Derek Jeter Announces 2014 Season Will Be His Last

"A great man leaves clean work behind him, and requires no sweeper up of the chips." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

We all knew that this day was going to come sooner or later.

The writing was on the wall as recently as last season, when he struggled to stay on the field longer than 17 games; struggled to hold a bat in his hand, field his position, and run the way he used to. It was only a matter of time before the great career of Derek Jeter would come to an end.

Now it is over -- just about.

On Wednesday, Jeter surprised the baseball world, days before the rest of his Yankees teammates join him in Tampa Bay for Spring Training that he will hang up his #2 jersey at the end of this season for good.

"I have achieved almost every personal and professional goal I have set. I have gotten the most out of my life playing baseball. I have no regrets. ... New York made me stronger, kept me more focused and made me a better, more well rounded person. For that I will be forever grateful. I never could have imagined playing anywhere else." - Derek Jeter.

Jeter started his career with the intention of playing baseball for the University of Michigan after a stellar high school career. However in the 1992 draft Major League teams were pinning for his services. The Houston Astros held the first pick in that year's draft, and scout Hal Newhouser loved Jeter so much he told the Astros to take him. Houston decided to pass on Jeter.

Another turning point in history. Imagine had Jeter joined Houston instead of the Yankees how different the world would be.

Jeter fell to the sixth pick and the New York Yankees, who selected him, even though they were worried he'd forgo any offer and go to Michigan. Instead, as we all know, Jeter went pro, signing with the Yankees.

He would make his MLB debut on May 29, 1995, batting ninth. It would not be until 1996 that Jeter was inserted as the full time shortstop, batting either lead-off or second in the Yankees batting order. A position he would hold for 19 years.

The rest as they say is history.

Jeter became the centerpiece to five Yankees World Series titles, four of them coming from 1996-2000, which was the pinnacle of the modern Yankees dynasty.

He was at the center of amazing Yankee comebacks against the Orioles, A's, Red Sox, Braves, and Mets in the playoffs. In 2000, he won his first World Series MVP after dominating the Mets, hitting .409 with a pair of monster homers.

From the flip play in Oakland, to the dive into the stands against Boston, and the late night homer against the Diamondbacks in the World Series, Jeter had one big moment after another, after another for the Yankees. Even when the Yankees were not as good during a big portion of the past decade, where spending big money produced little results, Jeter was still at center stage -- the leader of the pack.

To the Yankee fan he was the 21st century answer to Babe Ruth, or Joe Dimaggio. To the Yankee hater, he was the center of their hatred for the Bronx Bombers.

In 2011, Jeter became the first Yankee to join the 3,000 hit club, and in Jeteresque fashion, a term that became a verb over the past two decades; he got that hit in dramatic fashion with a home run.

If there is a gold standard in baseball, Jeter was it. No steroids, no lies, just baseball 365 days a year.

Here's to Derek Jeter on a job well done.

DEREK JETER FLIP PLAY VS. A's 

DEREK JETER HOME RUN VS. METS

DEREK JETER FLIES INTO STANDS VS. RED SOX 

DEREK JETER 3,000th HIT VS. RAYS

DEREK JETER FAREWELL TO OLD YANKEE STADIUM.