Ken Davidoff on Derek Jeter (Newsday):
Sure, Jeter has had his non-baseball highlights. Most notably, he addressed the crowd following the final game at original (sort of) Yankee Stadium , and he did so again this past season when the Yankees honored George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard , after the two men died within two days of each other. In both instances, he was terrific. He was indeed a value add , as the kids say.
But those were very specific situations. It's not like that's a marketable skill for Jeter. He can't go to the Red Sox and bring the video of those speeches. Nor can the Yankees think, "Well, OK, the next time we move or someone really important dies, we've got Jeter."
Interesting.
We already know Brian Cashman doesn’t agree with Davidoff, as he told ESPN New York “We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account.”Oh, and I think a good chunk of the Yankees’ three-year, $45 million offer reflects his off-the-field value to the team.
But does Davidoff have a point; should the Yankees even bother to account for his off-the-field value?
I think so. The Yankees owe it to him. Plus, as Davidoff wrote, I don’t think Jeter’s career is over. One poor season late in his career doesn’t mean he’s done.
