Yankees star Jeter to retire after 2014 season

Five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter, a star shortstop for the New York Yankees entering his 20th Major League Baseball season, announced Wednesday he will retire after the 2014 season. On his Facebook page, Jeter posted a message thanking people for supporting him, especially after last season, when he played only 17 games because of a broken left ankle suffered in the 2012 playoffs and other nagging injuries. "The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward," Jeter said in his posting. "So really it was months ago when I realised that this season would likely be my last. As I came to this conclusion and shared it with friends and family, they all told me to hold off saying anything until I was absolutely 100 percent sure. "And the thing is, I could not be more sure. I know it in my heart. The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball." Yankees captain Jeter, who turns 40 in June, signed a one-year contract worth $12 million with the team last November for this year. Last year, Jeter recovered from ankle surgery only to be sidelined by a quadricep strain, a calf strain and nagging left ankle issues. "Last year was a tough one for me," Jeter said. "As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realised that some of the things that always came easily to me and were always fun had started to becomne a struggle." Jeter has a career .312 batting average with 256 home runs, 3,316 hits, 1,261 runs batted in and 348 stolen bases over a major-league career that began in 1995. The 13-time all-star, who has been the team captain since 2003, helped the Yankees win the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009 and was the 2000 World Series Most Valuable Player. "I am living my dream every single day," Jeter said. "I have experienced so many defining moments in my career... through it all, I have never stopped chasing the next one. "I want to finally stop the chase and take in the world." "For the last 20 years I've been completely focused on two goals -- playing my best and helping the Yankees win. That means for 365 days a year, my every thought and action was geared towards that goal. "It's now time for something new." Jeter, a native of the New York suburbs, will have a farewell tour of the major leagues much the same way iconic Yankees closing relief pitcher Mariano Rivera of Panama did last year before his retirement. Jeter also will never again play alongside Alex Rodriguez, the doping-tainted teammate who played shortstop for Texas before joining the Yankees but was forced to switch to third baseman rather than force a move by Jeter. Rodriguez was banned for the entire 2014 campaign for using performance-enhancing drugs and taking actions to impede an investigation into the doping charges. "From the time I was a kid, my dream was always very vivid -- I was going to be the shortstop for the New York Yankees," Jeter said. "It started as an empty canvas more than 20 years ago... In a million years, I would never have believed just how beautiful it would become." Jeter hinted at his plans for life beyond baseball, including plans to be a global tourist. "Now it is time for the next chapter," he said. "I have new dreams and aspirations and I want new challenges. There are many things I want to do in business and philanthropic work in addition to focusing more on my personal life and starting a family of my own. "And I want the ability to move at my own pace, see the world and finally have a summer vacation." Source: AFP