This has been the strangest of Yankees offseasons.
Players are jumping the Good Ship Pinstripes faster than you can cry: “A-Rod overboard.’’ The Yankees are going about their business like a small-market club, not the financial Goliath they have been through the years.
An old staple, though, was back at home last night as Derek Jeter returned to Yankee Stadium for his annual Turn 2 Foundation Holiday Express. He was smiling, looked good and, most important, vowed he would be ready to go Opening Day against the Red Sox April 1 after fracturing his left ankle in the ALCS on Oct. 13.
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When I asked Jeter if he expected to be in that lineup, he said, “Yeah. Why not? I did it like seven weeks ago. We still have quite some time before Opening Day. There’s no reason why I can’t be ready Opening Day.’’
Jeter is wearing a walking boot on the left foot. As for when the injury occurred, he admitted, “I played on it for quite some time. I guess I just pushed it a little too much and finally it broke. It’s not too often that I go down and stay down. I just couldn’t get up, and at that moment I knew that my season was over with. It’s tough to deal with, to play the entire season to get in that position, so close to the World Series. It’s tough.’’
He said he is well on the road to recovery.
“I’ve been walking out on this boot for about a week, 10 days, so, yeah, it was a tough five or six weeks, pretty much sitting on the couch with your foot elevated, but now I feel as though I am moving around pretty good,’’ he said. “I think I’m right where I need to be.’’
As the Yankees get older, injuries happen. Alex Rodriguez needs left hip surgery and is out until July. Eric Chavez bailed on the Yankees and is headed to the Diamondbacks for one year at $3 million. The Yankees wanted to sign Jeff Keppinger to help fill the gaping hole at third, but he signed with the White Sox for three years, $12 million.
Russell Martin left for the Pirates, signing a two-year, $17 million deal. Down in Nashville yesterday at the Winter Meetings, super agent Scott Boras took a shot at the Yankees, telling reporters in his annual State of Scott speech: “I think the model to be a Goliath is wholly different than the approach they are taking.’’
Goliath is being hit by many slingshots.
“In terms of Chavvy and Russell going somewhere else, you play with these guys for years and you are with them every single day, you don’t like to see anyone go but I think it’s something you learn to deal with over time,’’ Jeter said. “With Alex it’s unfortunate. You just want him to get back healthy.
“Other guys are going to have to step up. We’ve lost a lot of people throughout the years, especially last year. You can’t sit around and hang your head, you have to move forward.’’
Jeter said it’s early and the Yankees may have something up their sleeve. “Who knows who is going to be on our team next year?’’ Jeter said. “I stopped paying attention to all the rumors in the offseason a long time ago.’’
What does he make of the attempt to contain payroll?
“I don’t know what to make of it,’’ he said. “It’s the Yankees. Just when you expect us not to do something, something happens, that pretty much has been the norm the 17 years that I’ve been here. So I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t pay attention to payroll, tax benefits; it’s too much for me. I wouldn’t be surprised by anything that happens, but the offseason is not over.
“I check the nametags when we get into spring training and let’s see who we have.’’
All Jeter knows for sure is that on Opening Day he plans to be in the lineup.