|
Editor's Note: Brad is the webmaster of one of the largest New York Yankees websites on the 'net. We visit everyday, so should you. Check out http://ultimateyankees.com/ With all the press lately concerning the nightlife of Derek Jeter, the question of whether owners of teams have a right to be concerned about their players has surfaced. George Steinbrenner has always kept a tight rein on his players, but is he going too far questioning the work ethics of one of baseball's greatest players? There is no argument that Jeter's numbers have diminished over the past few seasons, but he continues to be a workhorse and play well for the Yankees. Any team would be more than happy to have Jeter and the current numbers he produces, but his current performance is not good enough for "The Boss." Other teams in baseball only could wish they had the problems that the Yankees have with Jeter. You know the
situation is bad when David Wells has to come to the rescue
of the Yankee shortstop. After Steinbrenner blasted Jeter in
a December newspaper about his nightlife, Wells was quoted
as saying that the comments by Steinbrenner were "blown way
out of proportion." First off, George cannot blame the
lackluster play of the Yankees over the past two seasons on
Derek Jeter alone. There are too many fingers to point in
terms of blame. If Steinbrenner thinks he is motivating his
star player, he is sadly mistaken. As a whole, Derek Jeter
does not really care about George or his comments. In many
ways, Derek Jeter overshadows George Steinbrenner in the
Bronx and all of New York. Jeter is the one who gets all the
radio, newspaper, and television headlines and does all the
commercials and advertisements that make him millions. He is
arguably the most powerful Yankee ever to wear the
pinstripes.
Criticism started for Jeter during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Jeter saw a decline in his batting average, .311 and .297 respectively, as well as a drop in his On Base Percentage as well as his Slugging Percentage. Jeter did also not get to the 200 hit mark in the 2001 and 2002 seasons. He hit the 200 mark with 203, 219, and 201 in the 1998-2000 seasons. What was more important to the Yankees though was his play in the field. Jeter amazed fans all over the country since his 1996 debut, but lost some of that special magic over the 2001 and 2002 seasons. The question wasn't the amount of errors, but the kind of errors Jeter was having. What used to be routine for Jeter, wasn't so routine anymore as balls were hitting off his glove and balls he used to get to, were making their way into the outfield. "When I read in the paper that he's out until 3 a.m. in New York City going to a birthday party, I won't lie. That doesn't sit well with me." Steinbrenner told the New York Daily News. So did Steinbrenner and Yankees fans have a right to start criticizing Jeter and his play? The answer is clearly no. Even Jeter's "average" numbers are more respectable than 95% of the rest of the league. Expectations for Jeter went through the roof after his 1996 rookie campaign. But make it clear; any team in baseball today would trade for an "average" Derek Jeter any day of the week. There are few players in baseball that work harder than Derek Jeter, whether it is during the season, or during the time he spends in Tampa during the off-season. There has never been another Yankee player that has ever questioned the work ethic of Jeter. Another
factor in Jeter losing some of the New York spotlight is a
player by the name of Alfonso Soriano. With the spectacular
play of Soriano in pinstripes, there has been more pressure
on Jeter to perform than ever before. Soriano's presence in
the Yankee dugout makes it even harder for Jeter due to the
fact that Soriano has such a powerful bat. Second baseman
are not supposed to hit the ball as hard as Soriano does.
Those long balls add to the growing amount of pressure on
Jeter to match the play of Alfonso. They have become a
powerful infield duo, but their bats get more attention than
their gloves.
So bottom
line to Mr. Steinbrenner, lay off your star player. Jeter
has shown nothing but maturity and growth as an individual
since becoming a Yankee and continues to be one of the most
popular figures in New York. Jeter continues to astonish his
fans and add new ones on a daily basis. He has taken New
York by storm but at the same time stays out of the media
for the most part. Jeter tries to live a somewhat private
life and Steinbrenner should not only respect that but also
try to contribute to it. By bad mouthing his star player,
George is not motivating Jeter. He is doing nothing but
irritating him. That is not the way to build a championship
team. George needs to go back to the type of control he had
when the Yankees won 4 World Series titles in 5 years. He
took a back seat and let the people who are the most
important do the talking and shine - his players and
coaches. |
How ya' doin? Best sites on 'da 'net! New York Yankees Mighty Yanks The Bombers NY Yankees Fast Facts: Betcha' didn't know was the A.L. Strikeout Champion in 1933, 1934 and 1937. He also won the A.L. Pitching Triple Crown in '34 and '37. Roger Maris In his first game in Yankee pinstripes, he singled, doubled, and hit 2 home runs. "In the building I live in on Park Avenue there are ten people who could buy the Yankees, but none of them could hit the ball out of Yankee Stadium." Reggie Jackson Trivia: The interlocking "NY" logo made its first appearance on the uniforms of the New York Highlanders in 1909. Who designed the symbol and why? Answer In Next Issue Have a trivia question? Email it to us and maybe we'll use it in an upcoming issue. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the brave men and women of our armed forces currently engaged in the conflicts overseas. Thank you for your service to our country and the world. God Bless You. |
