CLEARWATER, Fla. — The proof you need to argue that Derek Jeter should remain the Yankees’ leadoff hitter was on display under a brilliant blue Florida sky yesterday at Bright House Field.
That’s when Jeter, hitting second behind Brett Gardner, banged into a rally-killing, 4-6-3 double play to end the third inning.
As the Phillies turned the hard-hit grounder into two outs, you could hear the gears in Joe Girardi’s head grinding.
Jeter had hit into 24 double plays in 2008, so in 2009 Girardi decided his shirtstop and captain wasn’t going to cut it in the No. 2 hole. So, when Jeter returned from the World Baseball Classic, Girardi flipped Johnny Damon and Jeter; making Jeter his leadoff hitter and using Damon in the two hole between Jeter and Mark Teixeira.
Jeter responded by hitting .334, scoring 107 runs, reducing his GIDPs by six and helping the Yankees win a World Series title.
With Damon gone to Detroit last season, Girardi stayed with Jeter atop the lineup and used Nick Swisher (82 games), Curtis Granderson (21), Nick Johnson (21) and Gardner (17) in the second spot. Jeter hit second in 18 games.
Jeter slumped to a career-low, .270, scored 111 runs and hit into 22 twin-killings. And the Yankees lost to the Rangers in the ALCS.
Jeter’s nose-dive in batting average led to a late-season mechanical change with his left (front) foot that has carried into this spring.
And there was Jeter yesterday, batting second, with Gardner leading off.
“We will continue to do it. It’s something we will have a meeting within the next week to talk about it,” Girardi said. “It’s an experiment. To me, it’s not a huge deal.”
For some, it might be, because Jeter is a Yankees icon: He has five World Series rings, is the all-time franchise leader in hits and is 74 hits shy of 3,000 for his career.
“You are talking about Derek Jeter and anytime his name is mentioned it’s going to be a big story,” Girardi admitted.
Last year, Gardner hit ninth and Jeter first so they were together. Girardi said yesterday he has spoken to Jeter about where he will hit in the lineup.
“He just wants to play,” Girardi said.
Naturally, Gardner isn’t in a position to ask or dictate where he hits.
“It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other,” said Gardner, who went 2-for-4 in yesterday’s 8-1 victory and led the Yankees last year in on-base percentage at .383.
For what it’s worth (and don’t ever get giddy or depressed about March math), Jeter is batting .341 (14-for-41) in 13 exhibition games.
Whether Gardner bats ninth and Jeter first or Gardner is one and Jeter two, Girardi likes it.
“The interesting thing is how they work together, Gardy on and running and Jeter hitting to the right side. It can open up holes. You can do that nine and one as well,” Girardi said. “The year Gardy had [in 2009] and his ability to score runs. It sets up the RBIs guys as well. We have other options. Swish did a very good job in that role last year.”
Left unspoken in the debate is where would Jeter bat if not first or second? Would Girardi dare to drop him to eighth or ninth in the lineup? After Jeter grew angry at the front office for the way his contract negotiations were handled, would Girardi play with Jeter’s head and bat him eighth or ninth?
That’s not likely to happen. And the double play issue remains because Jeter has hit into 85 the past four seasons. He hits balls on the ground and hard so Jeter will always be a candidate to ground into double plays — which isn’t ideal for a No. 2 hitter.