Shouldering the blame

Recovered from a bum wing, Jeter is poised for a big year

It was a different kind of offseason for Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. There was the day he asked a friend what the date was and, when told the 27th, he naturally assumed it was Nov. 27. It wasn't. It was Oct. 27. "I'm used to playing on Oct. 27," he said with a laugh. "It was weird." There was also a 10-day trip to Belize. Most important for the Yankees and Jeter, though, there was the day he could lift weights above his right shoulder. That's something he hasn't been able to do for the past two years.

Jeter hurt the shoulder lifting weights shortly after the 2000 World Series. He has had to scale back his weight training ever since -- until this winter. The shoulder finally felt sound enough for the five-time All-Star to resume his usual strength workouts. It's no coincidence that the 28-year-old showed up in camp this year weighing a solid 202 pounds. He finished last season at 188 pounds. He is noticeably a bit thicker through the shoulders and chest.

Jeter is no excuse-maker. There was no doubt, for instance, that the tumble he took into the stands while catching a pop-up in the 2001 Division Series took a physical toll on him throughout the rest of the postseason, though you'd never get him to admit it. I'll never forget Jeter hobbling on and off the field in between innings in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, his legs and ankle clearly bothering him. Yet, after the contest, he wouldn't come close to admitting that he was injured. So you won't find Jeter making a connection between his inability to properly strength train and his diminished pop at the plate last year.

"No, I'm not going to say [the shoulder injury] had an effect on me," he said. "It is what it is, that's all. I couldn't do any exercises where I raised my arms over my head. Last year it just never clicked for me at the plate. I don't know why. I just never felt comfortable until really the last couple of weeks of the season, and then the postseason."

What you will get from Jeter is this: the expectation that he can put up numbers similar to his 1999 season. That year, his best as a pro, Jeter hit 24 homers, drove in 102 runs, slugged .552 and racked up 346 total bases -- all career highs.

"I think I can do that, easy," he said. "But what's important is that I have a job to do, and that is to help us win. With [Alfonso] Soriano, I have a leadoff hitter in front of me who gets 50 doubles. My job is to move him over. Once in a while Mr. T [manager Joe Torre] will let me swing away, but the bottom line is winning. Don't forget, in 1999 I batted third for a while, so you have more [RBI] opportunities. I'll do whatever they want me to do, whatever helps us win. Last year was a bad year because we didn't win. That's all that matters."

Jeter's slugging percentage has dropped every year since '99. His 44 extra-base hits last season were his fewest since his 1996 rookie campaign. Still, he remains a dynamic offensive player because of his baserunning skills (59 steals in 65 attempts the past two years), his ability to hit almost any pitch hard, and his situational hitting. And even if you take 2002 as a down year, Jeter at his worst is still a close facsimile of Ichiro Suzuki. Check out the 2002 comparison:

Down year?
Player	R	TB	XBH	RBI	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG
Jeter	124	271	44	75	32	.297	.373	.421
Suzuki	111	275	43	51	31	.321	.388	.425

Jeter suffers, however, when compared to the power-hitting shortstop trinity of Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada and Nomar Garciaparra, and when his contract is compared to others in the sport's high-rent district. Derek's pure numbers might not reflect an $18-million-a-year value, especially in this baseball economy, but check how many Jeter jerseys you see at Yankee Stadium, check the Yankees' radio and TV ratings and check Jeter's play in October. The Yankees play for the postseason every year, and how comforting is it to have a premium shortstop who is as reliable against the best teams and best pitchers in the pressure cauldron of October as he is in the other six months of the season? Jeter's batting, on-base and slugging averages in 82 postseason games (.314, .381, .469) almost mirror his career regular season totals (.317, .389, .463).

Unable to strengthen his upper body properly the past two years, Jeter concentrated on flexibility and agility exercises. He says that emphasis led to his having the best defensive season of his career in 2002 -- even though the statistics don't reflect it. Jeter's range factor has been below the league average five straight years, and his 2001 and 2002 range factors were the lowest of his career.

"Definitely, I think last year was my best year," Jeter said of his glovework. "You can't go by number of errors, but I know I got to more balls that I didn't get to in the past. I felt my range was better and all-around agility was better by far."

Two years ago Tim Salmon's shoulder hurt so badly he could not lift weights during the season. The Angels outfielder lost weight and suffered through a miserable year. Then, after getting the shoulder fixed, Salmon bounced back with a strong campaign in 2002, more in line with his previous years. Jeter's shoulder may not have been stressed as badly as Salmon's, but don't be surprised if Jeter's extra-base numbers get a boost this year. Salmon knew immediately last spring training that his old pop had been restored. Regarding his own situation, Jeter, ever careful, said, "It's too early in the spring to say that." Check back in October.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers the baseball beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com.

 

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