Derek Jeter is approaching a milestone. That phrase is probably something baseball fans are going to have to get used to as the Yankee captain will eventually pass 3,000 hits, among other milestones. For now, Jeter is about to surpass Lou Gehrig as the Yankees all-time hit leader.Think about that for a minute. Jeter will be passing Gehrig, having already passed Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, et al. Very impressive company. As Jeter reaches this milestone, it's important to put his on-field contributions in a proper context. Jeter is one of the best players of this generation and he did it without the long ball. Jeter's career high in home runs is 24, but he's meant a tremendous amount to the Yankee success during his career. Jeter owns four World Series rings, a World Series MVP, an All-Star MVP, 10 All-Star selections, a .317 career batting average, and a tight lip. He never complains, he never asks for a day off, and he runs hard to first base on every ground ball (Here's a player for kids to watch!). He's played in 150 games every season in his career except one. With many professional athletes making headlines for bad behavior, jail terms, and performance-enhancing drug use, Jeter's professionalism has never been questioned - neither should his greatness.
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