Derek Jeter Faked It!!!

[allstarsplus]

Derek Jeter admitted he faked getting hit by a pitch on his arm.

In the Yankees/Rays game last night in the top in seventh after plate umpire Lance Barksdale -- over the objections of the Rays -- ruled that Qualls' first pitch struck Derek Jeter on the left arm and Granderson followed with his 18th homer.


Maddon argued unsuccessfully that the ball hit Jeter's bat, eventually drawing an ejection from Barksdale.


Jeter, who stood doubled over while receiving attention from a trainer, confessed that the ball hit the end of his bat and he sold the call to Barksdale with a good acting job.


"He told me to go to first base. I'm not going to tell him I'm not going to first, you know," Jeter said.


"It's part of the game. My job is to get on base. Fortunately for us it paid off at the time, but I'm sure it would have been a bigger story if we would have won that game."


Maddon disliked the call, but didn't fault Jeter. "If our guys had did it, I would have applauded that. It's a great peformance on his part," the Tampa Bay manager said. "Several players are very good at that. And again, I'm not denigrating it. If our guy does it, I'm very happy with that if we end up getting the call. ... Fortunately it didn't cost us."

[ironmanfan]

The way Jeter has been playing, I guess he'll take first base any chance he can get..(obviously he wasn't going to tell the umpire that he didn't get hit...no one would).

[suave1477]

Players do it all the time no big deal

[Dach0sen0ne]

Its like in the NFL when kickers fake contact, sometime you gotta do what you gotta do. First place and home field in the playoffs is on the line here.

[PwKw13]

I think the point is that most people don't view Derek Jeter like the average player in terms of integrity. I wouldn't expect Jeter to tell the umpire that he made the wrong call, but I'm surprised that he faked it in order to "sell" the wrong call.

[suave1477]

Have you ever watched Derek Jeter? He does it all the time. Have you ever noticed at every bat if a ball comes in even a drop close he makes the gesture that he bends his back out as if he is trying to get out of the way. Is it because he is sincerely trying to get out of the way of a ball that is no where near him or to hopefully try to get a "ball" call from an ump not really paying attention.

[ironmanfan]

Just think about what the furor would have been if it had been A-Rod doing this

[trsent]

Just think about what the furor would have been if it had been A-Rod doing this

I agree. Jeter is a great player and worshiped.

If it was a player not as respected who admitted it, say Manny Ramirez, everyone wouldn't be praising them as they have Jeter above. They would be called a common criminal.

I have no problem with this as it is part of the game, but I don't think Jeter should have admitted it. Maybe Bud will make him pay for that?

[godwulf]

I have no problem with this as it is part of the game, but I don't think Jeter should have admitted it.

Sums it up perfectly.

Deking, in its various forms, is part of the game...but you don't talk about it. Jeter's no rookie - he should know better.

[sox83cubs84]

Good thespian performance by Jeter...like it or not, it's part of the game.

Dave Miedema