Will Derek Jeter Be the Greatest New York Yankee Ever?

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The question of who is the greatest ever (fill in the position) is always a fun debate. So I want to take this time to ask the question a different way.

Will Derek Jeter be the greatest Yankee of all time when he retires?

Now, I know some people are going to find this ludicrous and say I am crazy because of all the greats that wore the pinstripes. I know the names: Lou Gehrig, Micky Mantle, Roger Maris, Joe DiMaggio, and Babe Ruth. But seriously lets look at it.

Jeter currently ranks in the top ten of nine offensive catetories. Batting Average (fifth), Home Runs (10th), Runs Batted In (10th), Hits (second), Doubles (fourth), At Bats (first), Stolen Bases (second), and Runs (fourth). He is also fourth in games played.

If he plays at least three more years he will probably be the leader of three or four of those categories. He is guaranteed the hits record this year and will be the first Yankee ever to get 3,000 hits. Staying healthy would allow him to get the games and runs records.

He is only 28 stolen bases short of claiming that record and you have to believe that he will get that one mainly because of the way Joe Girardi manages the game.

Now the detractors will say that he has a high number of strikeouts (1,443), but Mantle has more (1,710). They say look at the errors (211), but you have to then look at the number of chances (8,631). Which makes his fielding percentage .976.

In Yankeel-and, you are measured by World Series rings and Jeter has four and could add his fifth one this year.

While it is always hard to compare players from different generations it still does not stop the debate.

Is Derek Jeter the greatest Yankee of all time? Let the debate begin.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?