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Jeter's Journal
Aug. 27, 2007: Keeping our focus
We’ve had our ups and downs over the last few games, but on the whole, our team has been playing some really good baseball since the All-Star break. We have achieved some balance in the lineup. We had some guys scuffling a little bit early on, but pretty much everybody has really started to swing the bats. When that happens, we’re a pretty tough lineup for an opposing pitcher. Our pitching staff has been pretty consistent as well, and when you pitch and hit at the same time, you're going to be tough to beat.
There is a lot of talk about our young kids who have come up, namely Joba Chamberlain and Shelley Duncan. It's been fun to watch, and they've given a different kind of energy to the team. I think the exciting part about these guys isn’t so much their youth, but their poise under pressure. They don't seem to be overwhelmed by too much, and I think that's the biggest key to being successful -- you can't let yourself be overwhelmed by a situation, no matter how intense.
The schedule doesn't get much easier from here on out, but you can be sure we're keeping our focus -– we know that every game has a big impact on our drive to the playoffs.
July 15, 2007: Good play is contagious
I'm back from San Francisco and had a great experience at the All-Star Game this year. The time I got to spend with Willie Mays will be a memorable moment in my baseball career. I thought they did a great job with the events all week and it was an honor to be included.
We ended the first half on a good note and now we're on to the second half! No matter how you look at it, there are still a lot of games to be played. We're taking it one game at a time. When we hit, we need to pitch. When we pitch, we need to hit. And when we pitch and hit, we are going to play good defense.
People keep asking about the Red Sox and the Wild Card races, and my response has been much the same: We really can't worry about who's in front of us or how many games back we are. We have to worry about that particular game, and we've been doing that. We've had that sense for a while, but we're just playing a lot better. We need to keep that up.
Like I said, we have three months and we need to take it one day at a time. You can't look at the standings and you can't worry about any team that's in the Wild Card race. It's all secondary. We just need to focus on every day. Good play is contagious and we need to continue it. We just went to Tampa and played well collectively as a team and pulled out three of the four games. The second half is going to be a lot of fun.
-- Derek
June 12, 2007: Stepping up the intensity level
Hi, Yankees fans. I just wanted to check in and let you all know how we're feeling about this season. Lately, we've been playing a whole lot better. As a team, we've really stepped up the intensity level on the field. Earlier this season, we were getting ourselves in a hole that we couldn't climb out of, but lately, we're pitching better and hitting better and jumping out to an early lead in games.
You can tell that things are going better for us because when we fall behind, we continue to battle. We've been playing with the mind-set that it's not over until the last out, and it's paying off for us.
Collectively, guys are having quality at-bats and making the pitchers work. You might not always get a lot of hits, but you can have good at-bats, and in doing that, you give yourself a chance. Above all else, you've got to have confidence that you're going to get a hit, you're going to get the job done. That's what winning is all about.
I want to thank everybody who supported my Turn 2 Foundation Dinner last month. We had a great turnout and I couldn't think of a better way to spend an off-day, and I was really glad a lot of my Yankee teammates took time out of their day to come out. We had a fun night at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square and, more importantly, raised some funds for a very worthy cause.
We've started up Interleague Play again, and that's always an interesting time because you have to learn as you go along. Sometimes you don't know a whole lot about a certain team, and even though we go over all of our information and reports in the pre-series meetings, there's nothing like being in the batters box to gather your own opinions.
See you at the stadium.
-- Derek
April 5, 2007: Another season is under way
Another season is under way and I couldn't think of any better place to open it up than at Yankee Stadium.
Opening Day in the Bronx is always special. The fans here are like nowhere else. In years past when we've opened up on the road, it seems like the season didn't officially start until we have our home opener.
What stands out the most to me about Monday's game was watching Cory Lidle's wife, Melanie, and son, Christopher, throw out the first pitch. It was a special and emotional day for everyone. There's no question I was a little choked up watching it all unfold. I think that's what I'll remember most from this year's Opening Day.
It feels good to be back in New York. The team worked hard in Tampa throughout Spring Training, and it was about time to get up north and head out of Florida. I live in Tampa so I'd been there for a long, long time, and it was good to transition out of Spring Training mode and get into the games that count. I know for me personally, I'm itching to get the season started by about mid-March, but it's good to get everything fine-tuned before we come back for another year.
We've got a few more games left on this homestand. The Orioles are coming in over the weekend and it should be a great series.
-- Derek
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The Jeter’s Leaders is a youth leadership, social change program named by the captain of the New york Yankees, Derek Jeter, and funded by his Turn 2 Foundation. The program is designed to promote healthy lifestyles, academic achievement and social change activism among high school students.
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