New York Yankees star Derek Jeter’s on-field performance the other night against the Tampa Bay Rays has definitely caught the eye of the sports world.
In case you missed Jeter’s trickery, just click HERE to watch it.
Everyone from NASCAR drivers to retired NFL players to Jeter himself was asked their opinion on the situation.
As expected, answers were extensively wide-ranging, from anger to praise for the Yankees Captain.
Jeter admitted in the post-game that it had hit the bat and the umpire told him to go to first base. Jeter didn’t outright lie, because it is the umpire's decision, and his job to judge.
This type of stuff happens in sports across the board, but similar scenarios happen in courtrooms, boardrooms and classrooms on a daily basis.
Does it make it right?
Yes and no, because imagine if Jeter stopped the umpire and told him to throw him out of the game because it hit the bat. It would be just as ludicrous and plain out stupid.
Plenty of times umpires have called a player safe and the replay tells a different story. Never once has a player told the umpire otherwise, knowing he was out.
It is a baseball player’s job to get on base so runs can be scored.
Jeter was, in fact, doing his job, but the extra act was bothersome, seemed unnecessary, and overdone.
Jeter might have gotten on base and scored a run off Curtis Granderson’s home-run, but at what cost? The Yankees ended up losing the game to the Rays 4-3.
Maybe the result is telling enough, that taking advantage of a situation will never win in the long run. Jeter could have just jogged to first base. It is the added drama that would seem out of character to many Yankees and baseball fans.
Re-watching this controversial at-bat, knowing Jeter was faking, was emotionally shocking, disappointing, genius, desperate, and funny all at the same time.
Overall, you do what you need to do to win. That is why Derek Jeter is the Captain of the best franchise in sports history. He plays the game and he takes advantage in spots where no rules are broken.
When putting myself in that scenario, I honestly would have 100% done the same thing. But I am also not Derek Jeter.
If anything comes out of this, MLB has to address the instant replay scenario. The human element is overrated.
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg says it best: “Instant replay is baseball’s deodorant.”
Jeter’s play gave off the slightly stinky whiff as a sign that MLB commissioner Bud Selig needs to address the idea of incorporating instant replay before it gets unbearable and unfair.
This one should not be ignored, it should be fixed.
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