NEW YORK — Derek Jeter has been in the dugout for games after the Yankees have been eliminated in the final week of 2008 and last season. He has only played once when the Yankees have been eliminated from postseason contention and that was on the road.
Barring a rainout Thursday, Jeter will play in his first game at home when the Yankees have been eliminated from postseason contention. It will also be the second home game that the Yankees are playing out of postseason contention since 1993.
The other time was Sept. 26 of last season, when injuries ended Jeter’s season and he came out with Andy Pettitte to embrace Mariano Rivera on the mound and end the legendary closer’s career in an emotional way.
Figuring out how to honor Jeter in a similar way is what is on manager Joe Girardi’s mind as he heads into that game. Girardi did not know exactly what he would do but it might be similar to the last game at the old Yankee Stadium when he lifted Jeter with two outs in the ninth to give him a chance at a standing ovation.
“I think that people have shown him appreciation wherever he’s been this year,” Girardi said. “For him to do it one more time in Yankee Stadium, I think is going to be special. I’ve talked about how special it is to put a uniform on, especially to put a Yankee uniform on. It’s very difficult to take it off but I think tomorrow will become a culmination of all the love he’s been shown and all the appreciation that he’s been shown during the course of this year ending his career and I think it will be something that we’ll remember for a long time.”
Jeter is 10-for-29 on his final homestand.
Normally he might not admit to noticing the fact that every time he approaches the plate for an at-bat that fans are standing and taking pictures but after Wednesday,
Jeter conceded that he has been noticing.
“I’m aware of it,” Jeter said. “You can’t help but notice. I catch myself looking around sometimes. I try not to do that but I caught myself a couple of times doing it.”
As for playing the three games in Boston, it is unknown if he will play. In typical Jeter fashion, he said he was focusing on Thursday although Girardi said he would find a few minutes to talk to the Yankee captain about the weekend.