I like to make fun of Ian O'Connor

[Guest Edgy DC]

But most teams would be willing to sign him would understand that they'd be paying for all that incomparable grace cha-cha-cha plus the coming milestones that will allegedly put fannies into the seats. That's worth more to the Yankees, to be sure, but it's worth something to some other team somewhere looking for a hook. Pete Rose as a free agent made no bones about the fact that he was auctioning off his 4000th hit. (Hello, Expos!) It was also a (lesser) part of the appeal of Wade Boggs and the Devil Rays.

It's just the tangible value of the intangible --- the marketing value of bullshit on a Jeterian scale. You know, KABOOM!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Even in a down year, he was th fifth-most-valuabl reg'lar shortstop in the AL last year.

He could be my Alex Cora for 5-6 million.

[batmagadanleadoff]

The reigning SI Sportsman of the Year is quite the scrub away from the new and friendly confines of MFY Stadium: .246/.317/.317 (3 HR's in 341 AB). He's not going anywhere. Besides, would his new team be willing to pipe in the voice of dead Bob Sheppard to introduce the Captain's AB's? Even Jeter doesn't have that much clout.

[Ceetar]

Obviously the captain should go down with the ship.

[HahnSolo]

They gave both Posada and Rivera multi-year deals at around the age Jeter is now. Those deals were quite rich, to the point that no other team would have come close to what the Yankees paid (well, maybe someone would have paid Mariano, but he never had any desire to hit the open market). It would not shock me to see him get a 4 year, 75-80 mill. contract.

I expect his next contract negotiation (when he's 40 or 41) will be the one that is problematic to both sides. By then his offense and defense will have worn down to the point that as much as he might be an organizational icon, running him out there every day will harm both the player's legacy and the everyday product.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Even in a down year, he was th fifth-most-valuabl reg'lar shortstop in the AL last year.

In part because the good SS were all in the NL this past year.
Taking those with 300+ PAs and sorted by OPS, the top Seven were NLers, followed by Alexi Ramirez for the ChiSox and then Alex Gonzalez who split his time in both leagues. Jeter came in 13th behind Jamie Carroll and JJ Hardy and just ahead of Jhonny Peralta.

[Vic Sage]

I expect his next contract negotiation (when he's 40 or 41) will be the one that is problematic to both sides. By then his offense and defense will have worn down to the point that as much as he might be an organizational icon, running him out there every day will harm both the player's legacy and the everyday product.

newsflash: he's already there.

[HahnSolo]

But by then it will be even apparent to even those looking at it through the darkest Yankee-colored glasses.

[bmfc1]

With no Jeter to write about, O'Connor goes after the new GM:

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5734751

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Anyone who ever hired this pathetic hack owes me an apology.

[G-Fafif]

Alderson bad. Jeter good.

The rest is window dressing.

[Fman99]

Just wow.

[Frayed Knot]

O'Connor is probably figuring that asking for apologies a decade-and-a-half after the fact worked so well for Ginni Thomas last week that he'd jump on that train too.

[Ceetar]

There are so many bad writers out there..where do I send my resume to replace these people?

[G-Fafif]

Frayed Knot wrote: O'Connor is probably figuring that asking for apologies a decade-and-a-half after the fact worked so well for Ginni Thomas last week that he'd jump on that train too.

"Good morning Sandy Alderson, it's Ian O'Connor. I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and Derek Jeter's intimate area to ask you to consider something."

[Willets Point]

I wonder what O'Connor has to say about the owner of the 'roidiest team ever to win a World Series?

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Willets Point wrote: I wonder what O'Connor has to say about the owner of the 'roidiest team ever to win a World Series?

Ah, excuse me, sir. But those weren't steroids, but Mystique & Aura brand juice to bring out the truest Yankee in players.

[G-Fafif]

Alderson needs to show Jetership.

[Centerfield]

About time to say you're sorry, Derek
By Ian O'Connor

In a lot of ways, Derek Jeter came to the New York Yankees out of central casting. A young, [crossout]dreamy[/crossout], athletic shortstop with movie star good looks and [crossout]an ass that just doesn't quit[/crossout] a perfect physique for a middle infielder. He now looks to re-up with the Yankees with a Hall of Fame resume and five, count them, five championship rings.

Who would dare reject that resume? Jeter sounds more like a god than a simple free agent shortstop. In fact, maybe another ring puts him in line to succeed Barack Obama.

There is no doubt that the Yankees will do the right thing and bring their shortstop back to the Bronx where he belongs. But when he steps to the microphone on that fateful day, Jeter should take the time of offer an apology. He should say he's sorry for being an enabler at a time when baseball desperately needed a whistle-blower and a leader.

He should say he's sorry for allowing the monstrous steroid culture to grow fangs on his watch.

Jeter was the leader of the Yankees who slugged their way to three consecutive World Series titles from 1998 to 2000 before ultimately taking their heavy lumber to baseball's good name. Of course, Giambi and Pettite admitted to using steroids, effectively nominating the Bronx as a ground zero for the performance-enhancing plague.

Jeter declined to comment Wednesday about the the Yankees� 2000 team, which was loaded with players who used performance-enhancing drugs before, during or after that season. Between the Mitchell report and unsealed affidavits filed by law enforcement officials, the count has reached 10, including Clemens, Denny Neagle and Jason Grimsley. Others named included Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Mike Stanton and David Justice, but the use for which they are cited occurred after the 2000 World Series.

Not included on that list is current teammate Alex Rodriguez, also an admitted abuser of steroids and [crossout]not nearly as good in bed[/crossout] a key member of the 2009 championship team.

Asked about the rampant steroid abuse taking place under his watch, Jeter replied, "That's a question, I guess, you'll have to ask those guys."

Weak answers from a strong man.

Which is not to say there's a not a lot to like about Derek Jeter, starting with the fact he risked his life for his team, diving into the stands four full steps after catching a pop fly. He made himself a wildly successful major league baseball despite a minimal amount of actual accomplishment and, as detailed in several of my previous columns is cooler than Fonzie and is hung like a one of those horses in Central Park.

But Jeter has a hole in his game the size of the gap between short and third when he's fielding his position, as do scores of fellow Yankee players and personnel who once looked the other way. Jeter is likely to preach accountability with the sad sack Yankees, and that's fine.

He would make that pitch credible if he started with himself, and took a few minutes on introduction to apologize for an opportunity lost.

Ian O'Connor is a total fucking douchebag. You can kick him in the nads if you ever see him on the street.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Copy. Paste. Send.

[Willets Point]

I bow before the king.

[Ceetar]

Come now, obviously is was Canseco's time with the Jeter on the Yankees at the end of his career that prompted the change or heart and got him to come clean. Jeter's work with him during that time was the ground-breaking in the whistle-blowing book-releasing exposure era that followed Canseco's retirement.

You're just a hater.

[Ceetar]

O'Connor:

Alderson did address Oak steroid use w/ the Wilpons, said he almost illegally drug tested some A's, admitted he wished he did more. #Mets

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

That's not an apology.

[Ceetar]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: That's not an apology.

but it's pretty smooth.

Alderson as Jack Bauer, locking McGuire in a room "You took those drugs, didn't you! Didn't you! Don't lie to me!"

[Ceetar]

mcgwire. he's not my hitting coach, I don't have to spell it correctly.

Ours is so easy. TBD

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Freaking brilliant!!!

[ashie62]

Frayed Knot wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Even in a down year, he was th fifth-most-valuabl reg'lar shortstop in the AL last year. In part because the good SS were all in the NL this past year. Taking those with 300+ PAs and sorted by OPS, the top Seven were NLers, followed by Alexi Ramirez for the ChiSox and then Alex Gonzalez who split his time in both leagues. Jeter came in 13th behind Jamie Carroll and JJ Hardy and just ahead of Jhonny Peralta.

But do any of them know how to win?