How will Jeter respond?
At some point today, there will be a circle of reporters around Derek Jeter’s locker, seeking a response to the comments made yesterday by Hank Steinbrenner about players building mansions and losing their hunger to win a championship.
In case you missed it, Steinbrenner had told a handful of reporters that the 2011 Yankees look hungrier to him, something that was lacking last season. Someone asked Steinbrenner who should be held accountable when the team isn’t focused, and the reply came back:
“Two years ago, ’09, I saw that hunger. Nobody (is held accountable). Sometimes it’s an actual thing. The Steelers won the Super Bowl two years ago, last year they didn’t get it done. This year they at least got back to the Super Bowl. I think maybe they celebrated a little bit too much last year. Some of the players are too busy building mansions and other things and not concentrating on winning. I have no problem saying that. I think they’ve come into this spring with a new hunger. That’s what it takes, man. That’s what it takes to win.”
Another reporter asked the obvious question – how many other players besides Jeter had built huge mansions in 2010?
“I’m not singling anybody out. Maybe they were riding the wave of ’09 a little too much. That happens. Psychologically, that happens. This year, in spring so far, from what I’ve seen and from what I’ve been told by everyone that’s down there with them – our coaches and so forth – they’ve come in with a real new drive and determination, the kind they had in ’09.”
In fairness, CC Sabathia also constructed a huge house in Alpine, N.J. that got publicity, but Sabathia won 21 games and was in contention for the Cy Young Award. Jeter, on the other hand, had a season he himself was disappointed with and then engaged in difficult contract negotiations with the Yankees.
If you know Jeter at all, you can imagine how he’ll detest being placed in a position to address this — not only because it’s about his Tampa area house, which he’s previously said he will not discuss publicly, but more importantly because his hunger to win a championship has apparently been called into question by a Steinbrenner.
I’ll admit, I didn’t see this one coming. It will be interesting to see how Jeter responds.
Bryan Hoch
Hey Hank…………….just shut up!!!