NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter has a bit part in a box-office hit, and he’s putting those acting skills to good use.
The New York Yankees captain, with a cameo in the Will Ferrell comedy “The Other Guys,” gave an Oscar-worthy performance by pretending to get hit by a pitch in a pennant race game Wednesday night.
Howling, hopping and hurting — seemingly, anyway — Jeter even got the team trainer to examine his left arm. And then the All-Star often hailed as a model of good sportsmanship took his base.
More like stole it, fans in Tampa Bay hollered.
“Jeter cheater!” they chanted.
Replays clearly showed what really happened: Chad Qualls‘ fastball squarely struck the knob of Jeter’s bat, not him. But Major League Baseball doesn’t use instant replay in these situations.
For more than a century, ballplayers have tried to bend the rules. Pitchers throw spitballs, outfielders fake catches on balls that bounce, shortstops make phantom tags. This isn’t golf, where players are expected to call penalties on themselves.
Coming off the Steroids Era, where cheating often meant illegal performance-enhancing drugs, some actually found a charm in Jeter’s old-fashioned chicanery.
Yet seeing the squeaky-clean Jeter involved in Yankee hanky-panky was startling. So was his response. Asked where the ball hit, he readily admitted his sleight of hand.
“The bat,” he said, without apology. “It’s part of the game.”
To his legion of admirers, Derek’s deke was a savvy play. The bat flew, he spun around, doubled over and convinced the home-plate umpire he’d been plunked. He wound up scoring a key run in the seventh inning.
To Jeter’s detractors, it was a cheap trick. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon argued so much he got ejected, though he praised Jeter after the Rays rallied past the Yankees 4-3 into first place in the AL East.
“There’s several thespians throughout baseball,” Maddon said. “I thought Derek did a great job, and I applaud it, because I wish our guys would do the same thing.”
Both the Yankees and Rays were off Thursday, but Jeter Theater played throughout the majors.
On the Cincinnati Reds’ telecast of their game against Arizona — a matchup with no direct connection to what occurred at Tropicana Field — there was a fan text poll with this question: Are you OK with the Derek Jeter play? Fans were split on whether it was gamesmanship or farce.
Batters often try to pretend they’ve been hit by pitches that just miss; it‘s something they’re taught to do. But it usually takes them a split-second to start acting, and that rarely tricks the umps.
Jeter, however, got right in character, especially after the ball hit the bat and sent vibrations up his arm. He fooled home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale, then managed to sneak a peek to watch Maddon’s dispute.
“What can you do? My job is to get on base. He said it hit me, so I’m not going to argue with him,” Jeter said.
A former World Series MVP, the 36-year-old Jeter currently is stuck in one of the worst slumps of his career. With his team trailing by a run, he would take anything.
“I’ve been hit before when they said it hit the bat. It goes both ways,” he said.
While the four umpires huddled to discuss the call, Maddon was certain the ball had nicked Jeter‘s bat and rolled out near the pitcher’s mound. Maddon told Qualls to retrieve the ball and throw to first base, to get Jeter out.
No chance.
“Nobody could tell me that the ball hit his hand, in any way, shape or form, or his wrist. But everybody could tell me that the ball hit the bat,” Maddon said. “I really hoped the play would be reversed based on pure, pure logic.”
No luck there, either.
“Basically it hit the knob and it was a fair ball, and he was out at first. That’s all there is to it,” Qualls said. “He’s Derek Jeter, but you know what? It’s still the game of baseball and he was out, and that’s the play that should have been called.”
___
AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report.
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Comments (60)
DGroundhog
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 3:00amI demand an investigation by Congress! Jeter should testify before Congress and explain his actions. That is an illegally acquired base that should be redistributed to the D-Rays!
…or maybe it was just a great play by Jeter. (and I am no Yankee fan – go Twins!)
Report Post »MCGIRV
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:43pmBravo Jeter! Great performance! He’s right its part of the game. I wonder if he’s ever pulled off the hidden ball trick in a big leagues?
Report Post »MorkfromOrk
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:38pmThis is for the non-baseball fans, God love ya! Okay, the theatrics after the call was probably not necessary, but making your case, or “selling it”, is part of Jeters job. In the past, television was not able to pick up the split-second action like today and I would bet that if it did they would not air it. Why? They understood it was part of the game. You didn’t hear the controversy of blown calls like this year. Umps have been blowing calls for a hundred years. Its part of the game and is the reason why catchers move their gloves over the plate to get a called strike. Its why managers come out to argue a call when they know it was a good call. It helps keep the umpires honest and lets face it, their is a social political element as well. Its worked for a hundred years and the move to instant replay is a bad idea. Jeter is not a cheater. He is a great ball player!
Report Post »ChuckE
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:33pmI wonder what “The Boss” would say or do. George was always the ultimate in sportsmanship.
Report Post »BuddyB
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 10:37pmAnd the Oscar goes to……Derek Jeter!
Report Post »Ladypeppercar
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 10:13pmYou never would have caught Cal Ripken pulling a stunt like that!
Report Post »MorkfromOrk
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:41pmKey word is “caught”. Not disparaging Cals impeccable character or career.
Report Post »HTuttle
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 10:03pmLooks to me like it hit the bat and his elbow both.
Report Post »Shawnie5
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 9:24pmI’m glad the Yanks lost, what comes around – goes around.
Report Post »jessieH
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 8:40pmSome role model, hih?
Report Post »wodiej
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 8:33pmGood grief, no wonder men have so many problems with women. You all think it’s ok that Jeter lied and cheated. Go figure….
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 9:22pmWow, are we talking about life here, or a baseball game?
Report Post »booger71
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 10:05pm“Wow, are we talking about life here, or a baseball game?”
If you will lie in a situation that basically means nothing, you will lie in a situation that does.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 8:04pmI don’t think he embellished at all. I honestly believe he’s just that big of a wuss.
Report Post »uncleherbert
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:53pmsportmanship… I do not think so. it sends the wrong message. the truth should always be for most…
Report Post »natstew
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:50pmThis is why I do not watch Baseball, or even care. It’s on a level with, “Raslin”.
Report Post »Joseph
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:45pmIt‘s Bush’s Fault! Obama said so
Report Post »Shawnie5
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 9:26pmBrilliant!
Report Post »BeadGirl
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 8:33amNo, it was global warming.
Report Post »Freelancer
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 11:58amActually, it was Global Climate Disruption…. That way, you can blame EVERYTHING on our just breathing….
Report Post »BeadGirl
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 2:51pmOH! Thank you Freelancer! This morning I just knew I was doing something wrong as I was sneezing from my seasonal allergies. I just couldn’t put a name to it. ;)
Report Post »cavaliercapture
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:42pmIt’s about HONOR!!!!!
Report Post »alonzo24
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:29pmCertainly, this people are going to cheat!! Why is anyone surprised.
Report Post »alamo
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:20pmIt is understandable to get mad about Jeter’s play, especially if you are a Tampa Bay fan. The reality is, however, that Jeter is right: there have probably been many times when he has been truly hit and the umpires said it hit the bat. It goes both ways, and just as he states, “its part of the game”. I’ve always thought part of the intrigue of baseball was the fact that umpires make the calls in the game, and what they decide is what stands. How boring would this story be if it said, “Jeter fakes being hit by ball, but after replay review it is ruled foul, and all is well”. Players are taught to take a pitch for the sole reason of getting on base, and he was doing whatever it took to help his team out. I’m sure that anyone in the league would have done the same thing, and I would be happy to see it because it keeps things interesting. Besides, we have to remember that life isn’t always fair, but in the end things tend to balance out.
Report Post »ARCHON
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:11pmwho cares?
Report Post »Desert Dweller
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:11pmMaybe Karma will catch up to this guy. Swinging at a pitch and connects but knocks the ball into his lying mouth.
Report Post »MozarkDawg
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:08pm“What can you do? My job is to get on base. He said it hit me, so I’m not going to argue with him,” Jeter said.
************
Um … *he* said it hit Jeter — so all that hooting and boo hooing and calling out the trainer, that was all because the UMP said it hit Jeter??
Yeah, okay, right.
Report Post »Hoosier
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:08pmI was in a high school baseball game where the ball was called a ground rule double, but was really a homerun. The coach of the team went out into the field and asked our centerfielder if it was a homerun and he said it was. The gound rule double stood as the call. It is sports. I’m not sure what I would have said. Probably nothing. Faking is part of the game to get a call. O’Donnell would call it a lie. I call it part of the game. It’s just the way it is. The most difficult thing to do in sports is to hit a baseball. Yet, in golf we must be really quiet. hmmmm…Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden….is that sportsmanship????????
Report Post »Doctor_Harvey
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:08pmI am a HUGE Yankees fan. Have been for over fifty years. But what Jeter did was flat-out wrong. That is cheating, plain and simple.
But beyond cheating, Jeter is a fool. WHY embarrass yourself, the Yankees, and most importantly the umpires by admitting later that you “faked it?” He’s a jerk. Now when he really DOES get hit next time on a questionable call, what do you think the umps will do? They have very long memories. Jeter, you are a fool!
Report Post »umrebel1991
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:07pmThis was just great baseball. Leave the man alone. EVERY major league baseball player has tried this at least once and would have done the same thing in the same situation.
NO BATTER WOULD ARGUE THE CALL, Jeter just was able to pull it off, which by the way probably deserves an Oscar nomination cause it was great acting on his part.
This was just him trying to help his team win at any cost. We should be looking more at the blown call by the ump who clearly should have heard the ball hit the bat and not Jeter.
Report Post »BorderCollieFeeder
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 9:35pm“We should be looking more at the blown call by the ump who clearly should have heard the ball hit the bat and not Jeter.”
Report Post »Perfectly said!
Buck Bagaw
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 12:35amWhen that much money is involved sportsmanship and honesty fall by the wayside. I would not file this under “honorable”.
Report Post »mother of eight
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 6:12amI haven’t watched or played baseball since my little league days and some the comments on here surprise me. I would be horrifically disappointed if this guy were my son.
Report Post »Enough said….
BocaCure
Posted on September 17, 2010 at 12:02pmI agree. Any player on any team in pro sports would have done the same thing Jeter did. That’s the game. Now let’s just move along to the playoffs,,ok?
Report Post »2gether
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:06pmI guess he has to get his “cheatin” in before he gets married!
Report Post »Lesterp
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 7:01pmFigures! You just can’t trust them Yanks :-)
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 9:18pm“There’s several thespians throughout baseball,” Maddon said. “I thought Derek did a great job, and I applaud it, because I wish our guys would do the same thing.”
Being a Yankees fan, I didn’t like Madden before that quote, but I respect him more for being honest!!
By the way people—it’s baseball. He’s not a congressman.
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:17pmMr. Jeter is a sure thing first ballot Hall Of Famer. the fake or deke is part of all sports. in 2004 in game 7 of A.L.C.S. when manager Torre was asked why they didn’t bunt to pull red Sox pitcher(ankle injured Kurt schilling) off the mound to weaken his lateral disability; Manager torre replied‘ we don’t play that way’
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