Derek Jeter ends up wearing the goat horns in 2011
October 07, 2011
Isn’t it interesting that the New York media’s golden
boy, Derek Jeter, committed two bonehead plays in successive innings in Thursday night’s 3-2 series eliminating loss
to the tigers and yet the only thing one reads in the headlines is the .111 series batting average of $30 million man Alex Rodriguez.
Here are the two scenarios:
One--Bottom of the seventh inning and Yankees losing 3-1. They need something to happen, someone to show some leadership. The team is not hitting and it needs to manufacture runs. Who
better than their $20 million/year man.
One out, Jeter is on first base.
Curtis Granderson singles to medium deep right field. Instead of going
to third base, Jeter stops at second. Instead of runners on first and third with
one out and a somewhat wild pitcher on the mound, you have the golden boy stopping at second.
The entire complexion of the inning changes because of Jeter’s bonehead play.
I guarantee you Jackie Robinson would have been on third base and dancing down the third base line on the following
pitches. Granderson would have had a marvelous chance to steal second without
a throw because the tiger catcher would be thinking about Jeter on third base. Who
knows if Alex Rodriguez would have struck out swinging and Nick Swisher would have struck out swinging? A push or drag bunt, a passed ball, a sacrifice fly-any number of things could have occurred instead of
waiting for a double from Rodriguez and/or Swisher to score the tying runs.
Two--Bottom of the eighth inning and Yankees losing 3-2. Brett Gardner (salary $529,500) singles to center after fouling off a number of pitches. The golden boy, Jeter, is at bat again. Gardner
is halfway to second before the ball leaves the hand of the tigers’ pitcher. Instead
of letting Gardner steal second (the tigers’ catcher is not going to throw
the ball to second base and probably not to third) Jeter swings at the first pitch, shoulder high and on the outer half of
the plate. The ball ends up being caught on the warning track. Jeter is 37 years old. Has had only one season (2004) with
more than twenty home runs since 2001 when he was supposed to be a stud. Why
is he swinging at the first pitch? Why doesn’t he let Gardner get on second
base? Then you only need a single to tie the game instead of an extra base hit.
The New York media has deified Derek Jeter for sixteen years. He has been especially exalted this year in his quest for 3000 hits. Let us be honest. Due to his place hitting at the top of the
order and his position hitting in front of some of the highest paid and supposedly best players in baseball, Derek Jeter has
seen more hittable pitches in his career than anyone in the history of baseball.
Think about it.
Babe Ruth had Lou Gehrig and maybe Bill Dickey.
Ted Williams had Jimmie Foxx for a couple of years.
Willie Mays had McCovey for a few years.
Hank Aaron had Eddie Mathews and Joe Adcock for in Milwaukee.
Mickey Mantle had Berra and Skowron for a while.
Stan Musial had nobody in particular.
Pete Rose had Bench and Perez for a few years.
Tony Gwynn had nobody.
Look at all the #2,3,4,5, hitters batting behind Jeter since 1995. Consistently some of the highest paid players in baseball.
According to Ted Williams, the #1 rule of hitting is “get
a good ball to hit” and yet the man who has seen more hittable good balls than any other player in the history of baseball
swings at a lousy first pitch.
How ironic that New York’s 3000 hit golden boy ends up wearing
the goat horns in 2011.
P.s. I am sure you
heard about the Washington Court House, Ohio, high school football player alleged putting tacks in his gloves before shaking
hands with 27 members of McClain High School team at the end of the football game.
For those of you old enough to remember, Washington Court House,
Ohio is the hometown of Art Schlichter, the late 1970s Ohio State quarterback who has spent most of his adult life in jail
or gambling away other people’s money. The city is about 50 miles southwest
of Columbus, another football town known for cock-eyed behavior by its football team.
If you continue driving another 170 miles northeast, you hit Akron,
Ohio, the former hometown of the most hated man in Ohio now living and playing basketball in Miami, Florida.
Using a ruler, you can just about connect Washington Court House,
Columbus and Akron, Ohio with a straight line.
I worked in Ohio for many years and love the state and the people,
but something very strange is going on in their sports world.
George Sarkisian
Chief Executive Officer
www.GeorgeSarkisian.com
www.GradeAndComment.com
10/7/2011 12:33:00 AM
WHS football player off team
Highland Co. prosecutor reviewing reports, considering charges
http://www.recordherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=141162
Ryan Carter
Assistant Editor
The Washington High School student accused of injuring 27 McClain
High School students following last Friday's football game between the two schools has been dismissed from the football team,
according to the school's athletic director.
The accused student could
face legal action as well.
