On a Sunday in Seattle Jeter passed Luis Aparicio for most hits by a shortstop when he fought off a pitch on his hands from rookie Doug Fister and sent it down the right-field line for an RBI double in the third inning.
Jeter is batting .323 in 112 games this season. This is his 14th consecutive season with at least 150 hits, passing Gehrig for the longest streak in Yankees’ history. It is the longest such streak among active players.
“I just try to be consistent year in and year out,” said the 35-year-old Jeter, who claimed to be unaware of the record coming into the weekend. “If you are consistent, good things happen.”
His 2,674th hit as a shortstop came two innings after he had singled leading off the game. Then, later on in the game to complete a 3-Hit day his 2,688 hit came making him second in Yankees history, just 33 behind Lou Gehrig.
“That’s unbelievable,” Girardi said. “That is really unbelievable, the things he’s been able to accomplish as you see the names that he passes.”
Derek Jeter has been the biggest name for the biggest team in Major League Baseball for years. But, don’t for one minute be fooled his production on the field hasn’t earned him his stripes. Jeter will inevitable be part of the 3,000 hit a club, and some are throwing whispers about the 4,000 hit club.