Derek Jeter Most Popular Current Baseball Player, According to a New Survey by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute

SAINT LEO, Fla., March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Derek Jeter enters his final baseball season with the New York Yankees as the most popular player in the game, according to a new survey by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute.

In a national survey of 1,009 people, respondents were asked to name their favorite player without being provided a list of names from which to choose.

Jeter, the Yankees shortstop and captain, was cited most often as people's favorite baseball player, named by 39 respondents. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox (11 mentions) and Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers (nine mentions) placed second and third, respectively. Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves, six), Alex Rodriguez (Yankees, five), Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies, five), Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox, five), Justin Verlander (Tigers, five) also all received at least five mentions.

Nearly half of all people (47 percent), say they are very (20 percent) or somewhat (27 percent) interested in following Major League Baseball. This includes 57 percent of men and 39 percent of women.

Despite steps taken by Major League Baseball to clean up the use of steroids in the league, fans continue to have concerns and doubts. Sixty-two percent of people say they are very (28 percent) or somewhat (34 percent) concerned about steroid use by professional baseball players. Nineteen percent report they are "not at all" concerned about steroid use. Seventy-five percent say the use of steroids has either increased (30 percent) or stayed about the same (35 percent) in the past five years.

Below are selected questions and responses.

Question: The Major League Baseball season is about to begin. How interested are you in following Major League Baseball? Would you say very interested, somewhat interested, somewhat uninterested, or not at all interested?

Question: Do you think Major League Baseball players are paid more than they are worth, are paid about what they are worth, or are paid less than they are worth?

Question: How concerned are you about the use of steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs by professional baseball players? Would you say you are very concerned, somewhat concerned, somewhat unconcerned, or not at all concerned?

Question: Compared to five years ago, do you think the use of steroids or other banned performance enhancing drugs by Major League Baseball players has increased, stayed about the same, or decreased?

The data is derived from a national poll of 1,009 people conducted by the Saint Leo University Polling Institute between March 16 and 18, 2014. The margin of error is approximately three percent +/- with a 95 percent confidence level.

SOURCE Saint Leo University Polling Institute