Jack’s Blog

Alex Rodriguez was almost set up to fail from the beginning.  If he wasn’t born with amazing skills, he developed them shortly thereafter and took to showing off his sensational ability while still in his teens playing for the Seattle Mariners.  Then he became a free agent and Scott Boras made him rich - and screwed him up - with plenty of help from A-Rod himself.  As the story goes, A-Rod wanted to play for his childhood favorite team, the New York Mets.  Instead his agent, none other than barracuda Boras talked him into what agents do best - taking the most money, as in 10 years, $252 million with  the Texas Rangers - the biggest deal in sports history (by $63 mil).

He got traded in 2004 to the New York Yankees where he flourished.  And it wasn’t just baseball in which he excelled.  There were beautiful women on his arm (arms?) seemingly everywhere he went.  All were famous superstars in their own right.  He was the absolute toast of the town.  Yet his teammate, Derek Jeter was always a bit more popular.  It was Jeter who was Mr. Yankee.

2007 was the end of that mega contract.  Naturally, he was going to sign another (since he had just completed an MVP season).  Rodriguez wanted to remain a Yankee for the rest of his playing days, yet Boras, accused of some people (all of them?) of being a media hound made the announcement A-Rod would opt out of the contract.  And Boras let the world know of the decision during the eighth inning of Game Four of the World Series.  Supposedly, A-Rod negotiated the new one without Boras’ assistance.  This time he had to settle for 10 years and $275 mil.

Yet, after additional success on the field, he became the latest in a series of baseball’s best to admit steroid use (including others who have fought and lost in the court of public opinion).  Rodriguez said he used during his Texas years.  Now, he’s really struggling.  He’s not had a good year, followed by a worse post-season, going so far as being benched.

During the latest game, after failing to reach base his first three at-bats, he was pinch hit for.  Allegedly, he had a ball boy toss a baseball to a couple of women inscribed with a message asking them for their numbers.  What happens next is anybody’s guess.

As has been said on television - and is one of my sons’ favorite lines:

“Unlike my hair, the plot thickens.”

Between a follow-up medical trip to Stanford and another AAU tournament, this blog’s on another hiatus - until next Monday.

It’s natural for a question comparing Derek Jeter getting his 3000th hit - and the fact that it was a dinger - with the penalty kick victory by the USA women’s soccer team - who was left for buried until Abby Wambach’s miracle header tied it.  Why is it natural?  Because, as ESPN’s commercial states, it’s not crazy; it’s sports.  It’s what talk show hosts do (such a strategy fills up hours for talking heads, who can blame them)?  It’s what fans love to do.  They get to show off their knowledge (or ignorance) of their favorite past time.

This situation, however, was absurd.  It’s female against male which is a catalyst for debate.  But what makes this a moot argument is more than gender.  The women’s accomplishment was one made by a team; Jeter’s was individual.  The only thing individual about the women’s victory is their goal keeper’s name is Solo.  The USA victory was a do-or-die situation.  If Jeter failed to reach his milestone, he would have many more chances.  Basically, the two events are completely unconnected.  But that doesn’t mean the question didn’t evoke a plethora of attention.

Beside the male-female point, there’s the baseball vs. soccer angle.  Plus, the popularity of Jeter vs. the relative anonymity of the USA team members.  On numerous occasions in this blog space, the quote by John Harbaugh on why he refuses to compare is appropriate here since each event stands on its own for greatness/clutchness:

“I’ve got this rule.  We make no comparisons.  Somebody is going to be devalued.”

My mother’s side of our family was from Brooklyn.  A couple of my older cousins took me to Ebbets Field when I was four years old.  My father, a Yankees fan, always claimed I had been brainwashed.  The family next door, composed of three boys close to my age, were big fans of the Yankees.  As big as I was of the Dodgers.  Between the ages of, say, 6-12, we had the normal types of arguments kids that age have.  The ones which are based on emotion, especially when the facts didn’t back your side.  Duke was better than The Mick; nobody was better than Sandy.

Unlike the true fan, my interest faded when I started playing ball in high school.  I immersed myself in my teams and, while I still followed the Dodgers, I was no longer a fanatic.  The older I got, the less attention I paid toward my childhood favorites.  Yet, I still hated the Yankees.  To me, they just stood for . . . too much.  Too much winning, too much money, too many stars, too much Steinbrenner.

My hatred waned when Joe Torre became the manager.  I’d always liked Torre as a player, thought he was a classy guy and, later in my life, enjoyed reading his book.  Plus, coaching basketball in college consumed my life.  I just couldn’t find the time for any team other than the one which was providing me a living.  Which is another problem to be discussed at another time.

This stroll down memory lane has a point.  I’ve been reflecting on how I think I would have felt had Derek Jeter got his 3000th hit when I was a youngster.  Maybe I’m giving my self too much credit, forgetting how immature my thoughts and feelings were at that time.  But if ever there was a role model, a team player, a true good guy, Jeter is about as close a candidate as exists.  Consider the social media of today and how Jeter has avoided the controversy most superstars of his ilk have been subjected to.  Maybe Jeter isn’t squeaky clean, but, remember, when I was a kid, Yankees fans were idolizing those players.  And no one knew what Whitey, Mickey and Billy were doing.

200 hits/year is usually the standard for a great hitter.  In order to get to 3000, a player would have to accomplish that for 15 years.  Kids, or adults, can argue against the greatness of Derek Jeter, but they need to reminded:

“The worst part of an argument is when you get to the point where you realize you’re wrong.”

Derek Jeter is Mr. Yankee.  The organization has even referred to him as the modern day Babe Ruth.  Fans love him, women want to be with him, men want to be like him and, more importantly than all of that, he’s led his team to World Series championships.

What could possibly ruin such a marvelous relationship?  Turns out it’s time for him to sign a new contract because he’s not quite ready to retire.  Who can blame him?  His numbers were the worst of his career but he’s still better than many at his position and he’s a colossal draw.

The Yankees have made him a rich man beyond his wildest dreams and he’s added value to one of the most popular organizations in all of sports.  The Yankees have offered him 3 additional years at $15 million per year.  Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, reportedly wants $23 million a year for 4 or 5 years.  Apparently, the talks have become so contentious that the Yanks told Jeter and Close to test the open market.

Would Derek Jeter really consider finishing his career in a uniform other than the pinstripes?  Most people think not.  They believe that if ever someone was destined to play for one team throughout his career, that person is Derek Jeter.  I can still remember when Jackie Robinson quit rather than put on a uniform other than the Dodgers (especially that of the hated Giants).

It’s hard to believe to think that Jeter feels like he actually needs more than $15 million a year to live on, so could it be pride, the pride of the Yankee?  Conversely, it’s not like the Yankees can’t afford to fork out the kind of money the Jeter camp is demanding.  In my mind, the reason behind Derek Jeter vs. New York Yankees story has to do with the way sports are managed today.

His agent is the one who’s making this situation into the mess it’s become.  Casey Close probably makes 3-4% of Jeter’s contract.  The difference between $15 million and $23 million is, as incredible as it sounds, insignificant to Jeter.  Unless he’s a complete fool - and while there may be professional athletes who are sure fire bets for the Fools Hall of Fame, Derek Jeter is nowhere to be found in that category - he has more than enough money socked away that neither he, nor anyone he deeply cares about, will ever be in any type of financial bind.  And don’t think for a minute that the Yankees are hurting for dough either.

Casey Close has quite a few big money clients but . . . 3% (using the low end) of $45 million is $1.35 million, while 3% of $92 million (only 4 years at $23 mil per) is $2.76 million, or a difference of $1.41 million.  That is a significant number for a guy whose talent is squeezing negotiating teams on behalf of his clients and whose reason for being isn’t that of those he represents, e.g. World Series championships, Gold Gloves or MVP awards but, rather, the accumulation of money.  And power.  But the power comes from the money.  There’s the rumor of Close leaving Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to start up his own conglomerate.  It’s all about ego - which comes from the number of powerful clients - which means the guys who command . . . the most money).

Close is a brilliant guy who knows a strong hand when he’s holding one.  He’s made the statement that Derek Jeter’s value to the New York Yankees cannot be overstated.  Wise move.  To many, Jeter is the all-American boy and the Yankees, even to their fans, are the big bad bully.  Close is also smart enough to make sure Alex Rodriguez’s salary is brought into play.  But if A-Rod retried, or said he’d take less money (both of which are extremely doubtful), does anyone think for a (New York) minute that Close would back off his asking price?

Substituting “agent” for “umpire” in Christy Mathewson’s quote is right on the money as far as sports are viewed today:

“Many baseball fans look upon an agent as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile.”

As Derek Jeter squared to bunt, the pitch came inside, right at his fists.  The ball ricocheted out toward the playing field as Jeter pulled back, grimacing in pain.  He held his left wrist and asked for the Yankees’ trainer to come out and check on the severity of his injury.  Except instant replay showed (and the audio confirmed) the ball hit the butt end of the bat, never touching Jeter.

To the naked eye, the play initially had fans holding their breath, as it looked as though the, arguably, most valuable and respected player in MLB might be forced to miss time down the stretch of a crucial pennant race due to a pitcher (intentionally?) throwing too close.  After viewing the replay, it was obvious Jeter had just pulled off an acting job worthy of a nomination for leading actor in a reality series.

The question being tossed around on talk radio, in offices and barbershops is “gamesmanship or cheating/”  The majority opinion, as far as I’ve heard, is “it’s baseball; whatever a player can do to help his team win, outside of something illegal (seems like we’ll never be able to get away from the steroids issue) is OK.”  Even Tim Kirkjian chimed in, somewhat embarrassingly, with his take, saying Jeter’s move was nothing short of brilliant.

One thought: is the fact that the player involved is Derek Jeter influence how people feel about perpetuating this fraud?  If it were, say, Nyjer Morgan or Manny Ramirez, or stretching the imagination a little more, Barry Bonds or Pete Rose, would the reactions be the same? 

If any sport would condone a deceitful act like this one Jeter successfully pulled off, it would be baseball, steeped in traditions such as hit the opponent’s best player if their pitcher hit yours, stealing opponent’s signs and, most recently, refusal to expand video play - even though other major sports do because they understand that modern technology can help determine which team truly deserved to win.

My feeling about what Derek Jeter did?  Sweet move.  Some (obviously clever) guy named Michael Iapoce said:

“Reputation is character minus what you’ve been caught doing.”