

Here's one thing that I will predict.  After Derek Jeter's final game, he'll still be around making the world a better place in some fashion.