Derek Jeter will be a deserving first-ballot Hall of Famer and is one of the greatest all-around shortstops of all time. But your recent letter writer went overboard in exalting Jeter as “perhaps the most classy, dignified and well-spoken athlete in history.”

Jeter is a class act but hundreds of other athletes have been equally as classy. I think there are many other athletes who have been even more dignified. Regarding well-spoken, I’m not sure what the writer meant. If he meant that Jeter does not brag or make rash statements embarrassing anyone, I would agree with that. But if he means that he is exceptionally articulate, that is clearly not the case as Jeter does not make a lot of public statements and rarely engages in more than the usual cliches.

Moving on to this year’s campaign to give Jeter his first American League MVP, I think he has a very strong resume. But I don’t believe he has been even the most valuable player on his own team, let alone in the league. I would submit Mark Teixeira has been the number one difference-maker for the Yankees this year, followed by CC Sabbathia.

Richard F. Teetsel

Tonawanda

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