4 Signs Derek Jeter's Awful Slump Will Not Last the Rest of the Season

What a difference a year makes.

Last year, on July 4, 2012, Derek Jeter was playing in his first game after a rare stint on the disabled list.  His batting average stood at an unimpressive .256 and even with the inevitable 3,000th hit just days away, his season possessed little to get excited about.

Fast forward to the present and the Captain stands at .298, 14 points below his career average.  Not great, but certainly not embarrassing for any major leaguer.  However, one has to take into consideration the sizzling start the 38-year-old had in 2012.

So with the fact that he was batting .397 on May 6th, many have decided that this slump was a foregone conclusion.  A funk that will fester for the rest of the season. 

No one is trying to defend the slump’s non-existence, but Jeter won’t have to mire in it for long.

Follow @brianbuck13

Summer Love

They aren’t called “The Boys of Summer” for nothing.

Announcers and old baseball relics love to add credence to the notion that baseball players heat up in conjunction with the weather.  Obviously, it doesn’t present truth in every player’s case, but it does in the career of Jeter.

Every year except for 2010, the Yankee shortstop has upped his batting average over the .300 mark or on the cusp of it.  In many of the successful Yankee years, the team has gotten off to poor starts only to heat up in the second half.

No. 2 has fueled that post-All-Star Game fire for 18 years now.

Rising to the Occasion

Admit it.  We think most athletes are egomaniacs beyond belief, who are obsessed with their own personal success that by far trumps any team success.

No one is implying Jeter doesn’t care about his individual stats, but as a team captain it's more than obvious that winning is the most important thing.  Being a part of five World Series championships, his thirst for more is plain to see.

With that being said, Jeter will do what has to be done when the situation calls for it.  Is it a coincidence, Jeter was hitting the hide off the ball when the Yankees were struggling? Possibly.  With the big boppers stepping it up during the recent winning streak, Jeter’s average and offensive role have taken a back seat.

I’m not saying Jeter is intentionally not getting hits and is relaxing while the W’s pile up.  It just appears when the moment arrives, Jeter meets the moment square in the eye.

Last Rodeo?

“This is my last shot at a winner and for some of the younger guys it could be their only shot,” said Jake Taylor in Major League.

Comparing that fictional Cleveland Indians team with the success of the New York Yankees is a bit comical.  But Jeter can read the writing on the wall.  After 38 years on God’s green earth, baseball players start to foresee their pastime mortality.

As he looks around a locker room of teammates, he could see a different team than the pinstriped bunch that sits atop the American League East. 

While they have vowed comebacks, who knows if the elder core members, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, will return next year?  In the outfield, Nick Swisher could be replaced next year as he is a free agent at year's end.  And Jeter’s partner on the left side of the infield isn’t getting any younger.  Next year, around this time, Jeter will be 39 and Alex Rodriguez will be 38.

Of course, the Yankees have the income to buy certain countries, but that doesn’t always translate to success (see: Yankees 1982-1993).

None of this is lost on Jeter; he knows this might be his last shot.  Everything will be left on the field.

He's Got It

It’s virtually impossible to watch a Yankee game and not realize what Derek Jeter possesses that we don’t.  No, not a handsome smile or baseball talent sent from the gods.

“He’s got an Edge.”

He even has one with a panoramic vista roof.

While his dopey Ford commercials have made millions across the Eastern Seaboard nauseous, apparently his undying obsession with Ford (and their money) hasn’t hurt the 13-time All-Star on the diamond.

So, deep down inside when things aren’t working out as planned, the shortstop can look within and assure himself, “I have an edge. Get to your tri-state Ford dealer.”