Derek Jeter News: Pro Sports Daily

Contract showdown looms for New York Yankees as Derek Jeter enters final year of deal

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November 12

New York Daily News

"If Brian Cashman thinks he's got his hands full figuring out what to do with free-agent fan favorites Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Andy Pettitte, imagine what he'll face next year when Derek Jeter's contract expires. The Yankees have had a long-standing practice of not negotiating extensions with players until their current deals expire, and after holding firm to that two years ago with Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, it's hard to imagine that they would alter their approach with Jeter. "There's no reason to believe that would be different, but I haven't talked to ownership and no one has knocked on our door about it," Cashman said. "I expect that's the way we'll go unless somebody ..."

Jeter & Teixeira are solid 'Gold'

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November 11

New York Post

"Defense wins championships -- even in baseball. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira won't argue that point. Less than a week after helping the Yankees win the World Series, they were named yesterday as AL Gold Glove winners at shortstop and first base, respectively. "I've said it time and time again: Playing championship-caliber baseball starts with pitching and defense," said Jeter, who won his fourth Gold Glove. "Those two components were certainly the foundation of our success in 2009." Teixeira, who won his third Gold Glove, became the first Yankees first baseman to win the award since Don Mattingly took four straight from 1991-94. The Yankees gave Teixeira a $181 million contract last ..."

Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira win Gold Glove awards

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November 11

New York Daily News

"Statisticians may not think much of Derek Jeter's fielding, but managers and coaches in the American League still think pretty highly of the Yankees' captain. Jeter won his fourth AL Gold Glove Wednesday, while Mark Teixeira took home his third. The Yankees were the only team in the AL with two winners, with both players earning their first Gold Glove award since 2006. "I've said it time and time again, playing championship-caliber baseball starts with pitching and defense, and I think those two components were certainly the foundation for our success in 2009," Jeter said in a statement released by the Yankees. "I've always taken a great deal of pride in my defense, and being honored with ..."

Jeter and Teixeira Receive Gold Glove Awards

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November 11

New York Times

"Derek Jeter, whose defense has been criticized in recent years through statistical analyses, won a Gold Glove award for his defense, joining Yankees teammate Mark Teixeira on the list of American League recipients released Tuesday. No other team had multiple winners. At 35, Jeter became the second-oldest shortstop to win the award; Luis Aparicio won it at 36 in 1970. Jeter has won four Gold Gloves, collecting the others from 2004 to 2006. "I've always taken a great deal of pride in my defense, and being honored with a Gold Glove is an accomplishment I will never overlook," Jeter said in a statement."

Captain's contract a big deal

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November 6

New York Post

"A year from now, the Yankees and Derek Jeter will be involved in the mother of all contract negotiations. Next season will be the last on Jeter's 10-year, $189 million deal that will pay him $21 million. Fifteen days after the 2010 World Series is completed, Jeter will be able to negotiate with every team. And though it's hard to believe Jeter would ever leave The Bronx, it's not likely the Yankees will get his name on an extension before next November. "We have had no discussions," general manager Brian Cashman said. Anything involving Jeter is always delicious the farther you get away from him. And this has the legs to be tantalizing, because the 35-year-old shortstop and captain is ..."

Jeter wins first World Series title as captain of New York Yankees

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November 5

New York Daily News

"It had been nine long seasons. Nine campaigns without experiencing baseball's ultimate victory, without a parade through the Canyon of Heroes, without being the last team standing at the end of the season. After four championship rings in his first five seasons, Derek Jeter had to wonder if the success he enjoyed early in his career would ever come around again. Wednesday night, the world championship finally returned home to the Bronx. Jeter singled twice, doubled and scored twice as the Yankees nailed down their elusive 27th world championship with a 7-3 victory over the defending champion Phillies in Game 6 Wednesday night at the Stadium. Finally, Jeter has one for the thumb. And his ..."

Derek's DP in 9th squashes Yanks' comeback bid

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November 3

New York Post

"Derek Jeter occasionally wears postseason goat horns, too. Last night the Yankees captain had a chance to embellish his November legacy -- he is, after all, the original Mr. November -- but couldn't produce in the ninth inning. Jeter hit into a double play, all but killing the Yankees' comeback hopes in their 8-6 loss to the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series. The Yankees had runners on first and third with no out after Jorge Posada doubled and Hideki Matsui ripped a pinch-hit RBI single off Ryan Madson. Jeter worked ahead in the count before hitting into a 6-4-3 double play. This certainly wasn't what the Yankees expected from a clutch performer. "We felt pretty good about [the ninth ..."

Roberto Clemente Award suits Derek Jeter just fine

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October 30

Chicago Tribune

columnist Phil Rogers

"No one looks sharper in expensive suits than Derek Jeter. Yet there he was Thursday before Game 2 of the World Series, facing the public in a pair of blue sweats, the ones he wears in the indoor batting cages. Usually gracious with his time and expansive with his comments, Jeter seemed preoccupied as he accepted the Roberto Clemente Award from Commissioner Bud Selig and Clemente's widow, Vera. He was being recognized for the work being done by his Turn 2 Foundation in New York, Tampa and Western Michigan. His mind was clearly more on Pedro Martinez and the night's work ahead than on trying to influence teenagers to avoid drugs and alcohol. Jeter directed questions to his sister, Sharlee, ..."

Series pits shortstops who love the spotlight

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Jimmy Rollins is back in the spotlight, and he loves it there."He likes the moment," said Charlie Manuel. "He wants it."Derek Jeter doesn't just thrive in the spotlight, he lives in it, in the constant glare of New York, the Yankees and the career-long expectations that his No.2 would one day join the franchise's litany of retired single digits.Tonight, when the 2009 World Series begins at Yankee Stadium, those two shortstops, the building blocks and linchpins of their pennant-winning teams, will experience the glow together."Rollins and Jeter, there's two great players right there," the Phillies' Shane Victorino said last week. "They've been around longer than anybody, and they're the ..."

Jeter Returns to Series, but Stays in His World

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October 28

New York Times

"The last time Derek Jeter watched a complete World Series game, he was playing in it. Jeter's last lengthy World Series visual came in 2003, when the Florida Marlins eliminated the Yankees in six games for the title. Since then, Jeter said he had refused to watch a full nine-inning World Series game because, quite simply, the Yankees were not involved. He has seen highlights, but he has never plopped on his couch with a pizza to watch a game in which he wanted to be a participant and not a spectator. "Man, I don't want to watch," Jeter said. "I've said it before, you feel like you're a little kid and your parents won't let you go outside and play. So I don't want to look out the window ..."

Hot Captain steers way

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October 17

New York Daily News

"Even when the Yankees were making it look easy, Derek Jeter understood it was not. The shortstop said that when the Yankees were winning four World Series in five years, he knew it was a lot harder than it seemed. "We knew it was tough," Jeter said. "We made it look easy, but we knew it was hard to get to this point of the season. It's something you don't take for granted." Back in the American League Championship Series for the first time in five years, Jeter did not waste the opportunity. He continued his playoff hot streak with two hits Friday night. He drove in a run and scored one himself as the Yankees beat the Angels, 4-1, at the Stadium Friday night. "It's important to get off ..."

Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte & Mariano Rivera carry Yankees' banner

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October 13

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"The Yankees have been a brilliant, cohesive unit this season, but really they are three teams masquerading as one. They are the young kids, like Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, on their first winning joyride. They are the veteran mercenaries, like A.J. Burnett and Johnny Damon, having a good-old, pie-faced time, with one eye on the paycheck. And, of course, they are the Core Four - Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. For much of New York, a lot of the fun comes with this last group, the link to four championships and what we remember as the very best things about baseball. Without the Core Four, the Yankees are just another big-money, revolving-roster ..."

Heads-up play in 8th preserves lead for bombers

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October 12

New York Post

"Derek Jeter's instincts strike again. This time the Yankees captain managed to catch a glimpse of Nick Punto motoring around third base in last night's eighth inning. Jeter had just snared Denard Span's grounder through the middle and realized he had no play at first base. So he threw home. By the time Punto hit the brakes, between third and home, it was too late. Jorge Posada's throw to Alex Rodriguez nailed Punto, and the tying run was removed from scoring position. "It's great to have a smart guy in the middle of the infield," manager Joe Girardi said, referring to Jeter, following the Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Twins in Game 3 of the ALDS. Even if this defensive gem didn't rate ..."

Old guard glory never grows old

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October 12

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"The celebration on the field was muted and reserved, the nine men in road grays honoring the old directive to act like they had been here before. Derek Jeter fielded the ball, fired to first, pumped his fist in postgame delight the same way he has been doing it since Opening Day in Cleveland in 1996. Mariano Rivera was stoic as always, cracking a thin smile as the Metrodome quieted for the final time in its baseball life, this 4-1 Yankees victory over, this 3-0 ALDS sweep complete. He shook hands with Jorge Posada, then let it morph into a hug, a most familiar postgame ritual. Andy Pettitte? "I just couldn't stop smiling," Pettitte said. "It's always so . . ." He smiled, looking for the ..."

Bombers end ALCS drought

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October 12

New York Post

"Alex Rodriguez wrapped his dock rope of a left arm around Derek Jeter's neck and let out a howl right before the best player in pinstripes showered the smartest in champagne. A 4-1 victory over the pesky Twins in Game 3 of the ALDS had propelled the Yankees into the ALCS that starts Friday night in The Bronx against the Angels. Shortly after the sweep, bedlam broke out in the clubhouse, which is barely bigger than a suburban two-car garage. Though some Yankees fans believe it's their birth right to win the World Series every year, the players understand the difficulty of winning and advancing. And a big reason was Rodriguez, who supported a pitching gem by Andy Pettitte with an ..."

Yankees' stars, A-Rod and Derek Jeter, align in ALDS with Minnesota Twins

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October 11

New York Daily News

columnist Mike Lupica

"There was all the talk on Friday night, after Alex Rodriguez hit one against the Twins and then Mark Teixeira hit one in the bottom of the 11th, about what a 1-2 punch the two of them are at Yankee Stadium. And they are, the new Mantle and Maris, just way more expensive. But the most fascinating combination on the Yankees remains their two biggest stars: A-Rod and Jeter. There are other stars on the team, so loaded that it makes you remember something Torii Hunter once said when he was a Twin, playing against the Yankees in the Division Series of '04: "Their $194 million against our $50 million. You do the math." But even money can't buy you real star power, in baseball or anything else. ..."

As usual, Derek Jeter leads Yankees' march toward parade

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October 8

New York Daily News

columnist Mike Lupica

"He had singled in the first, starting the big month off that way, Derek Jeter starting things the way he had on a lot of other nights like this. But it was when he came up in the bottom of the third that he officially started October for the Yankees, hit a loud two-run shot into the left-field seats that tied the Twins at 2-all. Right out of the blocks, the captain of the team let you know how much he had missed nights like this, how much he absolutely hated missing the playoffs even once in his life. It always starts with him at this time of year. October's official starter in the Bronx. "We get a 2-0 lead and then as soon as we go back out, right away it's 2-2," Twins manager Ron ..."

Just another big moment for Jeter

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October 8

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"THERE are 49,464 people scattered across the city this morning who will tell you they walked into Yankee Stadium with a swagger and they left with a swagger and they never had any question about what they would see last night. That in their minds the Yankees are that much better than the Twins, that the final might have been 7-2, but it could have been anything the Yankees wanted it to be. This is what you would call selective amnesia. "Our guys were into it," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We were battling pretty good. We got a 2-0 lead [in the top of the third inning] and wanted to go back out there and shut them down." Gardenhire smiled, a bitter smile, not a ha-ha smile. "And ..."

Captain Derek Jeter calling for Yankees to win one for George Steinbrenner

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October 7

New York Daily News

"It wasn't exactly a Knute Rockne moment, but Derek Jeter Tuesday described a slice of his motivation on the eve of the playoffs and it sounded a bit like Rockne's famous speech, with a pinstriped twist: Win one for The Boss. Jeter badly wants to win another World Series and said it would be sweeter this year because it's the first at The House that George Built, and George Steinbrenner himself would get to enjoy it at the new Yankee Stadium. "We have a brand-new Stadium and the main reason we are in this Stadium is because of him, so it would be great to win a championship here," Jeter said. "Every team is trying to win a championship, but, yeah, I would like to see that happen." ..."

Big three plus Swisher add spark to title quest

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October 7

New York Post

columnist Kevin Kernan

"EVERYONE gets blinded by the money ($423.5 million) when it comes to Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. That's understandable. But leave it to Derek Jeter to make it clear why the Big Three have been successful in their Yankee debuts this season as free agents."They can play," Jeter said. "They've pretty much done what they've always done," added the king of baseball common sense. "That's why we got them." Of course, ultimate success comes only in the postseason in The Bronx. That's when free agents earn their pinstripes and their cash. All this can still blow up in the face of the newcomers. It all starts with Sabathia's Game 1 performance today. "I think CC's been that true ..."

Jeter, Yankees steal the show

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September 26

New York Post

"In typical fashion, Derek Jeter led off the game with a single. The trend the Captain started afterwards was anything but typical. Setting a tempo of high-energy and unpredictability that would last the rest of the game, Jeter stole second and scored on an Alex Rodriguez single. It was the first of a season-high seven stolen bases the Yankees accumulated and the first run of a lead they would never relinquish in their 9-5 win over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium last night. "That's what my job is. It's to try and get on base and try and make things happen," Jeter said. "We wanted to be aggressive and get on and try and run and score some runs early to try and give Joba [Chamberlain] some ..."

Derek Jeter a hit with Don Zimmer going back to the very start of Yankee career

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September 14

New York Daily News

columnist Bill Madden

"For the better part of the past ten days, Don Zimmer was laid up in a St. Petersburg, Fla., hospital having the first, second, third and fourth lumbar disks in his back readjusted to relieve the excruciating pain that had threatened to turn him into an invalid. When he finally did get to go home last Wednesday, the 78-year-old former Yankee bench coach for Joe Torre was supplied a walker from his doctors and instructed to begin physical therapy immediately. To hear him tell it, the best therapy he could have gotten was from the comfort of the couch in his living room where he got to watch his favorite son "pupil" Derek Jeter tie, then break Lou Gehrig's all-time Yankee hits record. "He ..."

Yankees' Derek Jeter likes his current title, but wants a World Series ring

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September 13

New York Daily News

"Definitely not a regular day. Jeter lit the Stadium up Friday night with its biggest moment to date. He laced a single down the right-field line to pass Lou Gehrig as the franchise's all-time hits leader. It made memorable a cold, raw night that ended around 1:30 a.m. Saturday because of two rain delays. As always, Jeter would like to step out of the spotlight and return the focus to a pursuit of a championship. "We haven't finished anything or won anything yet, so our focus has always remained to try to win games and win the division," he said. "That's what everyone's looking forward to. I enjoyed it, but it's time for everyone here to make our focus winning games." Little things about ..."

Here's 2 you, Captain!

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September 13

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"You want to know just how Big, capital B, Derek Jeter is? Long before the Batting-Stance Guy got his 15 minutes of YouTube fame, there was an entire generation of Little Leaguers all across New York, all across New Jersey, all across Connecticut, who muscle-memorized Jeter in the batter's box: the extended right hand always asking for time, the bat waving high above the head, the inside-out swing. Long before Fat Head made life-size homages of athletes a standard part of wall decor, there were a million kids who cut out a million pictures and plastered them on their walls, and more than a couple of grown-ups who found prominent space in their man caves and television rooms, too. Mostly, ..."

Jeter gets lots of congratulations

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September 13

New York Post

"At the plate in the first inning yesterday afternoon, Derek Jeter got a message from home plate umpire Wally Bell. "Congratulations," Jeter later relayed. For the first time, Jeter woke up yesterday and started a game as the Yankees' all-time hits leader, having toppled Lou Gehrig on Friday night. Since then, plenty of people joined Bell in offering Jeter kudos. "I got a lot of messages from a lot of people -- players on other teams, players I've played with before, friends, family," Jeter said. "I got a lot of well wishes from people, and that always makes you feel good." Friday's game didn't end until around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning due to rain delays. That prohibited Jeter from ..."

Teammates feel 'blessed'

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September 13

New York Post

"If Andy Pettitte had the first pick of all the hitters he's ever had as a teammate, the guy he would pick is Derek Jeter. "He's the best hitter I've ever played with," Pettitte told The Post. "And I've played with a lot of great ballplayers. I'd want him up to bat in a big situation, I'd want him up. And still to this day I still feel that way." Jeter is now the Yankees' all-time hits leader, passing Lou Gehrig to take the top spot in pinstriped lore. Though Jeter's greatest achievement has been being part of four world championship teams, this record probably ranks now as his most luminous individual milestone. Though that's probably going to only be for a limited time. "He'll probably be ..."

The Cooperstown kid

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September 13

New York Post

columnist Kevin Kernan

"The hits will keep on coming. Now that Derek Jeter is the Yankees' all-time hit leader, surpassing the legendary Lou Gehrig, this is the unofficial start of the Jeter is a Baseball God tour. Only a few players attain the status Jeter has reached. The fact Jeter is a Yankee Forever elevates him to the highest platform possible. In a much smaller way, I saw it during my years covering Tony Gwynn in San Diego. Gwynn is Padres Baseball. We all saw it with Cal Ripken in Baltimore. Ripken is Orioles Baseball. Think of Yankees Baseball, and this generation will think of Jeter. The Jeter Show will come to a fever pitch the day he is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Just ..."

Strokes of Luck

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September 13

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"Derek Jeter goes with the Yankees like rock with roll or rhythm with blues. It is nearly impossible to think of Jeter with any other organization, considering that one of his strongest grade-school memories was telling people that one day he would be the Yankees' shortstop. But Jeter should never have been a Yankee. He should never have been in position to track down Lou Gehrig for the organization's all-time hit record. He should have been knocking singles to the opposite field for the Astros or Expos or Reds. No one knows this better than Jeter. He is a Yankees icon today, but on June 1, 1992, Jeter did not even know the Yankees had the sixth pick in the draft. His family had been led to ..."

They're tipping their caps from all directions

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September 13

New York Post

"Cal Ripken Jr. knows what it's like to surpass Lou Gehrig with an all-time accomplishment. He, too, knows what it's like to spend a whole career, like Derek Jeter has, as a star shortstop with one team in the AL East. "Two fabulous players," Ripken Jr. told The Post of Gehrig and Jeter, "and two fabulous people." Jeter is now on top of Gehrig when it comes to all-time Yankees hits, having passed the legendary Hall of Famer to get crowned as the storied franchise's all-time hits leader. Think it's an impressive achievement? Assuming Tino Martinez is right, wait until Jeter's final hit total comes to pass. Because assuming Jeter never leaves the Yankees, his final tally might be unreachable ..."

Yankees remember 9/11 on Derek Jeter's historic night

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September 12

New York Daily News

"When the attacksÂ of Sept. 11 hit, sports in the U.S., suddenly and so obviously irrelevant, simply stopped altogether for a while.Â Friday night, on the eighth anniversary of their city's darkest day, the Yankees took another timeout to remember. The Yanks held a ceremony before the game against the Orioles and a moment of silence in remembrance of all who died in the attacks. And in a nod to those striving to build from the rubble, lining the area behind home plate were several sailors from the USS New York, a Navy stealth ship whose bow stem was constructed with 7-1/2 tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center. The ship will be commissioned on Nov. 7. In the outfield, colors ..."

With Derek Jeter drama over, the Yankees must now focus on the playoffs and World Series

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September 12

New York Daily News

"Derek Jeter overtaking Lou Gehrig as the Yankees' all-time hits leader has been a pleasant diversion for the team this week. It has been a reason to celebrate a man whose humility and team-first attitude have made it difficult for him to fully embrace his achievement. But the Yankees, let alone Jeter, can't get away from the business at hand - making a run through the playoffs and winning another World Series - for too long. So as soon as Jeter broke the tie with Gehrig and slapped hit No.2,722 to right field in the third inning Friday night, the Yankees were back on the grind. The Yankees have set themselves up to have a special year. They are flirting with numbers that they haven't ..."

Most Bleacher Creatures, not all, salute Derek Jeter as he passes Lou Gehrig

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September 12

New York Daily News

"As Derek Jeter slashed a single to right in the third inning, "2722" flashed in giant, bright numerals on the scoreboard. And Mike Donahue, standing in a shallow puddle of water and beer out in Section 203, immediately made note of two things: Jeter didn't just stop at first base. He made the turn toward second. And as for that historic number, Donahue figured, "That's how much the Yankees are going to charge next season for the seats behind home plate.""

At new Stadium, Yankee captain Derek Jeter hears that old roar from the crowd

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September 12

New York Daily News

"He ripped the third pitch of the bottom of the third past Luke Scott at first and into right field. And when Derek Jeter got around first base, when he had more hits than anybody in Yankee history, he clapped his hands together hard and walked back to the bag and back into a cheer that came out of the stands of the new Yankee Stadium for him, that came from the old one, too, that came from across the street and out of everything Yankee fans still want the Yankees to mean. He had more hits than Lou Gehrig now and that meant more hits than any Yankee ever had. But this wasn't about the number, 2,722. This was about No. 2 of the Yankees, who is what they still want the Yankees to mean, what ..."

The new Yankees Hit King: Derek Jeter singles in third inning to break Lou Gehrig's hit mark

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September 12

New York Daily News

"No. 2 is now No. 1 With his third-inning opposite-field single to right field - a trademark since he arrived in the majors 14 years ago - Derek Jeter moved past Lou Gehrig on the Yankees' all-time hits list Friday night, claiming the top spot all for himself. "It's still hard to believe," Jeter said. "Being a Yankee fan, this is something I never imagined. Your dream is always to play for the team, and once you get here, you just want to stay and try to be consistent. This wasn't a part of it. This whole experience has been overwhelming.""

To Andy Pettitte

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September 12

New York Daily News

"All of the YankeesÂ came out of the dugout to congratulate Derek Jeter after he broke the franchise hits record Friday night. For Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada, the embraces they shared were among the most meaningful. They have been with the Bombers' captain essentially the whole way. They recounted a game during Jeter's first minor-league season in Greensboro when he made a great defensive play in the hole and hit a home run. And then they marveled at how their friend has remained the same as he became the player they thought he might. "We were so young and started this run off at such a young age (and) you knew he was special," Pettitte said. "He carried himself a little bit different ..."

Teammates Recall Jeter's Journey From Minor Leagues to Great Yankee

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September 12

New York Times

"He was an 18-year-old shortstop from Kalamazoo, Mich., a first-round draft choice who wore his cap tilted back on his head and who looked as if he needed to gain 25 pounds. When he showed up to play with the Yankees' Class A affiliate in Greensboro, N.C., in 1992, Derek Jeter was a curiosity to some teammates."

Derek everything we want in our heroes

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September 12

New York Post

"A self-proclaimed Derek Jeter fan snuck into the Yankees' dugout last night to catch a glimpse of history unfolding. If you looked closely enough, there was Reggie Jackson tipping his cap in appreciation after Jeter had collected career hit No. 2,722 to pass Lou Gehrig on the Yankees' all-time list. "I would be embarrassed if I missed it," Jackson told The Post moments after Jeter's third-inning single against Baltimore's Chris Tillman set the record. How did the moment compare with some of the others Jackson has witnessed over the years in The Bronx? "The perfect games are pretty special, with [David] Wells and David Cone," Jackson said. "I put this in a similar situation, similar ..."

Watch out Lou Gehrig! Derek Jeter a single from owning Yankee hit mark

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September 11

New York Daily News

"DEREK JETER said the experience of tying Lou Gehrig's franchise hits record was more than he could have ever imagined. Who knows what's in store for the captain after his next hit? That historic moment could come as soon as the first inning tonight, as Jeter will try to become the Bombers' hit king when he leads off against rookie Chris Tillman and the Orioles. "I don't know if you ever sit down and try to imagine it. You just try to enjoy it," Jeter said after tying Gehrig's record with a three-hit night on Wednesday. "I've had a tough time in my career enjoying things as they happen, because I'm always trying to look to the next game." Even Jeter will have trouble looking ahead to his ..."

Four Yanks-keteers still together

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September 11

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"ON Aug. 25, 1992, Derek Jeter was promoted from the Rookie Gulf Coast League to the Low-A Greensboro Hornets. He didn't really want to be there. He was exhausted, homesick and frustrated from a first dabble in professional ball at Tampa, where he hit .202 and ran his phone bill to $400 a month with daily calls back to his parents in Kalamazoo, Mich. He played 11 games to finish the season in the more advanced Sally League as an 18-year-old. The first of those 11 games should have been truly forgettable for Jeter, because he went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts and two errors. But it really should be one of the most memorable days in Yankees history. For the starting battery was Andy ..."

Nick remembers Captain's knack for winning

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September 11

New York Post

"It was just about six years ago when Nick Johnson was one of the most important people in Derek Jeter's professional life. Johnson was in his second year as the full-time first baseman for the Yankees in 2003, scooping up everything Jeter tossed his way from across the diamond at shortstop. But that time seemed long past last night, when Johnson took batting practice for his newest team, the Marlins, as they prepared to take on the Mets at Citi Field. "He was a great teammate," Johnson said of Jeter. "He played the game the way it's supposed to be played. He played hard and just went about his business." When Johnson joined the Yankees in 2001, Jeter had already won four World Series. ..."

Looking to drop hit record tonight

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September 11

New York Post

"The Man Who Has Everything is about to clear space in his charmed life for a colossal trinket. Derek Jeter is the Yankees' captain, has four World Series rings, is a World Series MVP, has never been linked to scandal, has two proud parents, gets along with his sister, dates TV star Minka Kelly and makes $21 million to play shortstop while wearing pinstripes. Now, there is more. Tonight, Jeter will go for the all-time Yankees' hits record when the sizzling AL East leaders host the last-place Orioles at Yankee Stadium. If Jeter tying Lou Gehrig at 2,721 Wednesday night was the first big moment of the new Stadium, tonight could be the second. If tonight is not the night, it's coming soon. ..."

Derek Jeter one hit away from standing alone

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September 10

Newark Star-Ledger

"One day, Derek Jeter and Lou Gehrig will stand side-by-side in Monument Park, a permanent memorial to their greatness in pinstripes. But for a few days, they will also stand side-by-side in the Yankees' record books. Jeter joined the great Gehrig atop the Yankees all-time hits list on Wednesday night-- lacing a single to right field in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 4-2 victory over the Rays -- for his 2,721st hit. A crowd of 45,848, hoping that they held tickets to history, exploded as the ball shot off Jeter's bat. Jeter, who finished 3-for-4 with a walk, is now just one more hit from history, though he had a chance to make it in the eighth. Longtime friend Jorge Posada extended the ..."

On Derek Jeter's big night, Jorge Posada's blast lifts Yankees to 4-2 victory against Tampa Bay Rays

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September 10

The Times of Trenton

"Derek Jeter probably wouldn't have allowed himself to enjoy tying Lou Gehrig for the franchise hits record had the Yankees lost on Thursday. So leave it to a friend to wipe that problem away. Jorge Posada came off the bench to hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Yankees to a 4-2 victory against the Rays at Yankee Stadium. Just the facts: - Jeter finished 3-for-4, tying Gehrig's franchise mark of 2,721 hits with a seventh-inning single off Rays rookie Jeff Niemann. Posada's three-run homer gave Jeter a chance to break the record in the eighth, but he walked against reliever Grant Balfour. Jeter also stole his 300th base, joining Rickey Henderson (326) as the only members ..."

For Mo, Pettitte and Posada, Derek Jeter's hits carry special meaning

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September 10

New York Daily News

"In unison, the Yankees rose to their feet and climbed over the padded railing that guards their dugout onto the warning track to join in the standing ovation that was being showered upon Derek Jeter. While the Yankees were thrilled to share in their captain tying Lou Gehrig's franchise record for hits, it meant a little more to the trio of longtime friends and teammates who have been with Jeter from his minor-league days. "You just can't say enough about Derek Jeter," Andy Pettitte said. "There've been an awful lot of great ballplayers to come through this organization, and to think that he's got more hits, or is tied, and obviously is going to break the record, it's just incredible." ..."

Tim Wakefield leader in hits allowed to Derek Jeter

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September 10

New York Daily News

"Derek Jeter's rise to the top of the Yankees' all-time hit list wouldn't be complete without a nod to the Bombers' ancient rivalry with the Red Sox, so it's only appropriate that the pitcher who has given up the most hits to Jeter has called Fenway Park home for even longer than Jeter has been in pinstripes. Tim Wakefield signed with the Red Sox on April 26, 1995, six days after the Pittsburgh Pirates released him and 33 before Jeter made his major-league debut for the Yankees in Seattle. And over the last decade and a half, Wakefield has given up 31 hits to Jeter. It should come as no surprise that Jeter has his highest career hit total against Wakefield, as he's faced the 43-year-old ..."

Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long says Derek Jeter's confidence is No. 1

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September 10

New York Daily News

"No matter how many records Derek Jeter sets, the intangibles may always define him. Hours before Jeter collected three hits against the Rays and moved into a tie with Lou Gehrig for first place on the Yankees' all-time hit list, hitting coach Kevin Long predicted a big night from the Bombers' captain - even though Jeter was 0-for-12 in his last three games. "He's 0-for-his-last-12, but I tell you what, I wouldn't be surprised if he broke the record tonight. I just wouldn't," Long said as he made his way out for batting practice at the Stadium. "That's not saying it will happen, but I feel that way every time he steps to the plate. He's got me believing in him as much as he believes in ..."

One away! Derek Jeter ties Lou Gehrig for Yankees hit record at 2,721

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September 10

New York Daily News

"It's 2,721 down, one to go for Derek Jeter. The captain matched Lou Gehrig for first place on the Yankees' all-time hits list Wednesday night, going 3-for-4 with a walk against the Rays in front of an exuberant crowd at Yankee Stadium. Jeter's record-tying hit, a two-out single in the seventh, gave the shortstop a three-hit night. Jorge Posada's pinch-hit, three-run home run in the eighth lifted the Yankees to a 4-2 victory over the Rays, completing a four-game sweep. "I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't thinking about it, because pretty much everywhere I've gone this entire home stand, I've been hearing about it," said Jeter, who walked in the eighth inning with a chance to break the ..."

On brink of overtaking Lou Gehrig, Derek Jeter now stands Yankee with greats

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September 10

New York Daily News

columnist Tim Smith

"The swing looked effortless, as most have in his career. Derek Jeter seemed to just flick his bat at a 90mph sinker from Rays righty Jeff Niemann. The ball scooted a few feet inside the first base line, just past a diving Tampa Bay first baseman Chris Richard, and into right field. It was Jeter's third hit of the night and, more significantly, it was No. 2,721 of his career, tying Lou Gehrig's all-time Yankee record. The crowd of 45,848 cheered loudly each of the previous three times Jeter came to the plate, but it was a little louder in the seventh inning, anticipating the moment. As Jeter made contact with the ball, the crowd rose, and the noise grew louder. The fans stood in unison and ..."

Derek lights up house that he built

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September 10

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"IN AN eyeblink, the ball was past Chris Richard at first base, rolling on the outfield grass, and now Yankee Stadium -- the new one, the one Derek Jeter helped build every bit as much as Babe Ruth built the old place -- was a clamorous combination of Times Square on New Year's and the Garden for a U2 encore. Jeter was barely out of the batter's box and the people already were lifting their voices to the sky, trying to rattle the façade with their voices, trying to light the night with the loudest burst of electricity yet heard on this side of 161st Street. The new captain had caught the old captain. No. 2 had caught No. 4. "I couldn't see if the ball got past him or not," Jeter said ..."

Cashman lauds Jeter

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September 10

New York Post

"Brian Cashman remembers when Derek Jeter first came up, and though he expected big things from the shortstop, he didn't see him tying Lou Gehrig's mark atop the Yankees all-time hit list. "You don't think about things like that," Cashman said after Jeter's 3-for-4 night gave him 2,721 career hits, matching the Iron Horse. "He has a lot more in him. I'm not sure if this one will ever be touched. I expect him to have this one forever." So do Jeter's teammates, who gave him a standing ovation when he singled down the right-field line in the seventh to tie the record. "I got goose bumps," said Jorge Posada, who hit the game-winning three-run homer as a pinch-hitter in the eighth as the ..."