Derek Jeter announced he will retire after 2014, prompting plenty of speculation (and betting odds) about his production this season.
Derek Jeter has one final season to pass Honus Wagner as the all-time hits leader among shortstops and odds say the Yankee veteran will do it.
Jeter said this week that the 2014 season will be his last, an announcement that got baseball stats junkies debating his place in history. It was only a matter of time before someone posted odds on how Derek Jeter will perform in his final season.
With 115 hits, he would surpass Wagner, the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer who has been untouchable atop the list of shortstops. Jeter has 3,316 career hits and Bovada made him a -250 favorite to surpass 3,430.
Wagner, who played his last game in 1917, not only remains the standard for excellence at shortstop, but has stayed in the public consciousness over the years because of a rare and valuable baseball card (an American Tobacco Company card from 1909). Very few Wagner cards were printed after he objected to his image being used, making it one of the most valuable in the hobby.
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While Jeter is projected to catch and pass Wagner's mark, Bovada's Jeter lines suggest they believe his batting average in 2014 will be significantly lower than his career average. They posted a .290 over-under. His career average is .312.
There is also a 120.5 over-under on the number of games he will play this season, after he played in just 17 games in 2013 due to a variety of ailments and injuries.
If you think Jeter will change his mind and come back in 2015, you are in the minority and would earn a solid longshot payout if it happens. It's a 20/1 payout if he comes back for another season.
"Who knows for sure, because the Yankees are only 10/1 to win the World Series, so maybe he has a great season and comes back," said Dave Harrison of BaseballOdds.ca.
Derek Jeter Batting Average in the 2014 Regular Season
Over/Under .290
Derek Jeter Total games played in the 2014 Regular Season
Over/Under 120½
Will Derek Jeter break Honus Wagner's record of most career hits by a short stop of 3,430?
Yes -250
No +170
Will Derek Jeter play in a game in the 2015 Regular Season?
Yes 20/1
No 1/50