Don Mattingly’s playing career intersected with Derek Jeter’s briefly in 1995. He later was a hitting and bench coach with the Yankees and now is manager of the Dodgers. Here’s a tribute from a fellow Yankees captain, as told to Kevin Kernan.
This is why I say Derek Jeter is the greatest Yankee ever.
The numbers don’t lie. When you talk in terms of hits, the number of hits, Jetes is the guy. He’s so special. He put himself right there with all the greats, guys like Joe D., the Mick, and Babe. He’s kind of done all those things. He’s a great person. He’s won. He’s won individual stuff, but he’s won championships. I just think he has done everything you could ask from a guy that you sign as a kid.
He’s a great story. Jetes is a testament to consistency and character and the way he’s been brought up. Look at his mom and dad; they did a great job with him.
And to do all this in New York is something special. If you love playing, New York is a great place to play because they stay on you. They are not going to let you rest on your laurels. You even saw it this year early. If you struggle, OK, you’re going to get it, which pushes you to be better.
The thing about him is that he is such a fast learner. That was one thing I saw from him right away. I had the opportunity, which was really a blessing, to see him right after he signed after high school in 1992. The next year, they bring him to camp.
I see him that first year and I look at him and see this sprawl of a kid and say, “This is a long way away from the big leagues.” Then I see him the next year and it was a pretty good jump. And then the year after that I see him and say, “This kid is getting there. He’s almost there.” When he came up to the big leagues in 1995, I was playing first and he was playing short a little bit and I noticed every play was bang-bang. Every play he made, whether it was a routine play or a tough ball, it was a banger. I had to get out there and get to every ball as if the runner were going to beat it. I don’t know if he remembers or not, but I said something to him about guys like Alan Trammell, those guys catch it and throw it at the same time. They have their feet lined up as they catch the ball.
And you know what, I watched him the next day fielding grounders and he had it, and I was like “Wow.” He made the adjustment. He was getting his feet in position and was throwing as he got it and I loved it. I was like, “This kid is going to be good.” That showed me so much about him. That learning process of making that kind of adjustment is really what it is all about.
He gets ready to play and to me that’s why he’s been so good in the postseason all these years because you don’t see a change in him from a playoff game or the third game of the season. He’s always taken the same approach. He’s hit the same way. He stayed with his strengths. He’s a good lesson for guys.
To get to 3,000 hits is so special. Beyond everything else it tells me, too, that this guy loves to play.
Congratulations, Jetes. I respect you so much.