BOSTON — Nineteen games into his final season and the reviews about Derek Jeter’s re-entry into baseball are positive.
“He is a very selective hitter and he knows what he can hit and what he can’t hit,’’ said a scout who watched Jeter play in three of the four games against the Rays in St. Petersburg. “I still think he is an above-average hitter. The bat speed is there and he is smart.’’
Jeter, 39, carries a 10-game hitting streak (13-for-42; .310), a .283 (15-for-53) overall average and .367 on-base percentage into Tuesday night’s Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park, a place the shortstop didn’t visit a year ago due to lower leg injuries that limited him to 17 games.
The mantra flowing from the Yankees during the winter was that if Jeter remained healthy, he would be a productive player, one they could live with despite the lack of far-reaching range in the middle of an infield that started the season loaded with questions and remains that way.
“He catches everything he gets to, but doesn’t cover the area he used to,’’ the scout said. “He makes up for some of that by positioning himself very well. The arm strength is still there and he has always been very accurate.’’
An indication Jeter’s foot speed is an issue surfaced Sunday against the Rays when manager Joe Girardi ran Ichiro Suzuki for Jeter in the 11th inning after Jeter opened the inning with a single.
It’s possible when the slick-fielding Brendan Ryan returns from the disabled list — possibly by May 1 — Girardi will entertain thoughts of using Ryan as a defensive replacement for Jeter late in tight games.
When Jeter announced before spring training this would be his final season, he was defiant in saying he believed he could be the player who collected an AL-leading 216 hits in 2012. And while that total might be out of reach because Jeter won’t play in 159 games as he did that year, the first 19 games (he has played in 14) haven’t discouraged him.
“It was a lot of work in the offseason and I expected to be right where I was before,’’ Jeter said. “I am a firm believer that if you work hard, enough things will work out.’’
Watching Jeter in spring training, there were legitimate questions. Early the bat speed wasn’t there, and scouts logged some real slow times from the batter’s box to first base.
Now, the bat speed is there and the stopwatches are getting Jeter in the 4.55- to 4.6-second range, which is better than it was in March, but longer than the major league average of 4.3.
Asked if he was comfortable playing regularly after the 2013 nightmare, Jeter said: “I am getting more and more. It still takes time. It’s a sport where I don’t think you ever feel as comfortable as you would like. The more you play, the more at-bats you get, the more comfortable you get. That could be any year, your rookie year or any year.’’
The Yankees and Jeter erred last season when the goal was for Jeter to be ready by Opening Day. He came back from ankle surgery and another fracture on July 11 . Three more stints on the DL followed. Now, he realizes the time missed took a toll.
“They play this game every day for a reason, and you miss pretty much a year, it takes some time, but I am getting there,’’ Jeter said.
To Kevin Long, Jeter’s solid start isn’t something that caught the hitting coach off guard.
“If his health is where it needs to be, it’s not surprising,’’ Long said. “I have been watching this guy for so many years do it a high level. The only concern is the ankle and leg issues. Was he going to be able to overcome those obstacles and get himself in the condition he was in prior to the injury? I think he has answered that.’’