Captain Courageous

The Yankees finally belong to Jeter




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
July 2, 2004

Never have I witnessed a play where a player sacrificed his health and possibly his playing career as I did when I watched Derek Jeter sprint after Boston Red Sox Trot Nixon’s 12th inning pop fly. Jeter ran full bore into foul territory and snagged Nixon’s ball before momentum carried him into the stands where he went crashing, face first, into the seats.

As Jeter landed the numerous fans that scurried to get out of the shortstop’s way huddled back around him, attempting to help him up. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who followed the play, climbed into the stands and as the Yankees’ captain stood up Rodriguez began waving for help to the Yankees’ dugout.

Jeter, in all of this pandemonium, managed to hang onto Nixon’s ball and the out was recorded. As he climbed out of the stands everyone could see he was bleeding from his chin and he had a nasty abrasion below his right eye. Even before Jeter reached the dugout the area below the eye began to swell up like a helium filled balloon. Jeter’s heroics turned the Yankees’ fortunes around, yet, again. On a night where the offense was marginal and defense costly that one play energized Jeter’s teammates to will themselves to a hard earned 13 inning victory. While Jeter was being carried by ambulance to the local cut and sew for an examination, Ruben Sierra, Miguel Cairo and John Flaherty carried the team to a morale crushing win over the Sox.

At the beginning of the year the Sox beat the Yankees six out of seven times and everyone, including yours truly, was wondering where the heart of this team was. Where was the leadership? It was a floundering team. Everyone in and around Boston was already dialing up their World Series ring orders. As it has been said time and again, a baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint.

Slowly, but surely, the Yankees climbed the ladder while the Sox began to slide down it. Coming into this series the Sox trailed the Yankees by 5-1/2 games. They now trail by 8-1/2 games. This was a demoralizing defeat for the Yankees’ arch rival. But keep in mind, it’s only July and there is still half a season of baseball left. Yogi said it best. “It ain’t over until it’s over.” Last night the Yankees proved that.

Last night, too, Derek Jeter made the New York Yankees his and his alone. Even all-world Alex Rodriguez said that was the greatest catch he has ever seen. I can’t think of one better. Last night’s game was a game for the ages. It was a game that has come to exemplify the tradition of the Yankees. All the ghosts were in the house last night. Mystique and Aura were in the stands. It is a game that will carry the Yankees throughout the remainder of this season. One more thing. Move over Lou Gehrig, there’s a new “Pride of the Yankees” occupying space at Yankee Stadium and his name is Derek Jeter.

PLAY BALL!



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