A Letter To Derek Jeter

Dear Mr. Jeter,

This letter is written to you from my heart; from a Red Sox fan to a low-life Yankee. A week ago you said you were going to retire from baseball at the end of the 2014 season. The legend that my generation grew up with will no longer be playing in MLB. And yes, as a Red Sox fan, I am fully willing to admit that you are a legend. If anyone can’t admit that, they are fooling themselves.

You have been playing baseball in the Major Leagues for almost as long as I have been alive. I’ve heard about you ever since I learned how to understand words. I’ve watched you play ever since I developed an understanding for the sport of baseball. You were the first baseball player I ever learned about. Before I knew that Sox was spelled with an ‘x’, I knew who Derek Jeter was. That is how important you are to the sport of baseball.

On the same token, ever since I learned what a pattern was I thought pinstripes were hideous. Ever since I learned what a Yankee was I knew they were some sort of Commies hell-bent on ruining the world. Ever since I learned who you were, I knew you were a bad, bad man (no matter what my aunt or all those People Magazine covers said about you). As long as I have known who you were I have never had any positive feelings for you.

So I should be happy that you’re retiring. One less Yankee legend for us Sox fans to worry about. But for some reason, I’m not happy about it. I’m oddly sentimental. Part of me gets your choice. I wouldn’t want to play another season with A-Rod either. He is a taint on America’s beloved pastime.

But if you don’t play next year, all the fun goes out the window. There is no one on the Yankees that I care about hating but you. I care about hating you, because it’s fun. I care about hating you because you’re a really good player and a formidable opponent for us. I don’t care about hating Ellsbury because I’m too hurt by him leaving and really all he ever did was steal bases (yes, I’m salty). I don’t care about hating Youkilis because I still love him and I still wear my Youk Red Sox shirt (sue me). And I don’t care about hating ARod, because he isn’t someone you have to care about hating. He is just someone you hate and don’t have to think about or put effort into it (plus I highly doubt he’ll actually be allowed to play when and if he comes back in 2015).

I have to actively hate you and I love that. If you leave, WHO WILL BE LEFT TO HATE DEREK? CC? Beltran? That’s a joke. I couldn’t care less about those guys. You’re the one I love to hate and if you leave baseball, you’ll break my heart. When I told my best friend why I was writing this letter she said “yes Jordan, I’m sure your hatred of him is what he cares about”. In all of her pointed sarcasm, she has a point. You don’t care that I hate you. You don’t care that I won’t care about hating any particular Yankee once you leave. It’s not going to change your mind and make you stay in baseball.

As you already said, there are “other things” you want to do. I’m not gonna stop you from expanding your dating diamond, Jeter. Every team needs backups. I get that. You do you. I guess all I really want to say to you now is that as much as I hate you, the game won’t be the same without you. This will be a season for the books and I can’t wait to enjoy it. And I definitely can’t wait for your last regular season game at Fenway. Maybe I’ll even buy tickets just so I can refuse to give you a standing ovation.

Why Mike Napoli is the Red Sox’ Most Valuable Player

It was 2011, October was just beginning, the Cardinals were on fire, and all my friends had jumped on their bandwagon. Naturally, I jumped on the Texas Rangers’ bandwagon and instantly fell in love with two players. I adored Josh Hamilton for his devastating good looks, and admired Mike Napoli, because I’ve always thought catchers were the best, and he was potentially the most underrated player on that team.

Flash forward to 2013. Napoli (just barely) passed his physical, and agreed to a one-year $5 million deal with the Red Sox. Napoli had problems staying healthy though, and after his physical showed signs of a hip problem, many doubted his ability to stay healthy the entire season.

Flash forward to present day. Not only did Napoli stay healthy for the entire season, but in the biggest one season turnaround perhaps ever, he has been arguably the most valuable player on the Sox this year.

Napoli has been crucial to the clubhouse chemistry this season. He was the first to join Jonny Gomes in the beard growing antics, essentially jump-starting the trend among all the other players. Beard growing has been essential to this team’s success, as it has turned them into a family of sorts.

Napoli’s personality has also been fundamental for this team. This past offseason General Manager Ben Cherington set out to sign players that would not only play well together, but that would get along well with each other. In signing Napoli, he did just that.  From day one of spring training Napoli started getting along with team, and his relationship with all the players only grew. From joking about Boegarts not reaching puberty, to sunbathing on the pitcher’s mound before the ALCS, to being the go-to target of everyone’s beard tugs, Napoli’s presence has been a staple on the Sox.

On top of having a devastatingly good looking beard and an out-of-the-park personality, Mike Napoli is also a juggernaut on the field. In game 3 of the ALCS Napoli took us back to his first major league at bat in 2006, which also happened to be his first major league hit, a home run off Justin Verlander. History repeated itself in that game as Napoli hit a homer off Verlander once more, to score the only run of the game and lead the Sox to a win. He got five more hits and three more runs that series alone. In Game 1 of the World Series, Napoli unleashed his bat once again, hitting a three-run double, to jump-start the 8 runs the Sox would score that night to beat the Cardinals.

Napoli always comes through when his team needs him the most, both on and off the field. Wherever he goes, whatever team he is on, he fits in with the players and stands out to the fans. He provides that extra something the team didn’t even know they were missing. He is the player every manager wants on their team.

Some may argue that he isn’t the best personality or the best bat on the team. Clearly Pedroia is the unspoken captain and leader of these Red Sox, and his recent contract extension that lasts through 2021 is a clear indicator that this may be the most important man on the team. There is no doubting that in the long run, Pedroia is the most valuable player on the team. He is the embodiment of everything Red Sox. However this season, Napoli provided a fresh, new dose of fun personality that a leader like Pedroia can’t fully provide anymore. Gone are the days of the “lasershow” comments.

Others may say Big Papi himself, David Ortiz, is the season MVP. While he has surely stepped up his game this season, and reminded all of Fenway’s faithful exactly why we call him Big Papi, I still think he hasn’t quite been to the team or the fans what Napoli has been.

The season isn’t over yet, but it’s pretty clear Mike Napoli deserves the MVP award for all of his contributions to the team, and to baseball, this season. I’m not the only one who thinks so, either. However, even if Napoli doesn’t win any official awards, every Red Sox fan, and any fan of baseball for that matter, can appreciate all Nap has done for the team and he will always hold a special place in our hearts.