Ripken Jr. on Jeter

ORLANDO, Fla. - Greetings from rainy Orlando. My flight to stormy Tampa has been diverted, and passengers on my Southwest flight are now in two states. Florida and limbo. Eventually, we'll be allowed back on the plane. That's the idea, though the fine folks at Southwest are clearly working without a solid plan. They keep changing it on the fly - and now the ground. Earlier today, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter announced that he will retire following the 2014 season. His final home game will be on Sept. 25 against the Orioles. Jeter's first major league manager was Buck Showalter. It's baseball's circle of life again. Perhaps I will get a chance to talk to Showalter Thursday morning. All I need to do is get out of the Orlando airport. Wondering how Cal Ripken Jr. feels about Jeter's pending retirement? "Derek has represented the Yankees and the game of baseball so well for so many years," Ripken said. "He has had a wonderful career, and as a fan I will miss watching him play. He will be remembered as one of the all-time greats, and I hope he enjoys his final season in pinstripes." Commissioner Bud Selig issued the following statement this afternoon: "In the 21-plus years in which I have served as Commissioner, Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter. Since his championship rookie season of 1996, Derek has represented all the best of the National Pastime on and off the field. 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. Major League Baseball looks forward to celebrating his remarkable career throughout the 2014 season."