Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeteris an American former professional baseball shortstop who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseballfor the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is regarded as a central figure of the Yankees' success of the late 1990s and early 2000s for his hitting, baserunning, fielding, and leadership. He is the Yankees' all-time career leader in hits, doubles, games played, stolen bases, times on base, plate appearancesand at bats. His accolades include 14 All-Star selections, five Gold...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth26 June 1974
CityPequannock, NJ
CountryUnited States of America
People say this is the greatest offense ever. But let us play awhile. Names don't win games. You have to play the games.
I've never even thought about it. Maybe because I don't have any kids. I know it's a big problem, but I just never thought about it. I've never had any reason to bring awareness (about it) to myself. What Joe is doing is groundbreaking. I think it's a lot harder to be the first person to talk about it. Maybe more people will start because of him.
It doesn't make a difference who we play. It won't be a problem for people to get up for the games. We have 20 games left. Everyone knows what's at stake.
We get a lot of people here. It's always been that way. It seems like every year we get a big-name guy: Clemens, Knoblauch, Matsui, Alex, Jason, Johnny, Randy. So it's really nothing new for us.
The Angels are playing as well as any team in baseball. I think it's what people are expecting for it to come down to, the Yankees and Red Sox, but we have our work cut out for both of us.
There are people on this team who have had great individual seasons, put up numbers, won awards, done this or that, but the bottom line is that we're trying to win. Who cares what numbers you put up, what accolades you get; you want to win. If we're going to win, we have to do the little things.
Baseball in the past has taken a back seat to some of the other sports in terms of expansion. This is a huge step. You've got the players' association and the owners coming together on this. I think it's a great idea. People have questioned the timing of it, but when you think about it, when else are you going to have it?
Sometimes people complicate things by thinking too much about what someone might think of what they said or did.
Through time you learn from your experiences. I think I've learned to deal with people a little bit better over time. That in particular has developed a little bit.
I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That's all mental. It messes people up.
The number one priority is playing baseball. There are so many people in New York trying to get you to do this and get you to do that, which is fine, but you have to take care of yourself.
I wish I trusted people more. But when I meet someone, the first thing is, 'What does this person want?' And I put up a defense mechanism. But I've always been that way.
I always have tried to treat people with respect, the way I want to be treated.
You're a person a lot longer before and after you're a professional athlete. People always say to me, 'Your image is this, your image is that.' Your image isn't your character. Character is what you are as a person. That's what I worry about.