"For the first time in his career, Derek Jeter's character has been questioned."
I think Jeter is a phony. Great baseball player, but a phony.
I think Jeter likes to win as much as anybody else, but Jeter also wants to win on his own terms. His antagonistic relationship with ARod has simply revealed a side of his personality that was always there.
Gary Sheffield refuses to play first base and, because of this, lots of people are angry with Gary Sheffield's attitude. Derek Jeter refused to leave his position at shortstop when ARod came to the Yankees (Jeter wasn't asked to leave his position, of course), but this selfish attitude was perceived as the confident swagger required of a premier baseball player.
Why should Jeter have moved from shortstop? Or at least considered it? Simple. To help the New York Yankees win baseball games.
"Some believe he has shirked his duties as captain of the Yankees by not rising to the defense of beleaguered teammate Alex Rodriguez."
Well, duh.
The duties of a captain are not legally binding or explicitly codified, but defending beleaguered teammates seems like Priority One.
Why is this Priority One? Simple. To help the New York Yankees win baseball games.
"Jeter apparently is supposed to make some sort of public show of support for A-Rod."
Yes. Not just for ARod, but for every single Yankee player ever. Every player, coach, manager, scout, ballboy, owner, fan, beer vendor, and guy selling unlicensed merchandise from the back of a van on Jerome Avenue.
Okay, okay. Perhaps I'm being unfair since I just ridiculed Jeter for being a phony and then demanded his 100% number one happy media face. But the treatment of ARod is quite conspicuous due to the lack of support. I think Jeter publicly supported Ruben Rivera more forcefully than he supports ARod.
It's very curious if you read the reactions of Jeter and Torre when they're asked about ARod.
Jeter expects ARod back because ARod has several years left on his contract. Torre expects ARod back because of, well, the no-trade clause for one. Also, ARod is an important piece of the puzzle, I guess, since he's the reigning AL MVP and all.
Once -- just once -- somebody say that ARod is a great ballplayer. That's why you want him on the Yankees. Because you want to win baseball games.
One nanosecond of visible dismay at the notion of ARod being traded away from the Yankees. You want him on the Yankees because he's a great ballplayer and even a great teammate. Or even if he's a lame teammate, you take the high road because you're a great teammate.
But Jeter and Torre won't say anything like that because they don't want to share credit or share blame.
You have four rings without ARod, don't you? ARod will never be able to catch you, will he? He was demoted to number eight in the batting order, wasn't he? It's his fault, wasn't it?
"Theoretically, this would lead to great harmony in the Bronx and the booing would stop."
Well, not exactly, but it couldn't hurt.
"Our question is this: What exactly needs to be fixed? In his three seasons with the Yankees, Rodriguez has hit .299 with an average of 40 homers and 119 RBI per season.
Only four players in baseball have driven in more runs in those three seasons. In games played at Yankee Stadium — in front of those mean fans whom Jeter is supposed to lecture — Rodriguez is hitting .314.
With Rodriguez in the lineup, the Yankees have been either first or second in the majors in scoring and averaged 98 victories a season."
Who is the "our" that is asking this question?
Crass jokes about weight aside, is Peter Abraham a plural?
I'm glad the Abrahams pointed out ARod's success in New York. Maybe they should remind Jeter and Torre next time they see them.
"Rodriguez creates his own problems with self-reverential comments about how good-looking and smart he is. He preens one day and pouts the next, presenting the image of a tortured artist. There are more self-help books in his locker than at the local Barnes & Noble."
What problems? To quote from Peters Abrahams:
In his three seasons with the Yankees, Rodriguez has hit .299 with an average of 40 homers and 119 RBI per season.
Only four players in baseball have driven in more runs in those three seasons. In games played at Yankee Stadium — in front of those mean fans whom Jeter is supposed to lecture — Rodriguez is hitting .314.
With Rodriguez in the lineup, the Yankees have been either first or second in the majors in scoring and averaged 98 victories a season.
Maybe this column really is written by two people: Peter Abraham's split personalities.
7 comments:
That's right! A-Rod needs a lot of coddling and attention. More so than any other player. Right....
Dude - the guy get paid than anyone else. He doesn't need someone holding his hand. And if he does he can take a pay cut, go down to the same amount as David Wright and lets compare post season results.
Until then...
I do not agree that Jeter is a phony, but everything else you say is on point.
Eric,
Jeter always says the right thing, but he's a phony. When someone always says the right thing, they're not always speaking their mind and, therefore, they are phony. The Yankee Captain should have tact. In that regard, I applaud Jeter's phoniness: "Both teams played hard and you have to tip your cap to the opponent."
What I was specifically responding to was the Abrahamses assertion that Jeter had never been criticized before in his career. I guess the the Abrahamses don't have a wide enough circle of friends.
I personally prefer Gary Sheffield telling the whole world that he doesn't want to play first base and revealing the fact that he's a spoiled, overpaid, mercenary pro athlete. They are all spoiled, overpaid, mercenaries.
Freakin' David Eckstein makes $3.3 mill per year and he says the WS MVP car is the first new car he ever had. Hence, David Eckstein is an aw shucks phony.
Here is my other gripe, come to think of it.
Reporter A says ARod needs a hug. ARod himself says he doesn't need a hug. Then, Reporter B (Lupica) says ARod is a fag because he needs a hug. But ARod never said he needed a hug.
I see your points. But I have one thing to say. If Derek Jeter would have said something, what would that have done? Ok, let me rephrase that question. If Derek Jeter would have said something about the booing directed towards Alex Rodriguez the FIRST time he was asked, what would that have done? I am sure that the first time he was asked about the booing, it wasn't as bad as it soon came to be. So he just said to pretty much get over it, everyone gets booed one time or another in their careers. He repeatedly said something like that over and over again. So when the booing got really harsh he was supposed to say something completely like "Arod is a great player. fans need to stop booing him" C'mon. He would seem like a complete hypocrite. Alex doesn't need someone to hold his hand. He's 31. He's a big boy, don't you think? Eveyone makes a big deal out this and blows it out of proportion. Sure they may not have the best relationship but everyone doesn't have the best relationship with every person they know. Derek is a great guy and I'm sure he has spoken to Arod behind closed doors. Why should he have to tell the world he did? Why should he tell everyone to shut the f*ck up and stop booing Alex? Everyone has their own opinion and they can boo whoever they want to boo. It's Alex's responsibility to not make them want to boo. Start off strong and play the real Alex Rodriguez and no one will boo. When no one boos you in the regular season, you'll have more confidence heading into the post season and you come up with clutch hits and make great plays at third.
People need to stop making a big deal out of this. Derek and Alex get along just fine. They have spoken before and everything is gravy. He'll come out of it if he just 1) starts off strong, 2) don't say any bonehead remarks 3) stay away of extended slumps. If he does this he'll have confindence heading into October and be Alex Rodriguez like only he knows how.
*and yes i did repeat the same thing twice because it is that important.
Layla,
Yes, I believe Jeter and Torre should have forcefully and earnestly told the fans to stop booing ARod.
I am not sure it would have made much of a difference, but I believe many of the fans who love Jeter (and don't we all?) would have stopped booing ARod.
This may have resulted in better on-field performance by ARod (eh), certainly would have made ARod's 2006 season more enjoyable, and undoubtedly would have made my visits to Yankees Stadium more enjoyable.
I also belive it's simply the right thing to do.
Jeter and Torre both have a history of defending non-ARod Yankee players to an absurd degree.
Like I said, if that's not part of a captain's responsibility, then what is a captain's responsibility? Jeter's the spokesman for the team. He shrugs it off and say, "Go ahead and boo him." Weak, dude.
Darren-
I could not agree with you more about the "Abrahamses " The media can be so weak and a huge joke.
AROD never asked for a hug and never appeared to need cuddling - the mess with Lou Pinella made me laugh - the media chasing their tails around trying to fit "AROD is weak" into being a perfect fit for bad ass Pinella.
As far as Jeter goes, what you call phony, I call media savvy.
BUT, did Lupica actually use the term fag?
Eric,
Lupica in Sunday's column:
"If A-Rod really does need a big hug from Derek Jeter, maybe he should waive that no-trade."
No, Lupica didn't really say fag, sissy, wussy, daisy, softie, or nancy boy.
But I don't feel too bad about reading between the lines, especially since ARod never really said he needed a "big hug."
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