By Jon Lane
Derek Jeter passing Lou Gehrig on the Yankees’ all-time hits list may not make him the greatest to wear the pinstripes, but while on the express train to the Hall of Fame, Jeter is compiling a case to be considered among the finest shortstops to ever play baseball – if not the best. Watching how Jeter handled the accolades, and how his approach to the business of winning never changes, confirmed that he’s the classiest player in uniform today.

Here’s how Jeter stacks up with the great shortstops of yesteryear:

SEASONS
25–Bobby Wallace
23–Rabbit Maranville
21–Honus Wagner, Cal Ripken, Jr.
20–Luke Appling, Joe Cronin, George Davis, Robin Yount.
19–Ernie Banks, Ozzie Smith
18–Luis Aparicio
17–John Montgomery Ward, Hughie Jennings
16–Dave Bancroft, Pee Wee Reese
15–DEREK JETER, Joe Tinker, Lou Boudreau, Travis Jackson.
14–Joe Sewell, Arky Vaughn
13–Phil Rizzuto

GAMES
Ripken, 3001
Yount, 2856
Wagner, 2792
Maranville, 2670
Aparicio, 2601
Smith, 2573
Banks, 2528
Appling, 2422
Wallace, 2383
Davis, 2368
Reese, 2166
Cronin, 2124
JETER, 2120
Bancroft, 1913

GAMES PLAYED AT SHORTSTOP
Aparicio, 2583
Smith, 2511
Ripken, 2302
Appling, 2212
Maranville, 2153
JETER, 2106
Reese, 2014
Wagner, 1887
Bancroft, 1873
Cronin, 1843

HITS
Wagner, 3415
Ripken, 3184
Yount, 3142
Appling, 2749
JETER, 2723
Aparicio, 2677
Davis, 2660
Maranville, 2605
Banks, 2583

HOME RUNS
Banks, 512
Ripken, 431
Yount, 251
JETER, 223
Cronin, 170
Jackson, 135
Reese, 126
Wagner, 101

RBI
Wagner, 1732
Ripken, 1695
Banks, 1636
Davis, 1437
Cronin, 1424
Yount, 1406
Wallace, 1121
Appling, 1116
JETER, 1065
Sewell, 105
Jackson, 929

AVERAGE
Wagner, .329
Vaughn, .318
JETER, .317
Sewell, .312
Jennings, .311
Appling, .310
Cronin, .301

NOTES
? Banks played more games at 1B than SS.
? Ripken played almost 700 games at 3B and DH.
? Yount played half his games in the outfield.