JETER DROPS THE BALL AS CAPTAIN
JETER DROPS THE BALL AS CAPTAIN
February 21, 2007 -
- TAMPA - These have not been questions about his relationship with Jessica Biel or Mariah Carey or whatever starlet of the moment Derek Jeter was romancing.
When it comes to that, Jeter is right. His off-the-field associations have nothing to do with on-the-field results. Thus, he has decided to make them off-limits and I totally respect him for that.
But this was not about Page Six. This was about E-6, error on Jeter for malfeasance as a leader. His relationship with Alex Rodriguez has mattered because Rodriguez matters so much to the success of the Yankees, and A-Rod has cared deeply about Jeter's approval.
Rodriguez attempted to recast the bond between the two and, perhaps, the power dynamics Monday when he admitted that their association had dwindled from "blood brothers" to "a working relationship." It was, perhaps, a liberating moment for Rodriguez, a chance to stop having to act as if something existed that does not any more.
Jeter's opportunity to take the cathartic baton came and went yesterday with the Yankee captain defiantly sticking to his cover story that nothing is wrong, and nothing has ever been wrong. Jeter is not dumb, so we must assume he just continues to play dumb. The ice prince wants to freeze A-Rod out, and then haughtily dismiss any discussion of the subject.
As he did last year, Jeter returned to the nonsense that "I don't think it's my job to tell fans to boo or not" when it comes to A-Rod. Well, first of all, Jeter did exactly that in June 2005, instructing the fans to start cheering the beleaguered Jason Giambi for the good of the team. And, at that point, Giambi had been shamed as a drug cheat and someone who pulled himself out of a World Series game. The difference, of course, was Jeter likes the easily likeable Giambi.
But reducing this to lecturing the fans about etiquette is just obfuscation. Jeter did not have to tell the fans what to do. He simply had to make Rodriguez feel more comfortable, more welcomed. Instead, Jeter has shown the unforgiving nature of a Soprano.
"I don't see the relevance of it," Jeter said of his relationship with Rodriguez. "It has no bearing on us playing baseball."
Of course, it does. Rodriguez permits outside distractions to impact his play in a way Jeter does not. Shame on Rodriguez for that. He is, after all, a 31-year-old man and should not be enslaved by what others think. This also, ultimately, is his fault. It was his envious, misguided words in a 2001 Esquire article that created the rift. But for the true feelings of the two, perhaps it is best to return to the onset of the rift.
Back in spring 2001, when A-Rod recognized the ramifications of the story, he immediately drove from where he was training with the Rangers in Port Charlotte to Tampa. Jeter knew A-Rod was waiting at his house, but refused to cut short a meal and made Rodriguez squirm for hours. When the two finally met, a teary-eyed Rodriguez asked for forgiveness.
But that forgiveness has never really come, not even yesterday. Ironically, one of the shots A-Rod took at Jeter in the Esquire piece was that Jeter "never had to lead" because others from the championship era carried the weight. Years later, when Rodriguez needed Jeter to lead, he discovered that Jeter is more qualified at being the captain to those he likes, such as Giambi.
When it came to Rodriguez, Jeter said yesterday that he did ask last year if he could support the third baseman better and was told by A-Rod no. What did Jeter expect, for Rodriguez to say, "yes, be nicer to me."
That is just more playing dumb for a guy who isn't. And there is a penalty for this. Jeter is forever protecting his image, moving cautiously as to never damage Jeter Inc. and all the endorsement dollars that flow to an athlete perceived as a good-guy winner. But Jeter has suffered some dents in that persona now. It turns out that in hurting A-Rod with indifference, Jeter also has hurt himself.
joel.sherman@nypost.com
Copyright 2007 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
February 21, 2007 -
- TAMPA - These have not been questions about his relationship with Jessica Biel or Mariah Carey or whatever starlet of the moment Derek Jeter was romancing.
When it comes to that, Jeter is right. His off-the-field associations have nothing to do with on-the-field results. Thus, he has decided to make them off-limits and I totally respect him for that.
But this was not about Page Six. This was about E-6, error on Jeter for malfeasance as a leader. His relationship with Alex Rodriguez has mattered because Rodriguez matters so much to the success of the Yankees, and A-Rod has cared deeply about Jeter's approval.
Rodriguez attempted to recast the bond between the two and, perhaps, the power dynamics Monday when he admitted that their association had dwindled from "blood brothers" to "a working relationship." It was, perhaps, a liberating moment for Rodriguez, a chance to stop having to act as if something existed that does not any more.
Jeter's opportunity to take the cathartic baton came and went yesterday with the Yankee captain defiantly sticking to his cover story that nothing is wrong, and nothing has ever been wrong. Jeter is not dumb, so we must assume he just continues to play dumb. The ice prince wants to freeze A-Rod out, and then haughtily dismiss any discussion of the subject.
As he did last year, Jeter returned to the nonsense that "I don't think it's my job to tell fans to boo or not" when it comes to A-Rod. Well, first of all, Jeter did exactly that in June 2005, instructing the fans to start cheering the beleaguered Jason Giambi for the good of the team. And, at that point, Giambi had been shamed as a drug cheat and someone who pulled himself out of a World Series game. The difference, of course, was Jeter likes the easily likeable Giambi.
But reducing this to lecturing the fans about etiquette is just obfuscation. Jeter did not have to tell the fans what to do. He simply had to make Rodriguez feel more comfortable, more welcomed. Instead, Jeter has shown the unforgiving nature of a Soprano.
"I don't see the relevance of it," Jeter said of his relationship with Rodriguez. "It has no bearing on us playing baseball."
Of course, it does. Rodriguez permits outside distractions to impact his play in a way Jeter does not. Shame on Rodriguez for that. He is, after all, a 31-year-old man and should not be enslaved by what others think. This also, ultimately, is his fault. It was his envious, misguided words in a 2001 Esquire article that created the rift. But for the true feelings of the two, perhaps it is best to return to the onset of the rift.
Back in spring 2001, when A-Rod recognized the ramifications of the story, he immediately drove from where he was training with the Rangers in Port Charlotte to Tampa. Jeter knew A-Rod was waiting at his house, but refused to cut short a meal and made Rodriguez squirm for hours. When the two finally met, a teary-eyed Rodriguez asked for forgiveness.
But that forgiveness has never really come, not even yesterday. Ironically, one of the shots A-Rod took at Jeter in the Esquire piece was that Jeter "never had to lead" because others from the championship era carried the weight. Years later, when Rodriguez needed Jeter to lead, he discovered that Jeter is more qualified at being the captain to those he likes, such as Giambi.
When it came to Rodriguez, Jeter said yesterday that he did ask last year if he could support the third baseman better and was told by A-Rod no. What did Jeter expect, for Rodriguez to say, "yes, be nicer to me."
That is just more playing dumb for a guy who isn't. And there is a penalty for this. Jeter is forever protecting his image, moving cautiously as to never damage Jeter Inc. and all the endorsement dollars that flow to an athlete perceived as a good-guy winner. But Jeter has suffered some dents in that persona now. It turns out that in hurting A-Rod with indifference, Jeter also has hurt himself.
joel.sherman@nypost.com
Copyright 2007 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
posted by Walking Contradiction at 10:23 PM
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