Jeter Hurt, Yankees Tumble
Derek Out For Weekend, May Go On DL
Daily News , May 12, 2000
By Peter Botte
Nothing personal against Clay Bellinger, but Yankee fans everywhere gasped in horror when he jogged to the shortstop position to start the third inning of last night's 1-0 defeat to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at the Stadium.
Shortstop Derek Jeter was removed from the game after two innings with what he called "a sharp pain" that later was diagnosed as an abdominal strain on his left side. The injury will keep the two-time All-Star out of the lineup for at least "the next few days," Joe Torre said.
The Yankees are notorious for taking a cautious approach in such situations, and the two-time All-Star was disabled for the only time in his five-year career (missing 12 games) in June of 1998 with the same injury.
He might be headed there again.
"Knowing them, of course I won't play (this weekend in Detroit)," said Jeter, who admitted he wouldn't be able to play even if the postseason began today.
"You break a toenail and they put you out a couple of games around here."
Orlando Hernandez struck out six and pitched a complete game, but still picked up the loss.
Following a three-start slump, Orlando Hernandez (4-2) went the distance but Fred McGriff's solo homer to right-center in the seventh inning snapped a scoreless tie. That lifted Tampa righthander Steve Trachsel to his second consecutive 1-0 victory over a member of the American League's pitching elite.
Trachsel, an 18-game loser for the Cubs last season (8-18), outpitched Boston ace Pedro Martinez by the same score in his previous start.
Still, any game specifics immediately are deemed immaterial in a contest Jeter is unable to finish because of injury.
The Yankee shortstop, who flew out to right field in his only at-bat to extend his current hitless streak to 13 at-bats, said he originally hurt himself logging extra work in the batting cage Wednesday in an attempt to bust what is now a rare four-game hitless slump.
"I think I just took too many swings," Jeter said. "I got a little happy because I thought I was making progress.
"Obviously, you work hard and you try to (play) and then the last thing you want (is to have to sit out).
"You can't correct things from the bench."
He and the Yankees (22-10) will have to deal with that possibility this weekend, and perhaps beyond. The American League's best team already has withstood injuries to Scott Brosius and Chuck Knoblauch, but Jeter is different.
The biggest stars always are.
"You're not going to replace Derek Jeter with someone like Derek Jeter," said Torre, whose team went 9-3 while Jeter was disabled in 1998. "You have to find a way to win without him, without bemoaning the fact you don't have him."
Top shortstop prospect Alfonso Soriano is batting only .226 in 14 games (including 10 at shortstop) for Triple-A Columbus, with four errors.
Soriano spent an earlier stint with the Yanks this season, ironically when Brosius missed 17 games, also with an abdominal strain.
Thus, Torre and the training staff "kept a close eye" on Jeter from the start of the game.
Jeter admitted he felt "a sharp pain" when flying out to right in his only at-bat in the first. Television replays also showed Jeter wincing in pain following a nifty defensive play in the top of the second.
The 25-year-old Jeter ranged far to his right to corral Vinny Castilla's grounder in the shortstop hole, before turning and jumping to force Jose Canseco at second base.
He completed the inning, but Bellinger came out to start the third and the small rain-check crowd from Wednesday night's washout grumbled in despair.
"I came inside and Geno (trainer Gene Monahan) said forget it," said Jeter. "That was it."
With five hits in his last 33 at-bats including a 2-for-22 home stand Jeter's batting average is down to .266 for the season.
The Yankees are hoping their most important everyday player will not have to wait at least 15 days before he can attempt to snap out of his rare hitting woes.
"We're not considering that right now," Torre said. "But we have to wait through the weekend to see."
"If it's up to me, of course not," Jeter said. "But you have to talk to the mastermind in charge. Only time will tell."