Before the Yankees’ game Sunday against the Rays, Derek Jeter chatted with friend Peyton Manning, the Broncos’ Hall-of-Fame-bound quarterback during batting practice. Jeter also hosted his longtime friend — and Peyton’s brother, Giants quarterback Eli Manning — in his suite.
Once the 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay started, Jeter continued a slump reminiscent of Manning’s Super Bowl flop, one sure to bring on questions about just how much the retiring veteran has left.
Jeter went 0-for-4, stretching his hitless skid to 13 at-bats — numbers that would be ignored in a player who is 30, but obsessed over in one who is turning 40 next month.
“We saw him swing the bat extremely well, and I think when you’re an older player, any time you go through a slump, that age thing is going to be brought up,’’ Joe Girardi said. “Two weeks ago, we weren’t bringing up his age when he was swinging well. But we have to get him back on track.’’
Jeter clearly is derailed at the moment, but he predictably bristled at the mention of his age.
“I don’t think like you. I think positive: So, no, it doesn’t come up,’’ huffed Jeter, who on Friday went 0-for-7 for the first time in his career, and hasn’t gotten a hit since a third-inning single on Thursday.
He is 2-for-26 since a fifth-inning single against the Angels on April 26. He was hitting .292 after that game, but has seen his average shrivel to .240 in just over a week.
“I feel good, that’s the bottom line,’’ Jeter said. “It’s a game of ups and downs. Hopefully the downs don’t last long and the ups, the highs go for a while.
“[Sunday] I feel like I hit a couple balls good. That’s the way it goes: When you’re not getting as many hits as you like you just try to hit the ball well and somebody catches it, and when you’re going hot it seem like the ball finds a hole. I concern myself with how I feel, and I feel good.’’
Jeter announced in February this would be his final season, and he said he discussed retirement with Manning before the game.
“I didn’t see Eli because he came later,” Jeter said. “[But] Peyton, I hadn’t seen in a little while, so it’s always good to catch up with him. We would’ve liked to have won, but it happens.’’
Jeter added he met Peyton through Gatorade “many years ago” and he plans to take Manning up on his standing invitation to attend a Broncos game.
“Derek and I have been friends — he’s a couple years older than me, but we’ve been professionals at the same time, so I wanted to pay my respects and see him play for the last time,’’ said Manning, who turned 38 in March.
Peyton added his brother, Eli, has resumed light throwing after ankle surgery last month, and should be ready for the Giants’ season.
“He’s disappointed he’s got to miss some of the [organized team activities], but it’s better than missing games during the season,” Peyton said. “So [surgery] was the right thing to do. … He felt good, he threw the ball well down there at Duke, he looked good. The doctors thought this [ankle problem] might pop up during the fall, might as well knock it out now. It’s hard to do, but it was the right thing to do.’’
Peyton — in town to tape the “Late Show With David Letterman” on Monday — said he has enjoyed a unique friendship with Jeter and called the Yankees shortstop a mentor when it came to charity work.
Asked about Jeter’s retirement, Manning said: “I know it was a hard decision for Derek, I know it’ll be hard for me. But I can tell he’s at peace with it and he’s enjoying this season.’’