Jeter Feels Bad For Jose Reyes
Via Kevin Kernan -
Remember when Jose Reyes was the shortstop of the future in New York and Derek Jeter supposedly was starting to slip?
Now, things just keep getting worse for Reyes and the Mets while Jeter and the Yankees keep winning championships. No one knows better than Jeter what a difficult task it is to survive and thrive in New York and right now he feels for his sidelined Mets counterpart.
“First and foremost is your health, and it goes beyond anything you do on the field,” Jeter said yesterday at Steinbrenner Field. “You wish him the best. I don’t like to see anybody go through that kind of stuff. It’s just that he’s had such bad luck. You have to assume that his luck is going to change here soon. All you can do is be patient.”
“I’m sure it’s frustrating for him,” Jeter said. “I’m not familiar with the situation that he has now. The only thing you can do is to try and stay positive. It can be very, very difficult to do at a time like this.”
“Jose has had a lot of injuries with his legs because he runs a lot,” Jeter said. “So that’s one of the differences. He’s the type of player who is running a lot, stealing a lot. Ever since the first time he tore his hamstring, I was always getting worried for him when you see him running because that can be tough.
“I’ve never torn a hamstring. I pulled a hamstring, but those can be tough injuries to get over.”
“I just wish him luck,” Jeter said.
I can’t remember the last time Jeter had so much to say about a player on another team. I’m not sure if this is a new trend emerging for Derek or if this is just some calculated way to highlight Reyes’ downfall as some sort of a “finger” back at those who used to claim that Jose Reyes was the best shortstop and player in New York?
In any event, here’s a wild thought for you. Suppose that Reyes’ thyroid problem becomes a Rocco Baldelli type thing and basically ends his days of being able to play shortstop on a full-time basis. If this happens, would the Mets dare make a run at Jeter if Derek becomes a free agent at the end of this season?
Personally, I think that the Mets would lack the funds to be a player in the race for Jeter. But, if they were to fake it, then it could give Jeter a little more leverage when dealing with the Brothers Stein – even though he probably doesn’t need it.
They’re comparing and contrasting the two shortstops, it’s happened before, where players from both NY teams were compared, I’m sure it will happen again.
1) I don’t wish Reyes to be sick and I hope he gets better because good health is something we should hope for everyone, even our enemies. Having said that, screw the Mets.
2) Knowing Jeter and his petty ways, yeah, I could see this being his quiet assasin’s way of taking a shot back at those that had him as the #2 SS in NY during Reyes’s brief peak.
3) If the Mets want Jeter, by all means, they can have him. The Yanks would be better off not paying another enormous salary to a player on the wrong side of Father Time’s bell curve.
Interesting. This is the second time in a week that Jeter has had something to say about a (former) rival shortstop. His “I wish him luck” almost sounds elegiac in a way.
Years ago Rickey Henderson talked about the race for stolen base king. There he was huffing down the lanes with Vince Coleman, Tim Raines and Ron LeFlore. Then Rickey looked around and—shazzam!—he was all alone on the track! He’s competitors had all quit the race or were pulling up into a slow jog.
Jeter is now on the threshold of becoming the first shortstop with 3,000 career hits, that plus his five World Championship rings make up a rather impressive legacy. So who can blame him if he comments now on how the track to “Greatest Shortstop Of His Time” has become a one man race?
If what Reyes says he has is what he has, my girlfriend has the same thing. It’s not a big deal at all.
I’m never one to put much stock into the “Player A wants to play for team B, and would never leave that team,” but Jeter is the one exception.
Jeter, of all people, knows what it would mean to his legacy if he accomplished all of what he’s done as a Yankee then jump ship to the Mets, or the Red Sox or the Padres for that matter.
The Mets can come calling, but he won;t be a Met.
@ YankCrank:
It’s true, but that doesn’t mean he won’t flirt or issue vague threats, as Rivera did the last time. There’s nothing wrong with a player looking the other way to make his employer jealous.
Jeter should feel bad for Reyes – he plays for the Mets.
This is nothing new. I had idiot Met fans telling me in 1996 Rey Ordonez was better than Jeter……..enjoy your crumbling CitiDump Field, Met fans.
MJ Recanati wrote:
Rivera did that too? For some reason I only remember Jorgy flirting with other teams, and other teams meaning the Mets. For some reason I remember Rivera just trying to hold out for a fourth year on his deal but settling on three.
@ YankCrank:
He didn’t so much as openly flirt with other teams has simply issue veiled threats that he COULD find other teams to pitch for. Either way, it amounted to playing his hand as best he could (as was his right and as he should’ve).