The Captain Derek Jeter, "Walks Off" With His Final RBI Walkoff Win EVER at Yankee Stadium, Before Closing Out His Final Game EVER in Style, at Fenway Park.

by: Dana P. (E.I.C.)

September 25th, 2014 was probably one of the most painful, heartbreaking days, any TRUE Yankee fan has come to experience. Watching our captain hang up the hat, at his last game EVER played at Yankee Stadium, just truly is so hard to put into words. We all knew for a while that this day was coming, but I didn't let it hit me in full force until Thursday night. 

The first set of tears ran down my face while John and Suzyn were talking during the pregame on WFAN; then watching Jeter walk out on the field in the first inning for the last time, is when it got me even more. But it hit me even harder in the 9th.....I broke down.

No one knew how the game would end. We didn't know if he was going to be pulled off the field in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. We didn't even know if he would be pulled at all. Predictions were being thrown all over the place by many fans, and even former Yankee great like Mariano Rivera. I myself thought he would be pulled off the field in the 9th, similar to Mo being taken out in the 8th inning last year, with a PROPER farewell to "The Sandman." But I don't think ANYONE could've predicted the game would end the way it did. 

Of course, David Robertson blew the save as the Yanks were up 5-2. Adam Jones hit a two-run homer off Robertson, and Steve Pearce hit a bases-empty shot to tie the score. I have seen on Twitter and other social media networks, a few (dumb) Yankee fans saying that Robertson did this on purpose. He purposely BLEW the save to give Jeter one last at-bat. So my question is, what would've happened if he DIDN'T get a hit? Did anyone think about what would've happened in the top of the 9th IF Baltimore didn't fire back to tie up the game? What would've happened after the 3rd out, if the Yankees WON the game? It would've been just a regular win that meant nothing. Their playoff spot is gone and the Orioles have already clinched. Did anyone stop to think what would've happened if Jeter did NOT get that RBI to win the game? What was going to happen if we went into extra innings? How would it have ended properly with respect to the FINAL game ever at Yankee Stadium, for The Captain? 

You cannot plan these things. Maybe in football, or even basketball. But baseball? It doesn't work that way. For any Yankee fan to say that Robertson purposely blew the game is absolutely ubserd. 

A story book ending? Sure. For most. Not for me. This isn't how I wanted to see the game end, as crazy as that sounds. I feel it wasn't appropriate and something else might've been planned if Robertson didn't give up those hits. What was planned, IF there was something planned, we may never know. Whether the game resulted in a win or not, Robertson still ruined the game in my eyes. 

To me it looked like Joe (Girardi) was pondering, and possibly READY to do "something else" before Jones knocked out that 2 run homer. 

Derek Jeter was more known for being the shortstop of the New York Yankees, rather then being their power hitter. Coming thru clutch? Absolutely. He came thru ALL the time for us. But being on that field at shortstop is where his heart was set. Exiting the game with a winning WALKOFF RBI was definelty a way to leave in fashion, how ever I would've preferred to see him leave the game, by leaving shortstop.

(Derek Jeters nephew tipping his hat to his Uncle DJ.)

Derek made it quite clear that Yankee Stadium was the last place he wanted to play shortstop. Girardi put him in the lineup as the DH on Saturday and Sunday for the series in Boston, but requested for a day off on Friday. The guy who nearly blew Jeters final game at Yankee Stadium spoke of Jeter on Friday. 

According to ESPN.go.com

"It doesn't surprise me," said David Robertson, who earned his 39th save. "There's a lot of Yankee fans in the seats tonight and I know that the Red Sox fans love and respect him."

"I don't know if they love him," he said with a grin, "but they respect him."

Jeter left Yankee Stadium with an RBI win, and left BASEBALL with another RBI in Boston, on Sunday. 

The Core Four is gone, and baseball will never be the same again.