Derek Jeter announces 2014 will be his last season

Derek Jeter has announced on Facebook that 2014 will be his last season in professional baseball with the New York Yankees, and he will be retiring next offseason.

"The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball," the Yankees captain said in a 15-paragraph note on the social media site.

“Derek called me this morning to tell me that he planned to retire following the season." Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. "In our conversation, I told him that I respected his decision because I know he put a lot of thought into it. I also let him know that I thought it was great that he was letting fans know now so they will have a chance to say goodbye to him.

"He is unquestionably one of the greatest Yankees ever. He has meant so much to fans, the organization, my father and our family. I’m glad we have this year to celebrate everything he has meant to us and all the great things he still stands to accomplish.”

Jeter will be leaving the game just one year after the Yankees had to say goodbye to a pair of Jeter's long-time teammates, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. For the second straight year, a season-long farewell tour will follow Jeter and the Yankees everywhere they go.



Jeter, who will turn 40 in July, signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Yankees this past offseason. Up until this point, the word coming from Jeter's camp was that no decision on his future had yet been made.

“Derek Jeter has been a great representative of what the Yankees have stood for over the years." Joe Girardi said in a statement. "He has been a team player who has only cared about winning. He has also been a fine example both on and off the field over his long tenure as a Yankee. It has been a real pleasure to manage him and play alongside him.”

He broke into the majors with the Yankees in 1995 when he was also named Rookie of the Year, and has since won five World Series championships, has been named to the American League all-star team twelve times, and was named Captain of the Yankees in 2003.

“It has been an incredible honor having a front row seat for one of the great players of all time." Brian Cashman said in a statement. "Derek has been a winner every step of the way. I am already looking forward to an exciting final chapter of his storied career.”

A no-doubt Hall of Famer, Jeter will retire as the Yankees' all-time leader in games played, at-bats, hits and stolen bases.

"In the 21-plus years in which I have served as Commissioner, Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter," Bud Selig said in a statement. "Since his championship rookie season of 1996, Derek has represented all the best of the National Pastime on and off the field. He is one of the most accomplished and memorable players of his -- or any -- era."

Jeter also went on in his Facebook to thanks "the Boss, the Steinbrenner family, the entire Yankees organization" as well as managers, coaches, teammates, friends, family and the fans.

"I will remember it all: the cheers, the boos, every win, every loss, all the plane trips, the bus rides, the clubhouses, the walks through the tunnel and every drive to and from the Bronx. I have achieved almost every personal and professional goal I have set. I have gotten the very most out of my life playing baseball, and I have absolutely no regrets."

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below).

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