Derek Jeter

With a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay, the Yankees dropped out of first place for the first time since August 3.  They've lost seven of their past eight games, three via the walk-off.  No one player has been entirely blameless during the stretch and many players have played poorly, or not at all.

When you glance at Derek Jeter’s .261 batting average in 2010, the first thing you ask yourself is: Do I need glasses.

Why?

Because, barring an extremely unprecedented surge, Jeter is on pace to hit below .300 for the first time  since 2002. More concerning, it will be his lowest batting average since 1995, his first season, when he played just 15 games.

So what is it? What is happening to the Captain?

As of September 12th, the Yankees are 87-56, a half game up on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The division will be at stake with the crucial upcoming Rays series in St. Petersburg.

Let’s take a look at some of the bigger stories that developed yesterday: 

Three Hot

 Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler

There was a lot to like from the Rangers last night, from their offensive explosion to Derek Holland (5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K, W), who has a chance to emerge in the Rangers rotation not only for the final few weeks of 2010, but for 2011 as well. 

Courtesy of Dove Men+Care, Lady Loves Pinstripes was given the opportunity to ask New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi some personal questions about his life at home and on the field.

Here is Lady Loves Pinstripes exclusive Q&A with Yankees Joe Girardi.

Lade Loves Pinstripes: Where do you see yourself in five years?

The Yankees almost had one of their worst series of the season until Nick Swisher won the game with a ninth-inning walk-off home run off of the Orioles Koji Uehara to lead the Yankees to a 3-2 victory.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated is a lot of things, but this is a great take on the upcoming contract negotiations with Derek Jeter.

Take a read:

There has never been a more successful quartet of players than Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada who have won a combined 19 World Series together.

I guess none of us should be surprised that the Boston Red Sox hype machine/cheerleading squad out of Bristol has published yet another piece claiming that Derek Jeter is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

That group of tools lost any sense of objectivity on the matter many, many years ago.