Last night’s game proved why A-Rod was willing to play third base even though he’s probably the better shortstop between he and Jeter. When Jeter made that dive into the stands, he sent a message to everyone in sport what it means to be a gamer. Gamers dive. Gamers don’t care if it’s July 1st or October 1st, they make the plays. Gamers inspire.

Derek Jeter’s numbers aren’t as good as A-Rod’s or even Miguel Tejada’s… he might not have the greatest range of the shortstops in the game today… but even the greatest shortstop in the game today — A-Rod — recognized one thing — Jeter is a leader and a gamer, and these are his Yankees. And A-Rod moved to third base. Why? Because Jeter does things like he did last night. He makes plays.

This is what Moneyball misses — there is no stat for what Jeter does. He is more than a solid hitting, decent fielding player on a very good team. He is, as Reggie Jackson once said, "the straw that stirs the drink."