MINNEAPOLIS - Derek Jeter has always stepped up in big moments. Tuesday night was no exception.
With the sellout crowd at Target Field giving him a standing ovation and then chanting his name, the Captain led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to right field, causing an eruption of cheers in the stands in his final All-Star Game.
Jeter was greeted by a huge ovation when he stepped to the plate, the familiar recorded voice of Bob Sheppard announcing his arrival. National League catcher Jonathan Lucroy stepped back from the plate to give Jeter his moment, as the shortstop waved to the fans, tipping his helmet to them three times.
Jeter took Adam Wainwright's first pitch for a ball, then lined his second offering to right field for a double. Mike Trout drove in Jeter with a triple to give the American League a quick 1-0 lead.
The Captain also turned back the clock in the first inning with a diving stop to his left on Andrew McCutchen's hard grounder up the middle, though the reigning NL MVP beat Jeter's throw.
Back in February when Jeter announced his decision to retire at the end of the season, the All-Star Game was one of the events he hoped he had one final chance to attend.
'I think every player does; if they tell you any differently, I think they're lying to you,' Jeter said. 'Every player wants to come to an All-Star Game and every player wants to be appreciated by the fans. Yeah, I wanted to come, but I've always wanted to come every year. Considering last year I missed the entire year, I thought it would be great to have an opportunity to come and play again.'
Jeter has been the focal point of this year's festivities much the same way Mariano Rivera was last year at Citi Field. Players have spent the past two days paying tribute to the Captain every time a microphone or tape recorder has been present, most of them talking about how they idolized Jeter during their youth.
'This is my 18th full year and parts of 20, but for us as players, it goes quickly,' Jeter said. 'I still feel like I'm young. A lot of that probably has to do with the fact that I'm playing a game. When someone says they grew up watching you, it's still hard to digest because I still feel as though I'm young. It makes you feel good any time someone has admiration or respect for how you've gone about your business.'
Major League Baseball had thrown around several ideas to honor Jeter at the All-Star Game, but they chose to respect his desire not to be the center of attention.
'Derek doesn't like a lot of that as you all know,' Commissioner Bud Selig said. 'I respect that; that's what makes him great. There will be an opportunity between now and the end of year to do that. We had a lot of ideas we kicked around. Between now and the end of the year, we will properly honor him.'
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Selig was one of many this week to pay homage to Jeter, who took part in his final All-Star Game after 14 career selections.
'If you were sitting around two decades ago and you said, 'This is the guy I want to be the face of baseball, to be what this generation will remember,' you couldn't have written a script like this,' Selig said. 'He's been just remarkable.''
Jeter has had a good relationship with Selig for nearly two decades, so learning of Selig's comments meant something to the 40-year-old.
'I'll try not to mess it up over the next couple months,' Jeter said with a smile. 'When you have someone in his position that says something like that, it makes you feel good. I've always taken pride in how I've played the game and how I've respected it and how I've treated people, so when you hear those words coming from the Commissioner, it's all good.'
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