Derek Jeter wins Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year

[missionhockey21]

NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter has been selected Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, becoming the first member of the New York Yankees to win the award.

Jeter was back at Yankee Stadium a couple of weeks after winning his fifth World Series title, capping a stellar season with a photo shoot for his latest achievement.

The magazine made the announcement Monday.

"It's unbelievable. It was completely unexpected. It came out of the blue," Jeter told The Associated Press during a break in the photo shoot. "When I heard it, what can you say? It's one of the greatest honors you can achieve in sports."

The 35-year-old Jeter is the first Bronx Bomber to be tapped for the award that has been given out since 1954. Swimmer Michael Phelps was last year's recipient.

"That's even harder considering all the great Yankee players that have played for this organization," said Jeter, standing under the banners depicting Yankees greats that hang in the Great Hall of the new stadium. "So I hope I've done them proud."

Sports Illustrated Group editor Terry McDonell certainly thinks he has.

"This verifies my idea that he is on the level of Ruth and Gehrig," McDonell said. "He's the greatest shortstop in the history of the game."

Some other baseball players to win the award are Sandy Koufax (1965), Tom Seaver (1969), Cal Ripken Jr. (1995); and the recent nemeses of Jeter's teams, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (2001), and the Boston Red Sox (2004).

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Smart pick, well earned by Mr. November. I am still amazed at how unbelievable he is in big moments. To be the first Yankee to win it is very fitting for Jeter.

[DirtyKash]

I still don't get how they hand out this award and we haven't even started the month of December yet. This award only covers 11/12ths of the calendar year! Does MLB give out the MVP award at the end of August? No! Ugh.

[Jim Colyer]

Jeter is a great ballplayer and a gentleman.

[GiantsFanatic]

What exactly is the criteria that they base this off of?

[missionhockey21]

I don't know. Verducci probably just wanted a reason to interview Jeter in the offseason.

[redsrbetter]

I simply think that they needed to get him in before he hangs them up. We all know his defense is no longer stellar. He has a hard time moving with range to his left anymore. And even though some could argue (I included) that he is a very overrated defender, he was still pretty solid.

Derek Jeter has never been on any dream team that I came up with while twiddling my thumbs in times of wait. But, if I were to put a guy to lead that team with clubhouse mentality and media exposure, it would be him. He is the perfect golden boy. He says and does the right things. I think that he has been a player that has been given a ton a pressure to perform year in and year out and has greeted and stampeded the challenge every time.

I am happy to say that he has been a part of the generation of baseball that I have been able to cherish. He isn't the biggest player or the best, but he is definitely the most poised.

Now, does this make him a justified winner of this prestigious award (mock)? Definitely not. But we should be used to his winning things undeservedly. Gold gloves come to mind. So, I brush this off as one of those things that Jeter wins based on intangibles and nothing more.

[redsrbetter]

So does anyone believe that the Yankees would ever lose Jeter to free agency? Or is he a Yankee for life?

[missionhockey21]

No way, unless his contract demands were just insane. He wants to retire a Yankee as badly as the Yankees want him to.
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[redsrbetter]

Could you imagine Derek Jeter wearing an Orioles uniform? How badly would the Yankees hate him after that? To be a division rival. Yet, would this make the Orioles more popular?

It is pretty sick to think about, so yes I agree he will remain a Yankee. It's not like the Yankees are known to hold out on spending either.