To succeed on Fox, Derek Jeter just needs to loosen up

Follow Us

If you’re a New York Yankees fan of mid-2000s Judd Apatow comedies, you probably recall Paul Rudd’s cameo as the laid-back surfing instructor “Kunu” (real name Chuck) in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” In the movie, he encourages Jason Segel’s character, a beginner surfer, to “do nothing.” However, when Segel takes this advice too literally and remains motionless on his board, Rudd exclaims that he’s got to do more than that.

Derek Jeter’s debut as an MLB analyst

This is mentioned here because it’s a fitting comparison for Derek Jeter‘s first season as an MLB analyst. Despite being a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer who spent his entire career with the Yankees, his debut hasn’t generated much excitement. He appears stiff and lacks humor, making it hard for him to connect with the audience. Jeter often seems like he’d rather be doing household chores than sharing a studio desk with Fox colleagues David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez, with whom he has a complex history. Jeter’s only notable moment this postseason occurred when Ortiz playfully handed out cowboy hats to their fellow panelists, a situation Jeter clearly didn’t enjoy. While he claimed to be in on the joke and downplayed the awkwardness in a subsequent tweet, it felt more like damage control, trying to change the narrative after being rightfully criticized as a buzzkill.

Considering Jeter is relatively new to the sports media world, it’s fair to give him some leeway. However, if he intends to maintain this persona of a humorless curmudgeon while David Ortiz plays the zany prankster, it might be time for Jeter to consider rebranding himself. This image appears to be draining the fun out of the room, much like a powerful vacuum. Jeter often sits quietly at his desk, sometimes for minutes or entire segments, without contributing. It feels like he regards this role as beneath him, a tedious task for attention-seeking narcissists trying to remain relevant. This raises the question: why did Jeter take the job if he doesn’t enjoy it?

Jeter’s transition to broadcasting

Since retiring in 2014, Jeter has taken an unusual path. He started a family with model Hannah Davis, launched The Players’ Tribune website, briefly worked for the Marlins, and had a documentary series about his career. With a net worth of over $200 million, Jeter could have become a very rich recluse. But his post-baseball drive and business interests are impressive, even if they suggest he is trying to figure out his next act. Jeter is known for performing well in the playoffs. He seems ambitious but may be uncertain of his identity after baseball.

Jeter is no longer New York’s most eligible bachelor. There seems to be a restlessness about him as he quickly goes through plans after retiring from MLB. He is trying out ideas that appear random, seeing what works. The 49-year-old father of four doesn’t seem fulfilled. Whatever he is looking for, he hasn’t found it at Fox. There’s a fine line between cool and distant. Jeter comes off as aloof, showing little tolerance for Ortiz’s antics and keeping his former teammate A-Rod at a distance. He needs to open up and be more engaging on camera.

Fox wants to compete with ESPN and other sports networks for broadcast rights. So they have miscast talent by forcing ill-fitting people into roles. Jeter seems to be the latest case. They assumed his success on the field would mean he’d be good on camera. But his playing ability has not translated as an analyst.

By all accounts, Jeter has deep baseball knowledge as a student of the game. He was part of iconic MLB moments himself as a player. Many new announcers struggle to find words. But Jeter speaks with the same poise and confidence that made him a 14-time All-Star. He has the looks, eloquence, and huge success. The only thing missing is some personality. He seems guarded and impersonal. Jeter needs to open up and share more of himself.

John Smoltz also isn’t bubbly, but he provides insightful analysis. Jeter just repeats the same generic points without adding much. It’s disappointing but fits his reputation as extremely private, denying gossip to New York tabloids. That helped him survive as a Yankee, but he doesn’t work on TV. Jeter’s stubbornness to open up is an issue for his success in the long run. He needs to share more personally, like Ortiz, rather than give bland, uninteresting opinions. Jeter has knowledge but needs to apply it better and drop his guard.

Before Fox, Jeter worked with ESPN on a documentary called The Captain. It came out last summer and was seen as a failure – a vain project called “nostalgia porn” or an “infomercial.” It only appealed to Yankees fans wanting to relive past glories. A main complaint was that Jeter didn’t share behind-the-scenes secrets as promised. The series looked like PR to portray Jeter as the ultimate professional. But he didn’t open up or give any clubhouse insight. It was just navel-gazing that immortalized the Michigan slugger.

Underneath Jeter’s cold exterior, there seems to be a softer side waiting to emerge. We glimpsed it when Astros player Mauricio Dubon called Jeter his inspiration for chasing an MLB career. But such moments are rare. Jeter still wears armor and won’t play along when Ortiz kids him about the Yankees’ huge collapse in 2004. Jeter needs to let his guard down more and show his human side. He remains too walled off and unwilling to be vulnerable.

Ortiz isn’t a polished broadcaster, but he’s entertaining and having fun. He knows Fox is about entertainment, so he hams it up with catchphrases and funny hats. If Jeter embraced it, he could play up a fake “rivalry” with Ortiz like Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal on TNT. But that would mean Jeter relaxing the image he’s guarded for 30 years. He’d have to stop being overly cautious and start letting his personality show. Jeter needs to drop the armor and be more natural and fun on camera.

Brandon Tierney is a vocal Jeter critic who doubts his talent to engage audiences. Tierney said that Jeter is a smart guy who knows the game but just doesn’t have it as an analyst. He added that Jeter is boring. Tierney noted that he cannot ignore the fact that when Jeter did not need the fans and media, he gave them nothing during his time with the Yankees. However, now that Jeter is getting paid big money, he suddenly cares about them, and that bothers him. According to Tierney, he is still resentful that Jeter stonewalled the media throughout his Yankees tenure.

Kevin Manahan of NJ Advance Media responded with his own column defending Jeter. He praised the 5-time World Champion for keeping his dignity instead of acting like a class clown.

Manahan wrote that Jeter knows his brand and is not surrendering his integrity. He stated that Jeter is not Gronk or Charles Barkley; he is The Captain.

Jeter avoids gossip, controversial opinions, and improvising on air. He sticks to safe anecdotes without revealing much about himself. While Jeter doesn’t need to become an over-the-top character, he does need to display more of a distinctive personality. He may have the potential to be a great broadcaster, but he remains too guarded. If Jeter wants to connect with audiences, he needs to let down his barriers and be more authentic and engaging. Right now, his detached demeanor is limiting him.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

Follow Us