Spring Break
Yankee fans need to suck it up
Chris Kyne
Issue date: 4/3/03 Section: Sports
Like Mr. Timberlake says over and over on pop stations all across the country, "Cry me a river."
Of course this line is directed to all you wallowing Yankee fans who witnessed Mr. Stud himself go down with a serious shoulder injury on opening day versus the Blue Jays. Every single Yankee fan is doing their best Jeter impression, wincing in pain, now that New York's star shortstop will be shelved for a while.
Cry me a river, but do not look for any sympathy from me. Jeter's injury happened at about the best possible time. Now let me say I never like to see anybody get injured, but if a superstar has to go down, better now then in early September. Jeter's injury is serious and the rehab will be long and difficult. However, at the worst, he will be back for the stretch run. He will be back for the playoffs. He will be back for another World Series run.
Jeter's two spot in the lineup can be filled. Nick Johnson will get a chance. Bernie Williams could move up if needed. Jason Giambi is still batting third. Hideki Matsui looks like a better than average hitter. Jorge Posada is no slouch. Raul Mondesi may still have something left.
The pitching hasn't gone anywhere. In fact, Jeter will be missed more defensively than in the lineup. Besides being a gifted athlete who can make plays, Jeter runs the defense. He tells everyone where they need to be, where to go and he also aids Soriano as he learns to play second base.
My point here is to not feel too bad for the Yankees. Without Jeter, the Yanks would still win more than 90 games. However, if the Yanks ever had to go through the playoffs without Jeter, that is when they would miss him the most. Jeter is the consummate winner. He leads verbally and by example. He is clutch when it matters most. He makes the big plays and gets the big hits. Jeter simply basks in the glow of the post season.
Fortunately for the Yanks, he will be back well before the playoffs and the Yanks are good enough to make the playoffs without their leader. The Boston Red Sox learned what playing without a superstar was like two seasons ago when Nomar Garciaparra missed most of the season with a wrist injury. Without Nomar, the Sox floundered. However, even with Nomar, the Sox probably do not make the postseason that year.
The Yanks can absorb the loss of a Jeter, while when Nomar went down, the Sox did not have a fighting chance. Of course even this year the Sox making the post-season is not a guarantee, even with a healthy Nomar. The closer-by-committee approach has been a disaster. Alan Embree couldn't finish off a happy meal, let alone somebody on the Tampa Bay Devil Ray's. Chad Fox looks about as hittable as a Tim Wakefield fastball. The only bright spot is Ramiro Mendoza, the former Yankee.
Only time will tell whether Boston's bullpen will be good enough for the Sox to make any noise this fall. Until then, the Kynedog and the rest of Red Sox nation will hold our collective breath each and every time Grady Little strolls out of the dugout and pulls a starter in the sixth inning.
DCKYNEDOG@yahoo.com
Of course this line is directed to all you wallowing Yankee fans who witnessed Mr. Stud himself go down with a serious shoulder injury on opening day versus the Blue Jays. Every single Yankee fan is doing their best Jeter impression, wincing in pain, now that New York's star shortstop will be shelved for a while.
Cry me a river, but do not look for any sympathy from me. Jeter's injury happened at about the best possible time. Now let me say I never like to see anybody get injured, but if a superstar has to go down, better now then in early September. Jeter's injury is serious and the rehab will be long and difficult. However, at the worst, he will be back for the stretch run. He will be back for the playoffs. He will be back for another World Series run.
Jeter's two spot in the lineup can be filled. Nick Johnson will get a chance. Bernie Williams could move up if needed. Jason Giambi is still batting third. Hideki Matsui looks like a better than average hitter. Jorge Posada is no slouch. Raul Mondesi may still have something left.
The pitching hasn't gone anywhere. In fact, Jeter will be missed more defensively than in the lineup. Besides being a gifted athlete who can make plays, Jeter runs the defense. He tells everyone where they need to be, where to go and he also aids Soriano as he learns to play second base.
My point here is to not feel too bad for the Yankees. Without Jeter, the Yanks would still win more than 90 games. However, if the Yanks ever had to go through the playoffs without Jeter, that is when they would miss him the most. Jeter is the consummate winner. He leads verbally and by example. He is clutch when it matters most. He makes the big plays and gets the big hits. Jeter simply basks in the glow of the post season.
Fortunately for the Yanks, he will be back well before the playoffs and the Yanks are good enough to make the playoffs without their leader. The Boston Red Sox learned what playing without a superstar was like two seasons ago when Nomar Garciaparra missed most of the season with a wrist injury. Without Nomar, the Sox floundered. However, even with Nomar, the Sox probably do not make the postseason that year.
The Yanks can absorb the loss of a Jeter, while when Nomar went down, the Sox did not have a fighting chance. Of course even this year the Sox making the post-season is not a guarantee, even with a healthy Nomar. The closer-by-committee approach has been a disaster. Alan Embree couldn't finish off a happy meal, let alone somebody on the Tampa Bay Devil Ray's. Chad Fox looks about as hittable as a Tim Wakefield fastball. The only bright spot is Ramiro Mendoza, the former Yankee.
Only time will tell whether Boston's bullpen will be good enough for the Sox to make any noise this fall. Until then, the Kynedog and the rest of Red Sox nation will hold our collective breath each and every time Grady Little strolls out of the dugout and pulls a starter in the sixth inning.
DCKYNEDOG@yahoo.com