Yankees’ desperate attempt to inspire team baffles Derek Jeter

Thursday October 27, 2022

After falling behind the Astros 3-0 in the 2022 ALCS, the Yankees showed videos of their 2004 ALCS epic Red Sox comeback to their players to inspire them. However, this act left their legend, Derek Jeter, scratching his head, as the Red Sox scripted their comeback against the Yankees.

A puzzled Derek Jeter told:

“I don’t know the context of it. I still don’t like to talk about it myself. Makes me sick to this day thinking about it.”

According to NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty, Derek Jeter spoke about this while talking at the annual dinner evening hosted by his Turn 2 Foundation. The player was part of the defeated 2004 ALCS team.

Chad Bohling, the mental skills coach for the Yankees, had the idea to try to get New York to play better in this way. He thought it would be a good idea to show the Yankees players clips of the Red Sox coming back from a 3-0 series deficit against a Jeter-led Yankees team to win the World Series. This was the first time the Red Sox had won the World Series in 86 years.

The Yankees were swept out of the playoffs, so it’s clear that the plan didn’t work.

Jeter told Kuty:

“I’m not as close to the team as I used to be. As I’ve already said, I don’t know what’s going on. I’d have to find out a few more things. Even now, it makes me feel sick.”

The Red Sox comeback is the only such event in the history of MLB and the Yankees fall back on it to derive inspiration. However, it was still puzzling that the Yankees utilized it, of all things, to inspire the squad in this year’s ALCS against the Houston Astros, given that they were the ones who lost to Boston then. Perhaps, a reminder of that game is something Derek Jeter wishes he could forget in his Hall of Fame career.

Derek Jeter also had something to say about this, and he backed manager Aaron Boone, just like Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, who will keep the manager in place. The former Yankee told:

“Good for Aaron, I like Aaron. I played with Aaron. Sometimes, when you’re in a situation like that, you’re in a no-win situation unless you win. But I like Aaron. I haven’t been around. I had my head down in Miami for 4 1/2 years. I wasn’t paying close attention, but I like Aaron, and, look, he puts them in a position every year to have that chance to win. Ultimately, it comes down to the players, right?”

Do you agree with Derek Jeter?