The 2023 Old-Timers’ Day was a big occasion for fans at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night with Derek Jeter in attendance. Some of them used the occasion to throw boos at current manager Aaron Boone during his introduction.
The Yankees stood at 70-71 on Saturday afternoon before succumbing to another loss to the Brewers a few hours later. Fans are angry as the teams faced the possibility of their first losing season since 1992.
Former Yankees manager Joe Torre empathized with the frustration of Yankees fans regarding the current team’s performance. He went a step further saying that manager Boone should have been aware of facing such resentment from the crowd in the Bronx the day he signed for the Yankees managerial job and had to deal with it.
“When you agree to do this job, and I think Derek referred to it, about the expectations here, they’re sky high,” Torre told reporters in the presence of the Core Four. “No getting around it. You’re going to have to deal with it.”
Torre acknowledged the high expectations that come with the job of managing the Yankees. According to him, once a person accepts this role, he must be prepared for the sky-high expectations and the pressure that comes with it, especially when things aren’t going well.
However, Torre mentioned that, based on his conversations with Boone and his observations, the current manager was handling the situation effectively. He noted that Boone was actively engaged in his work and stressed that in the Yankees organization, there was no room for excuses, even in the face of adversity. Torre concluded by affirming that Boone knew what he was getting into when he took on the job.
“Understand that there’s always that cloud that’s going to hang over when things go badly,” he said. “And just from what I get chatting with Boonie and seeing him from time to time, he’s handling it really well. He’s out there, he’s working hard and that’s all you can really do. They’ve had some bad breaks but that’s not an excuse when you’re a member of the Yankees. You’re expected to win. And, as I say, when he signed up for it, he knew what he was getting into.”
Derek Jeter’s advice to the Yankees
Returning to Yankee Stadium and basking in the cheers at the age of 49, Derek Jeter offered some guidance for the team he once captained to five championships.
Jeter mentioned that he was in the process of considering a rebranding of the name “Old-Timers'” to something else. He explained that as a player, it was difficult to envision being introduced at an event called “Old-Timers'” because athletes generally don’t think about themselves as getting old, although they acknowledge they are getting older. He emphasized that they were not old but rather older. However, Jeter expressed the special feeling of being part of such an event, highlighting the respect that fans have for the Yankees’ history as a crucial aspect that makes the organization great.
The former Yankees captain made his debut appearance at Old-Timers’ Day on Saturday as New York commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 1998 team that achieved 125 wins. He was introduced last, mirroring the tradition of Joe DiMaggio. A recording of the late public address announcer Bob Sheppard announced: “Now batting, number two, Derek Jeter.”
Jeter concluded his illustrious career after the 2014 season with 3,465 hits, ranking sixth on the all-time hits list. His jersey number, the last single-digit number available for the Yankees, was retired in 2017, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame three years later with an overwhelming vote, missing just one ballot out of 397. After serving as the CEO of the Miami Marlins from September 2017 to February 2022, he joined Fox’s baseball coverage team.
Fellow Core Four members Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera were also part of the reunion, along with former manager Joe Torre. Bernie Williams was unable to attend due to shoulder replacement surgery but sent a brief video message.
Jeter’s message to the current team was straightforward. He conveyed a straightforward message, stating that the primary focus should be on winning. He emphasized that despite any challenges, they were not eliminated from contention, and the key was to approach each game with the goal of winning, taking it one game at a time.
In addition to the 1998 Yankees, the event also featured introductions of Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP, and several members from the 1978 championship team, including Bucky Dent, Ron Guidry, Roy White, and Mickey Rivers. The event also paid tribute to the widows of Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, five-time manager Billy Martin, and captain Thurman Munson. This tradition began in 1947 with the appearances of baseball legends Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.
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