Historic, disastrous, whatever — Derek Jeter’s farewell tour with Yankees begins today; Beltran on NY Mets Tejada drama
BY Andy Martino
BRADENTON, Fla. — It will be either historic, remarkable, depressing, disastrous, anti-climactic, fun or some combination of all those, and it begins Thursday in Tampa: Derek Jeter’s farewell season, the success of which is crucial to the Yankees’ chances of returning to the playoffs.
Jeter’s career is worth celebrating, which fans and teammates will certainly do while he travels the circuit one final time, as Mariano Rivera did a year ago. But let’s begin with a more sobering fact for the team — 2014 cannot merely be about gifts and accolades for Jeter, but must be defined by unprecedented production from a 40-year-old shortstop.
Have you really thought about this Yankee infield? Like, sat down and realized that Brian Roberts is actually set to replace Robinson Cano at second base, and that Kelly Johnson is the new A-Rod at third? That Mark Teixeira is nearly 34, and hardly played last year due to a wrist injury that continued to cause tightness at the beginning of spring training?
And, perhaps most significantly, that only Honus Wagner, Omar Vizquel and Luke Appling have topped 500 plate appearances while playing shortstop in their age-40 season (Jeter turns 40 in June)?
Major league officials briefed on the Yankees’ thinking continue to strongly believe that the team will not sign Stephen Drew, who can fill in at second, third and short, because of concerns about the free agents’ medicals (other teams, including the Mets, share that hesitation, as we have reported). Plus, Yankee people say that the budget for this season is stretched, with no room for a Scott Boras client like Drew.
So it really does appear that Jeter’s recovery from the leg and ankle injuries that spoiled his 2013 will be crucial to whether his team’s infield is a complete monstrosity, or somewhat respectable.
But there’s another angle to the summerlong event that begins on Thursday, one that transcends a pennant race. Fans will be able to watch an icon, perhaps the most prominent and celebrated baseball player of our time, with the awareness that the moment is special, and fleeting, and worth savoring. And players will become fans, and students.
Brian McCann enjoyed a similar experience in 2012, when his longtime Atlanta Braves teammate Chipper Jones announced in spring training that he would retire at the end of the season. “When you witness greatness, you’ve got to appreciate it,” McCann says. “Take a minute and make sure you take it in.”
Carlos Beltran, 36 years old and maybe a future Hall-of-Famer himself, is as excited as anyone to have a prime seat for Jeter’s final season.
“It’s going to be great for him, and especially for us,” Beltran says. “As a player, I’m also a fan, and I’m a big fan of him, the way he plays the game. The things he has accomplished in baseball have been great, being able to play all his career with one organization is something that is rare these days. He deserves all the celebrations.”
Usually cast as a teacher in clubhouses, Beltran is looking forward to learning from Jeter, and does not plan on wasting their one season as teammates.
“Whenever he’s in the cage, I like to go there and see what he’s working on,” Beltran says. “I know it’s spring training, but there are going to be times when I’m going to sit down with him, and have some conversations about hitting. See what he thinks about things, approach-wise. He does something that keeps his focused every day, Those are the conversations I would love to have with him, to find out what he’s doing.”
Those will be the quieter moments of Jeter’s final season, the chats with teammates who are trying to absorb a gem or two while they still can. And everyone around the Yankees will be fortunate if there is plenty of time to do so, all through October. The trouble with reality is, you can’t plan it, or guarantee it will proceed according to your hopes.
Rivera’s final moment could not have been more perfect, when Jeter and Andy Pettitte sprang from the Yankee dugout to remove him from his last game, and the closer collapsed, weeping, into the arms of his friends.
Can the Yankees have two such endings in two years? Or will this fizzle with one last trip to the D.L. in mid-August, or the awkwardness of a .220ish batting average, and Joe Girardi agonizing over whether to drop Jeter in the lineup? We’ll find out, and the story begins now.
(Photo by Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News)
FROM LAST NIGHT
Beltran’s Yankee experience began with Wednesday’s game, as he trotted from a dugout for the first time alongside new teammates like Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury. And while the longtime Met is enjoying his new job, he did spend a few moments wondering about the drama in Port St. Lucie.
“What’s going on with (Ruben) Tejada?” Beltran asked in the Yankees clubhouse, referring to the extended cycle of negativity surrounding the young shortstop. Mets officials have long criticized Tejada, on the record and anonymously, for his work ethic and conditioning, and that pattern continued this week. This struck Beltran, who has endured similar experiences, as unfair.
“Anonymous?” Beltran said. “Come on. Anonymous? Come forward, brother. If you have something to say, come forward and say it.”
Beltran said that when a young player like Tejada sees negative stories about him, he is affected.
“Imagine,” he said. “Of course, it has to make you feel bad. Horrible. When you see all that coming out, you feel bad about yourself, and feel back about the whole situation. The best way to solve that is by communicating. Not in the papers. You solve things by talking to the person. Person-to-person.”
Beltran played with Tejada in 2010 and 2011, and was impressed. “Sometimes when you’re quiet and you don’t say much, and you respond back with a smile, some people misunderstand,” Beltran said. “Maybe they start putting a stamp on him, that he is that type of guy. But my experience with him is that he is a great kid, and I love him.”
In Port St. Lucie on Wednesday, Sandy Alderson told MLB Network radio: “Look, we have probably 30 front office and coaching staff down here. There’s going to be a stray comment about players from time to time. That’s unfortunately the nature of the media in New York.”
Over in Tampa, Beltran could only chuckle at the situation. “I’m not surprised,” he said, shaking his head and laughing. “No, I’m not surprised. By anything anymore.”
90 WINS?
SD Yankee Report 