Derek Jeter is just about to retire as team captain of the New York Yankees. At 40 years old and after 20 seasons, he has already outlasted the career of most major league players and a Hall of Fame induction seems almost certain in the years ahead. The question we would really like to consider is if Jeter would consider un-retiring — and potentially to be a designated hitter, maybe even elsewhere outside of the Yankees? If he was to become a DH, what would Jeter command in pay?
Some readers may think that retiring is retiring. Just ask Ricky Henderson or Roger Clemens if retiring is really retiring. Some of baseball’s greats went on to leave their long-time teams in order to remain in baseball as designated hitters. Hank Aaron went on to become designated hitter.
Jeter earned roughly $12 million as his salary for his 2014 season, but this was a pay cut compared to prior years during the peak years when he made in excess of $20 million. The top paying designated hitters in baseball in 2014 were rather well paid — with some $15.5 million being paid to David Ortiz of the Red Sox, a couple close to that, and several DHs making in the $2 million to $8 million range. There is a notion that maybe the money doesn’t even matter.
The question is what exactly a team would do with Jeter potentially as designated hitter. Jeter might be a baseball great who should easily be headed for the Hall of Fame. Many teams sign designated hitters for their long-ball hitting prowess. Jeter is not exactly known for being a long-ball hitter, with only 3 seasons of 20+ home runs and only 5 seasons with 5 or more triples. Still, he is known for hitting singles and runs scored. Unfortunately, the issue of whether or not a .250+/- season in 2014 would be enough to keep his career going or for other teams to step up and pay for a big name that isn’t a long-ball hitter.
Many players might hang on to the game despite potentially lower pay. Leaving the game is often harder to do than it sounds. Derek Jeter may not come to mind as a classic DH. Still, he does have more than 3,460 hits going for him and a batting average north of .300 for his career.
Jeter could likely land a DH role in 2015 if he wanted to. One big question outside of where he would end up is what he would earn.
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