You can crow all you want about what he has achieved in his career, the names he has passed on the all-time charts, and that still won’t hide the fact he has been a terrible postseason player since his memorable October of 2009.
But enough about Derek Jeter.
OK, we’re being playful here, yet it is true: The Yankees have failed at their mission in the last two postseasons, and Jeter deserves as much blame as anyone. Like many of his teammates, he has underachieved.
And like those same teammates, that doesn’t mean a darn thing as the Yankees prepare for their 51st postseason, with their American League Division Series set to begin tomorrow in Baltimore.
“I don’t think he’s worried about last year or the year before,” hitting coach Kevin Long said of Jeter yesterday at the team’s Yankee Stadium workout. “I don’t think that’s a bit of concern to him. And it shouldn’t be, to tell you the truth. In the postseason, we’re looking at Jeter to do big things for us, to set our offense and to get us going.
“Anything he’s done in the past, I think he just would shrug that off, anyway.”
“He’s had so much success in the regular season, postseason, All-Star Games,” manager Joe Girardi said. “This guy is used to being successful in those situations. He really knows how to approach those games. That’s what makes him believe he’s going to be successful.”
Nevertheless, being the most relaxed and confident guy on the most intense stage doesn’t guarantee results.
In last year’s Division Series loss to Detroit, Jeter picked up six hits in 24 at-bats for a modest .250 batting average, and his on-base (.280) and slugging (.292) percentages were just as meek, as he walked once and included a mere double among those six hits.
Two years ago, when the Yankees swept past the Twins in the Division Series, Jeter put up a quiet 4-for-14 (.286): No walks, no extra-base hits. And when the Rangers shut down the Yankees in the Championship Series, Jeter joined the majority of his teammates in becoming an offensive liability. He went 6-for-26 (.231) with a .286 OBP and better .423 SLG, thanks to three doubles and a triple.
In all, the past two years have represented a significant step down for a man who has branded himself — to a public happily buying into it — as Captain Clutch.
So while it’s discussed absolutely nowhere — as opposed to the never-ending saga of Alex Rodriguez, Jeter’s friend-turned-enemy-turned-acquaintance — Jeter, too, has a chance to make up for two straight disappointing postseasons.
You tend to believe more in him than in A-Rod — or in Mark Teixeira or Nick Swisher, for that matter — because you believe he won’t get in his own way. And also because he is coming off a mighty fine 2012 season, one in which his 216 hits ranked as his second-highest season total behind the 219 he recorded in 1999.
He also played in 159 games, remarkable for a guy who turned 38 in June, and started every game after the All-Star break. In September, he lost some power, but he still compiled a perfectly acceptable .300 batting average, .364 OBP and .354 SLG. The Yankees will gladly take that in October from their leadoff hitter.
“I don’t think Alex is looking at his 2009 video,” Long said. “I think he’s just going in thinking, ‘How do I feel right now?’ How does Swisher feel right now going in? I think that’s a better indication of where you’re at, at the present time. You kind of just go from there. If something comes up or you see something, then you make your adjustments pretty quickly.”
Only a fool would think Jeter’s 2010 and 2011 postseason struggles would bleed into 2012. But baseball is hard and the pitchers are trying, too. Which is why only a fool would think Jeter, because of his overall resumé and his resurgent campaign, will automatically turn in a dominant performance this next week and month.
As with every other player on the field, you don’t assume or anticipate anything because of who he is or what he has done.
Captaincy has its privileges. They just don’t extend onto the field.