CLEVELAND — Standing behind the batting cage in Chicago early Wednesday night, Robin Ventura measured his words before speaking.
The first-year White Sox manager is aware of the Yankees’ rich history, having played for the team during his 16 seasons in the big leagues.
So when asked about shortstop Derek Jeter’s recent torrid streak vaulting him into the AL Most Valuable Player discussion, Ventura went a lot further than a single-season award.
“I think he is the greatest Yankee of all time,’’ Ventura told The Post. “That’s because of the position he plays and the era he plays in. Every play he has ever made is on tape. The players before him, nobody ever saw them fail. All we saw of them was them doing good. Every one of Derek’s games has been on television. He has been criticized more than any other player in Yankee history, too. At least among the ones that were good.’’
Think about Ventura’s first sentence: Jeter ahead of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. To some, it’s blasphemy. But Ventura doesn’t talk to shock people.
What can’t be argued is how good Jeter has been for the past month. In 27 games since July 25, Jeter is batting .381 (45-for-118) with six homers and 16 RBIs. Three of those homers were hit in consecutive games — a first for Jeter — in Chicago, where the White Sox swept the Yankees this week and their AL East lead was shaved to three games. The cushion shrunk to 2 1/2 when the second-place Rays beat the A’s 5-0 last night.
How good has the 38-year-old been? After hitting just .270 two years ago and overcoming a slow start last season to finish at .297, his .324 average and majors-leading 169 hits this season has people wondering if he is dabbling in performance-enhancing drugs despite never previously being linked to that topic.
So what does the architect of the superb season think?
“It’s not over,’’ Jeter said. “We still have a long way to go.”
As for rebounding from that career-low average in 2010, Jeter was matter of fact.
“(The reaction) was like it was the end of a career,’’ Jeter said. “You are going to have good years and bad years, but you always have confidence you can play.’’
Like Ventura, Aaron Boone played next to Jeter at third base for the Yankees. Watching Jeter in the first half of 2011, Boone noticed mechanical flaws that were producing anemic ground balls that he doesn’t see anymore.
“His kinetic link is very good,’’ said Boone, now an ESPN announcer, of the lower body starting the hitting process and the hands providing the correct posture. “You become a rubber band. He is popping balls again.’’
According to an AL scout, Jeter’s sizzling beginning — he was hitting .400 on May 1 — poured the foundation.
“It’s a lot easier to play this game when you get off to a good start,’’ the scout said. “He got comfortable quickly and went from there.’’
Ventura’s view of Jeter obviously has changed. When they both wore pinstripes, he wanted Jeter at the plate in clutch situations, hoped the ball was hit to short.
“As a manager, I don’t like for him to come up with guys on base, I don’t want him to come up when it’s tied, when they need somebody on base, and I don’t want him coming up late in the game to win it,’’ Ventura said. “He is still that kind of player.’’