Despite being known as a consummate winner with five World Series rings to back that up, New York Yankees captain and shortstop Derek Jeter has as much to prove as any player heading into the 2011 Major League Baseball season.
Even as Jeter begins a campaign that should see him become the first Yankee to reach 3,000 career hits, the 36-year-old has been honing a new batting style to prove he still has what it takes after suffering through his worst year at the plate.
Jeter hit .270 with 10 home runs and 67 runs batted in 2010, for his lowest batting average in 15 seasons as New York's starting shortstop. His on-base percentage of .340 and slugging percentage of .370 were also career lows.
Adding insult to the sting of a subpar season, were comments from Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner, who said the club, eliminated by Texas in the League Championship Series one step away from the Fall Classic, may have lacked focus.
The Yankees won a record 27th World Series title in 2009.
"Sometimes you celebrate too much, players concentrating on building mansions and not concentrating on winning," Steinbrenner said at spring training headquarters in Tampa.
That was widely interpreted as a dig against Jeter, who is building a 30,000 square foot, $9.5 million estate along Tampa Bay dubbed by local residents "St Jetersburg."
With Jeter's 10-year, $189 million deal completed, he was told to shop his talents if he did not think he was getting a good enough offer to remain, even though the classy shortstop had made it clear he had no desire to play for any other team.
In the end, Jeter signed a three-year pact worth $51 million and no tears need be shed for the 11-time All-Star who will have earned more than $200 million in his Yankees career.
The proud Jeter, always known as a clutch performer and now within 74 hits of the revered 3,000-mark, is determined to bounce back in the batter's box, working with hitting coach Kevin Long to take a wider stance and cut down his stride.
Countering Jeter's habit of diving into a pitch, the better to drive an outside offering into right-field, pitchers have been successfully tying him up with inside fastballs.
Facing challenges late in a brilliant career is a common theme on the team -- Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera also date their pinstripe tenures back to the 1995 championship campaign that began New York's latest run of success.
Rivera has remained brilliant even at age 41, but New York made their lone free agent splash this off-season by signing former Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano to set him up and serve as insurance. Posada has been told his catching days are over and to prepare for a season as designated hitter.
The stakes are high, for as Jeter and the other veterans go, including 35-year-old slugger Alex Rodriguez, so go the Yankees.
Even as Jeter begins a campaign that should see him become the first Yankee to reach 3,000 career hits, the 36-year-old has been honing a new batting style to prove he still has what it takes after suffering through his worst year at the plate.
Jeter hit .270 with 10 home runs and 67 runs batted in 2010, for his lowest batting average in 15 seasons as New York's starting shortstop. His on-base percentage of .340 and slugging percentage of .370 were also career lows.
Adding insult to the sting of a subpar season, were comments from Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner, who said the club, eliminated by Texas in the League Championship Series one step away from the Fall Classic, may have lacked focus.
The Yankees won a record 27th World Series title in 2009.
"Sometimes you celebrate too much, players concentrating on building mansions and not concentrating on winning," Steinbrenner said at spring training headquarters in Tampa.
That was widely interpreted as a dig against Jeter, who is building a 30,000 square foot, $9.5 million estate along Tampa Bay dubbed by local residents "St Jetersburg."
With Jeter's 10-year, $189 million deal completed, he was told to shop his talents if he did not think he was getting a good enough offer to remain, even though the classy shortstop had made it clear he had no desire to play for any other team.
In the end, Jeter signed a three-year pact worth $51 million and no tears need be shed for the 11-time All-Star who will have earned more than $200 million in his Yankees career.
The proud Jeter, always known as a clutch performer and now within 74 hits of the revered 3,000-mark, is determined to bounce back in the batter's box, working with hitting coach Kevin Long to take a wider stance and cut down his stride.
Countering Jeter's habit of diving into a pitch, the better to drive an outside offering into right-field, pitchers have been successfully tying him up with inside fastballs.
Facing challenges late in a brilliant career is a common theme on the team -- Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera also date their pinstripe tenures back to the 1995 championship campaign that began New York's latest run of success.
Rivera has remained brilliant even at age 41, but New York made their lone free agent splash this off-season by signing former Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano to set him up and serve as insurance. Posada has been told his catching days are over and to prepare for a season as designated hitter.
The stakes are high, for as Jeter and the other veterans go, including 35-year-old slugger Alex Rodriguez, so go the Yankees.
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