from the New York Times

October 18, 1998

By BUSTER OLNEY

To see the depth of Derek Jeter's confidence is to see him at those moments he fails. When Jeter fouls off a pitch he believes he should have smashed, a tiny, wry smile invades his face -- like he's grinning ever so slightly at the good fortune of the pitcher.

When the Yankees shortstop makes a mistake in the field, he usually turns to watch the replay on the scoreboard, wanting to answer the question, Why? And he wants to know immediately, so he doesn't do it again.

There is far more failure than success for position players in baseball, more outs than hits. Before the 1998 Yankees came along, baseball's best teams routinely would lose 40 percent of their games. The ability to cope with failure, to remain confident, is as important an asset as a good throwing arm or speed.

Jeter's unique confidence, Yankees Manager Joe Torre once said, is what "makes him a very special player. He's absolutely sure of himself all the time, but not in a way that can be counter-productive. He's not arrogant; he's confident. Nothing bothers him. He's sure he's going to do well."

Jeter, whose childhood dream was to play shortstop for the Yankees, was a regular in his rookie season of 1996 and was part of a team that won the World Series; two years later, at age 24, Jeter is already one of the best players on a club that may be called the best ever. He batted .324 during the regular season, with 203 hits, 25 doubles, 8 triples and 19 home runs, with 127 runs scored, 84 RBI and 30 stolen bases.

Tim Raines, Jeter's teammate and good-natured antagonist, says he has never seen the shortstop in awe of anything, any situation, any player, any circumstance. "I've never seen him come in here and hang his head in his locker," Raines said.

Jeter will make an out in his first at-bat, Raines said, then return to the dugout and pass judgment on the opposing pitcher. "This guy doesn't have anything," Jeter will say aloud. "He's going to get killed."

Does Jeter return to the dugout, Raines was asked, and ever compliment an opposing starting? "Never," Raines said. "That's the type of confidence he has. He'll go 0 for 4 and he'll say, 'I can't believe I didn't get a hit."'

When David Wells was just one or two outs removed from pitching his perfect game May 17, some of his teammates huddled nervously in the Yankees' dugout, legs shaking, arms crossed. On the field, Jeter remembered thinking to himself, Hit the ball to me.

There was no fear. He wants the ball. He wants to be out front.

Several weeks ago, when a pop-up fell between Jeter and two outfielders, Wells turned disgustedly and gestured, a serious violation of baseball etiquette; from his position, Jeter yelled to the pitcher, in so many words, Hey, we don't need that kind of stuff on this team.

When the Yankees score, Jeter is always the first out of the dugout to congratulate teammates -- something Jeter has been doing, he said, since he was in Little League.

When pitching changes are made in the post-season, or when the pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre goes to the mound to give a breather to a tiring pitcher, Jeter walks to the mound and most of the time, he is smiling. Crisis is looming, and Jeter is smiling. A reliever is walking from the bullpen into a potential disaster, and Jeter will always reach over with his gloved hand -- his grin broad -- and pat Torre on the chest.

On the field, said second baseman Homer Bush, Jeter "is always upbeat, he's always encouraging me. Like if I make a mistake, he'll say, 'Hey, you're all right,' always trying to pump me up."

That sort of confidence, Raines said, is not developed in the minor leagues, or taught by a manager. Raines said, "That sort of confidence starts from an early age."

Raines is a father himself -- his eldest son just began playing minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles last summer -- and he mentioned Jeter's strong relationship with his parents, how Jeter was raised to respect others and respect himself.

"I've gathered they were very strict but cared a lot," Raines said. "He takes his confidence from that. He takes everything right out front, like a Brahman bull -- but in a nice way."

Jeter said: "You're going to make a lot of mistakes. The worst thing you can do when you come back is give a pitcher or an opponent too much credit, because when you come up the next time, you're beaten already."

If he makes an out or a mistake, Jeter said he believes he will get a hit in his next at-bat. "It may not happen," Jeter said. "But that's the attitude you have to have. You have to want to compete. If somebody gets you, you want to get them back."

No. If you are Derek Jeter, you are certain you will get them back. The pitcher has nothing, he's going to get killed.