Derek Jeter to Retire with Numerous Yankees Franchise Records

Derek Jeter announced on his Facebook page that he will retire after the 2014 season, meaning the New York Yankees will soon lose their all-time leader in hits (3,316), at-bats (10,614), games (2,602) and stolen bases (348). The longtime Yankee shortstop also ranks third in franchise history with 1,876 runs, and his 525 doubles are good for second place.

Jeter should further cement his name in Bronx Bombers lore this season, as he needs 13 runs to pass Lou Gehrig (1,888) for second place in Yankees history and 84 runs to pass Babe Ruth (1,959) for first. Jeter needs just 10 doubles to pass Gehrig (534) for the No. 1 spot in that category, and the veteran shortstop also likely has his eyes on some non-Yankees milestones.

Jeter's 3,316 hits are already good for 10th-best in major league history, but a strong season could see him move as high as fifth on the all-time list. He needs four hits to pass Paul Molitor (3,319), 104 to best Carl Yastrzemski (3,419), 105 to top Honus Wagner (3,420) and 120 to surpass Cap Anson (3,435).

If things really go well, Jeter could make a run at fifth-place Tris Speaker, whose 3,514 hits are 198 more than Jeter has for his career.

While the Yankee shortstop does have eight 200-hit seasons to his name, a run at Speaker's spot is still unlikely. Persistent leg and ankle injuries limited Jeter to just 17 games last season, and he struggled to a .190 batting average in the small sample size. 

Ultimately, Jeter figures to take the franchise record for doubles and should move up to sixth on MLB's all-time hits list, if he stays reasonably healthy. Scoring 84 runs to pass Ruth for first place in Yankees history will be a bit harder, and catching Speaker on the hits list may be a pipe dream.