Derek Jeter to retire after 2014 season

When the decision had been made, finally and for certain, Derek Jeter called Hal Steinbrenner early Wednesday morning and told him what some within the Yankees' organization suspected as spring training drew closer.

This season, his 20th with the Yankees, will be the final one of Jeter's career as a baseball player.

Hours later, Jeter told the rest of the world via a heartfelt posting on his Facebook page, where the Yankees' captain showed an emotional side not often expressed for public consumption.

"It was months ago when I realized that this season would likely be my last," Jeter wrote in the letter. "As I came to this conclusion and shared it with my friends and family, they all told me to hold off saying anything until I was absolutely 100 percent sure.

"And the thing is, I could not be more sure. I know it in my heart. The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball."

Jeter worked out at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa on Wednesday morning and left without speaking to reporters. In previous interviews during the past week, Jeter didn't drop any hints to what he might be thinking as he addressed a number of topics, from Masahiro Tanaka's arrival to Alex Rodriguez dropping his lawsuits.

In typical Jeter style, he kept this bombshell under wraps until releasing it on his terms. The Yankees weren't stunned by Jeter's decision, a person familiar with the team's thinking said, but they were surprised by him choosing to deliver the news on Facebook.

"Derek called me this morning to tell me that he planned to retire following the season," Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said. "In our conversation, I told him that I respected his decision because I know he put a lot of thought into it. I also let him know that I thought it was great that he was letting fans know now so they will have a chance to say goodbye to him."

Jeter's statement itself was carefully thought out and clearly something he had thought about for a while.

"For the last 20 years, I've been completely focused on two goals: playing my best and helping the Yankees win," Jeter said. "That means that for 365 days a year, my every thought and action were geared toward that goal. It's now time for something new."

Clearly, Jeter's health had become a factor. His attempt to return last season from a severe ankle injury suffered during the 2012 ALCS was painful for everyone involved -- from Jeter himself to his many loyal fans. After playing only 17 games in 2013 and hitting .190, Jeter and the Yankees agreed on a one-year, $12-million extension for 2014, a deal that was personally hashed out with Hal Steinbrenner. Perhaps that was the first indication Jeter could see the finish line.

"Last year was a tough one for me," Jeter said. "As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realized that some of the things that always came easily to me and were always fun had started to become a struggle. The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward."

The praise around baseball was immediate. As soon as Casey Close, Jeter's longtime agent, confirmed the Facebook posting as legitimate, Bud Selig came out with a statement describing Jeter's special place in the game.

"In the 21-plus years in which I have served as Commissioner, Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter," Selig wrote in a statement. "He is one of the most accomplished and memorable players of his -- or any -- era. Derek is the kind of person that generations have emulated proudly, and he remains an exemplary face of our sport."

Tony Clark, the executive director of the Players Union, also expressed his fondness for what Jeter meant to baseball.

"I had the pleasure of playing against and with Derek. As his teammate in 2004, I had the privilege of seeing his leadership and professionalism manifest itself daily," Clark said in a statement. "A champion on and off the field, Derek's impact cannot be understated. Not only does he make the game better, he makes lives better through his Turn2 charitable foundation. Derek has set the standard that we should all strive to achieve."

Jeter will turn 40 on June 26. The Yankees are off that day and begin a three-game set at home against the Boston Red Sox the following day.

"Derek Jeter has been a great representative of what the Yankees have stood for over the years," manager Joe Girardi said. "He has been a team player who has only cared about winning. He has also been a fine example both on and off the field over his long tenure as a Yankee. It has been a real pleasure to manage him and play alongside him."

Jeter enters the 2014 season with 3,316 career hits, ninth-best in MLB history. He is three hits behind Paul Molitor for eighth place. If Jeter can come near his career average of 206 hits in a season, he could finish ahead of Tris Speaker (3,516) for fifth place on baseball's all-time hit list.

He helped the Yankees win five World Series since becoming the full-time shortstop in 1996. Jeter is a 13-time All-Star with a .312 career batting average. He won American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1996 after a cup of coffee with the team in 1995. He twice led the majors in total hits -- 219 in 1999 and 216 in 2012.

"It has been an incredible honor having a front row seat for one of the great players of all time," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "Derek has been a winner every step of the way. I am already looking forward to an exciting final chapter of his storied career."

The Yankees open the season at Houston on April 1 and the home opener is scheduled for April 7 at 1:05 p.m. against the Baltimore Orioles. Jeter's final home game of the regular season is Thursday, Sept. 25, also against the Orioles. Ticket prices on the secondary market for that regular-season home finale skyrocketed Wednesday afternoon -- main infield seats that sold for $250 each around 2:30 p.m. had risen to more than $800 as of 4 p.m., with some tickets priced at more than $4,200.

Jeter began his retirement announcement with a "thank you" and ended it by saying that, "most importantly, I want to help the Yankees reach our goal of winning another championship." It's unclear if Jeter would want the type of farewell tour Mariano Rivera was treated to last season, but he did say, "I want to soak up every day this year, so I can remember it for the rest of my life."

Of course, Jeter already has created a lifetime's worth of memories for the rest of us.