Let’s open with a quiz in honor of Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame induction. He was a five-time champion. His last title came in 2009. There were four members of that team who have played in major league games this year. Name them (answer below).
While you think about that, why don’t we stick with the Yankees and shortstops for our first Three Up at Post Sports+:
- We won’t make it a second quiz to name all 14 players who have appeared at shortstop for the Yankees since Jeter departed, though you would have received extra credit for remembering Pete Kozma.
Didi Gregorius did well as the heir from 2015-19, learning to pull for power and becoming a steady clubhouse influence. But the organization worried about his range and lack of on-base heft. Gregorius missed the first two months of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery. The plan early that year was to mix Gleyber Torres and Jeter-idolizing Troy Tulowitzki at short.
The Yankees believed they saw enough to make Torres the full-time shortstop in 2020. But over the last two seasons, life has gone out of Torres’ bat and his shortstop play has never risen above pedestrian, at best.
