Yankees To Retire Derek Jeter’s #2 on September 7

Monument Park is about to get bigger. Just less than two weeks ago, the New York Yankees added former manager Joe Torre‘s #6 to the Yankee memorial, thereby permanently retiring the number. That move left Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter‘s #2 as the only active single-digit number from 1-9 left in circulation. Yankee fans — and all of MLB — knew that #2 would soon join the others, but it appears that it will happen much sooner than fans may have predicted. In fact, it will happen on September 7 as New York Newsday Sports reported Wednesday evening.

The #Yankees will retire Derek Jeter’s No. 2 during Sunday’s festivities, a source tells our @newsdaymarcus. More: http://t.co/zLqLRqvU3E

— Newsday Sports (@NewsdaySports) September 4, 2014

Newsday‘s  Wednesday evening report says that “a source familiar with the team’s plans” broke the news Tuesday night. The plan to retire Jeter’s number parallels with that used to honor the legendary Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, who retired after the 2013 season as the all-time saves leader with 652. Rivera still had some games left to wear his #42. Jeter will become the 19th Yankee to have his number enshrined in Monument Park.

On Sunday, September 7, the Yankees will end a weekend series as they host the Kansas City Royals. They will still have 21 games remaining on their schedule with 11 in Yankee Stadium.

Jeter has more than earned the honor. In his 20 years, all with the Yankees, he has amassed the following totals through August 2 (with still time to add to them):

• .310/.378/.440 with 259 HR and 1,298 RBI.
• 3,446 hits, sixth all-time
• 3.6 average WAR with eight seasons above 4.0 and a high of 8.0
• 1996 American League Rookie of the Year
• 14 American League All-Star teams
• 4 Gold Gloves and 4 Silver Sluggers for shortstop
• 5 World Series titles, 7 American League pennants
• 2000 All-Star Game and World Series Most Valuable Player (first ever to win both in same season)

Jeter is a definite first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, and — assuming Rivera does not beat him to it — he has a legitimate chance at becoming the first unanimous inductee if the voters do things correctly.

The conundrum about the schedule is that the Yankees end their regular season in Fenway Park against their bitterest of rivals, the Boston Red Sox, from September 26-28. Recall last year when the Yankees ended their home schedule with Rivera on the mound. They still had three road games remaining with the Houston Astros. With his team eliminated from postseason contention, Rivera chose not to pitch in Houston so he could end his illustrious career on the Yankee Stadium mound.

Will Jeter do the same? That depends on his team’s status. Entering play on August 3, the Yankees are 9.5 games out of the A.L. East race, so that division race is all but over. They are 4.5 games out of the second A.L. Wild Card position with 21 games left. Should they get eliminated before that final series in Boston, then expect Jeter to follow in Rivera’s path and sit them out, thereby ending his career in Yankee Stadium on September 25.

Should they still have postseason life, then Jeter will play. He has won many times before, and he would love to go out a winner. The team comes before personal glory, so expect him to do what it takes to put the Yankees into the postseason.

After this season, no Yankee will ever wear #2 again. Derek Jeter deserves the honor. Yankee fans, though, will still see that #2 but enshrined forever in Memorial Park.

PHOTO CREDIT: Rich SchultzGetty Images Sport