Update from Cirque du A-Rod
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- February
- 17
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Derek Jeter was in the clubhouse this morning. He said he will not speak to the media until tomorrow. I’m sure this will lead to some writers ripping Jeter for not supporting A-Rod.
I find that silly. These are well-paid adults. The team captain isn’t in charge of making everybody feel good about themselves. People act like the Yankees are a high school football team.
The media is out in force today. The clubhouse was full of people who couldn’t pick Joba Chamberlain out of a lineup. A few will linger around for a few days but eventually they’ll go away. Don’t forget, A-Rod will leave camp for the WBC on March 2.
To try and preserve some of my sanity, I’m going to go watch The Wanger throw his bullpen now.
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on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 10:51 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
First!
“I’m sure this will lead to some writers ripping Jeter for not supporting A-Rod.”
Oh, that’s a given. Jeter has been guilty in the past of not supporting Alex enough (see 2006). However, it’s a little early to pile on him just yet. The media needs to wait and see what Jeter says tomorrow before they accuse him of not supporting A-Rod.
I doubt any writer is going to rip Jeter here.
Why wouldn’t Jeter speak today. I love it Pete, A-rod should get everything out of the way today so as not to prolong this. But those who want Jeter to step in and give some support and move on today are acting like it’s high school.
Priceless!
A baseball related photo, even a lousy one, would be welcome today.
They let newbs into the clubhouse? They issued over 200 credentials. Thanks, Alex!
Jeter’s job is to be team captain, not do public relations for players.
Jeter is smart. Say he talks today and then A-Rod says something that flies in the face of something Jeter said in support of him. (e.g. Jeter says “A-rod said he quit steriods on his own” then A-Rod admits he lied about that). Then Jeter would have to talk again tomorrow and may have to go back on his own words. This way Jeter can hear everything A-Rod says at the conference, take a night to digest it, and then issue his statement tomorrow.
That’s pretty pathetic not being able to spot Joba…. its not like his body built and face are very distinct at all
m
What does being team captain mean?
I would think Mr. Jeter is going to wait to see how far Mr. Rodriguez shoves his foot in his mouth before he lays out his support….
Jeter’s job is to be team captain, not do public relations for players.
Which sometimes may include burying the hatchet for the betterment of the team. I love Jeter, but when it comes to A-rod he has acted like the lead in Heathers or something.
Whatever Jeter said today would totally get lost or jumbled into the mix of the day.
Jeter is smarter and more savvy than most. He cut his teeth on the press v. the Yankees. I tend to really trust his judgement on things.
Next.
After reading Torre’s book I was struck by the importance of high character guys who put the team first during the dynasty years. The thing that most excites me about this season is how we’ve brought in more guys like this.
Seeing CC and Tex and Burnett step up like this to support their new teammate is an encouraging sign. I’m sure it wont be the last time this year these guys do things to impress their new teammates in the clubhouse or the fans. Not to mention swisher who i’ve only heard good things about.
What is the purpose of being there at the press conference today if you are not going to say anything? Let Arod do his thing, apologize etc and then afterward: We totally support Alex, we think he did the right thing today and we are ready to get back to baseball.
This just fuels the “jeter doesn’t like arod” thing. It is anything but savvy. Newsflash Derek: he’s going to be on the team for a while.
ten thousand posters with 12 thousand opinions, but what we really all want is the same:
The 2009 Championship!
Lets Go Yankees!!!!!
mel- Some idiots from TMZ and people will probably be there. They wouldn’t know a baseball from a football if it hit them in the face.
Since he is the captain, he should be the FIRST one to lay his comments out. Even though he is my favorite player on the team, for my money, he should not be a captain. Jorge is the man there.
“The team captain isn’t in charge of making everybody feel good about themselves.”
No. The team captain isn’t supposed to be a vocal leader who supports the rest of his teammates on and off the field. No, he’s not that.
WTF does high school football have to do with that exactly?
Pete we get it. Jeter great. Rodriguez loser. Just print it so we can all get past it.
On yankees.com the video playing on the right has someone from MLB network saying something like the Arod controversy makes whose going to win the 5th starter spot inconsequential.
Since when was there a competition for the 5th starter spot. Shouldn’t reporters at the MLB network know our rotation is set regardless of how many of their talking heads think Joba should be in the pen.
Why is this so hard?
What is Jeter supposed to say, anyway? Anything more than the standard “ARod is my teammate and I support him, now let’s concentrate on winning the WS” talk that any player can give us?
“What is Jeter supposed to say, anyway? Anything more than the standard “ARod is my teammate and I support him, now let’s concentrate on winning the WS” talk that any player can give us?”
Yes, that’s exactly what he’s supposed to say and it’s about as easy a statement to make as is possible.
For whatever it’s worth:
Here was my email to my friend (the reporter) at the Providence Journal. He has been a reporter there for 35 years.
“Absolutely agree on the person who leaked it. But I still don’t get why reporters will go with it. Would you face a potential contempt of court charge, or in the alternative, risk your reputation by giving up sources for a story? Aren’t there enough stories in the world that a reporter doesn’t need to resort to helping to publish information that was never supposed to be seen?”
Here was his response to me:
“Good questions. I’m not sure what I would have done in that case. Probably heed the advice of the Journal’s lawyers.
A point of interest to me, if I recall correctly, is that baseball did not ban many of these substances until after the testing. The crime, it seems, is that players lied about their use.”
so pathetic that the arod people always want jeter to burp him.
Alex has transcended baseball. It is not inside baseball or just a baseball story anymore. Baseball (and baseball writers) will have to adjust to the ‘outside’ media like it or not.
“so pathetic that the arod people always want jeter to burp him.”
Right. So when Giambi was a mess Jeter’s support wasn’t considered “burping” but when it’s A-Rod who could use a helping hand it is?
LOGIC FAIL
“Yes, that’s exactly what he’s supposed to say and it’s about as easy a statement to make as is possible.”
Except for this. Jeter has no way of knowing what Arod is going to say today or what is going to come out of the press conference. Does he deserve time to think about a response. Not only that. Wouldn’t it be worth something to ask Derek (if you are really bent out of shape about this, which I am not) why he chose to wait until tomorrow? Isn’t it possible that there is something in his decision-making here that could make sense to even the most judgmental of people? How about this? Maybe he feels that this day belongs to Arod, even in the most universally charitable sense, and he feels he should be in the background only and will take center stage on another day?
Do you really think there isn’t going to be enough drama without Derek making some (what would probably be seen as) contrived and hollow-sounding statement?
Okay, whatever.
It would be a great idea to make Wang the next captain…ccc
A-Rod > Jeter, therefore a-rod get’s my support before jeter does. Period.
Hahahahaha thank you for that logic fail statement Riddler…that literally just made me laugh out loud in the library!
On a day like today when there really is nothing funny about it Melky not even knowing there is a press conference made me laugh out loud. What rock has he been hiding under. Maybe he thought all the reporters there today were there to talk about the CF job.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/spo.....se_wi.html
Derek Jeter is doing the very best thing the captain of the Yankees could do. He’s NOT talking this thing to death! He has said that he will comment when all of the team was here. He’s waiting until after the conference because the PC WILL bring up things he may have to answer. He has made it perfectly clear that he will talk about this issue ONE TIME and that is it! I take him at his word. He is a doing what is best for the TEAM!
Great job, Captain Jeter.
Only gossip mongers and Jeter haters don’t (or refuse) to understand what he’s doing here. Let’s get this issue done and out of the clubhouse for good!
Go Yankees!!!
“Except for this. Jeter has no way of knowing what Arod is going to say today or what is going to come out of the press conference. Does he deserve time to think about a response.”
This isn’t Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Jeter doesn’t need three lifelines in order to release a one sentence statement saying he’s glad A-Rod addressed the controversy and the entire team supports him moving forward.
Alex isn’t going to reveal he’s a martian from outer space today. He’ll answer some questions, defer others to his attorney(s) and basically try to sound humbled by the whole situation. I doubt there are any surprises waiting and certainly nothing that Jeter needs to process for 24 hours before responding to.
Team captain’s job is to lead the team as a player. Jeter shouldn’t support all of A-Rod’s nonsense; it isn’t all good stuff. If Jeter wants to talk tough to A-Rod, A-Rod deserves it. Maybe Jeter wants A-Rod to think they’re enemies so A-rod will be more motivated to win. Who knows?The fact of the matter is if Jeter’s getting the most out of the players around him, he’s doing his job.
“Great job, Captain Jeter.”
Yes ‘a silent captain is a great captain’ is about as moronic a statement as has ever been made at Lohud.
Jeter isn’t working out some extensive gameplan to thrwart the NY media. He’s simply doing what he does worst, which is vocally lead his team.
Jeter is one of the greatest on-field captain to ever play the game. He leads by example like none other.
His off the field duties, however, remain invisible.
“I doubt there are any surprises waiting and certainly nothing that Jeter needs to process for 24 hours before responding to.”
Uh, Jeter already said the things you said he should say. So unless you are just looking for a stupid, hollow, and predictable quote from Jeter, there is really no harm in letting this day be about Alex, and tomorrow letting the Captain of the team put it all to rest once and for all. No matter how eloquent the statement, Jeter making it today will get lost in what really is happening today – the potential lynching of Alexander Emannuel Rodriguez. Jeter can do a lot more good by making a statement on a day that it isn’t going to get buried on page 16 since you really have to know that the only headlines today will deal with Alex’s press conference, period.
Pete can we get a picture .. of anything ! .. PLEASE !!!!!!!!!
“Alex isn’t going to reveal he’s a martian from outer space today. He’ll answer some questions, defer others to his attorney(s) and basically try to sound humbled by the whole situation. I doubt there are any surprises waiting and certainly nothing that Jeter needs to process for 24 hours before responding to.”
Wow, thanks for the heads up. I don’t even have to bother watching now since you know what’s going to happen!
Cool beans.
“Team captain’s job is to lead the team as a player. Jeter shouldn’t support all of A-Rod’s nonsense; it isn’t all good stuff. If Jeter wants to talk tough to A-Rod, A-Rod deserves it.”
Again, you’re being a Jeter fanboy instead of looking at the big picture regarding what’s best for the whole team.
Yeah. “Talk tough to A-Rod” is a brilliant idea buddy.
Then what is your explanation for Jeter’s outspoken support of Giambi when he had done the exact same “not good stuff” that A-Rod did?
I’ll wait for an answer, but we both know you don’t have one.
His job as captain is NOT to worry about feeding the press quotes everyone wants to hear. His responsibility is TO the team. If he waits to answer questions untill after the PC, he can get everything said at once and NOT have to answer it again. There will still be idiots that want to try to eke every last drop of life out of this story, but he will not be trapped into that. It’s about baseball.
Let’s play ball!
Is there anywhere online to watch or listen to this press conference today?
“Wow, thanks for the heads up. I don’t even have to bother watching now since you know what’s going to happen!”
lulz. Tell me this “Trisha,” what amazing developments, cash and prizes!!1! do you believe are going to unfold at 1:30 today?
And are you really naive enough to believe Jeter needs an entire day to process A-Rod’s presser, and that by doing so he will be able to offer a more isolated and noticeable response? Yeah, that screams of Jeter. Not!
Jeter’s announcement that he will not say anything about A-Rod’s presser until a day later speaks louder than words. It shows his disdain for the entire Rodriguez and proves his inability to lead off the field. Don’t you think it’s deflating to Rodriguez that Jeter is basically distancing himself from an event before it even goes down?
How captainY of him!
well maybe if you had said this about a guy:
“I’m Alex’s biggest fan. I brag on him so much that my teammates are sick of me talking about him. ”
and then read this in a magazine:
“He’s never had to lead. He can just go and play and have fun. And he hits second—that’s totally different than third and fourth in a lineup. You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie and O’Neill. You never say, Don’t let Derek beat you. He’s never your concern.”
you wouldnt be so quick to reach out to that guy would u?
“If he waits to answer questions untill after the PC, he can get everything said at once and NOT have to answer it again.”
GR. Come back to us.
Jeter will not speak until TOMORROW. No one here said Jeter should have a Q&A session before A-Rod’s presser. The point was that Jeter should talk to the media after A-Rod’s statement and thereby show a united front and a determination to move forward. Instead he looks like an unsupportive captain who is putting his personal frustrations with Alex’s actions ahead of the overall good of the team.
Wait until Jeter speaks before you bash him for being unsupportive.
My issue comes more with peoples definition of what a Captain is because unless there’s a manual and a secret decoder ring that comes with the title, it’s every man for themselves on the mark they want to make.
Being Yankee Captain is much like being a Peace envoy to Switzerland. A nice title but no one really knows what they do.
I have a feeling this blog is not going to be a fun read once we get to 2 p.m. The lowest 1% of posters will be coming out of the woodwork once this circus kicks into high gear.
Riddler, no but I am bright enough to know there are many ways to look at a situation and your consternation about the way Jeter chooses to do it does not cause your opinion to be etched in stone.
Maybe Jeter should sit up there next to him rubbing his back the whole time.
Maybe that would make some of you nitwits happy?
So you all would agree that Jeter wasn’t being a good captain when he allowed the clubhouse to become divided, right.
Hey I’m all for him “talking tough” to Arod in private. But all this nonsense about waiting and being quiet is not what needs to be done right now. Did he do this with Giambi and Andy?
“well maybe if you had said this about a guy:”
Smothered in Onions.
Sorry, this isn’t high school.
What Jeter said about A-Rod in that 1997 Sports Illustrated article and what A-Rod said about Jeter in a 2001 Esquire article have no bearing on what is best for the team.
Yeah. If you want a petty, immature little boy who holds a grudge as your captain then I guess that’s a great stand to take.
Personally I do not so that is more of the same FAILure to make sense in my book.
“The clubhouse was full of people who couldn’t pick Joba Chamberlain out of a lineup.”
I just died a lil bit inside.
“To try and preserve some of my sanity, I’m going to go watch The Wanger throw his bullpen now.”
Woo Hoo!! BASEBALL!!!!
Here’s to hoping; nay, *praying*, that after this circus is over today, we all (everyone- the Yankees, media and fans) can just get back to baseball. I cant take this outside garbage anymore and it really irks me that it is cutting into training camp! I support A-Rod wholeheartedly but will be glad when he departs for the WBC, it’s certainly a happy accident that he’s leaving for that this year. And taking the media people who cant identify Joba with him!!!! Let them go distract the other team in the WBC, lol.
Alex has changed his story from never taking steroids to having taken them. He accused the reporter of things and now says he is sorry he made it up. Don’t you think it makes just a little bit of sense to actually wait and see what the guy says today and THEN comment?
Besides, Jeter HAS already spoken out in support of Alex. He said he has the support of his teammates. Go back and check it out. Or are you just another Jeter hater who can’t wait for something to complain about?
i hope jeter comes out tomorrow and says i hate his ‘ing guts, hes a disgrace and bringing him here was a disaster.
i don’t think anyone would have even noticed that Jeter wasn’t going to speak today and criticized him for that if you didn’t lead people directly down that path in logic.
today has nothing to do with Jeter.
being up on the podium is enough.
tomorrow Jeter will issue his bland support, and that will be just fine.
“Riddler, no but I am bright enough to know there are many ways to look at a situation and your consternation about the way Jeter chooses to do it does not cause your opinion to be etched in stone.”
So why does Jeter need a day of reflection when it’s A-Rod, but has an instantaneous voice of support when it’s Pettitte or Giambi.
I’ll answer it for you Trish. Because he’s buddies with the other two and not so much with Alex.
Like I’ve been saying. He’s putting his personal vendetta ahead of the team and it’s not something I associate with a captain.
As for this:
“My issue comes more with peoples definition of what a Captain is because unless there’s a manual and a secret decoder ring that comes with the title, it’s every man for themselves on the mark they want to make.”
Yes, being a Yankees captain is really hard to decipher. You lead your team on AND off the field. Not hard, so you can keep the decoder ring and manual genius.
onions
I’m not always clear on what being a captain means but I know that’s not it.
well, then he can come back and say, sorry i was naive.
GR
“you think it makes just a little bit of sense to actually wait and see what the guy says today and THEN comment?”
Alright you need to learn how to read. This is the second time now so try to keep up.
I said Jeter should respond AFTER the presser not before and not a full day later. You’re saying Jeter needs to spend 24 hours pondering the deep recesses of this very sophisticated steroid press conference and I think that’s idiodic.
Got it? Reread if necessary.
what if jeter is having a separate presser to announce that he tested positive in 2003?
You got me. Props. I just don’t know if unconditional support is neccessarily the best path for Jeter to go. “Talk tough” was bad phrasing but I do hope Jeter’s trying to knock some sense into him — which I think could certainly help the team. The less distractions, the better.
“what if jeter is having a separate presser to announce that he tested positive in 2003?”
Then your head will explode.
Riddler, though your take may be correct, my take is that Alex’s press conference and the import afforded it by the press and the rest of the world will easily dwarf the press conferences of Giambi and Andy. Neither Giambi nor Andy were considered the faces of baseball. Neither had already held press conferences and had said things considered to be imflammatory and thus would be fodder for further questions.
To me, anything Jeter said today would be so totally buried and forgotten that it might as well not be said at all.
A statement by Derek tomorrow makes news. One today does little to nothing.
Now if tomorrow Derek falls short in what he says, feel free to judge the content. I don’t fault him at all for laying back today. Even if he had the most nefarious of intent, it still ends up being the best strategy.
“I just don’t know if unconditional support is neccessarily the best path for Jeter to go.”
Then what is the best path for Jeter? Conditional support based on how much he likes or dislikes a teammate. That’ll be a fun tightrope to walk.
“I do hope Jeter’s trying to knock some sense into him…”
I have nothing wrong with that as long as it’s done behind closed doors.
His support for Alex is shown by BEING there. His waiting to make a statement, that will be ALL he plans on saying about it, is very wise so that he CAN make this IT! Why don’t you just wait and see how he handles it and how well his stand on this issue helps get the TEAM (of whom Alex is ONE part of) focused on the season. THAT’S a Captains job.
“Neither had already held press conferences and had said things considered to be imflammatory and thus would be fodder for further questions.”
I guess you don’t seem to remember Pettitte denying doing any PED use when Jason Grimsley’s testimony was leaked years ago.
“Neither Giambi nor Andy were considered the faces of baseball.”
That is a cop-out and you know it. Giambi, Andy and A-Rod are all Yankees. Whether or not they are the “faces of baseball” has absolutely nothing to do with Jeter’s failure to act quickly and with leadership.
Behind closed doors, absolutely. Support is good, but I don’t see the need for Jeter to seem particularly happy about the situation. A-Rod messed up. Jeter should stand behind him, (literally and figuratively) but he doesn’t need to put on a fake smile and pretend that he’s not furious with this distraction on the eve of an exciting new season.
“His support for Alex is shown by BEING there.”
Yeah, Jeter showing up to a press conference but refusing to issue a statement directly after it’s over… “THAT’S a Captains job.” Right. I guess you would follow a lamb to slaughter if it showed up at the press conference first.
“Jeter should stand behind him, (literally and figuratively) but he doesn’t need to put on a fake smile and pretend that he’s not furious with this distraction on the eve of an exciting new season.”
Huh? Who said Jeter should be holding a party today?
Don’t make up stuff to service your argument.
I said Jeter should voice his support directly after the presser and when Alex and the Yankees need to hear it the most INSTEAD of waiting 24 hours to offer the same bland comments he would have offered at 2:30pm today.
I think he’s making a wise and well thought out choice. You don’t. We’ll find out tomorrow and the days after if it was the best choice or not. My money’s on Jeter.
Go Yankees! Let’s have some baseball to actually talk about!
“Go Yankees! Let’s have some baseball to actually talk about!”
Amen. Something we finally agree on.
“That is a cop-out and you know it. Giambi, Andy and A-Rod are all Yankees. Whether or not they are the “faces of baseball” has absolutely nothing to do with Jeter’s failure to act quickly and with leadership.”
No, it isn’t a cop out, and I don’t take to lying about things because they suit my purposes. Sorry about your obvious anger but that’s your problem, not mine. I have no difficulty whatsoever in what Jeter is doing and the way he is doing it. Neither do a lot of the people so it seems.
The only perfect person was crucified already and no longer walks this earth. Unless it was His word, to me your opinion is just that. AN OPINION.
See ya now. I want to get ready for the thing that is most important today – the press conference. Jeter’s comment on it are entirely secondary.
And oh yeah, here’s a clue for you. If Arod hadn’t taken steroids and lied about it, none of us would be having to hang around for this circus circus and instead everyone could be doing something much more important and pleasurable – watching the brand new acquisitions in a season that promises to be exciting.
Why does it matter? The most effective thing for Jeter to do would be to get back on the field. That would be a statement in itself: We support you, but it’s time to play some ball. Who cares when Jeter’s statement is? This isn’t about Jeter. And if he wants to lead this team, he should push everyone towards a new chapter. Go play some baseball. Make it about the Yankees, not Mr. Rodriguez
“Whether or not they are the “faces of baseball” has absolutely nothing to do with Jeter’s failure to act quickly and with leadership.”
*FEBRUARY 7TH*
*Before A-Rod’s interview aired, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and catcher Jorge Posada weighed in to reporters from the club’s Himes Avenue Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla. Both Jeter and Posada said they supported Rodriguez.*
“Alex is my teammate and Alex is going to be my friend forever,” Posada said. “I’m going to support him any way I can.”
Jeter expressed concern that results of the 2003 survey testing — which was intended to be anonymous, gauging to see if a testing program was necessary for the 2004 season — had been made public.
“They said when the Mitchell Report came out, ‘This is the end of it, everyone will move on,’” Jeter said. “Now we have this. What if something else happens? … The thing about the list that you’re supposedly concerned with is the fact that it was supposed to be anonymous.”
smothered with onions
February 17th, 2009 at 11:38 am
well maybe if you had said this about a guy:
“I’m Alex’s biggest fan. I brag on him so much that my teammates are sick of me talking about him. ”
and then read this in a magazine:
“He’s never had to lead. He can just go and play and have fun. And he hits second—that’s totally different than third and fourth in a lineup. You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie and O’Neill. You never say, Don’t let Derek beat you. He’s never your concern.”
you wouldnt be so quick to reach out to that guy would u?
————————————————————
I’m not saying that you’re an idiot, because, you don’t appear to be that smart. When Rodriguez made that quote in 2000 or 2001, it was the truth. Teams worried about O’Neill, Williams, Posada and Martinez ending the game with one swing. Jeter’s job then was to get on base early and often.
“And oh yeah, here’s a clue for you. If Arod hadn’t taken steroids and lied about it, none of us would be having to hang around for this circus circus and instead everyone could be doing something much more important and pleasurable – watching the brand new acquisitions in a season that promises to be exciting.”
Thanks smarty. I am not supporting A-Rod’s actions so I don’t know what the point of this whole diatribe is or who it’s directed at. A-Rod looks like a fool after this, but so do a ton of other players. However, it’s Jeter’s responsibility to stand by his teammates when it’s easy but especially when it’s hard.
And this is coming from a huge Jeter fan. That’s why I hold him to such a high standard and expect so much from him.
And by the way I read Jeter and Posada and Joba’s comments in response to A-Rod’s positive test.
So this:
“FEBRUARY 7TH
Before A-Rod’s interview aired, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and catcher Jorge Posada weighed in to reporters from the club’s Himes Avenue Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla. Both Jeter and Posada said they supported Rodriguez.”
…is great at all. Except my point – for the 100th time now – is that Jeter’s putting off his comments TODAY (not on February 7th) until the next day does not speak well to him as a Captain off of the field. I find it hard to dispute that – barring some kind of out of this world love-in on the part of Jeter toward A-Rod tomorrow.
If DJ offers the same ol’ bland comments tomorrow that he could’ve offered today it says something whether you like it or not.