So the world of baseball has said adios to another star in the form of Derek Jeter.

It was a farewell tour sponsored by almost every company in North America and seemed to last longer than his career with some folks annoyed by it all.

Many were even asking why the big send off for a player who was not the best ever at his position.

They are right in that #2 was not the best homerun hitter at shortstop. He was not the best base stealer to play that position. He didn’t have the strongest arm nor was he the best defensive shortstop to take the diamond.

Jeter never won an American League MVP award but he came close, finishing third in 1998 behind the winner Juan Gonzalez who was accused of steroid use.

He then finished sixth in the MVP voting the next year behind Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro, both who tested positive for steroids.

He was 10th when a really large Jason Giambi won and 10th again next season behind Giambi, Gonzalez, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens.

A real birds of a feather group if ever there was one. He may have been behind Lance Armstrong in voting if the biker was playing MLB that year.

No, Jeter was never the best at his occupation but he was very much the most consistent over a 20-year career in baseball’s fish bowl called New York .

I can’t recall a time where Jeter was on the cover of any trash paparazzi filled magazine or featured on TMZ.

He was clean as an operating room table. Untarnished. Sanitary. Unspoiled. Unstained.

In a world where sports figures are held in high esteem before crashing down, somehow Jeter remained right up there and stayed humble at the same time.

That’s one heck of a juggling act.

Now he did have plenty of talent and owns the record for most hits as a shortstop with 3,460 and has five World Series rings.

From 1996-2009 Jeter hit .318, was on base more than a third of the time and averaged 152 games at a position which next to being a catcher is one which your body takes a beating.

So he was a talented player, consistent, durable, a winner and a classy guy.

All good reasons for a send off which maybe went too long and was a little tacky at times but in the end it was well deserved for a player who is going to be a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.

Well done #2!

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