Spring Training

In the words of the great Rafiki: “It is time!” Spring Training is here! Hey, who’s got two thumbs and is psyched for Baseball Season…this guy! Okay, enough with the cheap jokes let’s get down to some conversation. There is a lot of discussion in the blog-sphere about Derek Jeter’s performance, I’ve been discussing his 07′ post-season with Rebecca over at Bleeding Pinstripes and I chalk his poor performance up to his knee injuries. There is also a great sabermetric analysis of Jeter’s upcoming season over at the Replacement Level Blog. Jeter has never been the type of player who sits when injured, he believes that even hurt he can contribute to the win. This is what makes him a “clutch” player, as much as that phrase irks me, it’s true. He wants to be in the box with the game on the line. As he ages however, it will become increasingly difficult for him to use willpower to get through his injuries. I think he realized that at the end of last season and adjusted his workout accordingly. He knows what he has to do to be successful and he has never shied away from making adjustments to his game. This is why I believe that Jeter will return to his normal form in 08′ and catalyze another exciting campaign to the Fall Classic.