ALL-STAR GAME
Jeter Leads AL
He's named MVP after going 3-for-3
Newsday, July 12, 2000
by Mark Herrmann
Atlanta-There are reasons baseball people believe theirs is the best All-Star Game in sports. One of them is that it gives a young big name such as Derek Jeter a chance to go one-on-one with each of the three top pitchers in the other league.
Another is that they are baseball people. "If you asked a basketball player, he'd probably say basketball had the best one," Jeter said.
Still, there is no denying that there is a chance for something big when the best face the best. You could wind up with an effort like the one Jeter had, going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in as the American League beat the National League, 6-3, at Turner Field.
Jeter, the Yankees shortstop, had one hit against Randy Johnson, another against Kevin Brown and the decisive hit of the game against the Mets' Al Leiter-a two-run single in the fourth. It was quite a breakout game for someone who had amassed two strikeouts in his previous two All-Star Games. Jeter became the first Yankee to be named MVP in an All-Star Game. The award has been handed out annually since 1962.
"It's tough to believe [with all the Yankee greats over the years]," Jeter said, adding he was "in the right place at the right time." Jeter was the only area player to have a big game. Yankees respresentatives Bernie Williams (0-for-3), Jorge Posada (0-for-2) and the Mets' Edgardo Alfonzo (0-for-2) were hitless. Leiter, the losing pitcher, gave up two runs and Yankees closer Mariano Rivera gave up an unearned run in the ninth.
Fans got a little bit of everything, including a big night for the hometown hero. Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves also went 3-for-3 and had a home run.
"It was awesome," Jones said. "I mean, it's every little boy's dream. I've said it so many times this week, it's not often that a player gets to play on his home field in the All-Star Game, much less start." Clearly, there was a move toward youth on the field. And the unseasoned, injury-dotted rosters were not even the half of it. In the most unique twist to pregame ceremonies in quite a while, players walked in through the centerfield fence, accompanied by their children.
Dads and kids gathered at the fathers' positions. Only the starting players ran to the baselines as they were introduced, and even then, some of them took their kids with them. Given that theme, it was only fitting that the first big hit of the game came from Jones, who had been sleepy Monday because he had to wake up for his infant son's 4 a.m. feeding that morning. Jones, the Atlanta Brave, never did get back to sleep. "Too excited," he said after a lackluster performance in the Home Run Derby that night.
But he hit a home run into the left-centerfield seats that counted last night, taking James Baldwin deep and drawing the National League even, 1-1, in the third.
The more pertinent youngsters, of course, were on the field in a game that lacked injured mainstays such as Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, Greg Maddux and Ken Griffey Jr.
Jeter is not exactly a low-profile newcomer. But the Yankees shortstop was part of the fill-in crowd. He moved up from reserve to starter after Alex Rodriguez suffered a concussion Friday. Manager Joe Torre pointed out that Nomar Garciaparra, the other star shortstop, had started last year, so it was Jeter's turn.
Given that shot, Jeter doubled to left against Johnson in the first. He added a single up the middle against Brown in the third. In the fourth, Jeter batted against Leiter, who had a rough inning. Jermaine Dye walked, Travis Fryman singled past second baseman Jeff Kent (the kind of play Alfonzo often makes for the Mets) and Mike Sweeney reached on an error by shortstop Barry Larkin. Jeter blooped a single to center that gave the American League a 3-1 lead.
He grinned when he spoke about the cut fastball Leiter threw him. "He does that every time we face him. I try to lay off of it," Jeter said.