He didn't. Only thing he did (I'll reiterate) is save the trainer a jog to 1st base. There's NO WAY the Yankees think their franchise player got hit on the hand.....and don't check him out.
He could have just went to first and wave off the trainer. Not everyone who gets hit gets a visit from the trainer. Of course they think he may have been hurt and actually hit by the ball because of the way he acted.
Do you think Jeter has gotten a visit from the trainer everytime he has been hit? No! It could have been the 25th player on any team and the trainer would have come out when the player doesn't immediatly run to 1st instead of staying near home plate acting like he is in pain. Again....just take your base.
Here is a quote from Jeter............ Asked about his exaggerated reaction -- Jeter is a player who rarely acknowledges legitimate injuries -- Jeter said: "You don't want it to look like he's completely wrong. If you get hit with a pitch, it usually hurts. My job is to continue to sell it, I guess. You don't want him to reverse the call."
He did a sell job, and it was a dang good one. The ball clearly hit the bat and it looked like Jeter's reaction was to jump back. The ump says he was hit by it, and the trainer thinks that their star player just got hit on the hand, and comes out. Even if Jeter were to call the trainer off, he wasn't going to go back to the dugout. The ump awarded Jeter 1st and he didn't argue. He took the base. He made the smart play. Umpires make bad calls all the time. It really is part of the game. To me it's no different than a bad call at first, or an outfielder selling a trap in the outfield.
Im not sure how many of have played baseball. It was in my family, grandfather played minor league ball, My dad was heavily scouted but chose the military instead and I was pretty good. Played a lot of traveling teams when I was younger and played Varsity all through school. When you have a 90 mph ball hit the bat within a mere fraction of your hand, your still going to feel it. Hasnt anyone ever hit a ball and instantly you felt the pain in your hands from the vibration. It happens a lot more with wooden bats. Im not saying he didnt over react but trust me, it is painful when you catch a ball on the slim part of the bat.
I could be all wrong, here. But, one of the first things that came to my mind is........is he acts at all like he didn't get hit, he's showing up the umpire. D. Jeter wouldn't do that (and, again....I have NO love for the Yankees - as a Red Sox fan). IMO, he did everything right. Throughout the course of a season/career, he'll have WAY more calls go against him than for him (perception - on a personal level). So will everyone else.
lol. That sounds like a quote from Ricky Bobby. So, there is first place, and the next place is the first loser. So, the last place team in MLB last year was a bunch of losers?? I would love to see you tell a 12 year old boy that is crying because his Dad thinks he is a loser for striking out that he really is a loser. After all, he sure isnt a winner right? Guys with this attitude are the reason I got involved in coaching many years ago. The only people I have ever seen thrown out of a ball-game were pretty sure winning has never been oversold too. In my book, they were losers. I'll stick with the soccer moms and recognize there is a lot more to being a winner than first place at any cost.
Showing up the ump by acting like he didn't get hit? Thats a stretch. We have all seen players actually get hit and they run to first like they were issued a walk and not just taken one in the ribs. Wouldn't that be showing up the ump too? I think Jeter is one of the best players of my lifetime. It just caught me off guard with that at bat and how he acted.
I got caught off guard by it making a stink. It's a non-issue (IMO). Stuff like this happens many, many times throughout a MLB season. What do you tell your kids when the calls go the other way? Is THAT "fair"? Or, do you tell them the umpire is fallable?
Yeah... unless I'm missing something. Do you call it 2nd place to make everyone feel all giddy inside? Do you think management is taking them out for ice cream after the season? Win as a team ... lose as a team. And you can stop putting words in my mouth. I'm not calling anyone losers on the teams I coach. I'm just not going to sugar coat NOT winning into something it isn't so little johnny feels good about losing and soccer mom can walk away with a big smile on her face. Matter of fact what are you teaching them? Accept losing? Be complacent. Don't try to get better? Don't compete? Are you out there to be a babysitter/camp director or a coach? There must be a different world out there. Because the real world I live in doesn't work like that. Did he "win" something for striking out? Can't really call him a winner can you? Ditto.... for the opposite reason. Was sick of watching kids not get coached or learn from when they didnt' succeed or understand when the did succeed..... why and what it meant. Got tired of the smiles and pats on the back for little johnny that just heads back to the dugout with no clue why he struck out. Will be up to bat again and 98% chance he'll strike out again. And 100% chance he'll still have no clue but will be greeted with "good try kiddo" and some more pats on the butt. But.... hey! he felt good about it anyway. If that's the way people want to "coach" (babysit) that's fine. But please don't tell me for one second it does a single thing for the kid as a person or athlete. And I have parents and kids calling me from 15 years ago thanking me. Rah rah!!! EVERYONE IS A WINNER!!!!!!!!!
Better get in touch with the real world. I think you would be surprised at the things that happen in youth sports every day. And its driven by the Ricky Bobby mentality that if you arent a winner, you are a loser. Sad.
