"I have no issues with Alex. None whatsoever" - Derek Jeter claims he's moved past Alex Rodriguez's comments which led to bad blood between the two Yankees legends
One of the keys to being happy in life is moving on, and New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter has embraced that approach.
The MLB Hall of Famer sat down with TIME ahead of the release of "The Captain" — a seven-part documentary on his illustrious career.
@DerekJeter is telling his story, his way.
this tweet if you're interested in watching #TheCaptain, hitting ESPN and @ESPNPlus starting July 18!⚾ @DerekJeter is telling his story, his way.
❤️ this tweet if you're interested in watching #TheCaptain, hitting ESPN and @ESPNPlus starting July 18! https://t.co/KPrXMDjHB4
One of the topics covered in the interview was Jeter’s relationship with former Yankees teammate Alex Rodriguez. The pair had a well-publicized fallout following comments made by Rodriguez, then a Texas Rangers player, during a 2001 interview with Esquire magazine.
During that interview, A-Rod was asked for his opinion on Jeter’s character, to which he replied:
“Jeter’s been blessed with great talent around him. So he’s never had to lead. He doesn’t have to, he can just go and play and have fun, and hit second. I mean, you know, hitting second is totally different than hitting third or fourth in a lineup because you go into New York trying to stop Bernie [Williams] and [Paul] O’Neill and everybody. You never say, ‘Don’t let Derek beat you.’ That’s never your concern.” - Alex Rodriguez, speaking on Derek Jeter's character (2001)
The comments were blown way out of proportion, to the point that they ruined the beautiful friendship that Jeter and Rodriguez shared.
However, Jeter now seems to be more mature about the entire ordeal and has moved on. He told TIME:
“I have no issues with Alex. None whatsoever. We’ve had conversations. The past is the past. It’s over and done with. You’ve got to remember, this was a long, long time ago. People evolve over time and they change. You have life experiences. I have zero issues with Alex.” - Derek Jeter on his relationship with Alex Rodriguez (2022)
Rodriguez has apologized to Jeter in the past, but he never stopped defending himself.
There is no denying that the New York Yankees had one of the best teams ever in baseball during the late 90s and the onset of the millennium.
Rodriguez simply tried to convey that Jeter has many stars around him, so he doesn’t necessarily need to lead the pack. That, in itself, is not a controversial opinion. However, the constant media hammering turned it into something that it wasn’t and ruined a friendship that could have lasted a lifetime.
While Jeter and Rodriguez didn't share much of a friendship after the incident, they did share success after A-Rod moved to the Yankees in 2004. The pair won the World Series together in 2009.
Derek Jeter's new documentary is a can't-miss for baseball fans
The upcoming episodes of Derek Jeter’s documentary could share a never-heard-before perspective of his falling out with Alex Rodriguez.
We could also get some insight into Jeter’s post-retirement ventures, including his time as CEO and part-owner of the Miami Marlins. Baseball fans simply can't afford to miss this one.
“Derek, it’s the Yankees!”
The Jeter family’s reaction to him getting drafted is amazing ❤️ #TheCaptain https://t.co/IEdkDyGXlY
The first episode of "The Captain" premiered Monday, July 18, on ESPN after the Home Run Derby.
Here is the full schedule for the remaining episodes.
Episode 2: Thursday, July 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Episode 3: Thursday, July 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Episode 4: Thursday, July 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET
Episode 5: Thursday, August 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Episode 6: Thursday, August 4 at 10:00 p.m. ET
Episode 7: Thursday, August 11 at 10:00 p.m. ET