Red Sox players praise Derek Jeter

[Divinity]

Jeter no doubt is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and he has earned the respect of players across baseball, especially Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

 

"It's not just me, it's the whole league," Pedroia said. "This guy has played the game right for a long time. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer and when he's done, I don't think there will be a bad thing said about him. He's a first-class guy. He's a winner. The highest praises you could say about a guy is what you would say about Jeter."

 

"It was great and that's the type of guy he is," Pedroia said. "He helps out young guys. He helps out older guys. He helps out everybody. The game needs more guys like Derek Jeter. It's unbelievable what he's been able to do throughout his career, and to get a chance to play against him the last five years is pretty cool, man, it's pretty cool."

 

Of the 3,003 hits Jeter has amassed in his career, he has recorded the most off Red Sox veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. In 122 at-bats, Jeter has 34 hits off Wakefield.

 

"It's a fitting tribute to a guy that has spent his whole career with one organization and has been a true professional his whole career there," Wakefield said. "For him to get 3,000 hits in the amount of time that he's done it is pretty amazing. It shows how great of an athlete he is and I have the utmost respect for him the way he goes about his business. He's as professional as anyone. It's pretty cool that I've faced him the most times of anybody."

 

Red Sox manager Terry Francona broke into a big smile Saturday afternoon when asked to discuss Jeter's career and accomplishments.

 

"If you like baseball, he's a lot of what's good in baseball. He respects the game. He plays the game right. He makes me proud for the way he goes about his business."

 

Francona first saw Jeter play as a 19-year-old prospect in the Arizona Fall League and it didn't take him long to realize the type of player he would soon become.

 

"He's the same kid with a different haircut," Francona said. "He always plays the game right. He always treats people right and he tries to beat your brains out. That's a good way to go about things."

 

Even though it took Jeter a relatively short amount of time to accomplish the feat, Francona is impressed with something else in Jeter's arsenal of talent.

 

"I don't care how long it takes," Francona said. "That's an unbelievable accomplishment. The numbers speak for themselves. I just think the other side of it is as impressive or more because of the way he conducts himself and the way he respects the game. When you're that talented, you're going to get hits if you stay out there. I appreciate the way he respects the game -- a lot."

 

"For anyone, that's a fabulous feat," Varitek said. "To be a part of it in your generation of players is pretty neat. He's been a superstar pretty much since Day 1 that I've been in this uniform and have played against him. He's carried himself that way, he's played that way and there's a reason he has 3,000 hits.

 

"A great part of my career are the head-to-head battles with that organization. That has been hundreds and hundreds of games. It's been fun. I have the utmost respect for him as a player, the way he conducts himself and the way he conducts himself as a champion."

 

For years, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has been praising Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, but on Saturday, Papelbon tipped his cap to Jeter.

 

"He's been one of the true statesmen of the game. He plays the game the right way," Papelbon said. "From my perspective, I've always loved to compete against him. Every time I have an at-bat against him, it seems like it's a 12- to 15-pitch at-bat. For me, and for this season, it's one of the high points of baseball."

 

Real rivalry comes from mutual respect

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Not surprising Jeter has some class.

[Emmz]

I've always respected Jeter more than the other Yankees, he's never done anything s***** in public like Clemens or A-Rod or some of the others. On top of that he's one of the best players I've seen. 3,000 hits is a remarkable achievement. Think about it, how many players have stepped up to the plate, how many of them have had 3,000 hits? It's a very small percentage. He'll be a legend 50 years from now.

[AtWork]

I don't have anything against him, he never gave me herpes and he's always paid for my taxi.

[redsoxrules]

He's definately going to finish in the top 10 for all time hits leaders .

[BornToRun]

I will admit one thing about Jeter. He was the last person I wanted coming up in a close game against the Red Sox, it gave me the gnawing feeling that things were about to go very wrong.

[boston22407]

i respect him and only him not that team

[Thunder]

It doesn't surprise me that he 34 of hits are against Wake.

[SoxSport]

Jeter is everybody's favorite Yankee.

[Thunder]

Jeter is everybody's favorite Yankee.

 

He's among my favorite players. He is a role model, and it is so easy for kids to look up to him.

[a700hitter]

The Derek Jeter has class stuff makes me laugh. I guess never saying anything remotely interesting or controversial and spouting one hackneyed cliche after another equates to class for lots of people. Maybe its because he doesn't spit like Garza, launch nose rockets like Boomer Wells, or lick himself like Mike Pelfrey. None of this equates to class for me. I have been saying that he is a me first prima dona for many years. He has never been able to take the slightest of criticisms or slights, and up until the last year or two he has been followed by a fawning press that has sucked his cock. When ARod gave an interview when he was with the Rangers and he said that when you play the Yankees you are more concerned with getting Tino and O'Neill out than Jeter, Jeter cut him off for good despite ARod's apologies. When the Yankees negotiated with Jeter in the press this offseason, again the precious one was tremendously offended, and the stupid Yankees overpaid him tremendously. Despite an unwarranted contract, Jeter was still upset.

 

I was happy to hear one radio station skewer Jeter for being a narcissistic punk yesterday. The program is a national show. I heard it in NY. They were all over for Jeter for two reasons. The first reason was for his pussified excuse for not going to the All Star game. He's not on the DL. He claimed to be emotionally and physically exhausted from his quest for 3,000 hits. He was so exhausted that he couldn't make the trip to tip his cap to the fans that elected him as a starter. I remember when Ortiz went to an All Star game when he was injured. Manny made up a bull s*** excuse at the time. Ortiz told the press that he told Manny that he had to show some love to the fans. That's class. Staying home to nurse your exhausted psyche is pussy crap. (Sorry for my choice of word-- no offense to women intended).

 

Speaking of disregarding the fans, the other thing that he got skewered for by that radio show was accepting the ball from the fan who caught it. Most ball players don't have their memorabilia on display in their homes. Paul O'Neil jokes that he thinks his silver slugger for his batting championship is under a couch in his basement. They don't need memorabilia. They lived it. That ball represented a lottery of sorts to the every day Joe Fan that caught it. Jeter took this thing of great monetary value (estimates put it at $500k) and gave the fan nothing in return except for some autographed stuff. The Yankees had to step up to provide some value in the form of tickets etc. I agree with the people on that radio show-- taking the ball was a weak classless act of a narcissist. Many of you may not agree with me, but that's my opinion. He has no more class than any other player.

 

Was he a great player? Yes, and I say was, because he no longer is a great player. Is he a Hall of Fame player? Yes without question. But the "classy" description. .. ? I'm not buying.

 

BTW-- I don't think he gets to the top 10 in all time hits. Looking at his performance for the last two seasons, I think he is very close to the end.

[Palodios]

Most ball players don't ave their memorabilia on display in their homes. Paul O'Neil jokes that he thinks his silver slugger for his batting championship is under a couch in his basement. They don't need memorabilia.

 

You'd be surprised, actually. From time to time NESN has specials about New England players' homes, and most of them do. I distinctly remember both Mike Lowell and Wakefield had them. That being said, I don't agree with Jeter taking the ball from a kid who could sell it and literally buy a house with the auction winnings.

[a700hitter]

You'd be surprised' date=' actually. From time to time NESN has specials about New England players' homes, and most of them do. I distinctly remember both Mike Lowell and Wakefield had them. That being said, I don't agree with Jeter taking the ball from a kid who could sell it and literally buy a house with the auction winnings.[/quote']Lot's of them give the stuff away to charities etc. Wake and lowell probably don't have a lot of stuff--lol!! They never won a CY Young, batting title etc, but Lowell did win WS MVP. Yaz gave his silver slugger for 1967 to LBJ when he visited the White House. I think it is currently in the Smithsonian.

[a700hitter]

You'd be surprised' date=' actually. From time to time NESN has specials about New England players' homes, and most of them do. I distinctly remember both Mike Lowell and Wakefield had them. That being said, I don't agree with Jeter taking the ball from a kid who could sell it and literally buy a house with the auction winnings.[/quote']Plus if Jeter wanted the ball so badly, he could bid on it at the auction. The ball was the fan's property under legal precedent set about 100 years ago. Jeter hit the ball, but the kid owned it. Jeter took it and gave nothing in return-- classless cheap f***.

[RedSox_Ruszkowski]

i think it's cool that the sox have showed some respect for jeter. he's a classy guy. but at the same time, i kind of miss the animosity towards the yankees that the players once had. pretty much before 04. i used to watch the sox/yanks games on the edge of my seat just waiting for something to blow up and start an argument. now jeter pats youk on the back at third? i get it, but i still like the classic sox/yanks brawls!

[ORS]

The Derek Jeter has class stuff makes me laugh. I guess never saying anything remotely interesting or controversial and spouting one hackneyed cliche after another equates to class for lots of people. Maybe its because he doesn't spit like Garza, launch nose rockets like Boomer Wells, or lick himself like Mike Pelfrey. None of this equates to class for me. I have been saying that he is a me first prima dona for many years. He has never been able to take the slightest of criticisms or slights, and up until the last year or two he has been followed by a fawning press that has sucked his cock. When ARod gave an interview when he was with the Rangers and he said that when you play the Yankees you are more concerned with getting Tino and O'Neill out than Jeter, Jeter cut him off for good despite ARod's apologies. When the Yankees negotiated with Jeter in the press this offseason, again the precious one was tremendously offended, and the stupid Yankees overpaid him tremendously. Despite an unwarranted contract, Jeter was still upset.

 

I was happy to hear one radio station skewer Jeter for being a narcissistic punk yesterday. The program is a national show. I heard it in NY. They were all over for Jeter for two reasons. The first reason was for his pussified excuse for not going to the All Star game. He's not on the DL. He claimed to be emotionally and physically exhausted from his quest for 3,000 hits. He was so exhausted that he couldn't make the trip to tip his cap to the fans that elected him as a starter. I remember when Ortiz went to an All Star game when he was injured. Manny made up a bull s*** excuse at the time. Ortiz told the press that he told Manny that he had to show some love to the fans. That's class. Staying home to nurse your exhausted psyche is pussy crap. (Sorry for my choice of word-- no offense to women intended).

 

Speaking of disregarding the fans, the other thing that he got skewered for by that radio show was accepting the ball from the fan who caught it. Most ball players don't have their memorabilia on display in their homes. Paul O'Neil jokes that he thinks his silver slugger for his batting championship is under a couch in his basement. They don't need memorabilia. They lived it. That ball represented a lottery of sorts to the every day Joe Fan that caught it. Jeter took this thing of great monetary value (estimates put it at $500k) and gave the fan nothing in return except for some autographed stuff. The Yankees had to step up to provide some value in the form of tickets etc. I agree with the people on that radio show-- taking the ball was a weak classless act of a narcissist. Many of you may not agree with me, but that's my opinion. He has no more class than any other player.

 

Was he a great player? Yes, and I say was, because he no longer is a great player. Is he a Hall of Fame player? Yes without question. But the "classy" description. .. ? I'm not buying.

 

BTW-- I don't think he gets to the top 10 in all time hits. Looking at his performance for the last two seasons, I think he is very close to the end.

x2

 

I think the "Jeter is classy" movement stems from the NYYF psyche. It's not enough for them to cheer for the most successful team in professional sports. They have to also condescend, relentlessly sometimes, about the superiority of the Yankee "class" as well. Take a look at any Yankee fan website, this is a prevailing meme. The Jeter "class" is a fabrication born from this desire to condescend.

[a700hitter]

x2

 

I think the "Jeter is classy" movement stems from the NYYF psyche. It's not enough for them to cheer for the most successful team in professional sports. They have to also condescend, relentlessly sometimes, about the superiority of the Yankee "class" as well. Take a look at any Yankee fan website, this is a prevailing meme. The Jeter "class" is a fabrication born from this desire to condescend.

Bingo. You hit the nail on the head. I always realized it was phony BS, but I didn't realize the motivation for it. That need to condescend extends beyond the fans into the NY Press. Michael Kay has stated publicly that he got physically ill watching the 2004 Red Sox celebrate at Yankee Stadium, because of their long hair and beards. I guess they just weren't classy enough for him. Members of the Yankee organization wanted to turn out the lights on the celebration. The Boss refused to do so, because he said that they had earned the right to celebrate. He ordered them to leave the lights on until the last player left the field. That was a classy move.

[BornToRun]

i think it's cool that the sox have showed some respect for jeter. he's a classy guy. but at the same time' date=' i kind of miss the animosity towards the yankees that the players once had. pretty much before 04. i used to watch the sox/yanks games on the edge of my seat just waiting for something to blow up and start an argument. now jeter pats youk on the back at third? i get it, but i still like the classic sox/yanks brawls![/quote']

 

I think that's still there to an extent, you just don't hear about it as much. I guarantee that is animosity there. Maybe not involving Papi or Pedey but you know Tek doesn't like A-Rod and I'm sure Beckett and the Yankees aren't very fond of eachother. I think the main reason is the Yankees don't wanna mouth off after we kicked their asses in the last 2 fights between the teams.

[BornToRun]

Bingo. You hit the nail on the head. I always realized it was phony BS' date=' but I didn't realize the motivation for it. That need to condescend extends beyond the fans into the NY Press. Michael Kay has stated publicly that he got physically ill watching the 2004 Red Sox celebrate at Yankee Stadium, because of their long hair and beards. I guess they just weren't classy enough for him. Members of the Yankee organization wanted to turn out the lights on the celebration. The Boss refused to do so, because he said that they had earned the right to celebrate. He ordered them to leave the lights on until the last player left the field. That was a classy move.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I hated Steinbrenner and I admit it was big of him to keep the lights on while the team celebrated. And I'm thankful that I'm not the only one who ever rolled his eyes when the subject of class came up during the typical media's blowing of Derek Jeter. Everything he does is so overrated and magnified. The guy is good, but he doesn't walk on water like some seem to think.

[redsoxrules]

BTW-- I don't think he gets to the top 10 in all time hits. Looking at his performance for the last two seasons, I think he is very close to the end.

 

he only needs 300 hits and he's 37 years old . He has 2 and a half season to do so .

Unless he gets injured he'll make it

[Emmz]

The Derek Jeter has class stuff makes me laugh. I guess never saying anything remotely interesting or controversial and spouting one hackneyed cliche after another equates to class for lots of people. Maybe its because he doesn't spit like Garza, launch nose rockets like Boomer Wells, or lick himself like Mike Pelfrey. None of this equates to class for me. I have been saying that he is a me first prima dona for many years. He has never been able to take the slightest of criticisms or slights, and up until the last year or two he has been followed by a fawning press that has sucked his cock. When ARod gave an interview when he was with the Rangers and he said that when you play the Yankees you are more concerned with getting Tino and O'Neill out than Jeter, Jeter cut him off for good despite ARod's apologies. When the Yankees negotiated with Jeter in the press this offseason, again the precious one was tremendously offended, and the stupid Yankees overpaid him tremendously. Despite an unwarranted contract, Jeter was still upset.

 

I was happy to hear one radio station skewer Jeter for being a narcissistic punk yesterday. The program is a national show. I heard it in NY. They were all over for Jeter for two reasons. The first reason was for his pussified excuse for not going to the All Star game. He's not on the DL. He claimed to be emotionally and physically exhausted from his quest for 3,000 hits. He was so exhausted that he couldn't make the trip to tip his cap to the fans that elected him as a starter. I remember when Ortiz went to an All Star game when he was injured. Manny made up a bull s*** excuse at the time. Ortiz told the press that he told Manny that he had to show some love to the fans. That's class. Staying home to nurse your exhausted psyche is pussy crap. (Sorry for my choice of word-- no offense to women intended).

 

Speaking of disregarding the fans, the other thing that he got skewered for by that radio show was accepting the ball from the fan who caught it. Most ball players don't have their memorabilia on display in their homes. Paul O'Neil jokes that he thinks his silver slugger for his batting championship is under a couch in his basement. They don't need memorabilia. They lived it. That ball represented a lottery of sorts to the every day Joe Fan that caught it. Jeter took this thing of great monetary value (estimates put it at $500k) and gave the fan nothing in return except for some autographed stuff. The Yankees had to step up to provide some value in the form of tickets etc. I agree with the people on that radio show-- taking the ball was a weak classless act of a narcissist. Many of you may not agree with me, but that's my opinion. He has no more class than any other player.

 

Was he a great player? Yes, and I say was, because he no longer is a great player. Is he a Hall of Fame player? Yes without question. But the "classy" description. .. ? I'm not buying.

 

BTW-- I don't think he gets to the top 10 in all time hits. Looking at his performance for the last two seasons, I think he is very close to the end.

 

I never said he was classy, I said he was one of the more respectable Yankees. Also, you're pretending that you know what's going on in Jeter's personal affairs. I'll never claim to know someone I don't know is classy, because I do not know them. This applies to calling them names like weak and classless as well. Also, who gives two shits if he doesn't wish to participate in the All-Star game, for all you know, he might have thought he didn't deserve it so he made up some excuse as to why he was too exhausted to play in it. If he would have said that as his reasoning, you'd rip his tits for that too, saying it's a press move. Hell, if he went, people would just rip him because he honestly doesn't deserve to be there.

 

I agree that there is no one here, unless they know him personally, who should be making judgments about his class, this includes you.

[a700hitter]

I never said he was classy, I said he was one of the more respectable Yankees. Also, you're pretending that you know what's going on in Jeter's personal affairs. I'll never claim to know someone I don't know is classy, because I do not know them. This applies to calling them names like weak and classless as well. Also, who gives two shits if he doesn't wish to participate in the All-Star game, for all you know, he might have thought he didn't deserve it so he made up some excuse as to why he was too exhausted to play in it. If he would have said that as his reasoning, you'd rip his tits for that too, saying it's a press move. Hell, if he went, people would just rip him because he honestly doesn't deserve to be there.

 

I agree that there is no one here, unless they know him personally, who should be making judgments about his class, this includes you.

Oh Emmz, I didn't characterize him as classless. I said that he had done nothing for me to believe that he had any more class than any other player. I do stand by my statement that taking the ball from the fan was a "weak classless act". It is my opinion, based on his public actions, that he is a thin-skinned narcissist. I don't think that is too harsh. It's not like I called him a racist 30 years after he died,and I did say that it was just my opinion. I realize that DJ will probably never have dinner with me if he reads my post, but I'll have to take that risk.

 

As for the All Star game, I think his excuse for not going was really weak. The fans had elected him based almost entirely on sentiment. He should have had enough class to show up and acknowledge the sentiment. It is a showcase for the fans and ultimately he owes everything he has achieved to the fans.

[a700hitter]

he only needs 300 hits and he's 37 years old . He has 2 and a half season to do so .

Unless he gets injured he'll make it

With 78 hits half way into the season, I am not so sure. His decline has been on a steep trajectory the last two seasons. There is no guarantee that he has two years left in him. Look at Robbie Alomar's last two seasons. He aged in dog years at the end.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

A700 rant for the win!

[BornToRun]

http://www.torontobaseballguys.com/jeter.html

 

I laughed very hard while reading this.

[Palodios]

15. Salary - $19 million per year. Jeter has ranked in the top 5 in salary for the past 4 seasons. It's the only category in which he has placed in the top 5 for those four seasons.

 

45. Derek Jeter: sex symbol. Sure, he's clean cut, but he also looks "like the Rock had sex with a muppet." This quote is actually from Jeter himself, in drag as a Yankees fan during a Saturday Night Live sketch. Granted, he gets a little bit of credit for poking fun at himself. That said...

 

[/Quote]

 

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

http://www.torontobaseballguys.com/jeter.html

 

I laughed very hard while reading this.

 

Lol at 6, 18, and 33. Oh and what's up with the 2005 gold glove? He didn't deserve it or something?

[AtWork]

x2

 

I think the "Jeter is classy" movement stems from the NYYF psyche. It's not enough for them to cheer for the most successful team in professional sports. They have to also condescend, relentlessly sometimes, about the superiority of the Yankee "class" as well. Take a look at any Yankee fan website, this is a prevailing meme. The Jeter "class" is a fabrication born from this desire to condescend.

 

Makes sense. And that would explain why a Yankees fan found it necessary to go on a Red Sox forum and start a thread about how classy Jeter is.

[a700hitter]

Makes sense. And that would explain why a Yankees fan found it necessary to go on a Red Sox forum and start a thread about how classy Jeter is.

An excellent observation.

[Emmz]

Oh Emmz, I didn't characterize him as classless. I said that he had done nothing for me to believe that he had any more class than any other player. I do stand by my statement that taking the ball from the fan was a "weak classless act". It is my opinion, based on his public actions, that he is a thin-skinned narcissist. I don't think that is too harsh. It's not like I called him a racist 30 years after he died,and I did say that it was just my opinion. I realize that DJ will probably never have dinner with me if he reads my post, but I'll have to take that risk.

 

As for the All Star game, I think his excuse for not going was really weak. The fans had elected him based almost entirely on sentiment. He should have had enough class to show up and acknowledge the sentiment. It is a showcase for the fans and ultimately he owes everything he has achieved to the fans.

 

You're making character judgments based on limited knowledge of his personal affairs. It sounds pretty much like what I described. Yeah maybe he should have just shown up to the ASG, but it's not that big of a deal, some other guy who's more deserving will get his spot.