The Yankees’ feeble October dreams were dashed for good yesterday. El Cappy went hitless for the first time on the homestand.
Today gives rain–all day and into the night. I’m sure they’ll everything they can to at least start it. Give Jeter just one at bat. Imagine if yesterday was it, though? Last at bat a ground out to first? Wouldn’t be the worst way to go, quick and painless and without too much ado.
Picture by Bags.
The Yanks and O’s play a matinee this afternoon in the Bronx.
Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter DH
Chase Headley 3B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Stephen Drew 2B
Chris Young LF
Antoan Richardson RF
Brendan Ryan SS
Never mind Father Time:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Picture by Bags]
Brandon McCarthy had a rare crappy outing and Derek Jeter had but one lousy infield hit. Still, there was the Captain in the bottom of the 9th inning, tying run on first.
One last moment? We wuz cheering. But it wasn’t to be. He struck out and the Yanks lost, 5-4.
Picture by Bags.
Three home games left for DJ.
Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Brian McCann C
Chase Headley 3B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Chris Young LF
Stephen Drew 2B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Jose Pirela DH
Never mind the sunset:
Let’s Go Yan-kees!
Picture by Bags.
We’ve payed special attention to Derek Jeter all season, taken the time to appreciate every last hit, stolen base or nice play in the field. The hits are gratifying, of course, but I think the moments that have provided the deepest satisfaction is when Jeter’s fouled off a two-strike pitch to keep an at bat alive. He did it again yesterday in his third at bat. He was 0-2 at that point with an RBI. Second pitch he rips foul down the left field line. Would have been a 2-RBI double. So what happens? Jeter works the count full, fouls off another pitch and then hits a 2 RBI double to left. Again, to left. I’m not sure if he’s cheating or if he’s slightly changed his approach but a majority of Jeter’s hits on this homestand have been to left.
Michael Pineda was fantastic, the Yanks won 5-0, and Jeter gave us reason to cheer.
The man does rise to the occasion, doesn’t he?
[Picture by Bags]
Picture by Graham Hamby via MPD.
There have been many constants in Derek Jeter’s career—hits, runs, rings, endorsements, and beautiful girlfriends—none more endearing than the site of his family watching him from the stands. They are the modern family—his father Charles is African American, his mother Dorothy is Irish and German. Fifty years ago Jeter’s blackness would have been an issue; today, in the age of Obama, race has never been an issue for Jeter—it’s as if he’s beyond race. They are often joined by Jeter’s younger sister, Sharlee, her two-year old son, Jalen, now in tow. Sometimes there’s an aunt or a girlfriend.
They are still here at the end, rooting harder than ever—suffering with every near miss—as if he were a rookie or a kid playing an American Legion game on a cold rainy spring morning. When Jeter makes an out, their suffering seems worse because the inescapable truth is that his time is short. Including yesterday’s 5-2 win over the Blue Jays in which Jeter had 2 hits for the 4th straight game, he has—what, 20-25 at bats left at Yankee Stadium? Each at bat is precious and if Jeter has retained his usual stoic countenance you can see the desperation in his parents’ reactions.
A few weeks ago, when he was in the middle of a slump, Jeter hit a ball to deep left center field against the Rays. It was his third at bat of the game (0-2: groundout, flyout, both weak) and he hadn’t turned on a pitch in what seemed liked forever. He hit it hard enough for the crowd to react but not well enough to go over the outfielders head. The ball was caught at the warning track.
The TV replay showed Charles Jeter in his seat watching the flight of the ball. Next to him, Dorothy sat up straight and said “Oh” when the ball was struck. As the watched it she said, “Please go, please go, please go.” She paused a beat and said it one last time. She jerked back into her seat when the ball was caught, clasped her hands behind her head and leaned back. Charles Jeter smiled and looked down, almost sheepish as if it was greedy to expect more.
On Friday night, Jeter sent another fly ball to the warning track in left field. He’d already gotten 2 hits in the game and there was hope that he had one last flourish left in him during his final home stand. Jeter’s dad stood up when his son hit the ball. Dorothy gasped and put her hands on her cheek, eyes were wide with concern. Her sister was next to her leaning forward, hands pressed together in prayer. Dorothy covered her eyes when the ball was caught. She fell back into her seat. Oh, a mother’s agony.
Charles Jeter smiled and sat down. Their son has given them more thrills than they ever could have ever dreamed of and you can’t blame them for wanting more.
The $64,000 question around the Yankees is will Jeter cry before the season is over? Chances are he won’t, but if he does, I suspect it will be in his parents’ arms.
If the Yanks play and lose does it matter so long as Jeets gets his two hits? Well, they played and lost yesterday but Jeter got 2 hits so you tell me.
Five home games left for the Captain. That’s what–20-25 at bats?
Tanaka’s back:
Let’s Go Yankees!
Picture by Bags.
Derek Jeter with 2 hits the last couple of games. What if he makes a thing of this during his final homestand? That’d be sweet.
Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter SS
Brian McCann DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Chris Young LF
Chase Headley 3B
Stephen Drew 2B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Francisco Cervelli
Never mind the chill:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Photo Credit: dw*c]
Couple more hits for Jeter last night as the Yanks beat the Jays, 5-3. It’d be cool if Jeets and the Yanks go on a little run here.
Friday Night fun ski.
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Carlos Beltran DH
Brett Gardner LF
Stephen Drew 2B
Chase Headley 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
Picture by Bags.
Maybe it’s the change in weather but I woke up with this morning with a scratchy throat. Then I remembered yelling–bouncing off the couch with a scream–when Derek Jeter turned around a meatball from R.A. Dickey and hit it over the left field fence for a home run. His first home run at Yankee Stadium this year.
Remember that feeling? Shouting when something good happens? I’m out of practice. Maybe that’s why my throat is raw this morning. Or it could just be the fall chill in the air.
Either way, it’s a familiar sensation. So was the look on Jeter’s face when the winning run scored in the bottom of the 9th. He shouted too, and raised his fist.
Even if this is all there is, for a moment it felt like a revival–and that’s enough.
[Photo Credit: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images]
The Yanks are back in the Bronx where they’ll play eight games in the next eight days. This is the final home stand of Derek Jeter’s career.
Ellsbury CF
Jeter SS
McCann DH
Teixeira 1B
Young RF
Gardner LF
Headley 3B
Drew 2B
Cervelli C
We’ll be root-root-rooting him on.
Never mind the curtain calls:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
“Mazda” by Miguel Laino (2012)
Yes, please.
Jeter got a hit and the Yankees won, another 1-run game. This time, 3-2.
It is condescending to celebrate Jeter getting a base hit? No. He’s got 11 more games left, 8 more at home. He’s exhausted. Hits are hard to come by. Every one is a reason to cheer. We used to take them for granted.
Now is the time to appreciate each last one.
p.s. Dellin Betances is pretty good.
[Picture by Bags]
