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There have been a lot of numbers surrounding Derek Jeter lately.
In the offseason, the shortstop and team brass had differences before aggressing to a new contract worth $51 million. More recently, it’s been whether he will bat first or second in the Yankees’ lineup.
But now that the season is starting, the number that figures to be talked about just as much early on will be 3,000.
Jeter heads into Opening Day in The Bronx just 74 hits shy of becoming the 28th man to achieve the feat, but not surprisingly, he insists the approaching milestone isn’t weighing on his mind.
“I’m just looking at this year like every other year,” Jeter said during the Yankees’ workout at the Stadium on the eve of the season opener this afternoon against the Tigers.
“No different.”
But after a somewhat rough offseason — which Jeter says is in the past — that featured an unusually testy and public negotiation, having something else to focus on may be a good thing.
And though his teammates know how important 3,000 is, they don’t expect Jeter to change his attitude, even as he gets closer.
“I think he’ll handle it the way he always does,” Mark Teixeira said. “He never lets anything get to him, so I don’t see why this would be any different. It’s going to be exciting for everybody.”
Jeter spent yesterday’s workout lacing balls to left field during a pull drill as he continues to become comfortable with the swing he and hitting coach Kevin Long came up with, which eliminated Jeter’s stride, late last season.
He’s at 2,926 hits and his next will tie him with Al Simmons for 35th all-time, as he tries to become the first Yankee to ever reach the number.
During the spring, Jeter said he would try to “appreciate the journey and have fun with it.”
That journey continues today and will be considerably easier if the adjustments to his swing pay off and he’s hitting .300 when the number comes, as opposed to limping toward the achievement.
“One thing about Derek, he doesn’t let anything get to him,” Teixeira said. “And that’s part of what makes him good.”
dan.martin@nypost.com