Highlights from Jeter’s press conference (with video)
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Feb 17, 2013 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
When Derek Jeter sat behind the microphone this morning, there was a pause before anyone asked a question. That’s when Jeter joked that the press conference must have ended quickly. But with Jeter, there’s always plenty to talk about.
Jeter didn’t say anything about his contract — “My focus is only on getting back April 1,” he said. “I can’t think about what’s going to happen next year, or two years from now.” — and he wouldn’t comment on Alex Rodriguez’s latest PED controversy. Instead, he talked a lot about his ankle and his absolute belief that he’ll be back by April 1.
Here are some highlights, starting with video of Jeter answering a question about whether Opening Day is a realistic goal.
On his offseason
“My offseason was terrible. Absolutely terrible. … Physically. Mentally it was rough, too, but more physical. I was stuck on the couch for a good five, six weeks where I really couldn’t move around too much. From the point I had the injury I had to wait a week for the surgery and then the next three or four weeks I’m just basically sitting there with my leg elevated. So physically it was a challenge. I don’t want to make it seem more dramatic than it is, but you got to learn to walk again, so in that sense physically it was a challenge, and then mentally it’s a challenge when you sit on the couch and you can’t get anywhere. I had a little scooter I could to move around, but it was tough. It was not fun.”
On whether he knew he was running the risk of breaking his ankle
“No. I didn’t know that. Initially it was a bone bruise that progressed from there. After it was originally diagnosed, maybe four or five weeks after it happened, they told me it was a bone bruise. I’m not going to ask them to look at it again. You just keep playing. And then eventually it turned into a stress fracture and broke in half. But no, I wasn’t aware of that. If you can play, you play. Like I always told you before, I don’t think you ever really talk about injuries because then it’s an excuse. I was told I was able to play so I played. Unfortunately it broke, but I would do the same thing over again if I had to.”
On when he’ll run on the field for the first time
“I took the last few days off. I would assume tomorrow, but that’s just making an assumption. I haven’t spoken to the trainers. The last few days, I didn’t do anything. I pretty much do that every year before spring training starts. I’ve only been running on a treadmill up to this point, but I would have to assume if not tomorrow then the next couple days.”
On his range of motion with a plate and screws in his ankle
“The plate and screws, I guess you can take them out if you really want to take them out, but I’ve been told there’s no need to take them out, so they’re going to stay. Range of motion, I pretty much have all of it back now. We’ve tested it as compared to the other ankle, and we’ve kept the log of how it’s been progressing throughout the offseason, and it’s pretty much all the way back.”
On watching the end of the postseason
“It was tough. Was it Game 2 I didn’t see much of because I was at the hospital getting tests? I saw, I think, towards the end of the game. I have a problem watching games anyway, but it was rough to watch. It’s unfortunate. I tell you guys all the time, sometimes teams go hot, sometimes they go cold. It seems like our entire team went cold at the same time. So yeah, it was tough to watch, especially in the playoffs. I’ve never had to do that before.”
On the age of the Yankees
“We’re experienced. What can you say? We’ve got guys that are older than maybe some other teams, but sometimes you can use that to your advantage. That’s why I said the other day that we’re more experienced instead of saying we’re older. If you win then we’re experience. If you lose, we’re old. But I’d like to think the other guys are viewing it the same way. I don’t think you go out on the field thinking to yourself how old you are. It may sound corny, but we’re playing a kid’s game, so when you’re playing the game, you actually feel as though you’re a kid. That’s just always been the way I’ve looked at it.”
On whether he’s spoken to Mariano Rivera about the rehab process
“No. I’ve never worried about Mariano’s motivation. I don’t think he’s ever worried about mine. I reached out to him and he’d changed his number – he changes his number a lot – so I couldn’t get a hold of him. But he was working hard. We were able to see him last season in and out of the clubhouse, so you know that Mo’s going to work hard. No, we haven’t spoken about it at all. I saw him today. ‘How are you feeling?’ That was pretty much it in terms of the injury. We didn’t have any long conversations about it.”
Something so odd about Mo constantly changing his phone number so Jeter can’t get a hold of him.
He had a scooter to get around??
Hasn’t he heard of crutches?
A few thoughtsvfrom the earlier threads:
If they have no plans to use Nunez in a utility role then he won’t be on the 25. It makes no sense to carry a guy who can only caddy for Derek.
If Dan Johnson can play both corners that would be a happy surprise. It would also certainly improve his chances of making the club, but since he can’t play middle infield and CoJo can’t play ss my guess is Nix makes the team.
Aceves is a moron. I’m shocked Boston hasn’t cut bait with him.
I think if healthy we are going to see special seasons from Pronk, Youk and Ichiro.
Abe,
His house is 3/4 of an acre. A scooter is fine.
“If they have no plans to use Nunez in a utility role then he won’t be on the 25. It makes no sense to carry a guy who can only caddy for Derek.”
Kinda does until they see how Jeter can move with his bionic ankle
Blake,
If Derek can’t play then he can’t play and Nunez plays in his place. But if Jeter is healthy, Nunez will b ein Scranton. You are talking about a four person bench. One spot is the BUC, you need a reserve OF and then two more spots. Assume for a minute that spot goes to a corner inf, either Johnson or Mustelier that leaves one spot for someone who can back up the middle infield. If Nunez is the guy then you don’t have anyone backing up Cano.
From the sounds of it, they may be planning on Jeter getting more time at DH (which is smart), so Nunez could get significant playing time and that justifies his spot on the team.
They don’t need a dedicated 1B backup like Johnson because Youkilis can play 1B.
I can see the Yanks carry a bench with Nix, Nunez, Diaz and Cervelli/Stewart to start the season. They need to caddy Jeter until they are certain if he is healthy. If they DH him against lefties, are you comfortable sending Nix out there to play short that often?
A guy like Mustelier may prove valuable because he can play third and OF.
Girardi was equivocal in describing Nunez’s role: Girardi said he does not expect Nunez to play any other positions this spring. “For right now,” Girardi said.
This after Cashman said the opposite just one month ago:
In a reversal from his previous stance, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said if Eduardo Nunez is going to be a Yankee this season, it will be as a utility player.
“If he is at the big-league level, he is going to have to,” Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com. “We have everyday guys at other positions. If he makes our club, it will be at a utility role.”
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-yo.....ayer-again
_
So it really doesn’t matter what they say. The plan is subject to change at any time, just as it always has with Nunez, and it’s part of the reason why he can’t gain sufficient confidence to be reliable.
“If Derek can’t play then he can’t play and Nunez plays in his place. But if Jeter is healthy, Nunez will b ein Scranton”
I think Nunez will play primarily SS until they see what Jeter is able to do….if he looks fine then maybe they will start mixing him in at other spots…..I think Nunez wil be on the club…,can’t see any way he’s back at Scranton
This has probably already been said but it sounds like Hafner will DH against righties and Jeter will DH against lefties. Nunez would cover shortstop against lefties and that’s where he’ll spend most of his time in the field. But they will also use him at shortstop to give Jeter a day off and perhaps at third. They may also PR Nunez to get him into games.
I think Hafner will DH vs RHP and Jeter, Nunez, and Youk will kinda all share the primary DH spot vs LHP
Yeah, I think you have to start the year with both Nunez and Nix. Nunez or Jeter would be the RH DH against lefties w the other starting at short … Diaz would likely platoon w/either Gardner or Ichiro — depending on the binder — against lefties.
I think Gardner has to be given the chance to play everyday, in CF.
I’d like to see Gardner in CF also, though it sounds like Girardi is not committed to that.
I think theybare leaving Nunez at ss for the same reason they left Montero at catcher; it’s better for his trade value if other teams don’t see him stink at multiple positions.
Granderson should start in CF – for another team.
I don’t get it. They need to find out what Gardner is. It may seem like he is young, but this will be is age 29 season, and they only have two more seasons with him under their control. He is almost certainly a better CF than Granderson.
They are only renting Granderson, at this point.
I don’t see what interest is served by not moving Granderson to a corner OF spot.
I think that the bench will be: Stewart, Nix, Johnson, Mesa
Rich,
Not p*ssing off Granderson for one. I fthe upgrade isn’t that great then annoying Granderson by demoting him buys you nothing.
“I think theybare leaving Nunez at ss for the same reason they left Montero at catcher; it’s better for his trade value if other teams don’t see him stink at multiple positions.”
In retrospect, I think the most logical explanation for Cashman saying only last month that Nunez would be a supersub, was to boost his trade value.
Chip
Why does that matter to them? He’s leaving.
And I disagree. I think the upgrade could be significant. Gardner may not be as good as AJack in CF, but he could be really good.
If the Yankees had interest in making Nunez a super sub then they would have done it last year when he was demoted to AAA.
Granderson has declined by sabermetric fielding each of the past 2 seasons. He was ranked last out of all CFers last year. There is no way that Gardner in CF , Granderson in LF would not be a huge defensive upgrade.
I don’t think Granderson is the kind of guy who would get bent out of shape by the move. Its something all CFers go through eventually.
Rich,
It matters because he isn’t leaving tomorrow, he is leaving in 9 months, and why go through a season with an annoyed player if you don’t have to.
Gardner isn’t part of the long term future either, he’s 30, nearly a free agent and not as good as the guy’s behind him. What’s the upside? Realistically, how many plays will Gardner make out there that Curtis wouldn’t? And wouldn’t you just be making the team weaker in LF which, at Yankee Stadium, plays like CF?
Seems like a lot of squeeze for very little juice.
If moving Gardner to CF has a chance to win the Yanks just 1 more game over 162 they need to do it….. It’s very likely that their margin of error wil be razor thin this year….every marginal upgrade that can be done anywhere should be done
Jerkface,
Eventually, yes.
But having it happen in his walk year might annoy Curtis.
Blake,
That’s just silly talk. The season is not coming down to Brett vs. Curtis in CF
Incidentally, saber fielding is garbage, even stat experts agree on that.
Chip
Gardner is more a part of the future in NY than Granderson, and he’s better. That should be enough to put Gardner in CF.
btw, “Annoying” Granderson in his walk year could be a net positive for both parties.
“That’s just silly talk. The season is not coming down to Brett vs. Curtis in CF”
It’s really not…..most likely you’re right and it won’t….but it’s possible that Gardner playing CF wins them an extra game of the course of a season and it’s also possible that they could make or miss the playoffs by one game too
Chip says:
February 17, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Incidentally, saber fielding is garbage, even stat experts agree on that.
You don’t really need defensive metrics to see that Gardner is a better defender than Grandy at this point
I have to run.
What a shame about Mindy McCready. RIP
Mindy mccready died? Man…RIP
Rich,
Annoyed or not Granderson won’t be here in 2014, but the distraction a p*ssed off player may create could cost the team a lot more games than Curtis in CF.
The gap in ability between the two exists, but it isn’t that huge that it is worth upsetting the apple cart. A manager’s job is about managing egos as much as anything.
And Gardner could be gone after this year too. Or supplanted by a better CF.
I think at this point the talent gap IS that huge. LF in NYS plays like CF, but CF in NYS plays like a bigger CF than the LF plays at and the CFer covers both LCF and RCF where as the LFer only covers LCF. What you miss in this kind of shallow thinking is that most LFs in baseball are NOT like NYS, so you’re wasting Gardner in 81 games a year. Granderson isn’t as fast
Sabermetric fielding stats are not ‘garbage’ and if you want to go by visual scouting Gardner crushes Granderson anyways. The amount of extra plays Gardner would make would be in the double digits at atleast. In Gardners last full season he had a 24 range factor. Granderson -19. He made 120 out of zone plays and only missed 12 balls ‘in zone’. Granderson only made 80 OOZ and missed 21 balls ‘in zone’. By the fielding bible Gardner was in the 20s in Plus/Minus runs saved. Grandy -10.
Or supplanted by a better CF.
–
This is unlikely. Traded possibly, but no one on the roster or the minors or free agency is supplanting Gardner in center.
Face,
Heathcott could.
Actually, the defensive gap between Gardner and Granderson is pretty massive. Worrying about a player’s feelings or something, no that’s not as important as putting the best defensive OF you can on the field. Granderson is a pro, he’s classy, he would handle it fine.
You’re going to have great fielders on either side of Granderson. He will be fine in CF. Again, it’s shuffling deck chairs and won’t have enough positive impact to make it worth the possible negative of having a disgruntled player
Kevin,
No player is going to be classy about a demotion that is going to cost him money.
Marketing yourself as a centerfielder is better than as a leftfielder.
Heathcott could.
–
Not in 2014.
Chip,
If by fine you mean, one of the worst CFers in baseball, then yes. It doesn’t matter if he has good defenders on either side, CF is responsible for the most plays in the OF. Move him to where he can be successful.
I just don’t see it a smore than a marginal upgrade. If it happens, fine. If it doesn’t happen, fine. Maybe Girardi thinks that Curtis would have more trouble learning LF than he would playing CF.
Of course I am biased since, while I think Granderson is hot garbage and can’t wait for him to be gone I also think Brett is only slightly less overrated than Joba.
Maybe Girardi thinks that Curtis would have more trouble learning LF than he would playing CF.
–
It would be a first that a CFer sucked at LF more than he would have sucked at CF. Granderson has played LF for 120 games in his career, what would he have to learn?
Gardner is so overrated that he is universally regarded as an elite defender? I could understand if this was about his hitting, but defensively?
Jerkface,
Ball comes off the bat at different angles in the corners than it does in cf.
He’s fast, no doubt about it. He can catch up to a lot of balls but his arm is as weak as his bat and his speed makes up for the fact that he doesn’t always take great routes. And yes, the fact that he’s 30 and I am sick of people talking about him like he is still a young player on the rise colors my judgement.
Ball comes off the bat at different angles in the corners than it does in cf.
–
And Granderson’s biggest problem is on hits directly at him in center, which would happen far less infrequently in CF. He played LF for 120 games, not counting college where he also played LF some. Its asinine to think that a centerfielder is going to suffer moving to an easier position. Somehow Gardner managed to do just fine.
Granderson is never going to make a big stink about being moved to LF. He may prefer CF, but he’s not going to cause problems on the team. That’s just not his personality.
Blake is right that this is likely not a dominant team in the division and they need to get every little improvement they can. A G/G switch is an obvious improvement.
Gardner’s arm is not weak, it’s stronger than Granderson’s, have you been watching?
Gardners arm is both stronger and more accurate. Its not an above average arm, but certainly better than Grandersons. I also meant that would happen infrequently in LF because the ball is always going to be hooking or cutting away.
I just think it is much ado about nothing