The Yankees didn’t give Derek Jeter $12 million to do anything other than what he has done since 1996: play shortstop.
“Our expectations and hope is that as long as he gets back physically to what he used to be, he plays short,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said Friday when the Yankees announced a one-year deal for the 39-year-old captain. “He is starting his normal winter program soon.’’
The $12 million is $5 million less than Jeter made this past season, when a three-year deal worth $51 million expired. It’s also $2.5 million more than Jeter’s $9.5 million player option that needed to be picked up Monday.
Because of a fractured left ankle that required surgery following the 2012 season, Jeter wasn’t able to work out last offseason.
A second fracture was found in mid-April and then Jeter suffered quadriceps and calf problems when he did return. He played in just 17 games.
In those 17 games, Jeter hit .190 (12-for-63). His 3,316 hits are ninth on the all-time hit list and three behind Paul Molitor for eighth.
Jeter was on the disabled list four times, costing him 145 games last season. Jeter described the season as a “nightmare’’ in August.
The injury-filled season followed a 2012 in which Jeter hit .316 and led the American League with 216 hits.
Obviously, the Yankees are hoping Jeter, who will turn 40 in late June, can resemble the player he was in 2012.
History, however, indicates expecting a shortstop Jeter’s age to play more than 100 games is dicey. Only five times has a player 40 or older started even 100 games at shortstop: Honus Wagner (1914-15) and Luke Appling (1947, 1949) twice each, and Omar Vizquel (2007) once.
Getting Jeter’s deal done likely removes free agent Stephen Drew from the Yankees’ plans. Drew is a starting shortstop and will be paid like one. Free agent Jhonny Peralta might still be in the mix because he can also play third base and the Yankees won’t know what they have there until the Alex Rodriguez suspension issue is resolved.
Because it wasn’t likely a market would develop and Jeter had a strong desire to play only for the Yankees, giving him $12 million is somewhat of a surprise. At a time when the Yankees are attempting to get the 2014 payroll to $189 million, every dollar counts.
Asked if he was comfortable giving Jeter what amounts to a $2.5 million raise and hikes the average annual value, Cashman said, “We did it.’’
Following the 2010 season, when Jeter’s 10-year, $189 million contract expired, he and the Yankees went through prickly negotiations that left Jeter annoyed.
This time, there wasn’t a repeat.
“We had a few conversations with [agent] Casey Close and obviously it was Derek’s decision,’’ Cashman said. “Neither of us were in position to haggle about anything. It was pretty seamless.’’
Few around the Yankees would bet against Jeter in any circumstance. However, his 2013 injuries can’t be ignored.
On April 18 a second fracture in his left ankle was found. Activated from the disabled list July 11, Jeter injured the right quad in his first game back and went back on the shelf eight days later. He returned July 28 and went on the DL with a right calf problem on Aug. 5. After being activated again on Aug. 26, Jeter’s season ended Sept.11 because of soreness in his left foot.
Now the Yankees’ belief is with a winter to work out instead of just working to get an ankle right, Jeter can be Jeter. If he can’t, expect a steady diet of Eduardo Nunez at shortstop.