MLB: Derek Jeter Most Overrated Player...Really?

Anyone out there catch the Sports Illustrated report on Major League Baseball's most overrated players?  Published a few days ago, this report surveyed 495 other players in the league to determine who they thought was tops on the list.

The first name on the list was a surprising, at least to me. It was Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees captain, eight-time all-star and four-time World Series champ.  

While I think Jeter needs to step it up in the leadership category, I in no way think he's the most overrated player in baseball.  At least he delivers when it counts...the playoffs.

In his career he's been in 25 post season series' and has a combined average of .309 with a .377 on-base average and a .469 slugging percentage.  These are not exactly hack numbers he's put up.

He has a lifetime batting average of .316, 200 hits six times in his career, averages 32 doubles, 16 HRs, 77 RBI, 22 SB and a career .387 on-base percentage. 

Okay, so he makes more money than the entire Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins payroll and he has a low defensive efficiency rating, but he plays in New York so he can get away with that.

I can find other big names that haven't lived up to their billing like Barry Zito, who finished second on this list.  Zito was given a huge contract in December 2006, and has been the biggest flop in baseball.  It's not like he can blame it on injuries or that he's still learning a new system. He just plain sucks.

Finishing out the top five on the list were Alex Rodriguez and J.D. Drew tied for third, David Wright was fourth and Kevin Youkilis was fifth.

Don't even get me started on A-Rod and David Wright!  These guys are arguably the top two hitters at their position and A-Rod is considered to be the best hitter in all of baseball.  How can you consider a guy overrated when he has 532 homeruns at the age of 32? 

This list makes absolutely no sense because I could start a team with all these names but Zito and be really competitive.  Maybe it's jealousy. Maybe it's a conspiracy. Who knows. But there is no way these players are the most overrated.

The only other explanation would be that maybe I don't know what the word overrated really means.

All I can say is give me an infield of Rodriquez, Wright, Jeter and Youkilis to go along with J.D. Drew in the outfield and I can build a pretty good team.  I might have to sell off some organs to pay for them, but they are quality players.

What do you guys think?

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