Legendary Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter announced yesterday that he will retire after the 2014 season. The announcement wasn't unexpected, yet it still sent shockwaves through the baseball community. Jeter has been the unofficial face of the MLB for many years. Plenty of people who barely know of the sport will recognize the shortstop's name or even bring-it-up themselves. Jeter's exit will leave New York and the World with the need a new ambassador to baseball, and I believe David Wright is qualified.
The first thing any baseball ambassador will need is the skills to play the game. At 31 years old, Wright is already a 7-time MLB All-Star, has won multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, and holds the Mets career records for hits, total bases, doubles, RBIs, and (by a long-shot) runs created. Should you wonder about his speed, rest assured--he is also a member of the 30-30 club (Baseball Reference). Those who question Wright's overall baseball prowess should look at his career statistics and see how well-rounded a player he is.
Character is also (as it should be) a factor in the conversation, and Wright definitely passes this section of the test. The Mets Captain is known for his bright and giving personality. Not only does he have his own charitable foundation, but he has attended multiple charity events and even turned his on-field performance into philanthropy (Sports Illustrated).
Another endearing quality of David's is one particularly valued in New York--his loyalty. It's this trait specifically which often draws comparisons between him and Jeter. The third basemen recently signed a contract before his looming free agency good until 2021 (right after fans were torn apart by the exit of Jose Reyes). The final year of that contract would be Wright's 18th with the club--also the length of his entire career. He recently said the following:
Being in the world view, however, requires poise and David's performance in the World Baseball Classic of last year solidified his ability to lead and steal headlines. His ridiculous end-of-tournament statistics were a batting average of .438, on-base percentage of .526 and slugging percentage of .750--the latter two giving him an OPS of 1.276. In addition, he had 10 RBIs compared to the tournament MVP's 6. The all-around incredible performance briefly earned him the nickname "Captain America".
Though obviously there's no real process for choosing an MLB "ambassador", if the unofficial title goes to anyone else I'll be very upset. Hopefully this coming season, the Mets' revamped squad can win some games and get Wright the attention and stardom he deserves.
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| credit: The Star-Ledger |
The first thing any baseball ambassador will need is the skills to play the game. At 31 years old, Wright is already a 7-time MLB All-Star, has won multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, and holds the Mets career records for hits, total bases, doubles, RBIs, and (by a long-shot) runs created. Should you wonder about his speed, rest assured--he is also a member of the 30-30 club (Baseball Reference). Those who question Wright's overall baseball prowess should look at his career statistics and see how well-rounded a player he is.
Character is also (as it should be) a factor in the conversation, and Wright definitely passes this section of the test. The Mets Captain is known for his bright and giving personality. Not only does he have his own charitable foundation, but he has attended multiple charity events and even turned his on-field performance into philanthropy (Sports Illustrated).
Another endearing quality of David's is one particularly valued in New York--his loyalty. It's this trait specifically which often draws comparisons between him and Jeter. The third basemen recently signed a contract before his looming free agency good until 2021 (right after fans were torn apart by the exit of Jose Reyes). The final year of that contract would be Wright's 18th with the club--also the length of his entire career. He recently said the following:
"From the very beginning, I wanted to help this franchise turn around, I want to be one of the building blocks in helping us get back to the playoffs. Has it been an easy road? Of course not. We've taken some lumps and have had some rough seasons. But at the end of the day, I'm exactly where I wanted to be."
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| credit: Getty Images |
Though obviously there's no real process for choosing an MLB "ambassador", if the unofficial title goes to anyone else I'll be very upset. Hopefully this coming season, the Mets' revamped squad can win some games and get Wright the attention and stardom he deserves.
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