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Break out Jeter back in postseason swing after effective Game 2
By John Giannone, CNNSI.com NEW YORK -- The dictionary defines catalyst as "a person or thing that precipitates event or change." With his bat, his glove, even his smile, Derek Jeter has been the Yankees' definition of a catalyst in his five full seasons in New York. But for the first time since he burst to baseball stardom and pop-idolatry, Jeter has endured an offensive slump this fall both perplexing and annoying. And the Yankees' inexplicable tumble from grace often has mirrored Jeter's struggle. Indeed, Jeter had become a catalyst of the worst kind. But Wednesday, in the midst of a 4-for-22 October daze and seemingly lost down that humbling path of failure, Jeter rediscovered his catalytic powers. No, Jeter didn't lash five hits, wreak havoc on the bases or power Seattle's pitchers into oblivion in a 7-1 victory over the Mariners. Game 2 was more about crawling before walking. But the message was delivered. Jeter reached base four times in five plate appearances. He worked counts in his favor. He worked the count more than he has in a month. He waited on John Halama's hanging curve and banged a single to center in the third. He capped a spirited seven-run, eighth-inning surge with a two-run home run to right field -- significant not only for what it means to Jeter, but also to the Yankees, who have hit two home runs in their past 88 innings. Jeter also benefited from some fortune when he reached on Mark McLemore's first-inning error. And although he struck out with a runner on third to end the seventh inning, Jeter still emerged with a sense of confidence not only in his stroke, but in the notion that his slump has been busted. "I know Jeter walked by me one time [on the bench] and I said, 'You guys are really trying' and he just sort of looked back and smiled," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "You try to find ways just to turn that knob, but there's just that human part of the game." "Hitting is contagious," Jeter said. "I feel like it's starting to come back around. I feel a little more comfortable. Hopefully this is the start of something around here." Not coincidentally, as Jeter was rediscovering his magic wand, the Yankees were reaffirming their swagger. Yet there would have been no over-the-hump Wednesday if Jeter hadn't "precipitated change" by changing his approach at the plate. That change was prompted by a telephone call early Wednesday afternoon from Gary Dembo, a Yankees minor-league instructor who has become to Jeter what Butch Harmon is to Tiger Woods -- a swing coach and a confidante. Dembo compared video of Jeter's recent plate appearances to those from earlier this season, when Jeter was swinging his way to what would end up a stellar .337 batting average. Jeter listened, heeded the advice and then reached base in Game 2 on an error, a walk, a single and the two-run homer. Of course, Jeter refused to divulge what he learned from Dembo. "I'm not going to give my secrets away," he said. "But I know what I did worked tonight so I'm going to keep doing it." After Game 2, one secret is out. Jeter is ready to be a catalyst again.
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