Baseball
Jeter, the man who makes Yanks good
By JOHN ROMANO, Times Sports Columnist
Published October 22, 2003
MIAMI - It was pointed out, some months back, that these Yankees were different. This roster, it was said, had accomplished little.
The four World Series titles, the five pennants, the praise of a nation? Those were mostly the work of other players, long gone. To Paul O'Neill, to Scott Brosius, to Tino Martinez, to David Cone.
Most of the new Yankees had done little to deserve such accolades.
That was Derek Jeter's opinion.
It may be his legacy.
It is Jeter who is the link between the Yankees of past and present. And, you've got to believe, the future too.
This is his team now. Forget the high-priced pitchers who have been brought aboard. They are mercenaries. Forget the hitters with bigger stats. They are cogs in the wheel.
It is Jeter who drives this team. It is his mix of passion and cool.
"Numbers don't even come close to telling you what this kid is all about," manager Joe Torre said. "There are things that he does you can't get a grip on it other than watching him and knowing that you trust him.
"I think that's probably the highest compliment you can pay a Derek Jeter. That you trust him to keep his head, at all times. Not always succeed, but never get to the point of being tentative to hit in a key situation."
He did it again Tuesday night in Game 3. He refused to let the Marlins win the game they absolutely had to win. The World Series has barely begun, but already it does not look good for Florida.
And it is Jeter's doing.
You see, this night belonged to Josh Beckett. You could just tell.
Rain, nerves, an uncooperative umpire? None of it mattered. This was Beckett's game. This was turning into his postseason.
For seven innings, the Yankees were nearly helpless against him. Everyone, that is, but Jeter. His teammates were 0-for-22. Jeter was 3-for-4.
His fourth-inning double was the first hit given up by Beckett and Jeter scored the tying run after two walks and a hit batsman.
Four innings later, Jeter doubled the opposite way. He scored the go-ahead run after Beckett was removed and Hideki Matsui hit a two-out single.
"You kept wanting him to come up again," Torre said.
Jeter has been in the majors for eight seasons and is now in his sixth World Series. Should the Yankees finish off the Marlins, Jeter would be halfway to Yogi Berra's record of 10 World Series rings.
Most of that, of course, has to do with the money spent by owner George Steinbrenner. But much of it, too, is due to Jeter.
"It took me 30-something years to make it to the World Series," Torre said. "He thinks it's an every year occurrence. You look in his eyes and see something special. He's a leader and he was a leader when he was 20 years old."
At 29, his life is a fairy tale.
Jeter dumps Mariah Carey and trades up. He squabbles with Steinbrenner and turns it into a commercial endorsement.
He has not come close to the numbers of shortstops Alex Rodriguez or Nomar Garciaparra and there is no reason to believe he ever will.
Yet Jeter is considered their contemporary. In some ways, he is larger than either of them.
It is Jeter who represents the best of baseball. Not the pumped-up statistics of the modern game. Not the flash of the game's biggest contract.
To Jeter, there is only results. The rest is so many details.
"You're either a winner or a loser. It's that simple," Jeter said. "I don't like to lose. I've never been a good loser."
He stops now and grins as a memory creeps into his head.
"I used to compete with my dad all the time and he never let me win," Jeter said. "When I was in kindergarten, we had half-days. I'd watch the Price Is Right with my dad and we'd compete.
"We'd go against each other in the showcase showdown and he'd kill me. I was 6 years old. How would I know the price of cars? But, even then, I hated to lose."
The season began with Steinbrenner criticizing Jeter. Suggesting sport's most popular bachelor was too involved in New York's nightlife.
The accusation seemed ridiculous. Few prepare themselves with as much dedication. Yet, in the end, Steinbrenner may have gotten what he wanted.
Clearly agitated by the Boss' words, Jeter has answered the call. He was named team captain later in the summer and has assumed a more vocal role.
Now that October has arrived, he is furthering his reputation as the game's most clutch performer. Jeter is hitting .321 in the postseason and has scored eight runs in 14 games.
Jeter was asked about his reputation as Mr. October and he cut the question off before it could be finished.
"That's Reggie," Jeter said.
Even when the question is rephrased, Jeter downplays his work.
"I've been fortunate because I've been in the postseason eight straight years," Jeter said. "It definitely helps when you have been in certain situations you've seen before."
Jeter recently told Aaron Boone, who hit an 11th-inning home run in Game 7 of the ALCS, that the ghosts always come out for New York on October nights.
There were no ghosts Tuesday night.
Just a leader.
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John Romano: Jeter, the man who makes Yanks good
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