An era has ended in the Bronx.

[Necessary disclaimer for this blog: My mother has been my most faithful follower in my attempts and scribbles at writing the turmoil of my spirit in these last five years, and this post is meant to be no disrespect to her. Mother, you have taught me from birth one unalterable truth: The Yankees are the Antichrist of Major League Baseball. Please know that this sentiment is buried in my heart and can never be shaken. I’ll do my best to communicate that as I proceed to write a blog about one of their players. I love you.]

October is right around the corner – and for me that only means one thing: POST-SEASON BASEBALL. You laugh to yourself, because you probably know the Twins haven’t made the postseason since 2010, and they’ve finished in the basement of the American League Central ever since. But you best believe I have my underdog teams picked and I’m already maneuvering my work schedule so that I can be bartending during the best games (I don’t have a TV at my house, so if I have to work I might as well kill two birds with one stone).

This last week, an era ended in the Bronx. For the second year in a row, the Yankees have missed the playoffs (holla!) and their last games of the season were played in September. Derek Jeter, a lifelong Yankee (one of the few who hasn’t been plucked from another short-on-cash team), announced at the beginning of the season that this would be his last. He would retire a Yankee and go out on top. There wasn’t much special about this season for the Yankees – it was obvious by July that they wouldn’t make the playoffs (which, to be fair, is better than the Twin’s June death sentence). However, Derek Jeter was able to participate in a national tour to say goodbye. Each team offered him gifts and awards as the Yankees played series in their stadiums, and it was evident his influence on the game of baseball will last for a very long time.

Thursday night was his last game at Yankee Stadium, and with no prospect of moving on, he and everyone else knew that. They were playing the first place Baltimore Orioles and the game didn’t hold much weight for either team. It was simply Derek Jeter’s final game. With packed stands, the game decision was brought to the bottom of the 9th inning. Tied at 5 runs apiece, Jeter stepped up to the plate with 1 out and a runner on second base. This would be his final at bat at his home stadium – a venue where he had stood in that spot thousands of times. Here is the result of that at bat, and I don’t think it could have been a more fitting ending for #2.

I watched nearly in tears (I say nearly because he is a Yankee and we don’t cry for Yankees) as he made a final lap in front of all of his fans – most of which have watched him play in pinstripes his entire career.

Jeter ended his career with class and cemented his place in baseball history.

Never once has Derek tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs and his name has never been associated with a scandal of any kind. He’s just a guy who showed up every day to play the sport that he loves. He never cheated or took a shortcut, and he has a few World Series Rings and whole lot of Yankee and MLB records. Except for the pinstripes, he has everything in the world to be proud of. He did it the right way.

That’s not true of every good athlete. In fact, to draw a distinction we just need to scoot down a few seats in the dugout to his teammate Alex Rodriguez – more affectionately known as “A-Rod.” Initially drafted by the Seattle Mariners, this young player rose to fame at a young age. With a hot bat and a good glove, he quickly became the desire of most organizations in the MLB. He signed the biggest contract in baseball history with the Texas Rangers and the pressure was on to be the best and show he was worth the paycheck. As shown below, he’s always adamantly denied his use of PEDs. In the last few years, he’s been heavily investigated after steroid distributors have listed him as a faithful customer.

Since the above video, he’s confessed the pressure got to him and he did use PEDs while in Texas (though evidence shows that is hardly the tip of the iceberg). But he still thinks he’s done nothing wrong. He’s currently serving a two-season ban from baseball and fighting tooth and nail against the system. He’s an embarrassment to the Yankees organization (who signed him 10 years ago with an even bigger contract than his previous record) and if he ever plays another game he will be booed at every stadium in America.

As far as super stardom goes, A-Rod has more talent than DJ. At a year younger than Jeter, he has hit 2.5x more home runs. He has 600 more RBIs and has crossed the plate 1,919 times for a run scored.

But it doesn’t matter.

His records will likely be forfeited, and his own legacy will be one of lies and cheating. Nobody will remember his talent without thinking of his dishonesty. His finish won’t be by choice – he’d be lucky to even be put on the field by his own team. It’s over.

As I watched Derek take his victory lap on Thursday night, it was such a picture of finishing well.

I want to finish well. When I meet Jesus, and He goes to the throne on my behalf I don’t want to have to plead my case. I don’t want to convince the God of the Universe that I’m the best saint He’s ever seen. I don’t want to have to make excuses for the life I pursued and the gods that had ownership of my heart.

I know I’m not perfect (praise GOD the One who is standing in my place is!), but I want to be that girl. The one who showed up every day and pursued holiness. Who fought the good fight. I don’t want be the one who pursued my own fame and realized at the end I was a nobody. I don’t want there to be a question of God’s response to my life.

What’s it going to be?

Well done, good and faithful servant.

or

Away from me, I never knew you.

There’s no middle ground. Either we were faithful and longing, or we were selfish and the god of our own lives.

Farewell, Captain. Well done.

#finishwell