Sports Views

After Cashman came or Joe realized that Wang got rocked, I can't remember which, the conversation transitioned to the Macha release in Oakland. Neither Jon Miller nor Joe Morgan could make heads or tales of it. Was it a firing? Was he released? Did he quit? Apparently, "negotiations ended after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract" was too ambiguous for the duo and the booth got quiet until the top of the 9th with Jeter up to bat. The Yanks were down 5-3 and it was time for Mr. October. Joe said, "Derek Jeter makes things happen. He's been shutout at the plate tonight and he doesn't walk or steal much but he makes things happen." *Strike* "You can really count on him to do it for you." *Strike* Joe never explains how. He never has an analysis but a non-walking, non-stealing shutout Jeter makes things happen. When #2 struck out, Joe said, "I mean, he really makes it happen." It was like Jeter hit a gamebreaking triple and wasn't actually on his way back to the dugout. Around this time, I muted the telly and watched the rest of the game in silence.

For reasons that are unclear to me, Mohr writes a column for Sports Illustrated, his most recent being an article on the Yankees: Where are the True Yankees? When I saw the title, I was intrigued. No one really knows what makes a true Yankee -- I sure as hell don't know. I covered the topic once in my post "Where's the Erotica?" but all I concluded was that like porn, I know it when I see it. So I held out hope that maybe, just maybe Mohr would provide some insight and fresh analysis and do so without the obligatory Paul O'Neill, Scott Brosius, and Derek Jeter mentions. But alas. This might be the most contradictory, nonsensical piece of garbage that I've read in a while. It is also a classic look at the deluded opinions of your average Yankee fan.

I have not collected cards in years. I found other things that absorbed my time and money. But it is sad that Fleer has gone by the wayside. I hope there are still card companies that are more interested in making a kid smile by letting him afford to finish a set that in selling a 24-karat gold autographed picture of Derek Jeter.

flipping back to the all star game, i am reminded that the american league has won 7 straight all star games. is it such a good idea to make it "count" when evidently one league has a definite advantage? it use to be, in my mind...probably not in reality, that the national league had the home run hitters...dale murphy, mike schmidt...and then the american league had the real hitters in wade boggs and don mattingly, among others in both cases...now you have monsters who hit for 40 homers and bat .300 without even breaking a sweat. i don't think that steriods had anything to do with the influx of pure talent that we get to watch hit every year. pure hitters like alex rodriguez, derek jeter, albert pujols and derek lee are great to watch. the only difference that time can witness will be how many of the great hitters will we remember 10 years from now. i personally have no doubt that albert pujols will be around...and a-rod....i wish i could mention more mets...

Chien-Ming Wang pitched 8 shutout innings, carried by television in his native Taiwan, as the Yanks won their fifth straight, beating the Chicago Cubs, 8-1. Derek Jeter, who had been to the plate 155 times with the bases loaded in his career, managed his first career grand slam in the bottom of the 6th.

One thing you can say about Steinbrenner is he leaves no doubt about his desire to win. He is a ruthless business man, unafraid to make tough, unpopular decisions. He wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of Derek Jeter if it served his purposes, regardless of fan backlash. He knows he’s got a revenue advantage over every other team in baseball and doesn’t apologize for exploiting that advantage. Steinbrenner is an opportunist. When he sees an opportunity, he jumps on it while his opponents are contemplating the risks, rewards, and ROI. As a sports fan, I can’t help but admire that attitude, but George’s solution to every problem in recent years has been to throw a bunch of money at it. The big question, is could that “strategy” work in the Seattle market?

Randy Johnson lost $100 on a bet with the Derek Jeter. Johnson, a fervent Phoenix Suns’ fan and season ticket holder, was so confident the Suns would win the NBA title, he gave Jeter every other team. Unfortunately, the Suns were eliminated by the Spurs this weeking costing RJ some mula.

As Jose’s friend Karl once pointed out upon hearing a fan yell “Hey, ump if you had one more eye, you’d be a cyclops,” a good sense of humor (note: and by extension good fandom) is clearly rooted in a classical education. If we do not invest in our young people now, who will be the fans of the future? Who will compare Derek Jeter to Narcissus, or Ellis Burks to Spiderman villain the Lizard? Jose weeps for the future.

With the San Diego Padres coming off a 22-6 month, three surprise American League division leaders, some truly remarkable seasons in the works from A-Rod, Derrek Lee, Bobby Abreu and Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter hitting .257/.314/.394 in May, what better time for a feature piece on the Yanks Captain?

Avid Terry fans have known for some time that I can usually convince someone that Yankees shortstop, captain, and intangibles leader Derek Jeter is a shithead in the span of one randomly selected at-bat. Recently, I've taken to noticing that Jeter overreacts to pitches to try to sway the ump's call: if the ball's on the outside corner, Jeter leans forward, as if the ball were so outside he's just about to fall right over. Similarly, if the ball's on the inside corner of the plate, Jeter stumbles back as if the damn thing almost hit him.

Not only that, but the bags used to be 5.75 ounces. Now, suddenly, the bags are 5.25 ounces, and the price is the same. Fuck corporations and trying to put one over on the public who made them what they are. And fuck ConAgra for whatever other nasty corporate shit they’re pulling. Plus, on top of everything else, friggin Derek Jeter’s face is on every bag. I actually went to three stores looking for either a bag with someone from the Red Sox on it, or at least a plain old regular bag. No dice. Are the bags of seeds in the Red Sox dugout...

The Red Sox’ Derek Jeter and the Braves Ray Durham are both quietly flirting with .400 and a new CDL record. Both are assured with the batting titles in their respective leagues– and each could set a new league record. The CDL and National League record for highest average was set in 2000 by Dodgers’ Roberto Alomar, who hit .402 that year. Alomar also holds the American League record of .396, set in 1991 when he was a Yankee. Durham has been on a tear of late– 13 of his last 17 games were multi-hit games, including a 5 for 5 performance last night against the Reds. His on base percentage for the season is an astounding .479. Durham’s output defies explanation– he is a .335 career hitter whose previous high season average was .354. Jeter is more or less a regular at the top of the batting average race.

Seeing baseball in person makes me appreciate the amount of athleticism in this game, all the mundane plays look damn impressive up close. Also, I know there are a bunch of Sox fans here, but even y'all gotta admit that Derek Jeter is the muthaf*&king man. I know y'all know what I'm talking about. Just stop. I see you. Stop fronting.

Gary Sheffield has heart. I once heard him recall the moment when Derek Jeter flew into the stands to catch a foul - almost breaking his neck - as a defining moment for him as a ballplayer - a moment when he realized he’d been putting his ego ahead of the game…and he regained his heart. Matsui has heart. Tony Womack seems to have it in bunches. The young pitcher Wang seems to have the stuff. I believe Robinson Cano has it; he certainly LOOKS like a Yankee.

The Yankees have significantly aged, and are showing the signs of a team that is worn down. This is a group that has been together for 8 or 9 years now and has been a good dynasty of a team. While experience in the major is an ally, being over worked is another thing. When a team has played as many games as the Yankees have over the past several years its really not hard to figure that they are tired and time is catching up on them. If you account for all the regular season games, and post season games, including playoff rounds, and world series...

What the Yankees have done while making big blockbuster trades for stars like Gary Sheffield, and Randy Johnson, they have depleted their farm system. The same farm system that produced stars like Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, and Andy Pettite, has been drained significantly and has left the Yankees with no hope for the apparent future. Trading for big name players is a double-edged sword as a team gives up on the hope for the future for needs for the present; meanwhile they give up on the talent they have to take...

NEW YORK - A press conference is scheduled for 5:30pm today to announce the signings of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriquez to the New York Knicks. Derek Jeter will be paid $190 million dollars for the next 10 years and A-Rod will be given a record setting $250 million dollars for 10 years.

They have played baseball on 161st Street in the Bronx since 1923. In all that time, with so many legends having roamed the grounds, no player has ever been responsible for 10 of his team's runs in a game. Not Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig. Not Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle. Not Derek Jeter.

All of those players are known as true Yankees, a title that has eluded Alex Rodriguez. While he waits for another chance at October, Rodriguez added to his legacy by doing something never seen on baseball's grandest stage.

He blasted three home runs in the Yankees'...

DEREK JETER DRINKS WINE COOLERS

The third week of baseball is almost finished, and All-Star voting has already begun for the Mid-Summer Classic July 12th at Comerica Park. Yet I, and many other baseball fans, are going to hold our 25 precious votes for the last week of June, the last week of voting. Why? Because how am I supposed to evaluate all of the players in Major League Baseball after only three weeks? Baseball is a game of streaks. Milton Bradley is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak. If I had to vote today, I would vote for him. But, what if he bats .200 in May? It could happen. Last April, Derek Jeter was hitless in more than 25 at bats. The fans at Yankee Stadium were booing him–booing their captain.

On the other hand, the two classic media “big market” empire teams make the case for Selig’s doctrine. With Boston and New York bringing up the rear at nine and 10. While Boston has done most of its damage with cheap free agents, the Yankees have done an excellent job of keeping the players the team has drafted. The Yankees didn’t have to worry about losing Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter to free agency; the money just keeps flowing.

So why am I always turning on the television set and watching Derek Jeter getting dumped in the dirt? Why? There's absolutely no explanation for it, no logic to it, and certainly no excuse. Joe Torre has one of the hardest throwing (not to mention most intimidating) pitchers in the history of the game in Randy Johnson on his staff now. Any ball whizzing within feet of Derek Jeter's helmet -- let alone hitting him in the head -- should be grounds for sending David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez to the dirt as well.

“When you are reaching down and the next thing you know you are hit or shoved across the face, most people would react violently,” Derek Jeter said about Thursday night’s incident with a fan at Fenway Park. “Like Joe [Torre] said, it could have been worse.