MIAMI – To say that Derek Jeter is playing the World Series with one arm would be an over-statement. However, Jeter is working with a sore left hand that may be housing a torn ligament near the base of the thumb and a left shoulder that could require offseason surgery.
Looking at Jeter’s post-season numbers, in particularly what he had done in three World Series games against the Marlins, it was hard to tell Jeter wasn’t feeling perfect. He started last night’s Game 4 batting .321 (18-for-56) in 14 post-season games and .417 (5-for-12) in three Series tilts.
Jeter had the only three hits gas-throwing Josh Beckett gave up in Game 3, and it was Jeter’s one-out double in the eighth that started the game-winning rally.
While the Yankees and Jeter aren’t going into detail about the hand injury, there is a good chance of ligament damage. Jeter, who hurt the hand diving for a ball in Game 1 of the ALCS, wears a brace on the hand when not on the field. And the shoulder that Jeter dislocated on opening day, could require offseason surgery.
Of course, Jeter won’t admit anything is bothering him.
“Nothing,” Jeter said when asked what the actual description of his hand injury was. “I am good to go.”
Torre refuses to get into details but marvels at Jeter being able to produce the way he has. “I have seen guys play hurt but I haven’t seen guys be as effective as he has been,” Torre said. “I ask him how he is doing and he says, ‘Let’s go.’ “
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Despite Alfonso Soriano’s dead lumber that has produced six strikeouts in 12 World Series at-bats and 23 in 61 postseason at-bats, Joe Torre didn’t toy with the idea of dropping Soriano from the leadoff spot for last night’s Game 4.
“If I put him eighth he has no chance,” Torre said of hitting Soriano in front of the pitcher. “With the pitcher behind him I don’t know what he would swing at.”
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Torre says he doesn’t know if Mel Stottlemyre will return next year.
“It’s been fun having him and I hope he does come back, but I don’t know for sure if he will,” Torre said. “He’s everything to these pitchers that they need on a daily basis.”
If Stottlemyre retires, Neil Allen is the leading candidate to replace him.
There are other issues with Torre’s coaches. Bench coach Don Zimmer could retire or get fired by George Steinbrenner. Hitting coach Rick Down has been on the hot seat since June. Even a World Series title may not save Down because the Yankees fired Chris Chambliss after they won three straight titles with him as the hitting coach.
“As far as coming back I don’t tend to ask him until he calms down,” Torre said of Zimmer. “When things quiet down we will talk about it. I hope he comes back. I hired Zim to be a coach and he became a friend. So that made it very special.”