Originally Posted by the 'stache
But, he didn't put up rock solid production year in, year out.
Forgetting, for a moment, his defense, which was atrocious. Look at his offensive production, keeping in mind that 100 is league average for OPS +.
Excluding 1995 and 2013, as he played a combined 32 games, the years you could argue Jeter had "rock solid production" at shortstop:
1999 153 OPS +. Great season, MVP caliber, given his position.
2000 132 OPS +. Very good season, right?
In his second best offensive season, Derek Jeter was only the third best hitting shortstop in the American League. Alex Rodriguez put up a 163 OPS +, and Nomar Garciaparra put up a 156 OPS +.
Continuing.
2000 (128 OPS +), 1998 (127 OPS +), 2003, '05 and '09 (125 OPS +), 2001 (124 OPS +), 2007 (121 OPS +).
All solid, if unspectacular seasons. If you're a shortstop producing twenty percent above league average or higher, you're still valuable with the bat. Jeter had to keep this kind of offensive performance to continue being valuable to the team, because his defense is below average.
This next batch of seasons is where things get dicey, as his offensive production doesn't adequately offset his defensive deficiencies.
In 2004 and '12, he had a 114 OPS +. He was 30 years old in 2004. There were 77 batters in the American League with at least 500 PAs. Derek Jeter was 32nd in the AL in OPS +, and a very distant third best offensive shortstop, behind Carlos Guillen (143 OPS +) and Miguel Tejada (131 OPS +).
In 2002, his OPS + was 111. He was 28 years old. Of the 71 batters with 500 or more plate appearances in the American League, Derek Jeter was 41st overall. His OPS + was 7 points above Omar Vizquel's 104, who was not known as a hitting shortstop. Overall, he was the fourth best offensive shortstop in the AL, behind Alex Rodriguez (158), Miguel Tejada (128), and Nomar Garciaparra (127). By WAR, Derek Jeter was the fifth best shortstop in the American League (3.7), behind Alex Rodriguez (8.8), Nomar Garciapara (6.8), Miguel Tejada (5.6), and David Eckstein (5.3).
In 1997, his OPS + was 103. This is at least understandable, given his age, and Major League service time.
In 2008, his OPS + was 102. This is his age 34 season. He was a league average hitter. Fortunately for Jeter, the shortstops in the American League were terrible that year. Yet, he was still only the third best offensive shortstop, behind Mike Aviles (121 OPS +) and Jhonny Peralta (113 OPS +). And by league OPS +, of the 103 batters with over 400 plate appearances, Derek Jeter was 55th.
In 1996, his OPS + was 101. He won the Rookie of the Year
In 2011, his OPS + was 100.
In 2010, his OPS + was 90.
In 2014, his OPS + was 76.
For a full third of his career (1997, 2008, 1996, 2011, 2010, 2014), he was either barely above league average, or below league average, as a hitter. These seasons are somewhat forgivable given his youth, or, towards the end of his career, his age.
But it's the other seasons just above those listed that are problematic. A 111 or 114 OPS + really isn't that good, either at age 28 or 30. Not for a Hall of Fame shortstop who got to Cooperstown solely on his hitting. I can forgive his 114 OPS + in 2012 because he was 38. But in the big picture, that's nine of eighteen full seasons where his OPS + was 114 or lower.
Was Derek Jeter ever the best shortstop in the American League? I'm not even including the NL, here. Just the AL.
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