We’ve Won the Battle, Now, Let’s Win the War

By Ed "In Westchester" Semlies
Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2007

One of my first columns here at F.U. bemoaned the need of the media and some fans to compare Jose Reyes to Derek Jeter and David Wright to Alex Rodriguez. This past Saturday, I got sucked into the battle by a tandem of Yankee fans. The best part was, I didn’t bring it up. They did.

I want to be clear here, and I said the same thing to my friends on Saturday, I take nothing away from Jeter. He is a very good ballplayer. However, the one thing he has over pretty much every other active player right now is the fact that he won four World Series. My point has been, and will remain, that Jeter is not solely responsible for those victories. Did he have a role? Sure. But he was not the be all end all of those teams.

So, here is the story. Saturday, I am visiting a friend at his house, and one of his high school buddies, a fellow Yankee fan is there. Of course, talk turns to the craptasitc season the Yankees are having (this was when Abreu looked at a called strike 3, that was actually outside). Well, they suddenly started bashing the Reyes/Jeter comparisons. “Let me know when Reyes has won 1 WS, much less 4.” I attempted to explain that I had not made the comparisons, but they were off and running. There was no stopping them.

Inside, I was chuckling. This is what Yankee fans are being reduced to. No longer will I have to hear “well, we are better than the Mets”. That statement simply isn’t true anymore. Now, they are defending the legacy of Jeter, Captain Intangibles, against a 4th year player. One, who is without a doubt, more exciting than any other player in the game. Now, I know he hasn’t won anything, yet. But tell me something, do people buy tickets to watch Reyes? Do they stay in their seats, whether at the game or at home when he comes to the plate? Yep. Now, if the game is on the line, I would say Yankee fans would do the same for Jeter, but are they buying tickets to see Jeter? Are they staying in their seats every time he comes to the plate? Yes, he dove into the stands to make a catch, but I can name ½ dozen other players who have done the same thing. Over the shoulder catches? Same thing. The flip? Well, Jeremy Giambi isn’t exactly fleet of foot. Good plays all, but not anything that others haven’t done at some point in time.

Mets fans, and fans of opposing teams, are worried each and every time Reyes comes to the plate, first inning, 4th inning, 9th inning. No matter the situation. People are worried about Reyes. And with good reason, given the numbers he has put up last year, and so far this season. The sky is the limit for Jose. He is going to exceed his high in walks, and probably steals, and more than likely in batting average by the time this season is over. Assuming the team holds up, he could be getting fitted for a WS ring in November. But I now all of this, Yankee fans do not. They cling to the 1990’s like Gollum to the ring. And we all know what happened to him, don’t we?

So I let them get their vent out of the way. I told them I respected Jeter (because I do, he is a great player, I’m just sick of all the hype over him). But I won the battle. Not only because I got them to accept that he wasn’t the sole reason why the Yankees won in the 1990’s. But because they had to defend their player, and brought it up to start with, instead of it being the other way around. The tide is turning fellow fans. I for one am happy with the change. Now, if only Boston can finish the job.
 

Ed is not afraid to admit respect for players on other teams, but will defend his players like a wolverine protecting its young. You can read more of Ed’s ramblings at Edinwestchester.blogspot.com, or in the forums here at F.U.