Not what you want to see from your best player.
As if losing last night’s game against the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees have an ever bigger blow. Manager Joe Girardi, looking absolutely deflated, announced during his postseason interview that Derek Jeter will be out for the rest of the postseason with an ankle fracture.
It all happened during the twelfth inning of the first game in the ALCS. Jeter fielded a ground ball and landed all wrong on his left leg and let out this painful scream. Girardi said he immediately knew it was bad when he saw the captain not getting back on his feet. He was immediately taken out of the game, but refused to be carried. Jeter has not missed a postseason game since 1995! There are no words to explain what Derek Jeter represents. He is the heart and soul of that Yankee team. Every real baseball fan has respect for him and the way he plays the game. The rest of this series for the Yankees will be full of emotion.
Everyone has noticed the recent struggles of this lineup. Besides Raul Ibanez and Derek Jeter no one is able to buy a hit. All the blame is being placed on A-Rod, but in reality Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, and Alex Rodriguez are all struggling. So without Jeter on the field and leading off the lineup, where does this leave the New York Yankees?
It can go one of two ways. It can go really well and the rest of the lineup really steps up in the absence of their captain. However, the Tigers have momentum after winning an emotional game and the Yankees are eventually going to face Justin Verlander which is never fun. The loss of Jeter’s presence is only going to make things worse. There is no calming veteran voice in that dugout or on the field. I can’t see this team just giving up however, their fans will not let that happen.
I think that the Tigers will win the ALDS. The Yankees have not been playing like a deserving team. Jeter will rehab in the offseason. Nick Swisher may or may not be back and who knows there may be in a new third baseman in pinstripes. I have said this before…. the Yankees need a new third baseman and David Wright deserves a big multi-year contract…..
