Trumbo's Time

Manning The Huddle

The Hunted

Beltran By The Bay

Purple & Gold

Finding His Heaven

Parting Ways

Lighting Storm

Luck Of The Irish

Pirates Finding Their Treasure

Robbie Cano Don't Ya Know

Mr. 3,000

Jeter continues to add to his legacy and ability
to perform in the clutch.

Yankee Stadium as it has been so many times became the epicenter of the baseball world Saturday with their shortstop Derek Jeter on the cusp of becoming only the 28th player in major league history to join the elusive 3,000-hit club.

After a scoreless top half of first inning by New York Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett, it would set the stage for one of the most historic days in the long decorated history of the most storied franchise in sports. With the Stadium buzzing with such high anticipation and different type of electricity for the first time since New York finished off the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series to capture their 27th title in franchise history, you couldn't have asked for a better setting and venue.

Starting the game only two hits shy of 3,000, Jeter led off the Yankee first with a grueling eight-pitch at-bat against Tampa Bay Rays' left-hander David Price that saw him eventually single to left field for career hit number 2,999, leaving him one step away from history.

Nobody, not even Jeter himself could have scripted what would happen next.

With Tampa Bay clinging to a 1-0 lead, the now twelve time All-Star stepped to the plate in the third inning on the verge of truly something special. Oddly enough Jeter would battle Price for another eight pitches until he saw Price's 55th pitch of the afternoon sail into the left field grand stands for a game-tying home run and the 3,000th hit of his glorious career.

Jeter becomes only the second player in major league history to record his 3,000th career hit via the home run. Hall of Famer and former Yankee Wade Boggs was the first to accomplish that feat back in August of 1999 while coincidently wearing a Tampa Bay uniform.

The captain capped off a magical day by finishing the game 5-5, including the go-ahead and eventual game-winning single in the eighth inning, just the way he would want it. Jeter, who has always been known for his team first mentality, would not been able to savor the moment in a Yankee loss.

Jeter raised his average to .270 on the year maybe jump starting himself in the right direction for a strong second half.

It's not the first time Jeter has hit a
big home run, hitting a walk-off home
run in Game 4 of the 2001
World Series.

He is only the second player to collect five hits in the game where he recorded his 3,000th hit. Craig Biggio, who was the last player to join the 3,000-hit club back in 2007, was the first. Now Jeter becomes the 28th player in major league history to amass 3,000 hits during their career, insuring his ticket to Cooperstown.

They're only three players in history to have accumulated 3,000 hits and are not in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pete Rose, who is baseball's all-time hits leader with 4,256, is not eligible for election into the Hall of Fame after being banned from the game in 1989 by then-commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti for gambling on baseball.

Biggio has also yet to be elected into Cooperstown for the simple fact he is not eligible to be on the ballot until 2013. But when he does with his 3,060 career hits the former Houston Astro will be a first-ballot inductee. Obviously Jeter is the final member of that club still being an active player, but no need to worry, Jeter was a Hall of Famer before his 3,000th hit, this just adds to his already impressive resume.

To many this is no surprise as many predicted Jeter's greatness well before he became the centerpiece to the most recent Yankee dynasty.

Former Yankees' scout Dick Groch is responsible for signing Jeter after he was selected sixth overall in the 1992 First-Year Player Draft. When asked about Jeter and his commitment to the University of Michigan, Groch replied by saying, "The only place this kid is going is Cooperstown." That was high praise for a skinny eighteen-year-old shortstop.

Almost nineteen years later Groch was right on the money, but he was not the only one too recongizne the now-thirty-seven-year-olds' talent. Hall of Fame left-hander and former Houston Astros' scout Hal Newhouser told then-Astros owner John McMullen to select Jeter with the first pick that season as he had the potential to become one of the games greats.

McMullen went a different route drafting Phil Nevin out of Cal State Fullerton. Apalled by the decision Newhouser up and quit his job saying he would never work in baseball again and hasn't since. While Nevin was a productive player during his twelve major league seasons he was no Derek Jeter.

It was fate. Jeter let it be known at a young age he had a dream and would one day play shortstop for the Yankees. That he did, but you can't imagine even Jeter thought he would be passing the mythical names in Yankee lore.

Many predicted the bright future of
the current Yankee captain.

His first career hit came in September of 1995 off former Seattle Mariners right-hander and current Cleveland Indians pitching coach Tim Belcher. 2,999 hits later he is the first Yankee in history to collect 3,000 and the first to do so in Yankee Stadium.

With his five World Series rings and ability to rise to the occasion, there is no surprise Jeter reached this milestone in dramatic fashion. It's quite remarkable with all the legends that have dawned the Yankee pinstripes, he becomes the first to 3,000 hits.

What a career for a boy with a dream from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Yao Ready To Call It A Career

So Long El Grand Orange

Williams finished his managerial career with
1571 victories.

The baseball world lost one of it's true generals Thursday with the passing of Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams. Williams died in a local hospital close to his home in Henderson, Nevada after suffering a ruptured aortic aneurysm, he was eighty-two. With his passing, Williams leaves behind quite a legacy as one of the many baseball lifers and legends.

During his twenty-one year managerial career, Williams became quite a colorful character, but more known for his hard-nosed attitude and fiery personality. He was a favorite of many with his ability to motive his teams to win and win they did.

In his first season as a big league manager, Williams led the then-still cursed Boston Red Sox to the "Impossible Dream" in 1967 with their first World Series appearance since 1946. There they would surprise many by forcing the series to seven games against the St. Louis Cardinals, but lose to the eventual World Series MVP Bob Gibson for the third time on baseball's biggest stage.

After spending only two more seasons in Fenway Park, Williams decided to head across the border and become the third base coach for the Montreal Expos, a team who would eventually manage. He did that for a season before heading back to the American League after being hired by then-Oakland Athletics' owner Charlie Finley.

There would be the place that cemented his place in baseball history.

In his first his season at the helm in Oakland, he led the A's to 101 wins and a berth to the American League Championship Series. Williams and Co. were promptly swept by the defending World Series champion Baltimore Orioles putting his job once again in doubt.

With Finley already changing managers ten times during his tenure with the club many believed Williams would suffer the same fate, but was eventually brought back for the '72 season.

He would reward Finley for his faith in him, starting a baseball dynasty. Williams led the A's to back-to-back World Series titles, becoming the first major league manager to accomplish that feat since Ralph Houk led the New York Yankees to back-to-back titles in '61 and '62.

It would be a while until Williams once again got a taste of the World Series. After the '73 season he headed south and managed the California Angels for three seasons before heading back to Montreal. He managed the Expos for five seasons, the longest tenure of his career with any one club.

In September of the 1981 season, Williams was relieved of his managerial duties, but is credited as the only manager to lead the franchise to a playoff appearance.

Then in 1982 he was hired to manage the San Diego Padres and in only his third year on the bench, Williams led a misfit group of San Diegoens to their first World Series appearance in franchise history. In one of the most entertaining World Series', Williams might be remembered for a move he decided not to make.

With the Detroit Tigers leading by a run in the bottom of the eighth inning of the eventual series-clinching Game 5, they had runners at second and third and one out, Kirk Gibson coming to the plate and Goose Gossage on the mound. Gibson, who had already homered in the game, had been dominated by Gossage throughout his career and everybody in the ballpark knew it.

Williams looked like he was going to intentionally walk Gibson to load the bases with first base open, instead his hard-throwing right-hander convinced him he could retire the power-hitting outfielder one more time.

Gibson launched a three-run home run deep into the October night, extending the Tigers lead to 8-4, putting the series on ice and giving them their first World Series title since 1968.

Gibson, left celebrates his second home run
in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series as first
basemen Steve Garvey, right shows his
obvious disappointment.

Williams spent only one more season in beautiful Southern California before landing his final managing gig. He managed the Seattle Mariners from 1986-88 before his fire finally burnt out and he retired from the game he loved.

Upon retiring, the St. Louis native had accomplished things few dare to dream. He is one of only two managers to lead three different franchises to a World Series appearance joining fellow Hall of Famer Billie McKechnie. Accomplishing that allowed Williams to join a club of only six other managers to have won a pennant in both the American and National League.

He also joins recently retired Lou Pinella as the only managers to have four different franchises win 90 or more games in a season.

For these achievements, Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee back in 2008.

Known for his unmistakable mustache, red hair, and desire to win, the legacy of Williams will forever live in baseball lore and remind many how the game should be played.