It has been well-documented that Jeter's defense has markedly declined over the years (although, I must admit that as an average layperson fan, I still have a difficult time adequately deciphering the various defensive metrics).
But, as Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post points out, who needs defense when you have a "C" on your jersey.
Yesterday afternoon at Steinbrenner Field, there were two baseball teams competing against each other - one representing America, the other America's Team. But there was only one captain on the field, one designated leader for both Team USA and the Yankees.
[And in an interesting gesture, Jeter asked to wear jersey number 200 for the WBC just so that he depict his dual-captainship on the back of his jersey.]
The fact is, there were nearly 60 players on the field during USA's 6-5 win over the Yankees who would tell you they wouldn't trade Derek Jeter for anyone-
[Are we sure that's a *fact,* professional journalist Mike Vaccaro? Like, you asked all of the players and they said so? Oh, no? Oh, OK. You're right, though. Let's just call it a fact anyways. Solid.]
There may be one prominent player who disagrees with that...
[One?]
...but he was in Jupiter, Fla., yesterday, telling reporters how much he would enjoy having Jose Reyes on his team.
[Aww snap! A-Rod may or may not have just implied that Jose Reyes is better at baseball than Derek Jeter! That would probably REALLY sting if it weren't accepted as an obvious factual statement by, you know, EVERYONE.]
"I wish [Reyes] was leading off on our team, playing on our team," Rodriguez said. "That's fun to watch. Anytime you have that type of speed.... So, to recount, in the space of 47 words Rodriguez buried Jeter, buried Johnny Damon, then said he didn't mean it.
[Huh? Settle down, Vaccaro. Who *wouldn't* want Jose Reyes leading off for their team. Oh, right... The Mets.]
Those who choose A-Rod as the Yankees' current foundation do so only because of his numbers, which are historic (regardless of artificial inflation) and awe-inspiring -
[That is only partially true. I would probably choose A-Rod as the Yankees' current foundation because of his awesome numbers AND because it would make Mike Vaccaro visibly angry.]
A leader? Would you like to know what a leader does?
[Brings in bagels for the whole team?]
A leader, when asked the other day about David Wright, says something like this: "I have a great deal of respect for him, because he's talented and he loves to win, and he plays hard. It's a great challenge playing against him, so I'm happy to have the chance to play with him for a little while."
That's what Jeter said about Wright.
[Do you know what A-Rod said about Wright?? Well, needless to say, the phrase "garden variety" appeared several times.]
[Jeter] has been criticized for not publicly defending A-Rod more, but it is on days like this that you realize his silences are as loud as any words he might employ.
[Again, I am a big Jeter fan, but isn't having an open and rather public feud with a teammate kind of, oh I don't know, not very leadership-y??
Although I bet those bagels make up for it and then some.]
Showing posts with label derek jeter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label derek jeter. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Quick Hits from the World of Sports
The world of sports is wide, which is a certifiable fact - ABC says so, or at least used to - and that makes it difficult to stay up on all the latest stories. Or at least what passes for stories. They're more like sports-themed filler, kind of like how those convenience store pies are filled with apple-like filler substance that kind of tastes like apple but mainly just takes up the space where you expect something to be.
Yep, these stories are like that.
Furcal spurns Braves, choose Dodgers and their $30 million offer.
"From our perspective, we reached an agreement Monday night," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "They asked for a term sheet for us to sign on Tuesday morning, and we sent over the signed termed sheet. It was then that his agent [Paul Kinzer] informed us that [Kinzer's] partner had been in contact with the Dodgers.
While trying to decide whether to use a Federal bailout joke on the Braves (tortured, but had potential) or on the agent (spot on, but making fun of the avarice of agents is expected), I re-read the story. Yep, the Dodgers are giving a big contract to an over-30, injury-prone ballplayer whose OPS+ is just under the league average and whose OBP is .352.
Don't worry though, it's the Dodgers. They're usually good about who they give big contracts to.
Hansbrough sets UNC scoring mark
The 6-foot-9 senior needed nine points in the top-ranked Tar Heels' game against Evansville on Thursday night to pass Phil Ford for the record. He tied Ford on a jumper from the left wing with 14:05 left, then set the mark by banking in a turnaround shot with 7:41 left in the first half.
Duly noted and filed under "he's still going to be crap in the NBA." Next.
Sabathia says Yankees Best Place to Try to Win a Title
"I think this is the best place for me to try to win a championship," Sabathia said Thursday, on his way to the news conference where he was formally introduced, along with right-hander A.J. Burnett.
Forget about loser teams like the Phillies or the Red Sox. The Yankees are the team where winning championships is most likely. Of course, they are also the team most likely to give him a seven-year $161 million deal. But it's really about winning.
"Everybody had speculated about me staying in California. I had always talked about winning a championship, and you look at the Yankees, it's something they contend for" just about every year.
Judicious use of "just about" since, you know, last year was one of those years they weren't contending for a championship.
Sabathia was phoned twice during his negotiations by Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter -- recruiting calls -- and Jeter told him about how much fun it was playing in New York.
It's all fun and games until you're mercilessly booed beginning in the second for hanging a slider to Dustin Pedroia with men on base and you have to spend the next five days with the papers questioning if you're cut out for New York, yahoo radio talk show hosts saying that you'll never be a real Yankee and enraged callers to those radio shows threatening to put you in the foundation of whatever stadium has the remains of Jimmy Hoffa and Carl Pavano.
The day after he reached his agreement with the Yankees, he called Jeter, and the friends talked again about what it would be like to play together.
Jeter: "It will be better than Cleveland or Milwaukee."
Sabathia: "Gotta be honest, D, I need more than that."
Jeter: "You'll make $161 million dollars."
Sabathia: "Can't wait to play with you. Can you introduce me to Mariah?"
Yep, these stories are like that.
Furcal spurns Braves, choose Dodgers and their $30 million offer.
"From our perspective, we reached an agreement Monday night," Braves general manager Frank Wren said. "They asked for a term sheet for us to sign on Tuesday morning, and we sent over the signed termed sheet. It was then that his agent [Paul Kinzer] informed us that [Kinzer's] partner had been in contact with the Dodgers.
While trying to decide whether to use a Federal bailout joke on the Braves (tortured, but had potential) or on the agent (spot on, but making fun of the avarice of agents is expected), I re-read the story. Yep, the Dodgers are giving a big contract to an over-30, injury-prone ballplayer whose OPS+ is just under the league average and whose OBP is .352.
Don't worry though, it's the Dodgers. They're usually good about who they give big contracts to.
Hansbrough sets UNC scoring mark
The 6-foot-9 senior needed nine points in the top-ranked Tar Heels' game against Evansville on Thursday night to pass Phil Ford for the record. He tied Ford on a jumper from the left wing with 14:05 left, then set the mark by banking in a turnaround shot with 7:41 left in the first half.
Duly noted and filed under "he's still going to be crap in the NBA." Next.
Sabathia says Yankees Best Place to Try to Win a Title
"I think this is the best place for me to try to win a championship," Sabathia said Thursday, on his way to the news conference where he was formally introduced, along with right-hander A.J. Burnett.
Forget about loser teams like the Phillies or the Red Sox. The Yankees are the team where winning championships is most likely. Of course, they are also the team most likely to give him a seven-year $161 million deal. But it's really about winning.
"Everybody had speculated about me staying in California. I had always talked about winning a championship, and you look at the Yankees, it's something they contend for" just about every year.
Judicious use of "just about" since, you know, last year was one of those years they weren't contending for a championship.
Sabathia was phoned twice during his negotiations by Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter -- recruiting calls -- and Jeter told him about how much fun it was playing in New York.
It's all fun and games until you're mercilessly booed beginning in the second for hanging a slider to Dustin Pedroia with men on base and you have to spend the next five days with the papers questioning if you're cut out for New York, yahoo radio talk show hosts saying that you'll never be a real Yankee and enraged callers to those radio shows threatening to put you in the foundation of whatever stadium has the remains of Jimmy Hoffa and Carl Pavano.
The day after he reached his agreement with the Yankees, he called Jeter, and the friends talked again about what it would be like to play together.
Jeter: "It will be better than Cleveland or Milwaukee."
Sabathia: "Gotta be honest, D, I need more than that."
Jeter: "You'll make $161 million dollars."
Sabathia: "Can't wait to play with you. Can you introduce me to Mariah?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
