I’m as big a Jeter hater as anybody, but dude is hitting .314/.394/.454, which is right in line with his career average. His career average is going to produce one of the best offensive shortstop careers in history. And his defense appears to have trended upwards in recent years.

Basically, this is one of the reasons I don’t like Simmons as a baseball writer all that much. It’s a funny enough line, I guess, but Jeter’s having a fine year.

Statistically, Jeter’s range seems to be larger this year than last.  He’s the best proven SS in the AL but virtually any measure.

Bill Simmons is part of an antiquated group of sports writers who seemingly can’t do math and update their worldview except when convenient for their hometown’s cause.

Looking at fielding stats over on baseball reference. The only statistcal barometer that seems drastically improved is his number of errors. He has three this season all coming on throws. I don’t see the Yankees play on a daily basis, but I would think having Teixeira to throw too would reduce his throwing errors. As for no fielding errors again I don’t see the Yankees every day.

@Adam: B-R is pretty poor in keeping up with fielding stats.  Use Litchman’s UZR (available at http://www.fangraphs.com ), or if you feel like splurging, figure out what you need to subscribe to in order to get Dewan’s +/-.  Essentially, both metrics and observations have indicated that Jeter’s improved his defense significantly this year.  Personally, I think his huge ego wanted to shut up all the people making jokes like “Jeter’s intangibles are ground balls to the glove side,” so he really put some extra work in on it.

I would trade Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Brendan Ryan, Todd Wellemeyer, Hal McRae, and ‘Red’ Schoendienst for Derek Jeter.  I will not trade Jose Oquendo, “the secret weapon”.  Jeter is at the stage of his career when good players become hall of famers by donning the Birds-on-the-Bat.  Look it up.

I don’t know if my response got lost in the internet or not. But I said in my initial post that Jeter only had 3 throwing errors all season. And that those are his only errors this year. Where your thinking I posted he had more. I have no idea.