TAMPA — Right-hander David Phelps is one of the most observant Yankees. He is thrilled with what he has seen out of Derek Jeter in pre-camp workouts.
“Derek looks amazing, from what I’ve seen,” Phelps said Wednesday at the Yankees minor league complex. “That’s awesome. You look in the past and this team is usually only as strong as he is. He’s definitely our backbone. It’s going to be nice having him back there behind us every game, that’s for sure.”
Jeter has been moving well in workouts, and Wednesday had another strong day, taking 32 swings in batting practice and driving the ball to right-center. He also fielded 19 ground balls on the grass and another 26 in the dirt, moving well laterally.
“You can tell he’s determined to go out there and do well,” Phelps said of Jeter’s mindset after so much pain and frustration following ankle and leg injuries. “If you had to place a bet on it, you know he is going to go out there and have a good year. That’s just the guy he is. I’m really looking forward to seeing him play again.
“He’s having a lot of fun right now, it’s good to see. He’s got his foundation under him again. He’s been the backbone of this organization for so long, and he is the only one of the Core Four left going. He means a lot to this organization. We do a lot better when he is in our lineup.”