Jeter Needs to Be Dropped in Yankees' Batting Order

COMMENTARY | Derek Jeter was benched by the New York Yankees for their game against the Detroit Tigers Thursday. Jeter has been struggling quite a bit during the first month of the 2011 MLB season; it is starting to look like age is finally catching up to him. Coming into the action Thursday, Jeter had just a .250 batting average with no home runs and only six RBI this season.

There seems to be a bit of a disagreement between Jeter and Yankees manager Joe Girardi going on right now, but it could end up being nothing significant. ESPN reported that the star shortstop had been taken out of Wednesday night's game with a sore hip, but he insisted he was not injured today. Girardi still thought that it was a good time to give Jeter and third baseman Alex Rodriguez a day off against the Tigers.

Two serious questions seem to plague Girardi right now, and neither one has an answer that would probably be to the liking of Jeter. Those two questions are whether he still deserves to start every day and whether he should be dropped down in the Yankees lineup.

For a leadoff hitter to be batting just .250 with an on base percentage of .308 and no stolen bases is simply unacceptable. The role is to set the table by any means necessary, and he just isn't doing the job. Those who have been fans of the future Hall of Famer for his whole career even see that he has lost a step, and it has started to affect how he approaches the game.

Jeter definitely has the will to play every inning of every game for the Yankees, and at times he is still a very dangerous hitter. The reality is that this can only take him so far, and if he doesn't put together a great streak of hitting, he needs to be dropped in the lineup. This is where he could prove to be unselfish and simply go to Girardi with the idea himself. Jeter has played since 1995, so there isn't much about the game he doesn't know. This includes the fact that the Yankees would be better suited with a new leadoff hitter.

As for Girardi, he has been placed in the unenviable position of dealing with a former superstar the Yankees owe a lot of money to for the next three years ($45 million). The fan favorite has to be treated with kid gloves still, and he can't simply admonish Jeter to the press. This is where the shortstop needs to prove some true leadership and do what is best for the team by voluntarily hitting eighth or ninth in the lineup.

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