Captain Clutch! Jeter scripts walk-off in home finale

When Pearce hit the HR to tie and knowing that Jeter would be up third in the bottom of the inning, you just felt something like this would happen. He's done stuff like this too many times in the past. What a way to go out!!

from MLB.com
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees - September 25, 2014 | MLB.com NYY Recap:

 NEW YORK -- There had been a healthy amount of discussion about orchestrating Derek Jeter's exit from the field, how best to provide that chance to say goodbye after this final game in the Bronx. The Yankees should have known that no one was going to script it better than he would.

After choking back tears for nine innings on his last night wearing pinstripes, Jeter stamped an exclamation point on the end of his New York career, slashing an opposite-field walk-off single in the ninth that lifted the Yankees to a 6-5 victory over the Orioles on Thursday at Yankee Stadium.

"This is all I've ever wanted to do, and not too many people get an opportunity to do it," Jeter said. "It was above and beyond anything I'd ever dreamt of. I've lived a dream."

'via Blog this'


Dr. Tom Hanson, a highly regarded mental performance expert who also used to work with the Yankees full-time back in 2001, wrote today in his newsletter some important reasons why he believes this finish happened the way it did:

I left the Yankees feeling I'd be thrilled to have our son grow up to be like Jeter and I still feel that way.

.....

p.s. Actually, the first place to check is how much love you are blasting at yourself.  That's what I really want for my son to emulate about Jeter (and hopefully me).  Jeter loves being Jeter.  "That's easy for him, " you might say, "he's Derek Jeter." 

"No," I say, "he's Derek Jeter BECAUSE he thinks that way."  You don't become great and THEN think great.  You think great first.

Consistently, that is what you hear people say about #2, If you has a son, you wanted him to carry himself like Derek Jeter and if you had a daughter, you wanted her to marry someone like Derek Jeter ( and she probably agreed with you, like a jillion % ).

But the second point is even more important as it goes to the heart of why Jeter has been successful throughout his career.

First, he was well-prepared for success by his parents. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay brought up some of the methods Jeter's parents employed raising him that were strong on personal responsibility, accountability and having a strong belief system in place. They raised him up well.

Second, and this is what Dr. Hanson was alluding to, he didn't put the cart before the horse as many players (and sons) do by thinking, OK when I'm successful, I'll work hard and do the things successful people do (like have an indomitable, positive mind-set). That's putting the cart before the horse. You have a positive mind-set and that leads to success.

I hate to go all Norman Vincent Peale on you, but it's true, and once again Derek Jeter demonstrated that, and many other great qualities last night.

RE2PECT!!