New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter passed Honus Wagner for sixth place on the all-time Major League hits list eariler in August, but history will now show that it happened slightly differently -- and on a different date -- than first recorded.  MLB.com's Jamal Collier reports that Major League Baseball has changed the ruling of the ground ball that originally resulted in Jeter's tying of Wagner at 3,430 hits into an error on Cleveland Indians first baseman Carlos Santana. 

During the August 19 broadcast of the game between the Yankees and Houston Astros, YES Network's Michael Kay said that the Indians appealed the scoring decision and MLB made the change on the 19th. 

In the bottom of the first inning on August 8,  Jeter grounded a slow roller up the middle.  Indians shortstop Jose Ramirez fielded the ball, turned nearly a full circle, and fired a head-high strike to Santana, who dropped the ball.

Jeter reached safely on the play, and with little hesitation, the Yankees' official scorekeeper ruled the play a hit, tying Jeter with Wagner.  The next day, Jeter passed Wagner to take sole possession of sixth place. It took Jeter three at bats on August 9 to get the passing hit, also an infield hit and his only hit of that game. 

With the scoring change, the August 9 hit becomes the Wagner-tying hit. The Wagner-passing hit is now officially the fifth-inning double that Jeter had against the Baltimore Orioles' Bud Norris on August 11.  Jeter grounded an opposite-filed double down the right-field line for what is now the milestone hit.

Interestingly enough, Jeter reached another milestone on August 11 by tying Kansas City Royals Hall-of-Famer George Brett for ninth place in games played for exactly one Major League team with 2,707. Jeter will end up in eighth place as he retires after this season. Coincidentally, YES Network displayed the chart during the same at bat in which Jeter collected his now-milestone hit.

In the grand scheme, the exact timing of the hit means very little. Jeter will finish in sixth place in hits regardless of that particular scoring decision. However, the scoring change alters the official date, team, pitcher, type of hit, and stadium of which the milestone occurred. It also changes fans' bragging rights of who actually saw it live and in person.

Collier reports that Jeter has the two balls from each play on August 9 and 11. He quoted Jeter saying, "I got another hit; I got the other ball," which makes it appear a moot point for the man who accomplished the task. Still, though, the now-milestone hit did not get the celebration that it deserved. At least, though, Jeter had his moment -- one of many -- even if two days early.