Louisville Slugger retires Jeter's bat model

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New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter  Louisville Slugger has retired the name of the bat Derek Jeter used throughout his 20-year Major League Baseball career and renamed it in the retiring shortstop's honor, the company said on Wednesday. The P72 bat used by Jeter, a five-time World Series champion who will retire following the 2014 MLB season sixth on the all-time hits list, will still be available but will be known as the DJ2, the company said in a statement. "Derek has swung one bat model from one bat company his entire career," the company said in a statement. "With Derek's impending retirement, we thought it was fitting to retire his bat model in recognition of his brilliant career. "We are grateful for his enduring and unwavering loyalty." It marks the first such move by the company, which has been supplying bats to major leaguers for 130 years. Jeter has ordered more than 2,500 P72 model Louisville Slugger bats, which the company describes as having a medium size barrel, thin handle and balanced weight that make it good for getting the bat quickly through the hitting zone. The bat is used by some current major league players and among the many who previously used it during their careers are Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Robin Yount.