These Jeter games, I’ve seen a few but still I face, the final countdown. As Derek Jeter readies to play his final home game at Yankee Stadium, along with a few more at Fenway Park, I thought it would be fun to embark on a journey of Jeter games I’ve witnessed in person. Not included are the games I saw Jeter play at Heritage Park, for the Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees in 1994
With that (and a big thanks to BaseballReference.com, filling in the blanks), my firsthand account of watching The Captain outside the box.
Saturday, July 27, 1996, 4:06, Yankee Stadium II, Attendance: 42,044, Time of Game: 3:02. New York Yankees 5, Kansas City Royals 4:
My first Yankee game ever. It was Old Timers Day. Derek Jeter was on the cover of Yankees Magazine. This was also the first game I actually kept score as well. Jeter batted ninth, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored against Tim Belcher. You may recall that Jeter’s first career hit came off Belcher, at Seattle, in 1995. I sat in the upper deck, behind the first base dugout. It was a fun day to see legends, future New York icons and some former Albany favorites. Also the first and last time I saw Mariano Rivera in a major-league game. Hey Macarena!
Saturday, August 23, 2003, 4:05PM, Yankee Stadium II, Attendance: 54,397, Time of Game: 2:42. Baltimore Orioles 7, New York Yankees 2:
Ron Guidry Day, number 49 was retired before the game, which was pretty special. The game wasn’t much to write home about. I sat in the right-field upper deck, by the foul pole. A Jorge Posada home run was the big highlight for the Bronx Bombers. As for Jeter, he batted third but went 0-for-4 against Rodrigo Lopez.
Tuesday, July 5, 2005, 1:08PM, Yankee Stadium II, Attendance: 55,276, Time of Game: 2:38. New York Yankees 12, Baltimore Orioles 3:
This time around it was a little bit different for the Yanks facing Lopez. Randy Johnson whiffed eight, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui all went yard. Jeter hit leadoff, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. I sat in the left-field upper deck.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006, 1:09PM, Yankee Stadium II, Attendance: 54,121, Time of Game: 3:08. Seattle Mariners 3, New York Yankees 2:
What stood out most to me in this game? How Ichiro Suzuki’s speed essentially won this game for the M’s. Also very notable, my last time watching Bernie Williams. Johnson would whiff eleven this time around. I sat in the right-field upper deck this time. As for Jeter, he batted third, going 1-for-4 with an RBI-single and a stolen base against Gil Meche.
Saturday, August 4, 2007, 1:09PM, Yankee Stadium II, Attendance: 54,056, Time of Game: 4:01. New York Yankees 16, Kansas City Royals 8.
Yes, this was the A-Rod 5ooth home run game, when people still cared about that. Bobby Abreu also went deep in this one. Jeter batted second, going 3-for-5 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Jeter singled twice against Kyle Davies and doubled off Zach Greinke. This would be my final game at the old Yankee Stadium. I literally sat in the last row of the upper deck along the left-field line.
Sunday, July 5, 2009, 1:10PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 46,320, Time of Game: 3:44. New York Yankees 10, Toronto Blue Jays 8:
My first game at the new Yankee Stadium. Those were the days, back when they hit “too many home runs.” It was a monster day for Jeter, Posada and Matsui. Jeter batted leadoff, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two-RBI and three runs scored. Jeter notched two hits against Brett Cecil and topped off the day with a base knock against Brandon League. Yet the big blow came against B.J. Ryan, when Jeter launched a two-run home run to right, which proved to be the go-ahead eventual winner for the Yanks. It was the first time I would see Jeter homer in a game at Yankee Stadium. Matsui also went yard, driving in four on the afternoon and Posada collected four hits, knocking in three as well. I sat in the second level on the left-field side.
Saturday, July 3, 2010, 1:08PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 46,364, Time of Game: 2:45. New York Yankees 11, Toronto Blue Jays 3:
Most memorable in this one, my first and last time watching Andy Pettitte pitch in New York and he picked up the victory. Also Brett Gardner smoked a grand-slam to right. In this contest, Jeter hit leadoff and went 0-for-1, drawing three walks, while scoring a pair of runs. I sat on the second level, just over the right-field wall, by the foul pole for this one.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010, 1:09PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 44,163, Time of Game: 2:44. New York Yankees 3, Baltimore Orioles 2.
My first Yankee walkoff win witnessed. I was sitting in the upper deck in right-field and Nick Swisher homered off Koji Uehara, into the left-field bullpen, in the ninth. Unfortunately for Jeter, who batted second, it was an 0-for-4 afternoon. Yet, he’d probably tell you it was a great day because the Yankees won.
Sunday, May 22, 2011, 1:08PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 48,293, Time of Game: 3:03. New York Yankees 9, New York Mets 3:
This was my first taste of the Subway Series. Also my last time seeing Jorge Posada. I sat down the first base line in right field for this one. I also have video of myself and the rest of the Stadium going absolutely nuts with “De-rek Je-ter” chants. It was all with good cause too. Jeter hit leadoff and went 2-for-5 with two-RBI and a run scored. With the bases loaded in the seventh and the Yanks trailing 3-1, Jeter notched a game-tying, two-run single, up the middle, off Mike Pelfrey. That ultimately chased Pelfrey and spurred an eight-run seventh for the Yanks.
Saturday, July 14, 2012, 1:09PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 47,789, Time of Game: 2:53. New York Yankees 3, Los Angeles Angels 3:
This one was also notable because I was able to see Mike Trout and Albert Pujols for the first time. Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson went yard. As for Jeter, batting leadoff, he went 1-for-4 with a hit against Jerome Williams and a run scored. I sat in the second level, along the left-field line for this one.
Monday, August 27, 2012, 7:09PM, Yankee Stadium III, Attendance: 42,962, Time of Game: 3:44. Toronto Blue Jays 8, New York Yankees 7:
Unless someone hooks me up with a last second ticket deal, this will have been my final game watching Derek Jeter in person. It was my first night game at the Stadium, I was sitting in the upper deck in right-field and while the Yanks didn’t win, Jeter did provide some dramatics. On the evening, Jeter went 1-for-5 with a home run, RBI, two runs scored and a walk. If Mariano Rivera were healthy, I may have seen a win but I probably wouldn’t have seen what I saw, after Rafael Soriano blew his save opportunity. Jeter, batting leadoff, with the Yanks trailing 7-6, homered to right-center off Casey Janssen, knotting the contest at seven. Vintage Jeter.
