It was a fielder's choice ground ball to the third baseman.

I'm not quite sure why Jeter gets praise for an 0-for-4 night, but Steve Politi's analysis is more pointless nostalgia than anything else.

I believe Tom Verducci's analysis is literally beyond the realm of physical possibilities:

"Ruben Sierra took off on a green-light steal attempt on the pitch to Jeter. When Jeter saw Sierra break, he thought to himself, 'They can't turn a double play now. A grounder scores the run.' So he swung at the pitch and hit the chopper to Figgins. Great quick thinking in the heat of battle by Jeter."

In half-a-second, with his attention being diverted by Ruben Sierra running from first base, Derek Jeter thought to himself, "They can't turn a double play now. A grounder scores the run."

Well, a fly ball definitely scores the run, and a ground ball barely scored the run. Therefore, I'd say that was some awful quick thinking in the heat of battle by Jeter.

Of course, in the time it takes the Jeter to start his swing, he wasn't thinking to himself, "They can't turn a double play now. A grounder scores the run."

More likely, in the split-second it takes Jeter to start his swing, he was thinking, "Th ..."