"My agent got me a chef as a Christmas gift" - Yankees legend Derek Jeter once revealed how a meaningful gift freed him from ready-made meals
Derek Jeter is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever graced the MLB. The shortstop won five World Series titles during his time with the New York Yankees.
Despite being a superstar in the ballpark, Jeter had a few off-field issues during his playing days. One of those problems was that he didn't know how to cook.
Jeter needed the correct diet and nutrients to be at the top of his game on the field and hit those big home runs. Hence, his agent got him a chef as a Christmas gift in the early 2000s, to prevent the player from eating ready-made meals that would damage his lifestyle.
In an interview with Playboy Magazine in 2004, Jeter was asked whether he preferred eating snack food or fast food. The Yankees star responded:
“I can’t cook; that’s the bad thing. I go to the grocery store and stock up on cereal, oatmeal, Eggos and stuff, and then when it goes bad I’ll go back and get more.
"Otherwise I eat out. My agent got me a chef as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. He’d have something waiting for me, and I would warm it up. I think I might have to have him come again.”
Derek Jeter's MLB stats and career honors
Derek Jeter was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1992. He made his debut for the franchise in May 1995.
Jeter played his entire 20-year career with the Yankees and racked up a whopping 3,465 hits and 260 home runs in 11,195 at-bats with a .310 batting average. He also added 358 stolen bases across 2,747 regular-season games.
Jeter was also clutch for the Yankees in the postseason, recording 200 hits and 20 home runs in 650 at-bats at a .308 batting average. He posted 18 stolen bases in 158 games in the playoffs.
During his 20-year sojourn with the New York outfit, Jeter helped the Yankees win five World Series titles. He was also the World Series MVP when New York won the title in 2000.
Moreover, Jeter earned 14 All-Star honors and won five Gold Glove awards and five Silver Slugger awards. In 2020, six years after his retirement, Derek Jeter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.