Tom Seaver: Derek Jeter should be unanimous Hall of Fame selection
By Hayden Kane
If ever we have a day where crotchety baseball writers get over themselves and select a player to the Hall of Fame unanimously on their first ballot, there will have to be the guy who breaks through first. Why not the Captain?
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There have been many players worthy of that distinction, and there will be many worthy players in the future. Any guy who is a no-doubt Hall of Famer will at least have a case to be made given the fact that writers only choose not to vote for him as a gesture to the fact that “nobody is supposed to be unanimous.”
Among the candidates in the future who would be worthy is New York Yankees’ shortstop Derek Jeter. For his part, Hall of Famer Tom Seaver believes that Jeter should be the first unanimous selection ever.
From MLB.com:
"“I’ve thought about it; Jeter should be the one,” Seaver said. “What can you say he hasn’t done? He has every credential imaginable — great player, good citizen. He plays the game properly, respects the game and his predecessors. He’s done it in the big city, for one team that wears a uniform of greatness. He has no marks against him. He has the numbers. And he wins.“He’s a class act all the way. A pro’s pro, a gentleman’s gentleman. If you’re starting a franchise, who do want as your first pick? I’ll take Jeter, thank you. And I’m sure I wouldn’t get too many arguments.”"
I’m not sure that the fact he played in a big city should have anything to do with it, but the point is still well taken given the success of the New York Yankees during Jeter’s tenure and the fact that he is on so many records lists with guys like Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio.
This won’t happen, of course, and then we will talk about the next guy who deserves to be unanimous but isn’t for no reason other than “it’s always been this way.”