Maybe the general public can answer this question for me: Whose fault is it that there are stories about the love-hate relationship between New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and third baseman Alex Rodriguez?
Is it the media’s fault for making such a non-issue a big deal or is it the public’s fault for wanting to hear more and more about an issue that has nothing to do with baseball? Either way, a pox on both houses!
Apparently, the two were best buddies until A-Rod commented in a 2001 magazine piece about Jeter’s leadership ability. Frankly, Jeter should have just taken a picture of his jewelry collection and sent it to A-Rod — that would have ended any debate about leadership. But no, we have to keep hearing about Jeter not backing A-Rod last year and the two having a bad relationship. Who cares! Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were friends until Ruth made a comment about Gehrig’s mother. Gehrig, for a time, had nothing to do with Ruth. The Yankees, though, still had a pretty good team. I believe it was called Murders’ Row.
I think there are enough issues with the New York Yankees that the beat writers and columnists can find better fodder for stories, columns, Web sites and blogs. Sadly, the issue really doesn’t matter. Jeter and A-Rod are both professionals who perform at a very high level. That level doesn’t depend on them eating dinner together, playing cards, swapping barbecue techniques or being, as A-Rod put it, “blood brothers.”
What matters is that they are paid a boatload of money to perform and it’s expected by owner George Steinbrenner that they perform at a high level so the Yankees can win another World Series while the baseball world roots against them or yawns in apathy. So enough, let’s focus on baseball and keep the nonsense issues where they belong — buried and not talked about.
Umm...while I agree, it's Murderer's Row, and Gehrig and Ruth had their falling out after allegations that Ruth had slept with Gehrig's wife Eleanor during their honeymoon/Yankee goodwill tour to Asia, not because he said anything about Gehrig's mother.
