In case you’ve been living under a rock, Derek Jeter is on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. He’ll no doubt get in, it’s just a matter of if he’ll be the second unanimous vote getter in history.
As the baseball world awaits to see who will be enshrined in Cooperstown, Jeter gave his thoughts on his candidacy recently to reporters. In typical Jeter fashion, he said everything without saying anything.
“I try not to think about it and I try not to talk about it — I don’t want to jinx any opportunities I may have. I’ve played my last game, so there’s really not much else I can do. I was fortunate to play a very long career, and I played on some successful teams. My career is over with now, I’m focused on what we’re doing here in Miami. Every player that plays the game, [the Hall of Fame] is the ultimate honor.
Here’s video:
Derek Jeter on being on the Hall of Fame ballot. pic.twitter.com/23EA2t25qT
— Will Manso (@WillMansoWPLG) November 26, 2019
Just like when he had a hitting streak going or was playing well, he never wanted to talk about it. Love how when he says he doesn’t want to jinx his Hall of Fame chances, the reporters all smirk and look at each other like, “This guy is ridiculous.”
I can’t wait to see what his Hall of Fame speech looks like. It could easily be five minutes, or what if Jeter opens up in a way we’ve never seen before and actually forgets he’s a robot for an hour?
Eligible voters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) will cast their ballot by the end of this year, and the 2020 class will be announced on Jan. 21 on MLB Network.
The induction ceremony will take place in Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 26.
