Jeter was “pretty angry” about public negotiations
Derek Jeter admitted he grew frustrated with the public nature of his negotiations with the Yankees, mentioning several times that he was upset at how he was being portrayed.
“I know they said I had an ego. People said I’m greedy. The perception was greed, when it’s a negotiation. I think it all started with my ‘salary demands,’ which still cracks me up. What position do I have to demand a salary? Give me this, or what? Where am I going?”
But what seemed to rankle Jeter the most was the suggestion that general manager Brian Cashman made when negotiations were stalled, saying that Jeter should test free agency and see if there was a better offer out there than what the Yankees were giving.
“I was pretty angry about it, but I’ve let that be known. I was angry about it because I was the one that said I didn’t want to do it. I was the one that said I wasn’t going to do it. To hear the organization tell me to go shop it when I just told you I wasn’t going to – yeah, if I’m going to be honest with you, I was pretty angry about it.”
Jeter was asked if he is still angry at the situation, and he said that all parties can move on together.
“No, it’s over. It’s one big happy family. Everybody’s up there [at the podium]. You move past it, it’s over with, and I won’t bring it up again. … I’m happy because this is where I wanted to be, and this is what was going to make me happy.”
Bryan Hoch
