O′Connor takes us behind the scenes of a legendary baseball life and career, from Jeter′s early struggles in the minor leagues when homesickness and fielding errors threatened a stillborn career, to the heady days of Yankee superiority and New York nightlife, to the fascinating intra–squad feud with former best friend Alex Rodriguez. Readers also witness Jeter struggling to come to terms with his declining skills and the declining favor of the only organization he ever wanted to play for, leading to a contentious contract negotiation with the Yankees that left people wondering if Jeter might end his career without his pinstripes. All along the way Jeter has made his march toward the Hall of Fame look easy, but behind that leadership and hero′s grace there are hidden struggles and complexities that have never been explored, until THE CAPTAIN.

Says O′Connor: “Derek Jeter has always been too team–centric to be defined by personal achievements or stats, but with a diminished game at age 37, his 3,000th hit takes on new meaning. Odds are, Yankee fans won′t have another chance to salute him as an individual until the not–too–distant day Jeter steps off the field for the final time.”