Another thing to add to the Derek Jeter myth: He ‘rarely argues calls’

There was a whole to-do about Derek Jeter being called out attempting to steal third yesterday in the first inning. True, Scott Rolen didn’t actually tag Jeter, but 1) the throw reached third base way before Jeter did, and 2) Jeter shouldn’t have been stealing in the first place, a point Joe Girardi, who got thrown out of the game arguing the call, made in the postgame.

Part of the controversy involves Jeter repeating what he said umpire Marty Foster told him – that since the ball beat Derek, Rolen didn’t have to tag him. And even crew chief John Hirschbeck weighed in to defend Jeter over his own ump, saying:

“In my 27 years in the big leagues, he’s probably the classiest person I’ve been around,” Hirschbeck said. “It would make his actions seem appropriate if that’s what he was told.”

Jeter also claimed he didn’t argue with the ump over the call:

“It wasn’t an argument, it was just that I didn’t understand it.”

It sure looked like an argument to me. If it weren’t, then why did third base coach Rob Thomson feel the need to insert himself between Jeter and Foster?

Virtually every story about yesterday’s game suggests that Jeter rarely argues calls. You could have fooled me. Where does this myth come from, anyway? The next time he gets called out on strikes and doesn’t argue with the umpire will be the first time.

Granted, my guess is that Jeter doesn’t say any of the magic words that cause ejection. After all, he’s never been tossed from a game in his entire career. But to suggest that he rarely argues umpire calls is just laughable. And untrue. He may be polite about it, but he does openly disagree with umpires a lot.

But perception is reality. Much like how Milton Bradley, to name one example, will rarely be given the benefit of the doubt, even when he’s in the right, Jeter gets the rep of rarely arguing umpires’ calls, even though it is not the case.

Anyhow, I’m not going to blame the Yankees’ loss on this bad call, not when Andy Pettitte continued his poor pitching at the Stadium, giving up six earned runs.

I do think Nick Swisher should have taken a pitch after Jeter walked in a run, instead of swinging at the first pitch and popping up. But really, I am surprised the game was as close as it was, which says something positive about the Yanks’ fortitude.

What do you think? Leave us a comment!