There have been 11 Yankee captains in the franchise's storied history. If it were up to Brian Cashman, Derek Jeter would be the last.
The Yankees general manager said Thursday that the franchise's tradition of naming a captain should end when it decides to retire Jeter's No. 2.
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“As far as I’m concerned, and I’m not the decision maker on this, that captaincy should be retired with No. 2," Cashman said on ESPN Radio's Mike Lupica Show. "I wouldn’t give up another captain’s title to anyone else."
That decision lies in the hands of ownership, according to Cashman. He said it would be difficult to envision another player as captain because Jeter was “so perfect” for the role.
"Leadership comes in a lot of forms," Cashman added. "It would be a hard one to anoint someone captain regardless of how great they might be."
Jeter was the longest-tenured captain in Yankees history, serving from June 3, 2003, until he retired after this season. With five World Series titles and a franchise-record 3,465 hits, his resume is among the most impressive in the club's existence.
The Yankees announced last month that they will retire the numbers of Andy Pettitte (46), Jorge Posada (20) and Bernie Williams (51) this summer. As of now, they have not made official plans to retire Jeter’s No. 2.
The New York Daily News compiled a timeline of Yankees captains since 1922, a list that includes Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Thurman Munson and Don Mattingly, among others.