CHICAGO — The Wrigley Field faithful were cheating on their loveable losers under a brilliant sun that bathed the charming ballpark in a light that offered no hiding.
What they wanted was for Derek Jeter to pop out of the first base dugout in the eighth inning for a curtain call. On their feet they serenaded the retiring Jeter with a chant of “Derek Jeter, Derek Jeter’’ and were met with nothing.
Those who know Jeter understood he wasn’t coming out of a curtain call with the Yankees down two runs in the late innings.
Yes, he would have liked to acknowledge the well-wishers more than the right hand to batting helmet as he entered the dugout after lined out to right but understands there are times and places for curtain calls and it wasn’t then.
“You can’t,’’ Jeter said about coming out of the dugout. “The first time we were losing, 2-0, and the game’s not over. As much as I would have liked to do it, you can’t.’’
Of course the 34,808 and Jeter had no way of knowing he would go to the plate three more times in what turned out to be a 4-2 Yankees victory in 13 innings.
“I kept hoping [each at-bat] was the last one,’’ said Jeter, who batted in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings. “The way the fans have treated me on the road has been unbelievable. There is a lot of history and tradition here and it’s much appreciated.’’
Having grown up a Cubs fan and having played for the Cubs, manager Joe Girardi said he understands the psyche of the teams’ fans and noticed the multiple standing ovations for Jeter.
“It’s a reminder to all of us what he has meant to this game,’’ Girardi said of Jeter, who went 1-for-7.