When Will Jeter Be A Leader And Move Positions
There is little argument as to who the most popular player on the Yankees is, and do not think for a second that Derek Jeter is not aware of this. He has used his popularity to gain a 189 million dollar, ten year contract. But with that contract about to expire, it will be interesting to see if his popularity will overcome his lack of performance on the field.
There has been much talk of Jeter changing positions. His current position at short-stop requires a level of skill that thirty-six year old Jeter clearly can not longer supply. A position change would be for the betterment of the team, but is Jeter truly a team player? Apparently not. He refuses to even discuss such a change, at least with the media. Though we have no way to knowing what goes on behind closed doors, it is not hard to imagine that this attitude continues there as well.
As usual, Jeter wants what he wants, and he is used to getting it. However, the demands of the younger, more physically capable Jeter were much more likely to be handed over than to the aging, veteran version. One thing is certain. It will be interesting to see if Jeter has it in him to do the right thing on his own, or if the Yankees will have to force a change.